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PDFelement vs Smallpdf Comparison (2026)

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PDFelement logo

PDFelement

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Smallpdf

Overview

PDFelement is a cloud-based and on-premise PDF editor that assists users in creating, editing, protecting, and signing PDFs across desktop, mobile, and web platforms. The tool allows users to modify PDF content similar to a word processor, incorporating text, images, shapes, and the ability to import and edit layers. Users can also adjust the size, color, and font styles, insert links, and apply watermarks to their documents.

Smallpdf is the simple and secure online PDF editor from Zurich, Switzerland. Founded in 2013, it offers 50+ tools to compress, translate, sign, edit, merge, and convert PDFs online, on desktop, or on mobile. Over 1 billion users have trusted Smallpdf with their documents.

  • Platforms supported
  • Web-based
  • iPhone app
  • Android app
  • Windows Phone app
  • Typical customers
  • Freelancers
  • Small businesses
  • Mid size businesses
  • Large enterprises
  • Customer support
  • Phone
  • Online
  • Knowledge base
  • Video tutorials
  • Platforms supported
  • Web-based
  • iPhone app
  • Android app
  • Windows Phone app
  • Typical customers
  • Freelancers
  • Small businesses
  • Mid size businesses
  • Large enterprises
  • Customer support
  • Phone
  • Online
  • Knowledge base
  • Video tutorials

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

Starting from

49

One-time payment

  • Free trial available
  • Credit cardless trial
  • Free account
  • Subscription based

Starting from

12

/user

Per month

  • Free trial available
  • Credit cardless trial
  • Free account
  • Subscription based

User reviews

4.4

440

5

4

3

2

1

245

146

25

7

17

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
77%
would recommend this app

4.7

1K

5

4

3

2

1

761

204

34

6

14

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
85%
would recommend this app

Pros

“Additionally, the free version applies a rather large watermark right in the middle of documents, which forces you to upgrade to the paid version for professional use.”
PK

Patrick K.

Vice President at JPK and Associates, Inc.

“I enjoyed that this product gives you the ability to use toms of different editing features & even the ability to create your own graphics add-ins.”
DC

Destiny C.

Sole proprietor

“You can modify the font, size, and style of text, resize or replace images, and add or edit hyperlinks.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Naveen C.

Senior Technical Manager

Pros

“The document editing is fine for light touch-ups but falls short for anything more involved deeper text editing, precise layout control, and more advanced document management leave you wanting a dedicated PDF editor.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Soumya N.

Senior Software Engineer

“Smallpdf is my go-to for routine PDF work compressing, converting, and organizing documents because it's quick and requires almost no thought to operate.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Soumya N.

Senior Software Engineer

“Converting PDFs to PPT allows me to quickly demonstrate small tweaks and refinements to clients, which saves time and enables our creative studio to focus on higher-value work.”
LH

Lu H.

Account Director

Cons

“However, some documents don’t work properly on it, and the OCR area doesn’t always cover the whole page.”
FC

Fannie C.

Estimator

“Sometimes I lose all my work if I click the wrong button.”
FC

Fannie C.

Estimator

“I feel their marketing deceptive, and I don't respect and trust the company.”
CS

Cynthia S.

owner and psychologist

Cons

“Some capabilities are gated behind the paid tier or hit usage limits on the free plan, which can interrupt you mid-task.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Soumya N.

Senior Software Engineer

“That one has to pay 10 euros for a Pro subscription. That, according to Kununu, their employees are not treated well.”
MC

Mateo C.

Carpenter

“converting to word from pdf not great had a lot of editing to do to make it right wasting time hoping it will improve very soon”
SS

Steve S.

boss

  • Vendor responds to reviews
  • Last review4 months ago
  • Vendor responds to reviews
  • Last review11 days ago

