Smallpdf and iLovePDF are the two most popular freemium online PDF services. They are remarkably similar: ~25 tools each, polished UIs, daily task limits, and the same fundamental architecture — your file must be uploaded to their servers. This page compares them on price, features, and the privacy gap both share.
Smallpdf Pro is €9/month or €108/year (billed annually). iLovePDF Premium is €6/month or €48/year — significantly cheaper. Both unlock unlimited tasks, no watermark, and higher file size limits. Free tier: Smallpdf 2 tasks/day; iLovePDF 25 MB max but more daily tasks.
Both offer the standard set: merge, split, compress, convert (to/from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, JPG), edit, sign, watermark, OCR, page numbers, protect, unlock. Smallpdf has a slight edge on signing workflows (eSign flows for teams). iLovePDF has a slight edge on batch operations and broader file format support.
Both Smallpdf and iLovePDF upload your file to their servers for processing. They state they delete files after 1-2 hours, but the file is still transmitted, stored briefly, and accessible to their infrastructure. For sensitive PDFs (legal contracts, medical records, financials), this is the wrong trust model.
PDFKits implements the same 25+ tools as both, but processes everything in your browser via WebAssembly. No upload, no daily limits, no watermarks, free. The trade-off: larger files use your device's RAM (up to ~500 MB practical limit on desktop), and the polished video-tour-style UX of Smallpdf is replaced by simpler tool pages.
You manage signing workflows in a team, value polished UX, and your PDFs are not sensitive enough to worry about server upload.
You need broader file format support and prefer the €48/year price point. Same upload caveat applies.
Privacy matters or you want no signup. Start with our 46 tools — every tool free, no upload.