See your options side by side
Choose one task and 2–4 tools. Compare pricing, output, test results and trust.
Test scope & comparison notes
These are recorded facts, not a unified ranking. Tested tiers and scope are not consistently recorded. Read pricing with its date and timing with its conditions. Privacy observations reflect visible flows and statements, not a security audit.
Cross-task capability coverage across selected products
Each product is scored independently per task edge; switch tasks below while keeping shared products selected| Task edge | pdfcompressor.com | CleverPDF | Switch / compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF to Word | Not tested in topic | 83/100 DOCX · Output attached | Compare in task topic → |
| PDF compression | 79/100 PDF · Output attached | 73/100 PDF · Output attached | Active task |
| PDF merge & split | Not tested in topic | 96/100 PDF · Output attached | Compare in task topic → |
Select at least 2 tools to compare
You can also filter a task page first, then compare your shortlist.
Browse this task →| Criterion | PDF Compressor PDF compression 79/100 Seven-aspect task score PDF Compressor provides a completely free, login-free batch compression service supporting up to 20 files with 1-hour auto-purge, slashing file size by 90.82% in 2.08s, but at the steep cost of rasterizing most vector text into bitmaps, sacrificing text selectability and sharp rendering. Tested export PDF · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-31 | CleverPDF PDF compression 73/100 Seven-aspect task score Completely free and transparent on the web, but fails to recompress embedded FlateDecode raster streams in our 1.66 MB PDF fixture, yielding only a 0.08% size reduction (1,657.7 KB). Tested export PDF · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-23 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & rules | ||
| Pricing plans | PDF Compressor web batch compression tool · 2026-10-31 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Web Free2026-10-31 ↗ Free Free Free Batch upload up to 20 files per task, unlimited daily usage Automated PDF compression with individual or batch ZIP downloads；1-hour file retention, maximum 20 files per batch 1 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. Official site explicitly states all features are free, supporting up to 20 files at once with zero paywalls. Cancellation, sources & verification recordCompletely free without subscription; no cancellation or refund terms needed. Official homepage and compression workspace ↗ · 2026-10-31 Capture 1 ↗ | CleverPDF online PDF-to-Word; desktop licences outside this web scope · 2026-10-20 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Online free2026-10-20 ↗ Free Free Free DOCX or DOC output; free online. Batch and larger files are promoted for the desktop edition; web limits are not listed. 1 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. The web tool is stated to remain free without membership. Desktop software is a separate channel; historical desktop starting prices are not treated as web fees. Cancellation, sources & verification recordCancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ |
| Free & trial allowance on the test date | Completely free, batch upload up to 20 files per task | 100% free on the web with no daily task limit |
| Cancellation & refunds | Completely free without subscription; no cancellation or refund terms needed. | Cancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. |
| Disclosure of costs & limits | Homepage states 20-file batch limit; terms specify 1-hour deletion | Displays exact reduction percentage on the download screen |
| Task quality | ||
| Measured fixture results | File reduction: 90.82% · Output size: 152.3 KB · Selectable text retained: 11.1% · Page 2 preserved: Yes | File reduction: 0.08% · Output size: 1657.7 KB · Selectable text retained: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes |
| Fixture findings | In the 2-page mixed-content anchor benchmark, file size plummeted from 1,659 KB to 152.3 KB (-90.82%), but underlying vector text retention dropped to 11.1% (only 1 of 4 headings preserved, table text fully rasterized). | Retained 100% of all 27 native vector text streams, but failed to recompress the embedded raster stream (-0.08% reduction, 1,657.7 KB output). |
| Original historical observation | PDF Compressor accepted the sample without login, compressed it by 90.82% to 152.3 KB in 2.08s, and exported a watermark-free PDF with rasterized text (01_landing.png, 02_result.png, 03_download.png). | While CleverPDF is completely free and honestly states "The compressed file is reduced 0.08 %", its online engine failed to recompress the embedded FlateDecode image stream, leaving the file at 1,657.7 KB (02_workspace.png, 03_result.png). |
