Nitro PDF vs Smallpdf
Nitro PDF and Smallpdf are both PDF & document tools tools. Nitro PDF is aimed at small businesses and enterprise, while Smallpdf is aimed at small businesses and freelancers. Only Smallpdf has a free plan.
PDF editor and e-signature suite positioned against Adobe Acrobat
Compress, convert, edit and sign PDFs online
| Pricing | Paid · $15 | Freemium · $15 |
| Starting price | $15/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | 7 days |
| Built for | Small businesses, Enterprise, Freelancers | Small businesses, Freelancers |
| Platforms | windows, macos, web, ios | web, macos, windows, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2005 | CH · 2013 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Nitro PDF if
Mid-size and large organizations that want an Acrobat-class PDF editor and e-signature tool with central admin at a lower per-seat cost.
- Noticeably cheaper per seat than Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Familiar Microsoft Office-like interface shortens training
- PDF editing and e-signature from one vendor
Look elsewhere if: Occasional users who only merge or compress files, or teams with complex signing workflows (Smallpdf, iLovePDF, DocuSign).
Choose Smallpdf if
Individuals and small teams needing occasional PDF tasks.
- Very easy to use
- Works in any browser
- Good security (Swiss)
Look elsewhere if: Heavy editing workflows (Acrobat, Foxit).
Nitro PDF vs Smallpdf pricing
Nitro PDF
- PDF Standard$15/user/moBilled annually ($180/user/yr); Windows, Mac and web
- PDF PlusCustomAdds SSO, domain control, analytics; contact sales
- PDF ClassicCustomPrice at checkout; one-time payment for 3 years, Windows only
- Sign Standard$15/user/moBilled annually; send documents for signature with audit log
- Sign EnterpriseCustomAPI, eIDAS AES/QES and ZertES signatures
Smallpdf
- Free$0About 2 tasks/day, ~5 MB files
- Pro$15/moUnlimited tasks, all tools; yearly billing is 25% cheaper
- Pro for Teams$12/user/mo2+ users; team management, central billing
- BusinessCustomQuote-only; custom roles, priority support
Nitro PDF · Key features
- Edit text and images in PDFs with an Office-style ribbon interface
- Convert PDFs to and from Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- OCR to make scanned documents searchable and editable
- Nitro Sign e-signatures with audit trails, reminders and envelopes
- AI Smart Redact detects sensitive data before permanent removal
- Smart Form and Table Extract pull data into Excel-ready output
Cons
- Plus and Enterprise pricing is only available through sales
- Classic license is Windows only and limited to a three-year term
- No Android or Linux apps
Smallpdf · Key features
- Compress, merge, split and rotate PDFs
- Convert PDF to/from Word, Excel, PPT, JPG
- Edit text and annotate
- OCR for scanned documents
- E-signatures and signature requests
- AI PDF summaries and chat
Cons
- Free tier limited to 2 tasks/day
- Editing less powerful than Acrobat
- Subscription for occasional use
Nitro PDF vs Smallpdf: FAQ
Do Nitro PDF and Smallpdf have a free plan?
Nitro PDF has no free plan, a 14-day free trial. Smallpdf has a free plan.