Compare the best free Smallpdf alternatives for converting, compressing and editing PDFs privately in your browser.
Quick answer: If you want a free PDF tool that keeps files on your device, PDFForge is a strong alternative — unlimited use, no upload, and no watermark.
Popular PDF sites are convenient but often upload your files to their servers, cap free usage at a few tasks per day, or push paid plans for basic features. Privacy-conscious users, students and small businesses increasingly prefer tools that run locally in the browser.
| Feature | PDFForge | Adobe Acrobat | Smallpdf | iLovePDF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, unlimited | From $12.99/mo | Free w/ limits | Free w/ limits |
| Files stay on your device | Yes | No | No | No |
| No upload required | Yes | No | No | No |
| Sign-up needed | No | Yes | For some tools | For some tools |
| Daily task limit | None | Plan-based | 2/day free | Limited free |
| Works offline (PWA) | Yes | No | No | No |
| Service | File upload | Free limits | Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDFForge | No upload | Unlimited | Files stay on device |
| Smallpdf | Cloud upload | Free tier limits | Varies |
| iLovePDF | Cloud upload | Free tier limits | Varies |
| Adobe Acrobat | Cloud upload | Free tier limits | Varies |
| PDF24 | Cloud upload | Free tier limits | Varies |
Start with our most popular free tools:
Convert PDF files to Word online.
WConvert Word files to PDF online.
PConvert PDF files to Excel online.
EConvert Excel files to PDF online.
PConvert PDF files to JPG online.
JConvert JPG files to PDF online.
PConvert PDF files to PNG online.
PConvert PNG files to PDF online.
Yes. Every tool is free with no daily limits, watermarks or mandatory sign-up.
PDFForge processes files in your browser instead of uploading them to a server, which is faster for many tasks and keeps documents private.
Yes. All tools work in modern mobile browsers on iOS and Android.
No account is required for any conversion or PDF utility.