Smallpdf
Multi-capability online workspace by Smallpdf AG (4 benchmarked capabilities: PDF merge & split, PDF compression, Scanned PDF OCR, PDF to Word)
Product node overview & trust baseline
Operator provenance, privacy baseline and site-wide pricing belong directly to the product node and are inherited across linked task edgesSmallpdf, operated by Smallpdf AG (Zurich, Switzerland) under a "Free tier + subscription" model, has 4 published task assessments on RealTest (PDF merge & split 92/100, PDF compression 90/100, Scanned PDF OCR 89/100, PDF to Word 89/100). In 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. In pdf compression, the free Basic preset shrinks the 1.66 MB 2-page PDF by 93.5% to 107.8 KB without login while retaining 100% selectable vector text, but Moderate/Strong presets require Pro and free usage is capped at ~2 tasks/day.
Zurich, Switzerland · 2013–Present
Provenance baseline: 19/20 · Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 (Smallpdf AG) with ISO/IEC 27001 certification.
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.
Pricing transparency baseline: 26.5/35 · Cancellation: FAQ says the trial can be cancelled without charge, reverting to Free at the end of 7 days. Paid refund details were not verified.
Temporary converted files are automatically deleted 1 hour after upload
No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.
Product-level pricing & rules baseline
Verified plans, billing periods and cancellation terms owned by this product node; task-specific credit costs and free export limits are detailed per capability edge belowSmallpdf 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 ↗
Archived official pricing sources: Official feature and pricing page (2026-10-20) [text snapshot ↗] · Official feature and pricing page (2026-10-20) [text snapshot ↗] · Official feature and pricing page (2026-10-20) [text snapshot ↗]
Capability map & linked task edges
Whenever a capability passes fixed-fixture testing, an edge is automatically linked between this product node and the task topic for horizontal comparison.
| Linked task edge | Score | Assessment · historical test | Test scope & delivery | Inspect capability / follow edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF to Word | 89/100 | Text and tables are retained with fast conversion in this run and upfront OCR pricing; tight free allowances and repeated upgrade prompts limit convenience. | DOCX · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-18 Guest flow · 2-page text PDF; not a scan · Output attached | |
| PDF compression | 90/100 | The free Basic preset shrinks the 1.66 MB 2-page PDF by 93.5% to 107.8 KB without login while retaining 100% selectable vector text, but Moderate/Strong presets require Pro and free usage is capped at ~2 tasks/day. | PDF · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-23 Guest flow · 2-page text & image PDF (1.66 MB) · Output attached | |
| Scanned PDF OCR | 89/100 | Unlocks free PDF OCR without login, completing server OCR in 10.41s to export a 689.4 KB 2-page searchable PDF via its PDFTron OCR engine; achieves 100% accuracy across all 12 confusable invoice table cells and body text while skipping the two white-on-navy top header banners (88.9% overall text recall). | PDF · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-25 Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached | |
| PDF merge & split | 92/100 | 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. | PDF · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-25 Guest flow · 2 multi-page PDF fixtures merged (3 pages total, 316.8 KB) · Output attached |
Tested task edges (with scores and native artifacts) are strictly separated from discovered untested capabilities (unscored).
Peer product comparison across shared task edges
Matched by overlapping tested task edges; compare site-wide billing models alongside per-task benchmark scoresThe official pricing page offers a Free tier (2 actions per 6 hours, 128 MB file limit) and an annual AvePDF Premium tier billed once at USD 55/year, with no standalone monthly plan.
- PDF to Word：Smallpdf 89/100 vs avepdf.com 76/100
- PDF compression：Smallpdf 90/100 vs avepdf.com 95/100
- Scanned PDF OCR：Smallpdf 89/100 vs avepdf.com 94/100
- PDF merge & split：Smallpdf 92/100 vs avepdf.com 94/100
The official tool page advertises free online conversion while /pricing returns 404 and header buttons promote desktop PDFelement; downloading the converted DOCX requires signing in to a free Wondershare account, and numeric daily or file-size limits are not published on the page.
