# Smallpdf vs PDF Maker

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Smallpdf at 68% against PDF Maker's 29%. Smallpdf also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smallpdf sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and PDF Maker sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Smallpdf holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smallpdf has 6.9K ratings behind it against 1.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Smallpdf's written reviews are positive against 29% of PDF Maker's.

Smallpdf ships an update every 2 weeks, PDF Maker every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smallpdf | PDF Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallpdf-scanner-and-pdf-editor/id1485259500/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-maker-convert-to-pdf/id1567656728/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | 1.3K |
| Positive reviews | **67.6% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 112 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Smallpdf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485259499) | [Muhammet Yalcın Ozdemir Halil Ibrahim Karahan Mustafa Ayten Kupertino Bilisim Yazılım K.S](https://appshunter.io/developer/1788511975) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 (7)**

| 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 | $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


### PDF Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-maker-convert-to-pdf/id1567656728)

Easily convert various file types, including documents and photos, into PDF format directly on your device. This app offers advanced tools for merging, splitting, and compressing PDFs, along with options to add content and share your creations.

**Highlights:** Convert DOC, XLS, JPG, TXT, PPT, SVG to PDF, Create new PDFs from photos or text, Merge and split PDF files, Compress PDF files, Preview, export, and share PDFs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Secret Discount Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| PDF Converter | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smallpdf free?

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

### Is PDF Maker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Smallpdf or PDF Maker?

Smallpdf is rated higher. Smallpdf averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while PDF Maker averages 4.6 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Smallpdf or PDF Maker have ads?

Neither Smallpdf nor PDF Maker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smallpdf or PDF Maker?

Smallpdf ships an update every 2 weeks, and PDF Maker every 4 months. Most recently, Smallpdf was updated on November 7, 2026 and PDF Maker on November 7, 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.*