Smallpdf vs iLovePDF
Smallpdf and iLovePDF are both browser-based PDF toolkits with a free tier and paid plans. Smallpdf is a Swiss company (Smallpdf AG) that advertises 30 tools and a 7-day free trial; iLovePDF publishes its Premium price (EUR 5 a month billed annually, EUR 9 monthly) and a Business tier for 25+ users. Both state ISO/IEC 27001 and GDPR compliance.
Choose Smallpdf if
you want a short trial of the full toolset, a Swiss-based provider, and a single toolkit with e-signature and AI PDF features.
Read the Smallpdf reviewChoose iLovePDF if
you want a published, low entry price (EUR 5 a month on annual billing), up to 25 users on one Premium plan, and desktop and mobile apps included.
Read the iLovePDF reviewSmallpdf and iLovePDF side by side
| Smallpdf | iLovePDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Smallpdf AG | iLovePDF S.L. |
| Headquarters | Zurich, Switzerland | Barcelona, Spain |
| Founded | 2013 | 2010 |
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland (adequacy decision, outside the EEA) | EU (Spain) |
| Where the data sits | Switzerland | EU |
| Pricing | Free with daily limits / Pro from about €9 per month | Free with limits / Premium from about €4 per month / API priced separately |
| Entry-level list price (vendor site, checked 8 October 2026) | Pro and Team plans exist (annual billing); amounts not shown on the pages checked; 7-day free trial | Premium EUR 5 a month billed annually (EUR 60), EUR 9 billed monthly; Business custom for 25+ users; free Basic plan |
| Free tier or trial | Free tier | Free tier |
| Certifications and checks | ISO 27001, GDPR | GDPR |
| Source code | Closed source | Closed source |
| Usually replaces | Adobe Acrobat, iLovePDF | Adobe Acrobat, Smallpdf, PDF24 |
| Position in our PDF Tools guide | #1 of 13 | #2 of 13 |
Both are listed in our European PDF Tools guide. The table is built from the same directory data as those entries, except the list price, which is quoted from each vendor's own pricing page (see Sources below); how we check it is described in the editorial process.
Where Smallpdf and iLovePDF differ
Across the five points below, Smallpdf has the edge on 1 point, iLovePDF on 2 points and 2 are a tie. A count like that is a summary, not a verdict: the point that matters to you may be the one the other product wins.
Pricing transparency
iLovePDF lists Premium at EUR 5 a month (EUR 60 billed annually) or EUR 9 billed monthly, and Business as custom pricing for 25+ users. Smallpdf's homepage mentions Pro and Team plans with annual billing, but the amounts did not render when checked, so a price comparison is not possible here.
Edge: iLovePDF
Free tier and trial
iLovePDF has a free Basic account with web access only; its pricing page lists limits of 1 to 25 documents a month depending on the tool and file sizes from 15 to 200 MB. Smallpdf says it offers 30 tools to convert, compress and edit PDFs for free and a 7-day free trial with unlimited access; its exact free-use limits were not visible when checked.
No clear winner on this point.
Security and compliance
Smallpdf says it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and GDPR, CCPA and nFADP compliant, with 256-bit TLS encryption. iLovePDF says it is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant. Neither claim was independently audited here.
No clear winner on this point.
Apps, teams and extras
iLovePDF Premium includes web, mobile and desktop access, 2,000 AI credits, ad-free use and priority support for 1 to 25 users; Business adds SSO and a dedicated account manager. Smallpdf's homepage lists digital signatures and AI PDF features, but the plan-by-plan split was not shown.
Edge: iLovePDF
Company base
Smallpdf's footer reads Smallpdf AG, which points to a Swiss company registration; the page does not state the country. iLovePDF's pages checked did not state where the company is based, so no comparison is possible on jurisdiction.
Edge: Smallpdf
When neither Smallpdf nor iLovePDF fits
If you only need an occasional merge or compress, a free desktop tool or a self-hosted option avoids uploading files at all. Browse the PDF tools category for other options; we did not verify their details for this page.
Smallpdf vs iLovePDF: questions
iLovePDF lists Premium at EUR 5 a month billed annually. Smallpdf's Pro price did not render on the pages we could read, so we cannot confirm which is cheaper.
Both have a free tier with limits. iLovePDF lists 1 to 25 documents a month on Basic. Smallpdf offers 30 free tools and a 7-day free trial of the full set.
Both say so on their own pages. Smallpdf also names GDPR, CCPA and nFADP compliance.
iLovePDF Premium covers 1 to 25 users and Business is for 25+ users with SSO. Smallpdf mentions a Team plan; we could not see its terms.
Sources
Facts, prices and plan details on this page were checked on the vendors' own websites on . Prices and plans change; the vendor's current page is authoritative.
- Smallpdf home page: 30 free tools, 7-day trial, ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, CCPA, nFADP, Smallpdf AG, Pro and Team plans (checked 8 October 2026)
- iLovePDF pricing: Basic, Premium and Business plans, EUR 5 and EUR 9 prices, limits, ISO 27001, GDPR (checked 8 October 2026)