- PDF to Word：Smallpdf 89/100 vs hipdf.com 70/100
- PDF compression：Smallpdf 90/100 vs hipdf.com 86/100
- Scanned PDF OCR：Smallpdf 89/100 vs hipdf.com 77/100
- PDF merge & split：Smallpdf 92/100 vs hipdf.com 89/100
Monthly and annual controls confirm USD 9/month and USD 60/year. Free processing is limited without exact figures; education and seat discounts require eligibility checks.
- PDF to Word：Smallpdf 89/100 vs iLovePDF 93/100
- PDF compression：Smallpdf 90/100 vs iLovePDF 97/100
- Scanned PDF OCR：Smallpdf 89/100 vs iLovePDF 95/100
- PDF merge & split：Smallpdf 92/100 vs iLovePDF 97/100
Individual pricing lists Free, Monthly USD 19.99, Annual USD 49.99 (with 3-day trial or $5 skip-trial discount), and Perpetual USD 109.99; per-feature AI credit deductions require hover tooltips and enterprise plans require custom quotes.
- PDF to Word：Smallpdf 89/100 vs lightpdf.com 78/100
- PDF compression：Smallpdf 90/100 vs lightpdf.com 88/100
- Scanned PDF OCR：Smallpdf 89/100 vs lightpdf.com 82/100
- PDF merge & split：Smallpdf 92/100 vs lightpdf.com 90/100
Linked capability test: PDF to Word
2026-10-18 · Native output attached. Findings cover the recorded fixture and conditions; paid specifications may be untested.
Task quality
Text retained 100% · Editable table cells 16 · Page 2 preserved Yes
Detailed facts & historical record
- Measured fixture results
Text retained: 100% · Editable table cells: 16 · Page 2 preserved: Yes
- Fixture findings
Completed promptly with editable tables retained; free use is subject to daily allowances.
- Original historical observation
Smallpdf's cloud conversion engine is blazingly fast—CDP logs show the server reconstructed our 2-page PDF into a 10.1 KB .docx with a 16-cell native table in just 0.76s (02_workspace.png, 03_download.png); its main limitation is the ~2 tasks/day free cap.
- Suitable uses · historical assessment
Occasional users who need a single ultra-fast (0.76s), high-fidelity PDF-to-Word conversion and haven't hit their 2-task daily free limit
- Result & output evidence
- Scans / OCR
The fixture is a text PDF; scans and OCR were not tested
Delivery capabilities
DOCX · Output attached · No watermark in test
Detailed facts & historical record
- Recorded export specifications
DOCX · Output attached · No watermark in test
- Historical specification note · not an official maximum
Full 2-page native .docx (10.1 KB, watermark-free, subject to daily free task cap)
- Watermark observation
Watermark-free
- Batch & API
Batch conversion requires Pro upgrade
- Recorded free-tier dimensions
Not verified
- Attached file dimensions
Not verified
- Published allowances & file limits · not tested
Free: Daily downloads and file size are limited, without exact figures; PDF-to-Word OCR is a Pro feature. / Pro trial: 7-day trial; verify billing conditions before starting.
Speed & reliability
About 1.26s end to end in this run; reliability not retested
Detailed facts & historical record
- Timing observation
Network-observed server wait: 0.76s · End-to-end reference: 1.26s
- Date & fixture
2026-10-18 · anchor_pdf2word_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)
- Repeated tests & reliability
No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.
Interaction experience
No login in this run
Detailed facts & historical record
- Account requirements
No login in this test
- Sign-in methods
No login required within the daily free task quota
- Manual adjustment
Not verified
- Interaction observations
First conversion completes smoothly without forced registration, though persistent 'Free Trial' upsell banners appear in the header and sidebar.
Background & reputation
Smallpdf AG · Long-term reputation not independently verified
Detailed facts & historical record
- Service lifecycle notice
Not verified
- Operator
Smallpdf AG
- Recorded origin
Zurich, Switzerland
- Domain history record
2013–Present
- Background & reputation assessment
Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 (Smallpdf AG) with ISO/IEC 27001 certification.
