PDF2Go vs Smallpdf (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PDF2Go and Smallpdf share a 2.6 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about features, where PDF2Go grades higher, or ease of use, where Smallpdf does.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
PDF2Go
Online PDF editor and converter with a Windows, Mac and Linux app
Smallpdf
30-plus PDF tools in the browser, with Windows and mobile apps
Which one is for you
Pick PDF2Go if
- Fits if you do occasional PDF jobs from a browser
- Works for small teams that want automation through Zapier or Make
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, with limited file processing, ads and a standard queue
- Watch out: the desktop app is Apple Silicon only on Mac and is listed from the Pro plan
- Pricey if you add users at 5 euros each a month
- Watch out: credits reset each cycle and do not roll over
- Watch out: plan cards say one person while the FAQ says plans include 2, 5 and 20 users
Pick Smallpdf if
- Fits if you convert or shrink a PDF in the browser now and then
- Works for people who want PDF tools and e-signatures in one subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you use it daily on the free plan, as downloads are capped each day and Sign.com stops at 2 documents a month
- Skip it if you want a Mac desktop app, as the desktop app is Windows only and doesn't edit text
- Not for you if you build fillable forms or redact, as neither is on record
- Watch out: US prices couldn't be confirmed; Smallpdf's own comparison page gives Pro as $9 to $12 a month
- Pricey if your team passes 19 seats, as 20 or more are quoted by sales
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAPDF2GoGood | 2.6GPASmallpdfGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStarter is $8 a month billed monthly for up to 2 users, close to the $7.99 middle for PDF editors. | CNo confirmed dollar price: the pricing page fills prices in by location. Smallpdf's own comparison page puts Pro at $9 to $12 a month, which would sit in the normal range. With nothing confirmed, it's a C. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free plan with most apps, limited file processing, ads and a standard queue, no account needed. You will hit the caps. | CA free plan with all 30-plus tools, but downloads are capped each day and text editing needs Pro. Fine for the odd job, not regular use. The 7-day Pro trial drops you back to free if you cancel. |
| Features | BAbout 50 apps covering editing, conversion, signing, redaction, OCR and AI. The listing names no gap in the core job. | CConverts, compresses, merges, and on Pro edits text and OCRs, with AI tools and Sign.com for sending to sign. But no form builder or redaction is on record, and the Windows app converts and merges rather than edits. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. You pick a tool, upload and go, with nothing to set up. | A4.84 from 6,891 App Store ratings. Drop a file in the browser, pick a tool, download. No setup at all. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus Windows, macOS and Linux desktop apps, with Zapier and Make automation on Pro. No phone apps. | BWeb, Windows, iPhone, Android and a browser extension. Integrations are thin, though: Google Workspace and Dropbox, plus its own Sign.com. And Mac users get the browser only. |
| Best for | browser PDF tools with a free tier | quick PDF jobs in the browser |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: PDF2Go and Smallpdf. How we grade
Where they differ
- PDF2Go also covers workflow automation and file compression.
At a glance
| PDF2Go | Smallpdf | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $8 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 19%) | Not published |
| Free plan | Access to most PDF2Go apps with limited file processing, no account needed. | The 30+ tools with a daily download limit, basic compression, limited AI and mobile app use, and a Sign.com account for 2 documents a month. |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial of Pro; cancelling returns the account to the free plan |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | QaamGo Web GmbH | Smallpdf AG |
| Price read from | pdf2go.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
PDF2Go
- Extra users on a paid plan cost 5 euros each per month, a euro price on a dollar page.
- Subscription credits reset each cycle and do not roll over; add-on packs are bought separately.
- The desktop app is Apple Silicon only on Mac, and is listed from the Pro plan; after a free trial it needs a plan that includes it.
- Plan cards say 'for one person' (Business: per person) while the FAQ says plans include 2, 5 and 20 users.
Smallpdf
- US dollar prices could not be read: the pricing page fills them in by location. Smallpdf's own comparison page gives Pro as $9 to $12 a month.
- The same comparison page gives Teams, for 2 to 19 seats, as $7 to $10 per seat a month; 20 or more seats are quoted by sales.
- The free plan limits downloads each day, so regular use of any tool needs Pro.
- The desktop app is for Windows only; Mac users work in the browser.
Key features
PDF2Go
- Edit and organize
- Edit, merge, split, rotate, crop, watermark, redact, sign and compare PDFs, and change page layout or create booklets.
- Conversion
- Converts PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, JPG, text, EPUB and PDF/A, and Word, images, EPUB and webpages to PDF.
- OCR and AI apps
- OCR, chat with a PDF, summarize, translate, spellcheck and extract facts; the vendor says it does not train AI on files.
- Credits and batch processing
- Paid plans include monthly shared credits (a standard task is typically 1 credit) and batch processing; add-on credit packs last one year.
- Desktop app
- A desktop app for Windows, Apple Silicon Macs and Linux runs most apps offline; it needs a plan that includes it.
- Automation and sharing
- Zapier and Make automation and document sharing are listed from the Pro plan.
Smallpdf
- Convert and compress
- Converts PDFs to and from Word, Excel, PowerPoint and images, with basic compression on the free plan and strong and batch compression on Pro.
- Edit text and OCR
- Pro edits text in a PDF and recognizes text in scans, alongside tools to merge, split, rotate, unlock and protect files.
- AI tools
- An AI PDF assistant, summarizer and question generator, limited on the free plan and unlimited on Pro.
- Sign.com included
- Pro includes an unlimited Sign.com Premium subscription for sending documents for e-signature; the free plan's Sign.com account is capped at 2 a month.
- Offline Windows app
- A desktop app for Windows converts, compresses, merges, unlocks and protects PDFs without an internet connection.
- Mobile scanning
- The iOS and Android apps scan paper to PDF, run OCR and use the same tools, limited on the free plan.
Plans
PDF2Go
Free$0
Most apps with limited file processing, standard queue and ads.
Starter$8
per month for up to 2 users, billed monthly
64 GB files, batch processing, priority queue, no ads, all apps, priority support and AI tools.
Pro$29
per month for up to 5 users, billed monthly
Starter plus faster queue, 5x the AI usage, document sharing, Zapier and Make automation, desktop app.
Business$89
per month for up to 20 users, billed monthly
Pro plus skip-the-queue, business apps, centralized billing and 20x the AI usage; the page also labels it per person.
Smallpdf
Pricing could not be confirmed. See smallpdf.com.
Ways to pay less
PDF2Go
- Annual discount
Save 19% with yearly billing
The pricing page has a Monthly and Yearly toggle marked Save 19% on yearly billing; the monthly prices are shown by default.
- Education
Free paid apps for students and teachers
Verified students and educators get the paid apps free for non-commercial educational use, renewable while enrolled or teaching.
Smallpdf
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PDF2Go or Smallpdf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PDF2Go starts at $8 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 19%), and Smallpdf has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, PDF2Go or Smallpdf?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both PDF2Go and Smallpdf have a free plan.
Which platforms do PDF2Go and Smallpdf run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PDF2Go lists macOS and Linux apps and only Smallpdf lists iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. Both list a web app and a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.