At a glance
| PDFWrangle Compress PDF | Smallpdf Compress PDF (free plan) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up required | No | No; "Try it for free—no sign-up needed" (Smallpdf Compress PDF, checked 2026-10-20) |
| Free allowance | No usage limit | Basic compression with a "Daily download limit" (Smallpdf pricing, checked 2026-10-20) |
| Strong compression on free plan | Yes | No; Strong Compression is not included in the free plan (Smallpdf pricing, checked 2026-10-20) |
| Batch compression on free plan | Yes, add several PDFs at once | No; Batch Compress is not included in the free plan (Smallpdf pricing, checked 2026-10-20) |
| File size limit | None set | "Limited" on the free plan, no number published (Smallpdf pricing, checked 2026-10-20) |
| Where files are processed | In your browser; nothing is uploaded | Uploaded; Smallpdf says it deletes files after one hour (Smallpdf Compress PDF, checked 2026-10-20) |
PDFWrangle facts come from our own tools: they run in your browser, have no usage cap and no account, and set no file size limit (very large files depend on your device's memory).
When Smallpdf Compress is the better choice
- You want to compress Word, Excel, PowerPoint or image files, not just PDFs; Smallpdf's compressor accepts those formats (Smallpdf Compress PDF, checked 2026-10-20).
- You also need its other tools or a mobile app (Smallpdf pricing, checked 2026-10-20).
When PDFWrangle is the better choice
- You need strong compression or several PDFs in one go without paying.
- A form or portal has a size limit and you want to type a target such as 1MB, 500KB or 200KB.
- The file is confidential and shouldn't be uploaded.