- External reputation record
Not verified
Engineering & privacy
Uploaded for cloud processing；Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified
Detailed facts & historical record
- Processing location
Uploaded for cloud processing
- Third-party tracking record
Not verified
- Engineering & privacy assessment
Complies with Swiss Federal Data Protection Act and EU GDPR; temporary files are automatically purged 1 hour after upload.
- Retention statement
Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified
Task free allowance & pricing disclosure
Capped at ~2 free tasks per day (selectable-text PDFs only; scanned OCR requires Pro), after which a 7-day trial wall appears
Clearly labels Pro OCR before conversion, though remaining daily free task count is not shown upfront on the landing page
Site-wide plans belong to the product node (see Product-level pricing baseline ↑).
Expand site-wide plans aligned for PDF to Word (7 records)
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 ↗
Evaluation basis & full scores · Overall 88.8/100
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_pdf2word_v1
Honesty & reputation · 83.5/100 · 30%
| Criterion | Score | Rationale | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 26.5 / 35 | Clearly distinguishes free 'Convert selectable text only' from Pro-badged 'OCR (Scanned pages)' before conversion, and exports a complete 2-page .docx without login; however, the free tier enforces a strict daily task limit (~2 tasks/day) before prompting a 7-day trial wall (01_landing.png, 02_workspace.png, 03_download.png). | Evidence A → |
| Interaction restraint | 24 / 30 | First conversion completes smoothly without forced registration, though persistent 'Free Trial' upsell banners appear in the header and sidebar. | Evidence A → |
| Background & reputation | 19 / 20 | Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 (Smallpdf AG) with ISO/IEC 27001 certification. | Evidence A → |
| Engineering & privacy | 14 / 15 | Complies with Swiss Federal Data Protection Act and EU GDPR; temporary files are automatically purged 1 hour after upload. | Evidence A → |
Capability · 91/100 · 70%
| Criterion | Score | Rationale | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task quality | 61.5 / 65 | Powered by a high-precision Solid Documents-grade conversion kernel, achieving 100.0% text retention, 16-cell native Word <w:tbl> reconstruction, and full multi-page preservation (61.5/65) | Evidence A → |
| Deliverable specifications | 15 / 20 | Exports an unwatermarked, untruncated .docx (10.1 KB), though the tight ~2 tasks/day free quota limits heavy daily workflows (15.0/20) | Evidence A → |
| Processing speed | 14.5 / 15 | CDP job status JSON confirms pure server conversion took just 0.76s (11:13:40.990Z → 11:13:41.751Z)—the fastest engine in the category (14.5/15) | 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.
Linked capability test: PDF compression
2026-10-23 · Native output attached. Findings cover the recorded fixture and conditions; paid specifications may be untested.
Task quality
File reduction 93.5% · Output size 107.8 KB · Selectable text retained 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes
Detailed facts & historical record
- Measured fixture results
File reduction: 93.5% · Output size: 107.8 KB · Selectable text retained: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes
- Fixture findings
Free Basic preset reduced the 1,659.0 KB fixture by 93.5% (107.8 KB output) with both pages and 100% selectable vector text preserved.
- Original historical observation
Even though Smallpdf locks Moderate and Strong presets behind Pro, its free Basic preset still shrinks our 1.66 MB fixture to 107.8 KB (-93.5%, beating its -86% UI estimate) while keeping 100% of vector text selectable (01b_workspace.png, 02_result.png).
- Suitable uses · historical assessment
Occasional users compressing 1–2 PDFs per day who want high size reduction (-93.5%) and 100% vector text fidelity without logging in
- Result & output evidence
Delivery capabilities
PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test
Detailed facts & historical record
- Recorded export specifications
PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test
- Historical specification note · not an official maximum
Full 2-page native vector PDF (107.8 KB · -93.5% · watermark-free · Basic preset & daily limit)
- Watermark observation
Watermark-free
- Batch & API
Batch PDF compression requires Pro
- Recorded free-tier dimensions
Not verified
- Attached file dimensions
Not verified
Speed & reliability
About 5.78s end to end in this run; reliability not retested
Detailed facts & historical record
- Timing observation
Network-observed server wait: 5.08s · End-to-end reference: 5.78s
- Date & fixture
2026-10-23 · anchor_pdfcompress_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)
- Repeated tests & reliability
No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.
