PDFOptim vs Smallpdf

PDFOptim provides browser tools to compress, merge, split, rotate, and reorder PDF files, alongside native apps for macOS, iOS, iPad, and Windows. Browser processing uses JavaScript and WebAssembly without uploading files to PDFOptim servers, and the tools work offline after the page has loaded; initial loading and license verification need internet access. Compression offers Web, Standard, Print, and Custom settings, and can reduce PDF size by up to 90%. Compress Only mode strips metadata and compresses internal streams without re-rendering software-created PDFs, preserving selectable text. Multiple PDFs can be batch-compressed, while downloading all results as a ZIP requires Pro. The free plan allows three operations per day on files up to 25 MB. Pro Monthly costs $4.99 a month and includes unlimited operations, files up to 200 MB, and batch ZIP downloads. Lifetime costs $19, paid once, with the same operation and file limits, batch ZIP downloads, future tools, and priority email support. The native apps process documents locally; a 30-day money-back guarantee is also listed.

Smallpdf is a PDF service with tools for editing, converting, compressing, organizing, sharing, protecting and scanning documents. Users can add text, shapes, images and freehand annotations, create forms and use OCR. It supports electronic signatures, including signing, requesting signatures and tracking documents. Files can be stored, managed and shared across devices, and the mobile app supports PDF scans, document organization and file sharing. Smallpdf is available on the web, Windows, iOS and Android, and also supports a Chrome extension. Integrations include Google Workspace and Dropbox. Thirty PDF tools are available for free, and the free trial lasts seven days. Pro costs $12 a month, billed monthly per user. Team costs $10 a month per user and covers 2 to 100 users, with a minimum of two seats. Smallpdf says it uses 256-bit TLS encryption for information transfer and is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and compliant with GDPR, CCPA and nFADP. Customer support is available around the clock.