PDF24 and Smallpdf serve different audiences. PDF24 is free, ad-supported, with a desktop installer and broad tool set. Smallpdf is paid (€9/month for Pro), with a polished UI and team features but stricter free-tier limits. This page compares them honestly on what each does best.
PDF24 is fully free with no daily limits and no watermarks — funded by on-page advertising. Smallpdf free tier allows 2 tasks per day; Pro at €9/month removes all limits. For high-volume free use, PDF24 wins on raw economics.
Smallpdf has the polished UX edge: smoother previews, integrated signing flows, mobile apps. PDF24 has slightly utilitarian UIs but the same operations achieve the same results. For specific tools like OCR and Word conversion, both produce comparable output.
Both Smallpdf (upload-based) and PDF24 (mixed: some tools browser, some server) have privacy considerations. PDF24's desktop installer offers offline processing — the strongest privacy option on this list. Smallpdf is upload-only on web. For browser-based processing without upload, see PDFKits below.
Neither tool fully satisfies a privacy-conscious user who wants browser-based processing AND no ads AND no signup AND 46 tools. PDFKits covers all four. The trade-off vs. PDF24: no desktop installer (browser only). Trade-off vs. Smallpdf: less polished UX. Free, no daily limits, no watermark.
You want a free, full-featured desktop installer and don't mind on-page ads on the web version.
You value polished UX, team features, and your usage justifies €9/month.
You want browser-based, free, no signup, no watermark, no ads, with 46 tools. Browse all tools.