Interaction experience
No login in this run
Detailed facts & historical record
- Account requirements
No login in this test
- Sign-in methods
No login required within the daily free task allowance
- Manual adjustment
Not verified
- Interaction observations
First task completes and downloads without login in Basic mode, though two of the three compression presets and the header persistently promote a Pro Free Trial.
Background & reputation
Smallpdf AG · Long-term reputation not independently verified
Detailed facts & historical record
- Service lifecycle notice
Not verified
- Operator
Smallpdf AG
- Recorded origin
Zurich, Switzerland
- Domain history record
2013–Present
- Background & reputation assessment
Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 by Smallpdf AG with ISO/IEC 27001 certification.
- External reputation record
Not verified
Engineering & privacy
Uploaded for cloud processing；Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified
Detailed facts & historical record
- Processing location
Uploaded for cloud processing
- Third-party tracking record
No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.
- Engineering & privacy assessment
Complies with Swiss Federal Data Protection Act and EU GDPR with TLS encryption and 1-hour automatic cloud file deletion.
- Retention statement
Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified
Task free allowance & pricing disclosure
Free tier includes Basic compression for ~2 tasks/day; Moderate/Strong presets and unlimited tasks require Pro
Labels Basic (free) vs Moderate/Strong (Pro) after upload, without stating the daily task cap on the landing page
Site-wide plans belong to the product node (see Product-level pricing baseline ↑).
Expand site-wide plans aligned for PDF compression (7 records)
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 ↗
Evaluation basis & full scores · Overall 89.8/100
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_pdfcompress_v1
Honesty & reputation · 83.5/100 · 30%
| Criterion | Score | Rationale | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 26.5 / 35 | Clearly separates the free "Basic" preset from Crown-badged Pro "Moderate / Strong (Smallest)" presets after upload; the free Basic tier actually beats its "~228.9 kB (-86%)" estimate by exporting a 107.8 KB (-93.5%) watermark-free PDF, though the ~2 tasks/day cap is not disclosed on the landing page (01_landing.png, 01b_workspace.png, 02_result.png). | Evidence A → |
| Interaction restraint | 24 / 30 | First task completes and downloads without login in Basic mode, though two of the three compression presets and the header persistently promote a Pro Free Trial. | Evidence A → |
| Background & reputation | 19 / 20 | Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 by Smallpdf AG with ISO/IEC 27001 certification. | Evidence A → |
| Engineering & privacy | 14 / 15 | Complies with Swiss Federal Data Protection Act and EU GDPR with TLS encryption and 1-hour automatic cloud file deletion. | Evidence A → |
Capability · 92.5/100 · 70%
| Criterion | Score | Rationale | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task quality | 65 / 65 | Deterministic PDF stream inspection: even on the free Basic preset, Smallpdf shrinks the 1,659.0 KB fixture to 107.8 KB (-93.5%, 15.39× ratio, beating its 228.9 KB UI estimate) while preserving 100.0% of all 27 native vector text operator blocks (BT/TJ), 4/4 headings, 12/12 table cells, and the Page 2 token (65.0/65) | Evidence A → |
| Deliverable specifications | 15.5 / 20 | Free Basic preset exports a complete 107.8 KB 2-page watermark-free vector PDF, but locks Moderate/Strong presets and batch compression behind Pro and caps free usage at ~2 tasks/day (15.5/20) | Evidence A → |
| Processing speed | 12 / 15 | Cloud compression completes in ~5.08s after clicking Compress (12.0/15) | 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.
Linked capability test: Scanned PDF OCR
2026-10-25 · Native output attached. Findings cover the recorded fixture and conditions; paid specifications may be untested.
Task quality
OCR text recall 88.9% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes
Detailed facts & historical record
- Measured fixture results
OCR text recall: 88.9% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes
- Fixture findings
Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (456 BT / 456 TJ text operators) with 12/12 invoice table cells, 2/2 body phrases, and the Page 2 verification token intact, skipping only the 2 dark-background white-text header banners (88.9% text recall).
