The free Smallpdf alternative, with OCR and batch work included
Smallpdf's free plan stops after 2 tasks a day and keeps OCR, text editing and batch work for Pro. KovaPDF gives you every tool free, with no card and no trial to cancel.
- A free allowance that refills, and no card or trial to cancel
- OCR, text editing and strong compression are free
- 24 tools work in your browser, so those files are never uploaded
KovaPDFSmallpdf- Price
- KovaPDFFree
- SmallpdfPro from $9 a month
- Free tasks
- KovaPDFLimited free allowance
- Smallpdf2 a day
- OCR and text editing
- KovaPDFFree
- SmallpdfPro only
- Batch (many files)
- KovaPDFFree
- SmallpdfPro only
- Files deleted
- KovaPDFWhen the job ends
- SmallpdfAfter 1 hour
- Offline Windows app
- KovaPDFFree
- SmallpdfPro only
Smallpdf's facts read from its own pages on 10 October 2026.
KovaPDF vs Smallpdf, feature by feature
Price, limits, tools, privacy and apps, checked against Smallpdf's own pricing and help pages on 10 October 2026.
| Feature | KovaPDFFree | SmallpdfFree plan |
|---|---|---|
| Price and limits | ||
| Price | KovaPDFYes: Free: every tool. Pro from $3.99 a month, billed yearly | SmallpdfPro $12 a month, or $108 a year |
| Free trial | KovaPDFYes: None needed: every tool works free | SmallpdfPartly: 7 days, card needed, turns into a paid plan |
| Tasks without an account | KovaPDFPartly: Limited free allowance | SmallpdfPartly: 2 a day |
| With a free account | KovaPDFYes: A higher allowance | SmallpdfPartly: Same daily limit |
| Many files at once | KovaPDFYes: Free, up to 10 files (50 signed in) | SmallpdfNo: Batch is Pro only |
| Tools | ||
| Compress PDF | KovaPDFYes: 3 levels, or to an exact size | SmallpdfPartly: Basic free; stronger levels Pro |
| Edit text in a PDF | KovaPDFYes: Free | SmallpdfPartly: Pro only |
| OCR (read scanned pages) | KovaPDFYes: Free, 9 languages | SmallpdfPartly: Pro only |
| PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint | KovaPDFYes: Free | SmallpdfPartly: Free, OCR versions Pro |
| Office files to PDF | KovaPDFYes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OpenDocument, HTML | SmallpdfYes: Also HWP, EPUB, Pages and RTF |
| Sign a PDF | KovaPDFYes: Free | SmallpdfYes: Free |
| Ask others to sign | KovaPDFYes: Free account, within a limited allowance | SmallpdfPartly: Through Sign.com, 2 documents a month free |
| AI summary | KovaPDFPartly: Limited summaries | SmallpdfPartly: Limited free, more on Pro |
| Bangla and Hindi font converters | KovaPDFYes: Bijoy and Kruti Dev to Unicode | SmallpdfNo: Not in its tool list |
| Privacy | ||
| Where files are processed | KovaPDFYes: 24 tools in your browser; the rest on our server | SmallpdfUploaded to servers in the EU |
| When uploads are deleted | KovaPDFYes: When the job finishes | SmallpdfPartly: After 1 hour for most tools |
| Apps and languages | ||
| Windows app | KovaPDFYes: Free, 28 tools offline | SmallpdfPartly: Offline app is a Pro feature |
| Mac app | KovaPDFNo: No | SmallpdfNo: No longer supported |
| Phone | KovaPDFPartly: Installable web app and free scanner | SmallpdfYes: iPhone and Android apps |
| Site languages | KovaPDF27 | Smallpdf24 |
Prices and limits change. We read Smallpdf's pages on 10 October 2026; check their site before you pay for a plan.
Which one should you use?
Choose KovaPDF if…
- You want more from a free account. On Smallpdf a free account keeps the same 2-a-day limit. On KovaPDF the free allowance refills over time, and a free account raises it.
- You need OCR, text editing or strong compression. On KovaPDF they are part of the free tools, not a reason to upgrade.
