Comparisons
The best free Smallpdf alternatives, with no daily limit
Smallpdf's free plan has a daily download limit. Here are free PDF tools, each checked on its own site, including ones that never upload your files.
Smallpdf's free plan comes with "limited document downloads": its pricing page lists a daily download limit, without saying how many. PDF is free with no daily limit and no watermark, and it works inside your browser, so your files are never uploaded. The honest difference: PDF does fewer things. It merges, splits, reorders, rotates and deletes pages, turns images into a PDF and adds page numbers, and that is all.
The free options side by side
| Tool | Free plan | Sign-up to start | Files leave your device | Open source | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF (ours) | No daily limit, no watermark | No | No | Source is public, no license yet | |
| Smallpdf | A daily download limit, number not stated | Not stated | Not stated | No | Smallpdf pricing |
| iLovePDF | "Limited document processing", with ads | Not stated | Not stated | No | iLovePDF pricing |
| Sejda | Page and hourly limits | No | Not stated | No | Sejda pricing |
| PDF24 Tools | No restrictions, paid for by ads | Not stated | Yes, online tools run on PDF24's servers | No | PDF24 Tools |
Checked on October 19, 2026. "Not stated" means the vendor's page does not say.
What to look for
- No daily cap. A limit of a few tasks a day stops you in the middle of a job.
- No watermark on the file you download.
- Where your file goes. Contracts, medical letters and bank statements are worth keeping on your own device.
- The tool you need. Merging and splitting are everywhere. Editing text, OCR and converting to Word are not.
1. OpenApps PDF
PDF is ours, so judge it accordingly. It is free, with no daily limit, no watermark and no account, and everything happens in your browser.
- Merge PDFs, split a PDF or pull out pages.
- Reorder, rotate and delete pages.
- Turn images into a PDF.
- Add page numbers.
Where it falls short: no compression, no editing of the text in a PDF, no OCR and no converting to or from Word. For those, the tools below do more. To sign a PDF, use Sign.
2. Sejda
Sejda's free plan needs no sign-up and covers a wide set of tools, including editing and filling in forms. Its pricing page lists page and hourly limits on the free plan, without the numbers.
3. PDF24 Tools
PDF24 says all its tools are free "without any restrictions", paid for by ads on its pages. Its online tools process your files on PDF24's servers, so they are uploaded. PDF24 Creator is a Windows app with similar tools.
4. Free plans of paid tools
Smallpdf has a daily download limit on its free plan, and iLovePDF's Basic plan offers "limited document processing", with an ad-free experience kept for Premium. Both are polished and have more tools than PDF. Adobe Acrobat is the full suite, and a subscription.
The short version
To merge, split or reorder pages without uploading anything, use PDF. See how to merge PDFs without uploading them. For editing text or converting to Word, Sejda or PDF24 are free with limits or ads. For a one-page answer, see the free Smallpdf alternative.
Questions
Is there a free Smallpdf alternative with no daily limit?
Yes. OpenApps PDF is free with no daily limit and no watermark, and it works in your browser without uploading your files. PDF24 Tools is also free without restrictions, with ads, and its online tools upload your files.
How many files can I download on Smallpdf for free?
Smallpdf's pricing page lists a daily download limit on the free plan but does not say how many, as of October 19, 2026.
Are my files uploaded when I use PDF?
No. PDF does everything in your browser, so your files never leave your device.
Can PDF compress a PDF or convert it to Word?
Not today. PDF merges, splits, reorders, rotates and deletes pages, turns images into a PDF and adds page numbers.