Choose iLovePDF if more than one person needs the tools, or if you want the lower price: Premium is 9 EUR per user a month month to month, 5 EUR billed yearly, with web, desktop and mobile versions. Choose Smallpdf if one person compresses, converts and signs: Pro is 10 EUR a month month to month, or 7.50 EUR billed 90 EUR a year, with Sign.com Premium included. If you edit the text of long documents, neither is a full desktop editor.
Both are online PDF toolkits rather than full editors: compress, merge, split, convert and sign in the browser, with a permanent free plan and one paid plan for most people. Both price in euros on their French pages, so the figures below compare directly. What separates them is who the paid plan covers: one account at Smallpdf, one user at a time at iLovePDF.
At a glance
| Criterion |  iLovePDF |  Smallpdf |
|---|---|---|
| Used mainly for | Merging and splitting PDFs, compressing and converting PDFs | Compressing and merging PDFs, converting PDFs |
| Entry price | €9.00/mo · Premium | €10.00/mo · Pro |
| Free plan | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Free trial | ✕No | ✓Yes |
| Works on | Web, Desktop, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Documented integrations | – | – |
| Setup | Easy: minutes | Easy: minutes |
| Main limitation | The free plan limits document processing | The free plan limits downloads |
| Our evidence level | Vendor documented | Vendor documented |
| Try it | Try iLovePDF ↗ | Try Smallpdf ↗ |
Every cell comes from the tool's record, built from its official documentation and pricing page. The integrations listed are the ones the vendor documents, not tested by us.
Both start free, with limits
Smallpdf's free plan gives over 30 tools, a limited number of downloads and 2 Sign.com documents a month. iLovePDF's Standard plan is free for the main tools, with limited document processing. Neither pricing page says exactly where the limits sit, so try your usual week of files on the free plan before paying.
One account or one user at a time
Smallpdf Pro is priced for one account: 10 EUR a month. Two people or more move to Smallpdf's Team plan, from 2 seats, priced separately. iLovePDF Premium is priced per user, from 1 to 25 users: three people pay 27 EUR a month month to month, or 15 EUR a month billed yearly. Above 25 users, iLovePDF quotes Enterprise.
Month to month or a year
Both can be paid month to month. Billed yearly, Smallpdf Pro drops from 10 EUR to 7.50 EUR a month (90 EUR a year), a quarter off. iLovePDF Premium drops from 9 EUR to 5 EUR a month (60 EUR a year), close to half off, which makes the yearly plan the bigger saving of the two.
The tax line
Neither pricing card says whether VAT is included. The two figures are on the same basis as each other, but check the total at checkout before comparing with a tool that shows prices including VAT, such as Adobe Acrobat.
When neither is enough
Both are built for quick jobs on files. Editing the text and images of long documents, offline, on Windows or Mac is the job of a desktop editor: Foxit PDF Editor is 16.99 EUR a month month to month before local taxes, Adobe Acrobat Standard 30.24 EUR incl. VAT. The comparison of the two is linked below.
Pricing side by side
Frequently asked questions
Is iLovePDF free?
Yes, its Standard plan is free for the main tools, with limited document processing. Premium, which removes the limits, adds signatures and workflows and shows no ads, is 9 EUR per user a month month to month or 5 EUR billed yearly.
Is Smallpdf or iLovePDF cheaper?
For one person, iLovePDF: 9 EUR a month month to month against 10 EUR for Smallpdf Pro, and 5 EUR against 7.50 EUR billed yearly. Neither card says whether VAT is included.
Can Smallpdf edit the text of a PDF?
Yes, on Pro: text editing and OCR are listed as Pro features, not part of the free plan.
Which one has a desktop app?
iLovePDF lists web, desktop and mobile versions with Premium. Our Smallpdf record lists the web app and iOS and Android apps.