Comparison

Foxit PDF Editor vs Smallpdf

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Foxit PDF Editor

This mobile app offers comprehensive PDF management, allowing users to view, edit, annotate, and convert PDF files on the go. It includes AI-powered features for summarization, translation, and text enhancement, alongside robust tools for creating, signing, and protecting documents.

Highlights
  • AI-powered PDF summarization and translation
  • Edit text and images within PDFs
  • Convert PDFs to and from various formats
  • Annotate and add handwritten signatures
  • Create PDFs from scans or other files
  • Secure PDF files with passwords and redaction
  • Cloud service integration for file access
Features
Read full description

Looking for a versatile PDF editor that you can use anytime, anywhere? Look no further than Foxit PDF Editor mobile app. This easy-to-use PDF editor – trusted by hundreds of millions – allows you to view, edit, and annotate PDF files on iOS devices while on the go. The app also offers advanced subscription-based features, including our AI Assistant, optical character recognition (OCR), handwritten notes conversion, and more. Discover the capabilities of Foxit PDF Editor: • Reliable: 100% compliant with your current PDF ecosystem. • Efficient: Let our AI Assistant do the work for you. • Lightweight: Doesn’t exhaust your device resources. • Fast: Instant access to PDFs with no delays. • Secure: Robust file protection features to safeguard sensitive information. • Collaborative: Maintain full control of your content while working with others.. • Supportive: Access 24/7 customer service via support chat. • Multi-Language: Support for 12 languages for global usability. What Foxit PDF Editor can offer to you: AI Assistant • Agent-based conversation to ask and receive real-time responses • Automate workflows with built-in and custom skills • AI-powered image/chart generation • Translate the text • Auto-create bookmarks • Read documents aloud intelligently View and manage PDF files • Reflow PDF files for easy viewing • Convert scanned text and handwritten notes into digital text* • Easy document navigation with bookmark management features • Search for text within your PDF document • Supports tabbed document interface (for iPad only) • Supports to read the PDF out loud • Rename, move, copy, or delete PDF file(s) Collaborate and share PDF files • Add annotations and stamps to PDF files • Share PDF files and screenshots from within the application • Share multiple files across your desktop and iOS device via Wi-Fi • Save, synchronize, and access PDF files in popular cloud services (Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.) Create and convert PDFs • Create blank PDFs from scratch* • Create PDFs from Microsoft Office, image, text, and HTML files* • Scan and convert paper documents to PDFs (available on iPad 3, iPhone 5, and newer generation products) • Convert PDFs to Microsoft Office, image, text, or HTML files* • Combine PDFs to create a new PDF* Edit PDF files • Insert audios, videos, or hyperlinks to PDFs* • Add/edit text and image objects in PDFs* • Edit document properties* • Optimize PDF documents* • Reorganize PDF pages (Add*, delete, rotate, or extract* pages) Work on PDF forms • Fill out and save PDF forms • Import and export form data • Submit PDF forms via HTTP, FTP, or Email • Work on XFA forms* Sign and protect PDFs • Add handwritten signatures to PDFs • Sign PDF documents with an existing digital certificate* • Protect PDF files with password and Microsoft Information Protection* • Protect PDF information with redaction* The features marked with the asterisk (*) are advanced features based on subscription through in-app purchase. To activate the advanced features, you should create a Foxit account and subscribe to Foxit PDF Editor. After subscription, just sign in with your Foxit account and the advanced features will be available. Terms and Conditions: You must comply with the Foxit-Terms of Use and Privacy Policy (https://appstore.foxitsoftware.com/appstore/license) when using this app. Have feedback? You can contact us at the following address: https://www.foxit.com/support/ticket.html Follow Foxit on Facebook and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/foxitsoftware https://twitter.com/foxitsoftware

