Alternatives · PDF Editors
LightPDF alternatives
LightPDF compared with 5 alternatives: Smallpdf, iLovePDF, PDF Candy, UPDF and PDFelement.
LightPDF has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5.99 per month. 3 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 2 more offer a free trial.
5 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 18, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| LightPDFThis tool | Free plan · from $5.99/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Smallpdf | Free plan | Yes | Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| iLovePDF | Free plan · from $5/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| PDF Candy | Free plan · from $4/mo | Yes | Web, Windows |
| UPDF | Free trial · from $49.99/yr | Trial only | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| PDFelement | Free trial · from $11.99 | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
LightPDF starts at $5.99 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 3 of the 4 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: iLovePDF, UPDF and PDFelement.
PDF Candy starts lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from LightPDF
- Free plan
Smallpdf
30-plus PDF tools in the browser, with Windows and mobile apps
- Only Smallpdf lists a browser extension.
- Only LightPDF lists a macOS app.
- LightPDF can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Suits: People who convert or shrink a PDF now and then in the browser
- Free plan · from $5/mo
iLovePDF
Online PDF tools with desktop and mobile apps, free for light use
- iLovePDF starts at $5 per user / month, billed annually ($9 billed monthly). LightPDF starts at $5.99 per month.
- LightPDF can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- iLovePDF also covers workflow automation.
Suits: Occasional users who merge or compress a PDF in the browser
- Free plan · from $4/mo
PDF Candy
90-plus online PDF tools and a Windows app, free within limits
- PDF Candy starts at $4 per month, billed yearly. LightPDF starts at $5.99 per month.
- Only LightPDF lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
Suits: People who convert or merge PDFs now and then without signing up
- Free trial · from $49.99/yr
UPDF
PDF editor with AI chat, one license across desktop and mobile
- UPDF starts at $49.99 per year (US App Store). LightPDF starts at $5.99 per month.
- LightPDF has a free plan. UPDF does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only LightPDF lists a web app.
- UPDF also covers forms.
Suits: People who work on PDFs across a computer, a phone and a tablet
- Free trial · from $11.99
PDFelement
Wondershare's PDF editor, by subscription or a one-time license
- PDFelement starts at $11.99 per quarter for one platform. LightPDF starts at $5.99 per month.
- LightPDF has a free plan. PDFelement does not, though it has a free trial.
- PDFelement also covers forms.
Suits: Windows or Mac users who want to pay once for a PDF editor
Limits worth knowing in LightPDF
- AI tools spend credits: 1,000 a month on subscriptions, expiring monthly, or 40,000 in total on Lifetime; more can be bought.
- One Premium account signs in on every platform but works on only one device at a time.
- Cancelling a subscription means filing a support ticket; refunds are offered within 3 days on Monthly, 7 on Yearly and 30 on Lifetime.
- The free plan is web only, with files up to 10MB.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to LightPDF?
The alternatives to LightPDF in this directory are Smallpdf, iLovePDF, PDF Candy, UPDF and PDFelement. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with LightPDF.
Is there a free alternative to LightPDF?
Yes. Smallpdf, iLovePDF and PDF Candy have a free plan alongside paid ones.
When were these prices checked?
Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 18, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.