| Suitable uses · historical assessment | Users needing maximum file size reduction who do not require searchable or selectable vector text | Users stripping minor PDF structure overhead without touching embedded lossless bitmaps (not suitable when substantial size reduction is needed) |
| Result & output evidence | ||
| Delivery capabilities | ||
| Recorded export specifications | PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test | PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test |
| Historical specification note · not an official maximum | Two-page PDF (152.3 KB, no watermark, 90.82% reduction) | Full 2-page native vector PDF (1,657.7 KB · -0.08% reduction · watermark-free) |
| Watermark observation | No watermark | No watermark |
| Batch & API | Supports batch upload of up to 20 files with ZIP download | Single-file web tool; batch compression available in the desktop app |
| Recorded free-tier dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Attached file dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Speed & reliability | ||
| Timing observation | Network-observed server wait: 2.08s · End-to-end reference: 2.08s | Network-observed server wait: 2.35s · End-to-end reference: 4.15s |
| Date & fixture | 2026-10-31 · anchor_pdfcompress_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) | 2026-10-23 · anchor_pdfcompress_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) |
| Repeated tests & reliability | No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded. | No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded. |
| Interaction experience | ||
| Account requirements | No login in this test | No login in this test |
| Sign-in methods | Direct batch upload with zero login required | 100% guest-accessible without login |
| Manual adjustment | Not verified | Not verified |
| Interaction observations | Not verified | Direct download without registration plus an instant server-file delete button and zero pop-up traps. |
| Background & reputation | ||
| Service lifecycle notice | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operator | PDF Compressor Team | CleverPDF.com |
| Recorded origin | Not verified | Global Online PDF Suite |
| Domain history record | Not verified | 2017–Present (9-year online PDF converter) |
| Background & reputation assessment | Not verified | Operated since 2017, offering 44 free online PDF utilities alongside Windows and macOS desktop apps. |
| External reputation record | Not verified | Not verified |
| Engineering & privacy | ||
| Processing location | Uploaded for cloud processing | Uploaded for cloud processing |
| Third-party tracking record | Google Ads · Google Analytics | No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist. |
| Engineering & privacy assessment | Not verified | Provides an immediate trash-icon delete button on the result page and automatically purges remaining files after 30 minutes. |
| Retention statement | Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified | Claims deletion within 30 minutes; deletion not independently verified |
| Evaluation basis | ||
| Pricing transparency | 33 / 35 100% free and login-free on the web, and honestly reports "The compressed file is reduced 0.08 %" on the result page without faking numbers or adding a paywall (01_landing.png, 02_workspace.png, 03_result.png). | |
| Interaction restraint | 27 / 30 Direct download without registration plus an instant server-file delete button and zero pop-up traps. | |
| Background & reputation | 16 / 20 Operated since 2017, offering 44 free online PDF utilities alongside Windows and macOS desktop apps. | |
| Engineering & privacy | 14 / 15 Provides an immediate trash-icon delete button on the result page and automatically purges remaining files after 30 minutes. | |
| Task quality | 45 / 65 Size Reduction: -90.82% (1659 KB → 152.3 KB, 10.89× ratio) · Selectable Vector Text Retained: 11.1% · Page 2 Preserved: Yes | 38 / 65 Deterministic PDF stream inspection: preserves 100.0% of all 27 native vector text operator blocks (BT/TJ), 4/4 headings, and 12/12 table cells, but fails to recompress or downsample the embedded FlateDecode raster stream, leaving file size virtually unchanged at 1,657.7 KB (-0.08% reduction, 1.00× ratio) (38.0/65) |
| Deliverable specifications | 14 / 20 Clean unwatermarked export (8/8); Export spec: Two-page PDF (152.3 KB, no watermark, 90.82% reduction) | 14 / 20 Watermark-free and login-free, but produces negligible size reduction on PDFs containing FlateDecode raster streams (14.0/20) |
| Processing speed | 15 / 15 Network-observed server wait: 2.08s (API mode: cloud_pdfcompressor_cluster; network upload 0s / end-to-end 2.08s shown for reference only, never penalized) | |
