Overall Winner

Smallpdf

beats PDF24 by 12 points

PDF24 80/100
Smallpdf 🏆 68/100
PDF24

PDF24

Free
VS
Smallpdf

Smallpdf

From $12/mo
The verdict

Smallpdf wins over PDF24 for PDF tools. clean, intuitive interface with smooth performance. genuinely 100% free with no hidden paywalls. Choose Smallpdf for a polished interface on mobile and web, PDF24 for completely free PDF editing with no strings attached.

Score breakdown

Dimension
PDF24
Smallpdf
Price & Value
★★★★☆ wins
★★★☆☆
Features
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
Ease of Use
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
Reviews
★★★★☆
★★★★★ wins

Each dimension rated 1–5. Higher is better across all four.

What users say

PDF24

"The most comprehensive free PDF toolkit — open-source with zero strings attached"

Pros

Genuinely 100% free with no hidden paywalls or subscriptions Full-featured suite with 24 tools including OCR and editing Open-source with no telemetry, no ads, no account required

Smallpdf

"Feature-rich PDF suite with polished UX but marred by billing complaints"

Pros

Clean, intuitive interface with smooth performance Comprehensive features (compress, convert, edit, sign, merge, protect) Works without errors or lags for most tasks

When to Choose Each

Choose Smallpdf if you want clean, intuitive interface with smooth performance. Smallpdf also offers comprehensive features (compress, convert, edit, sign, merge, protect) — making it a strong pick for a polished interface on mobile and web. Keep in mind that most expensive online-only tool at $12/month.

Choose PDF24 if you prioritize genuinely 100% free with no hidden paywalls or subscriptions. PDF24 stands out for full-featured suite with 24 tools including ocr and editing, which makes it worth considering for completely free PDF editing with no strings attached. The main trade-off is that web interface slightly dated in appearance.

Key Differences

  • Pricing: limited free tier, $12/month for full access (Smallpdf) vs 100% free, open-source, no paywalls (PDF24)
  • Feature approach: comprehensive features (compress, convert, edit, sign, merge, protect) vs full-featured suite with 24 tools including ocr and editing
  • User feedback: Smallpdf users highlight clean, intuitive interface with smooth performance… while PDF24 users note web interface slightly dated in appearance…
  • Overall scores: Smallpdf scores 83/100 vs PDF24 at 80/100
  • Platforms: All-in-one PDF platform for compressing, converting, merging, editing, and signing PDF documents vs Free and open-source PDF toolkit with 24 tools for merging, splitting, compressing, converting, sign

Pricing & value

Metric PDF24 Smallpdf Winner
Free tier Yes Yes Tie
Starting price Free From $12/mo PDF24
Which is better, Smallpdf or PDF24?
Smallpdf edges ahead with a score of 83 vs 80, primarily due to better review quality.
Which is cheaper?
limited free tier, $12/month for full access for Smallpdf versus 100% free, open-source, no paywalls for PDF24.
Which is better for completely free PDF editing with no strings attached?
PDF24 may suit that use case better despite the lower overall score, as genuinely 100% free with no hidden paywalls or subscriptions. However, Smallpdf covers the same needs with better ratings.

Our pick

🏆 Smallpdf

Visit Smallpdf Consider PDF24