- Original historical observation
Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (456 BT / 456 TJ text operators) with 12/12 invoice table cells, 2/2 body phrases, and the Page 2 verification token intact, skipping only the 2 dark-background white-text header banners (88.9% text recall).
- Suitable uses · historical assessment
Users needing to turn image-only scanned PDFs into Ctrl+F searchable PDFs with selectable invoice IDs and financial table figures
- Result & output evidence
Delivery capabilities
PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test
Detailed facts & historical record
- Recorded export specifications
PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test
- Historical specification note · not an official maximum
Full 2-page searchable PDF (689.4 KB · 456 BT / 456 TJ · watermark-free)
- Watermark observation
Watermark-free
- Batch & API
Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota
- Recorded free-tier dimensions
Not verified
- Attached file dimensions
Not verified
Speed & reliability
About 13.07s end to end in this run; reliability not retested
Detailed facts & historical record
- Timing observation
Network-observed server wait: 10.41s · End-to-end reference: 13.07s
- Date & fixture
2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)
- Repeated tests & reliability
No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.
Interaction experience
No login in this run
Detailed facts & historical record
- Account requirements
No login in this test
- Sign-in methods
No Login Required
- Manual adjustment
Not verified
- Interaction observations
Automatically runs cloud OCR upon upload and presents an interactive 2-page selectable text preview with a clear Download button and zero ad popups.
Background & reputation
Smallpdf AG · Long-term reputation not independently verified
Detailed facts & historical record
- Service lifecycle notice
Not verified
- Operator
Smallpdf AG
- Recorded origin
Zurich, Switzerland
- Domain history record
2013–Present
- Background & reputation assessment
Operated in Zurich, Switzerland by Smallpdf AG since 2013 with ISO/IEC 27001 certification and GDPR compliance.
- External reputation record
Not verified
Engineering & privacy
Uploaded for cloud processing；Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified
Detailed facts & historical record
- Processing location
Uploaded for cloud processing
- Third-party tracking record
No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.
- Engineering & privacy assessment
End-to-end TLS encryption with automatic 1-hour server file purge.
- Retention statement
Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified
Task free allowance & pricing disclosure
Free Daily Task Quota + Smallpdf Pro ($12/mo)
Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap
Site-wide plans belong to the product node (see Product-level pricing baseline ↑).
Expand site-wide plans aligned for Scanned PDF OCR (7 records)
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 ↗
Evaluation basis & full scores · Overall 88.7/100
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_pdfocr_v1
Honesty & reputation · 84/100 · 30%
| Criterion | Score | Rationale | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 25 / 35 | Now unlocks PDF OCR without login or trial sign-up (01_landing.png, 02_result.png, 03_download.png): uploading our 644.4 KB 2-page raster scan completes server OCR in 10.41s and downloads a 689.4 KB unwatermarked 2-page searchable PDF; free guests face daily task caps before Pro (~$12/mo). | Evidence A → |
| Interaction restraint | 26 / 30 | Automatically runs cloud OCR upon upload and presents an interactive 2-page selectable text preview with a clear Download button and zero ad popups. | Evidence A → |
| Background & reputation | 19 / 20 | Operated in Zurich, Switzerland by Smallpdf AG since 2013 with ISO/IEC 27001 certification and GDPR compliance. | Evidence A → |
| Engineering & privacy | 14 / 15 | End-to-end TLS encryption with automatic 1-hour server file purge. | Evidence A → |
Capability · 90.7/100 · 70%
| Criterion | Score | Rationale | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task quality | 61.7 / 65 | Deterministic searchable PDF stream & table inspection: reconstructs a 2-page selectable text layer (456 BT / 456 TJ operators) over the 644.4 KB zero-font raster scan, recovering 2/4 headings and 12/12 confusable invoice table cells (100% table accuracy, 88.9% overall text recall) with the Page 2 verification token intact (61.7/65) | Evidence A → |
| Deliverable specifications | 18 / 20 | Exports a complete 2-page watermark-free searchable PDF (689.4 KB) without login (18/20) | Evidence A → |
| Processing speed | 11 / 15 | Upload took 1.34s and cloud OCR server processing completed in 10.41s (13.07s end-to-end) (11/15) | 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.
