Smallpdf · PDF merge & split
Supports login-free whole-file PDF merging via its "Files" tab (3.39s server wait, 315.0 KB 3-page watermark-free PDF with 100% page order and vector text retention), but locks "Pages" mode behind Pro and enforces daily free task limits.
US-West (California, AS2914)
PDF · Output attached · Open native file ↗
Subsequent pricing and service checks are shown separately without altering historical scores.
One run does not establish all complex scenes, untested paid maxima or long-term uptime.
Plans & historical pricing
Smallpdf USD web individual and team plans; default 2-seat team bill · 2026-10-20
7 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.
Current USD web prices show actual annual bills. Team entries use the default 2-seat total and identify the per-seat rate. The free daily allowance is not quantified.
Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred.
Cancellation, sources & verification record
FAQ says the trial can be cancelled without charge, reverting to Free at the end of 7 days. Paid refund details were not verified.
Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗
Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗
Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗
Pricing recorded on the test date · 2026-10-25
Current USD web prices show actual annual bills. Team entries use the default 2-seat total and identify the per-seat rate. The free daily allowance is not quantified.
Freemium (File Mode Free · Page Mode Locked to Pro · Daily Cap)
Historical context only; not current purchase guidance.
Delivery & access
- Free delivery record
- Full 3-page native vector merged PDF (315.0 KB · watermark-free · Page mode requires Pro)
- Watermark
- Watermark-free
- Free allowance
- Limited daily free tasks; free tier supports whole-file merging only ("Pages" mode requires Pro)
- Account requirements
- Login-free direct merge and download (Files mode)
- Maximum specification record
- Full 3-page native vector merged PDF (315.0 KB · watermark-free · Page mode requires Pro)
May include advertised capabilities; this does not establish a tested paid tier.
- Batch & API
- Supports multi-PDF whole-file drag-and-drop merging; page-level interleaving requires Pro
- Manual refinement
- Not recorded or not verified
Tested result & sample
Smallpdf merges the 2-page main report and 1-page appendix into a 315 KB 3-page PDF in 3.39s while preserving all 37 native vector text streams and embedded figures (result.png, download.png).
- Fixture
- anchor_pdfmerge_v1
- Recorded environment
- US-West (California, AS2914)
- Network-observed server wait
- 3.39 s
- End-to-end reference
- 6.62 s
Network wait includes round trips, queuing and polling error, not pure inference time. Local timings depend on the device; repetition counts are not standardized in legacy records.
Experience, rules & trust
- Disclosure
- Distinguishes free "Files" mode from Pro-badged "Pages" mode once inside the workspace
- Interaction
- Whole-file merging is smooth and downloads without login, though clicking the "Pages" mode or exceeding the daily free quota prompts a 7-day trial signup.
- Entity record
- Smallpdf AG
- Origin
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Domain history record
- 2013–Present
- Third-party tracking record
- No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.
- External information
- Not recorded or not verified
- Processing
- EU-compliant cloud PDF merge cluster
- Retention statement
- States that unsaved uploaded files are automatically deleted from servers 1 hour after processing
A recorded statement does not verify deletion or all data-processing behavior.
Verifiable audit trail & evidence
Four SHA-256-verified stages link the benchmark fixture, same-run interface screenshots, native exported artifact and archived pricing sources.
anchor_pdfmerge_v1 · Inspect fixture & file inspector →
Captures entry rules, result view and export disclosure.
Official feature and pricing page (snapshot ↗) · Official feature and pricing page (snapshot ↗) · Official feature and pricing page (snapshot ↗)
Screenshots, native output and official claims support different conclusions. Evidence grades are not product safety certifications.
Evaluation basis & full scores · Overall 92.4/100
Overall = honesty & reputation × 30% + capability × 70%. Component maxima follow this report’s rubric. List scores are rounded for display; original precision is retained here.
Scoring version 2.3.1 · Test fixture anchor_pdfmerge_v1
Honesty & reputation · 84/100 · 30%
| Criterion | Score | Rationale | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 27 / 35 | Guest users can merge whole files via the "Files" tab and download watermark-free PDFs, but the "Pages" tab (page-level reordering) is locked behind a Pro crown badge and daily free task caps are not disclosed upfront on the landing page (landing.png, result.png, download.png). | Evidence A → |
| Interaction restraint | 24 / 30 | Whole-file merging is smooth and downloads without login, though clicking the "Pages" mode or exceeding the daily free quota prompts a 7-day trial signup. | Evidence A → |
| Background & reputation | 19 / 20 | Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 (Smallpdf AG), certified under ISO/IEC 27001 and GDPR compliant. | Evidence A → |
| Engineering & privacy | 14 / 15 | Uses TLS encryption and EU-compliant cloud infrastructure, purging temporary guest files within 1 hour. | Evidence A → |
Capability · 96/100 · 70%
| Criterion | Score | Rationale | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task quality | 65 / 65 | Deterministic multi-PDF stream inspection: merges our 2 anchor PDFs (3 pages total, 316.8 KB) into a 315 KB standard PDF with exact 3/3 page count, 100% sequential page-order token verification (DOC1-P1 -> DOC1-P2 -> DOC2-P3), and 100.0% retention of all 37 native vector text operator blocks (BT/TJ), 5/5 headings, and 12/12 cross-document financial table cells (65.0/65) | Evidence A → |
| Deliverable specifications | 17.5 / 20 | Exports a complete 3-page watermark-free standard PDF (315.0 KB) without login, but restricts free users to whole-file concatenation while locking "Pages" mode to Pro (17.5/20) | Evidence A → |
| Processing speed | 13.5 / 15 | Cloud merge worker completes in 3.39s server wait (6.62s end-to-end) (13.5/15) | Evidence A → |
Legacy scores may include advertised maximum capabilities. Read tested output separately from paid capabilities. Records without matching tiers and scope are not ranked together.
Revisions & corrections
- 2026-10-25
Initial multi-document PDF merge page-sequence integrity and selectable vector text retention benchmark on Mode A anchor (anchor_pdfmerge_v1).