- You do not want to give a card. Every tool works free with no card, so there is no trial that turns into a yearly plan.
- You would rather not upload private files. 24 tools, including Merge, Split, Protect and OCR to text, run in your browser.
- You write in Bangla or Hindi. Bijoy and Kruti Dev converters sit next to the PDF tools.
Choose Smallpdf if…
- You want phone apps from the app stores. Smallpdf has iPhone and Android apps; KovaPDF on a phone is a web app you install from the browser.
- You convert unusual formats. Smallpdf turns HWP, EPUB, Pages and RTF files into PDF.
- Your team needs one bill. Smallpdf sells Team and Business plans with central billing and member management.
- You live in Google Workspace or Dropbox. Smallpdf has apps for both, and a Chrome extension.
The tools you use, under the same names
Open the tool, drop your file in. No account, nothing to install.
Why people look for a Smallpdf alternative
Smallpdf is well made and easy to use, and for one quick job a day it works fine. The trouble starts on the second or third file. Smallpdf's free plan allows 2 tasks a day, and after that you wait or pay. Many of the tools people need for real paperwork are also Pro only: OCR for scanned pages, editing the text of a PDF, strong compression and batch work on many files.
The Pro plan costs $12 a month, or $108 billed once a year. To try it, Smallpdf asks for card details, and the 7-day trial turns into a paid plan unless you cancel in time. Most one-star reviews of Smallpdf are about exactly that: a trial that renewed, and a refund that was refused.
What you get on KovaPDF, free
- Free without an account. Every tool works without signing in, within a limited free allowance that refills over time. A free account raises it.
- The "Pro" tools are free tools here. Compress PDF has three levels and can aim for an exact size, such as under 1 MB. OCR PDF makes scans searchable, and the PDF Editor changes the text itself.
- Many files at once. Batch tools take 10 files without an account and 50 with one.
- No card, no trial. Every tool works free. Pro is there if you want no limits, and you can cancel any time.
Is Smallpdf safe?
Yes. Smallpdf is a Swiss company, its servers for files are in the EU, and it deletes most uploads after one hour. If you are worried about privacy, the bigger question is whether a file needs to be uploaded at all. On KovaPDF, 24 tools work entirely in your browser: Merge, Split, Protect, PDF to JPG and reading text from scans with Image to Text among them. Tools that do need our server delete your file as soon as the job is done.
Moving over takes a minute
There is nothing to install and no account to make. Open the KovaPDF tool with the same name as the Smallpdf tool you used, drop the file in and download the result. If you use a Windows computer, the free desktop app also works offline for 28 tools.
Smallpdf alternative: common questions
Is there a free alternative to Smallpdf?
Yes. KovaPDF has the same everyday tools (compress, merge, split, convert, edit, sign) and they are all free. The free allowance refills over time, a free account raises it, and OCR, text editing and batch work are not held back for a paid plan.
Is KovaPDF really free, or is it a trial?
It is free, not a trial. Every tool works free within a free allowance, with no card to enter, and a free account raises it. Pro removes the limits.
Why does Smallpdf say I have reached my limit?
Smallpdf's free plan allows 2 tasks a day. After that it asks you to wait or to start a Pro trial. KovaPDF's free allowance refills over time, and a free account raises it.
Can I compress a PDF strongly for free?
Yes. KovaPDF's Compress PDF has a strong level and can also shrink a file to a size you choose, such as 200 KB or 1 MB, at no cost. On Smallpdf the stronger levels are part of Pro.
Is Smallpdf safe to use?
Smallpdf is a real Swiss company that processes files on EU servers and deletes most of them after an hour. If you would rather not upload a file at all, use a KovaPDF tool that runs in your browser, such as Merge, Split or Protect.
Does KovaPDF have an app like Smallpdf?
There is a free Windows app with 28 tools that work offline. On a phone, you install KovaPDF from the browser as a web app. There are no store apps for iPhone or Android yet, which is one thing Smallpdf does better today.
KovaPDF next to other PDF services
Smallpdf is a trademark of its owner. KovaPDF is not connected with, or endorsed by, Smallpdf. The facts above come from Smallpdf's own public pages, read on 10 October 2026.