Linked capability test: PDF merge & split
2026-10-25 · Native output attached. Findings cover the recorded fixture and conditions; paid specifications may be untested.
Task quality
Merged page count 3 / 3 · Page order preserved Yes · Selectable text retained 100%
Detailed facts & historical record
- Measured fixture results
Merged page count: 3 / 3 · Page order preserved: Yes · Selectable text retained: 100%
- Fixture findings
Merged 2 multi-page anchor PDFs (3 pages total, 316.8 KB) into a 315 KB watermark-free standard PDF with 3/3 pages in exact cross-document sequence (DOC1-P1 -> DOC1-P2 -> DOC2-P3) and 100% retention of all 37 native vector text operator blocks, 5/5 headings, and 12/12 financial table cells.
- Original historical observation
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).
- Suitable uses · historical assessment
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.
- Result & output evidence
Delivery capabilities
PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test
Detailed facts & historical record
- Recorded export specifications
PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test
- Historical specification note · not an official maximum
Full 3-page native vector merged PDF (315.0 KB · watermark-free · Page mode requires Pro)
- Watermark observation
Watermark-free
- Batch & API
Supports multi-PDF whole-file drag-and-drop merging; page-level interleaving requires Pro
- Recorded free-tier dimensions
Not verified
- Attached file dimensions
Not verified
Speed & reliability
About 6.62s end to end in this run; reliability not retested
Detailed facts & historical record
- Timing observation
Network-observed server wait: 3.39s · End-to-end reference: 6.62s
- Date & fixture
2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfmerge_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)
- Repeated tests & reliability
No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.
Interaction experience
No login in this run
Detailed facts & historical record
- Account requirements
No login in this test
- Sign-in methods
Login-free direct merge and download (Files mode)
- Manual adjustment
Not verified
- Interaction observations
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.
Background & reputation
Smallpdf AG · Long-term reputation not independently verified
Detailed facts & historical record
- Service lifecycle notice
Not verified
- Operator
Smallpdf AG
- Recorded origin
Zurich, Switzerland
- Domain history record
2013–Present
- Background & reputation assessment
Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 (Smallpdf AG), certified under ISO/IEC 27001 and GDPR compliant.
- External reputation record
Not verified
Engineering & privacy
Uploaded for cloud processing；Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified
Detailed facts & historical record
- Processing location
Uploaded for cloud processing
- Third-party tracking record
No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.
- Engineering & privacy assessment
Uses TLS encryption and EU-compliant cloud infrastructure, purging temporary guest files within 1 hour.
- Retention statement
Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified
Task free allowance & pricing disclosure
Limited daily free tasks; free tier supports whole-file merging only ("Pages" mode requires Pro)
Distinguishes free "Files" mode from Pro-badged "Pages" mode once inside the workspace
Site-wide plans belong to the product node (see Product-level pricing baseline ↑).
Expand site-wide plans aligned for PDF merge & split (7 records)
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 ↗
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.
Developer & citation kit · Claim updates, request benchmarks & embed verified badges
Product developers and writers can embed these SVG badges in official websites, GitHub READMEs or documentation, or use the channels below to sync product-wide plans and capabilities.
[](https://realtest.org/tools/smallpdf.com/) <a href="https://realtest.org/tools/smallpdf.com/"><img src="https://realtest.org/badges/smallpdf.com.svg" alt="Smallpdf — RealTest" height="24" /></a> 
[](https://realtest.org/tools/smallpdf.com/#feature-pdf-to-word) 
[](https://realtest.org/tools/smallpdf.com/#feature-pdf-compress) 
[](https://realtest.org/tools/smallpdf.com/#feature-pdf-ocr) 
[](https://realtest.org/tools/smallpdf.com/#feature-pdf-merge-split)