Key features

  • Total features67
  • Access Controls/Permissions
  • Activity Dashboard
  • Activity Tracking
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Annotations
  • Archiving & Retention
  • Audio Recording
  • Authentication
  • Auto Extraction
  • Batch Processing
  • Collaboration Tools
  • Commenting/Notes
  • Compliance Management
  • Compliance Tracking
  • Compression
  • Configurable Workflow
  • Content Library
  • Content Management
  • Content Scan
  • Contract Drafting
  • Contract/License Management
  • Convert to PDF
  • Customizable Branding
  • Customizable Fields
  • Customizable Forms
  • Data Aggregation and Publishing
  • Data Capture and Transfer
  • Data Extraction
  • Data Import/Export
  • Data Security
  • Delete Pages
  • Digital Signature
  • Document Automation
  • Document Capture
  • Document Classification
  • Document Conversion
  • Document Editing
  • Document Generation
  • Document Management
  • Document Review
  • Document Storage
  • Drag & Drop
  • Electronic Signature
  • Email Management
  • Encryption
  • File Conversion
  • File Management
  • File Sharing
  • File Transfer
  • For Legal Professionals
  • Forms Management
  • Full Text Search
  • Image Editing
  • Image Pre-processing
  • Invoice Processing
  • Language Detection
  • Merge/Append Files
  • Mobile Access
  • Multi-Language
  • Multiple Format Support
  • Multiple Output Formats
  • Notes Management
  • Offline Access
  • Optical Character Recognition
  • PDF Conversion
  • PDF Reader
  • Pre-built Templates
  • Presentation Tools
  • Productivity Tools
  • Real-Time Notifications
  • Rearrange Pages
  • Reminders
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Rich Text Editor
  • Role-Based Permissions
  • Rotate Pages
  • SSL Security
  • Search/Filter
  • Secure Data Storage
  • Signature Capture
  • Signature Creation
  • Task Management
  • Team Collaboration
  • Template Management
  • Templates
  • Text Editing
  • Text Extraction
  • Third-Party Integrations
  • User Management
  • Version Control
  • Watermarking
  • Workflow Automation
  • Workflow Management
  • Zone Selection Tool
  • Total features78
  • Access Controls/Permissions
  • Activity Dashboard
  • Activity Tracking
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Annotations
  • Archiving & Retention
  • Audio Recording
  • Authentication
  • Auto Extraction
  • Batch Processing
  • Collaboration Tools
  • Commenting/Notes
  • Compliance Management
  • Compliance Tracking
  • Compression
  • Configurable Workflow
  • Content Library
  • Content Management
  • Content Scan
  • Contract Drafting
  • Contract/License Management
  • Convert to PDF
  • Customizable Branding
  • Customizable Fields
  • Customizable Forms
  • Data Aggregation and Publishing
  • Data Capture and Transfer
  • Data Extraction
  • Data Import/Export
  • Data Security
  • Delete Pages
  • Digital Signature
  • Document Automation
  • Document Capture
  • Document Classification
  • Document Conversion
  • Document Editing
  • Document Generation
  • Document Management
  • Document Review
  • Document Storage
  • Drag & Drop
  • Electronic Signature
  • Email Management
  • Encryption
  • File Conversion
  • File Management
  • File Sharing
  • File Transfer
  • For Legal Professionals
  • Forms Management
  • Full Text Search
  • Image Editing
  • Image Pre-processing
  • Invoice Processing
  • Language Detection
  • Merge/Append Files
  • Mobile Access
  • Multi-Language
  • Multiple Format Support
  • Multiple Output Formats
  • Notes Management
  • Offline Access
  • Optical Character Recognition
  • PDF Conversion
  • PDF Reader
  • Pre-built Templates
  • Presentation Tools
  • Productivity Tools
  • Real-Time Notifications
  • Rearrange Pages
  • Reminders
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Rich Text Editor
  • Role-Based Permissions
  • Rotate Pages
  • SSL Security
  • Search/Filter
  • Secure Data Storage
  • Signature Capture
  • Signature Creation
  • Task Management
  • Team Collaboration
  • Template Management
  • Templates
  • Text Editing
  • Text Extraction
  • Third-Party Integrations
  • User Management
  • Version Control
  • Watermarking
  • Workflow Automation
  • Workflow Management
  • Zone Selection Tool

Integrations

  • Total integrations2
  • Dropbox
  • Google Chrome
  • Google Drive
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • OneDrive
  • Total integrations3
  • Dropbox
  • Google Chrome
  • Google Drive
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • OneDrive