Overall Winner
Smallpdf
beats PDFsam by 28 points
PDFsam 40/100
Smallpdf 🏆 68/100
P
PDFsam
Free
VS
Smallpdf
From $12/mo
The verdict
Smallpdf scores 68/100 against PDFsam's 40/100. Compare the full breakdown of scores, features, pricing, and user reviews below.
Score breakdown
Dimension
PDFsam
Smallpdf
Price & Value
★★★★☆ wins
★★★☆☆
Features
★★★☆☆
★★★★☆ wins
Ease of Use
★★☆☆☆
★★★★☆ wins
Reviews
★★☆☆☆
★★★★★ wins
Each dimension rated 1–5. Higher is better across all four.
What users say
PDFsam
"Free open-source PDF splitter but plagued by aggressive upsell behavior"
Pros
Free open-source basic version for page manipulation Cross-platform support including Linux Specialized in split, merge, extract, and rotate operations
Smallpdf
"Feature-rich PDF suite with polished UX but marred by billing complaints"
Pros
Clean, intuitive interface with smooth performance Comprehensive features (compress, convert, edit, sign, merge, protect) Works without errors or lags for most tasks
Pricing & value
| Metric | PDFsam | Smallpdf | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Starting price | Free | From $12/mo | PDFsam |
Our pick