SmallPDF
Overview
SmallPDF is an online PDF converter tool that is also available in a desktop version for offline use. It is characterized by a ton of PDF-related tools that culminate in a comprehensive way of manipulating PDF files. It may seem ridiculous how each task is listed as a standalone tool but come to think of it, it is a good thing too instead of being bombarded with a ton of options.
To be specific, this online PDF conversion tool presents a separate PDF splitter, merger, compressor, editor, just to mention a few. The advantage of this is that you can conveniently work with a specific tool’s accompanying features, thereby saving time and effort that would have been taken navigating complex software to locate the required features.
This review article seeks to let you in on what makes this web service tick, but before that, here is a quick summary of some of the SmallPDF pros and cons;
How to Use SmallPDF
Key Features in SmallPDF
As mentioned earlier, SmallPDF provides a plethora of ways to tinker with PDF files. This section is dedicated to breaking down the highlight and key features so that you get acquainted with what to expect.
Convert to and from PDFs
SmallPDF provides a reliable way to convert Word, Excel, PPT, and image (JPG, BMP, TIFF, GIF) files into high-quality PDFs effortlessly. The moment you upload a document, it is immediately converted into PDF and is ready for download almost instantly.
Also, you can reverse the process and convert any PDF file into other document or image formats to facilitate editing or convenient viewing. You are allowed to process multiple files at the same time and the built-in OCR comes in handy to help you extract text data from scanned or image-based PDFs. Whether you are converting to or from PDF, SmallPDF does an amazing job to deliver exemplary results.
Compress PDFs
If you are looking to reduce the size of a PDF file, SmallPDF has got you covered. To be specific, you are opened to two compression modes depending on the size and quality you are looking for. One is the Basic compression mode that delivers a medium file size (-40%) and still retains high quality.
The other one is more aggressive and is the Strong compression mode that will deliver the smallest file size (-75%) of notable good quality. Through compression, you can meet the required upload or sharing size requirements and also archive PDFs better. For instance, a scanned PDF can be reduced to just a mere 144dpi for convenient upload and sharing via email.
Split/Merge PDFs
Let’s say you have a multipage PDF file but you just need a single page or a number of pages to work with. SmallPDF saves the day by helping you split the PDF file into individual pages or a page range and saves in a new PDF document that is way simpler to handle, besides saving time.
The splitter here is special too as it gives you a preview of the pages you need to ensure you don’t slit unnecessary pages, not forgetting the batch split feature. When you are not splitting, SmallPDF also lets you combine multiple PDFs to form a single document. During the merge process, you can rotate, rearrange the pages and even delete ones that you don’t need to ensure that the final PDF file is just like how you wanted it.
Edit PDFs
With the online PDF editor, it becomes easy to add text data and fill out PDF forms in a fast and efficient way. It is also worth noting that you are also free to add drawings, images, freehand annotations, highlights, and shapes to meet your goals. It does not end there as you also get to tinker with the font and color of the PDF content, not forgetting the rotate option for proper page orientation.
By doing all that, you are sure to tailor the output PDF file to your liking and pass the intended information in a comprehensive way. In the instance you make a wrong edit, you have undo and redo buttons at your disposal. And from the editing window, you can directly print or share the edited PDF file at the click of a button.
Sign PDFs
When the need to sign PDF files comes knocking, SmallPDF is always more than ready to take up the task. With it, you can embed an electronic signature into a PDF and even request others to add theirs, of course verifiable. The signature can be added by drawing using the mouse, adding initials, typing text, or uploading it as a pre-taken image.
When the need arises, you can include a date and checkboxes where necessary. Better yet, multiple signatures can be added to a PDF with proper guidance from the eSign tool. BY signing a PDF, it means that the file can be attributed to a specific user or a group of authorized users.
SmallPDF Pricing
| SmallPDF Version | Billing Plan | Price/Month |
| Free | Monthly | Free |
| Yearly | ||
| Pro | Monthly | $12 |
| Yearly | $9 | |
| Team | Monthly | $10 |
| Yearly | $7 | |
| Business | Monthly | Custom pricing |
| Yearly |
Conclusion
SmallPDF makes it very easy to manipulate PDFs by delivering all the tools necessary to realize a reliable process. Collaborating on documents becomes very easy thanks to the integrated cloud services and even better, the output is always of high quality.
Through SmallPDF, you have an entire suite to yourself that guarantees that wholesome experience. Try it today and grant yourself smooth sailing during PDF manipulation.
