# Smallpdf vs Nitro PDF Pro

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Smallpdf at 68% against Nitro PDF Pro's 12%. Smallpdf also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smallpdf sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Nitro PDF Pro sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Smallpdf holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smallpdf has 6.9K ratings behind it against 161, 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 12% of Nitro PDF Pro's.

Smallpdf ships an update every 2 weeks, Nitro PDF Pro every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smallpdf | Nitro PDF Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallpdf-scanner-and-pdf-editor/id1485259500/reviews)** | [3.9 (161 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nitro-pdf-pro-read-and-edit/id1608616539/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | 161 |
| Positive reviews | **67.6% of reviews** | 12.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 112 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Smallpdf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485259499) | [Nitro Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1607870122) |

## 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 (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


### Nitro PDF Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nitro-pdf-pro-read-and-edit/id1608616539)

Edit, annotate, and secure PDF documents on the go. This app offers powerful tools for professionals to manage PDFs, including mobile scanning and AI-powered data extraction. Seamlessly integrate with cloud services and use styluses for precise markups.

**Highlights:** Edit and annotate PDFs with precision tools, Organize pages, merge, and extract PDFs, Mobile scanning with OCR for searchable PDFs, Secure documents with password protection, AI-powered data extraction from tables, Seamless integration with cloud storage

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Nitro PDF Pro for iOS | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for managing project documents
- 👍 Convenient for PDF modifications
- 👍 Superior PDF handling on Mac
- 👍 Satisfactory in both Mac and Windows environments

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Pro features not available on iOS/iPadOS
- 👎 Yearly charges for basic features
- 👎 Expensive and useless
- 👎 Fails to deliver promised features
- 👎 Impossible to reorder PDF files

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot reorder PDF files
- Crashes when opening PDFs from websites/email
- Does not save markups or documents
- Difficulty creating new folders
- Cannot rotate pages

**Requested features**

- Keyboard support (Cmd + F for search)
- Ability to cancel search with Esc
- OCR and conversion to text documents on tablets
- User manual for iPad app
- Support for Apple Pencil


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smallpdf free?

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

### Is Nitro PDF Pro free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Smallpdf or Nitro PDF Pro?

Smallpdf is rated higher. Smallpdf averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while Nitro PDF Pro averages 3.9 from 161 ratings.

### Do Smallpdf or Nitro PDF Pro have ads?

Neither Smallpdf nor Nitro PDF Pro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smallpdf or Nitro PDF Pro?

Smallpdf ships an update every 2 weeks, and Nitro PDF Pro every 2 months. Most recently, Smallpdf was updated on October 31, 2026 and Nitro PDF Pro on October 30, 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.*