# DB vs Smallpdf

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DB at none against Smallpdf's 11. DB also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.6). Smallpdf's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 34 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smallpdf sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. DB asks for nothing beyond the download.

DB ships an update every 34 months, Smallpdf every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on January 4, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DB | Smallpdf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallpdf-scanner-and-pdf-editor/id1485259500/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **6.9K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 68.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 34 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flamenco Tech](https://appshunter.io/developer/1028303780) | [Smallpdf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485259499) |

## What reviewers say

### DB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/db/id1460583083)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smallpdf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallpdf-scanner-and-pdf-editor/id1485259500)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools to manage PDF documents. Easily convert, edit, compress, sign, merge, and scan PDFs using your mobile device. It also features OCR technology to convert scanned documents into editable text.

**Highlights:** Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PPT, JPG, PNG, Edit PDFs with text, images, and annotations, Compress PDFs to reduce file size, Sign PDFs electronically, Merge multiple PDF files, Scan documents to PDF with OCR, Fill out PDF forms

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $14.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $107.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $107.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 💡 Useful features
- 🔒 Secure
- 🆓 Free to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- 💰 Paid version required for full functionality
- 🤔 Confusing account management
- 🤯 Missing key features
- 🤖 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Files not saving properly
- Conversion issues with larger documents
- Unexpected crashes and freezes
- Compatibility problems with older devices
- Incorrect file content after compression

**Requested features**

- Add more color options for annotations
- Improve search functionality for saved documents
- Enhance iPad compatibility
- Allow inserting images into PDFs
- Provide better file management and organization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DB free?

DB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Smallpdf free?

Smallpdf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do DB or Smallpdf have ads?

Neither DB nor Smallpdf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DB or Smallpdf?

DB ships an update every 34 months, and Smallpdf every 9 days. Most recently, DB was updated on January 4, 2026 and Smallpdf on September 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*