About

Smallpdf

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
Read full description

Smallpdf: All-In-One PDF Editor and Document Organizer Smallpdf is your go-to PDF tool, designed to simplify your document management. Whether you need to convert, compress, edit, sign, merge, or scan PDFs, our app makes it effortless. Trusted by 2.4 billion people since 2013, Smallpdf offers a seamless PDF experience right at your fingertips. Key Features: Convert PDFs Across All Document Formats Easily: PDF to Word doc PDF to Excel PDF to PPT PDF to JPG PDF to PNG Images to PDF and vice versa! Edit PDFs: Add text, images, and shapes directly in your PDF files Add annotations and highlights easily Rotate, delete, and rearrange PDF pages PDF editing tools Compress PDFs: Reduce the file size of your PDFs without compromising quality Optimize PDFs for sharing and saving storage space Shrink PDF files Compress PDF documents Sign PDFs: Add an e-signature to your documents Digitally sign PDFs securely Electronic signatures for PDFs Merge PDFs: Combine multiple PDF files into one Merge PDF documents Scan Documents to PDF: Use your camera to scan documents, receipts, notes, and more into PDFs Enhance scans with automatic cropping and optimization Convert scanned images to selectable text with OCR Scan image to PDF Scan doc to PDF Scan jpg to PDF Scan receipts to PDF OCR Technology: Convert scanned documents into selectable text with our advanced OCR feature Support for multiple languages OCR PDF converter Why Choose Smallpdf? User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive and easy to navigate, making PDF tasks simpler than ever. Cloud Integration: Access and save your files directly from your local device storage. Privacy and data protection: All uploaded files deleted 1 hour after processing (unless saved locally or to the cloud) Cross-Platform Availability: All major operating systems. Work on your PDFs anytime, anywhere. Fast and Reliable: Quick processing times ensure you can get your work done efficiently. High Security: We prioritize your privacy and data security, complying with GDPR standards. Additional Features: PDF Reader: View and read PDF documents with ease. PDF Scanner: Quickly scan and digitize your paper documents. PDF Filler: Fill out PDF forms and documents electronically. PDF Maker: Create PDFs from various file formats effortlessly. PDF Annotator: Highlight, underline, and strikethrough text in your PDFs. Download Smallpdf Now! Smallpdf is free within a daily task limit. If you would like to try out Smallpdf Pro for unlimited conversions across ALL tools, there’s a free 7-day trial available. The Smallpdf Mobile App is the all-in-one solution for all your document management needs. Simplify your tax return or scan in receipts easily using your camera to save, edit, and manage thousands of documents in all formats. Save backups on the drive or share directly to email to manage your documents on the go! Join 2.4B+ satisfied users and simplify your PDF tasks today. Download Smallpdf and enjoy a free trial of all premium features. Privacy policy: https://smallpdf.com/privacy Terms of use: https://smallpdf.com/support We love feedback, so feel free to send yours to support@smallpdf.com.

Screenshots

Foxit PDF Editor4 screens
Smallpdf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Smallpdf at 4.8 against Foxit PDF Editor's 4.5. Smallpdf also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Foxit PDF Editor sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Smallpdf sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Smallpdf holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.8K and 6.9K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 68% and 68% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Foxit PDF Editor ships an update monthly, Smallpdf every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Foxit PDF Editor versus Smallpdf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFoxit PDF EditorSmallpdf
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (4.8K ratings)4.8 (6.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.3% of reviews — better67.6% of reviews
Number of ratings4.8K6.9K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size328 MB112 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFOXIT SOFTWARE INCORPORATEDSmallpdf

Customer experience

Foxit PDF Editor

All ratings4,759 ratings
Positive87.4%
Neutral3.5%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews527 reviews
Positive68.3%
Neutral6.5%
Negative25.2%

Smallpdf

All ratings6,891 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral0.9%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews902 reviews
Positive67.6%
Neutral2.7%
Negative29.7%

User reviews

Foxit PDF Editor

From 4.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent PDF reader
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🔓 Robust annotation tools
  • 💡 Convenient cloud integration
  • 🔊 Helpful text-to-speech feature

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Subscription required for full functionality
  • 💰 Expensive subscription cost
  • 🖌️ Poor Apple Pencil support
  • 📂 Unreliable cloud sync

Smallpdf

From 6.9K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

Foxit PDF Editor

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Subscription not recognized after OS update
  • Pages go blank when switching apps
  • Handwriting and text input issues
  • Inconsistent behavior when rotating device
  • Corrupted files and data loss

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow custom highlight/text color
  • Improve page navigation and bookmarking
  • Integrate with more cloud storage providers
  • Add OCR and text extraction capabilities
  • Enhance annotation tools for better precision

Smallpdf

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Foxit PDF Editor

Subscriptions5
  • Foxit AI Assistant - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • PDF Editor - Monthly$6.991 Month
  • PDF Editor - Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Foxit AI Assistant - Yearly$49.991 Year
  • PDF Editor+ Yearly14 Days trial$139.991 Year
8 purchases

Smallpdf

Subscriptions8
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$7.991 Month
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$11.991 Month
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$14.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$49.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan$107.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$107.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$119.991 Year

Questions

Is Foxit PDF Editor free?
Foxit PDF Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smallpdf free?
Smallpdf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Foxit PDF Editor or Smallpdf?
Smallpdf is rated higher. Foxit PDF Editor averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while Smallpdf averages 4.8 from 6.9K ratings.
Do Foxit PDF Editor or Smallpdf have ads?
Neither Foxit PDF Editor nor Smallpdf shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Foxit PDF Editor or Smallpdf?
Foxit PDF Editor ships an update monthly, and Smallpdf every 2 weeks. Most recently, Foxit PDF Editor was updated on October 24, 2026 and Smallpdf on October 26, 2026.

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