Comparison

PDF Export Pro vs Smallpdf

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

Head to head
About

PDF Export Pro

This comprehensive application allows you to create, edit, convert, organize, and secure PDF files directly on your device. It offers a wide range of tools for document manipulation, including scanning, OCR, transcription, and even faxing, all without requiring an internet connection.

Highlights
  • Convert Word, Excel, JPG to PDF
  • Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT
  • Edit text and images in PDFs
  • Annotate and sign documents
  • Merge, split, and organize PDFs
  • Scan documents with OCR
  • Add watermarks and password protection
Features
Read full description

Tired of switching between multiple apps just to handle PDFs? PDF Export brings scanning, editing, converting, signing, compressing, chat exporting and 30+ PDF tools together in one simple app. Scan a document, edit a PDF, convert Office files, export WhatsApp chats, add signatures, protect files and much more — right from your iPhone or iPad. Pay once. No subscription. No monthly fee. # ANNOTATE & EDIT PDFs - Work directly inside your PDF. - Highlight important text, draw, add comments, annotate pages and edit PDF content without recreating the entire document. # SCAN ANY DOCUMENT - Turn your iPhone or iPad into a portable document scanner. - Scan receipts, contracts, notes, forms and multi-page documents in seconds. Automatic edge detection helps create clean, professional-looking PDFs without needing a separate scanner. # OCR — EXTRACT TEXT FROM IMAGES - Need text from a photo, scanned document or handwritten document? - OCR can recognize and extract text from images, scanned documents, handwritten documents and image-based PDFs. - Copy, search or work with the extracted text without typing everything again. # MERGE & SPLIT PDFs - Organize PDF pages exactly the way you need. - Combine multiple PDF files into a single document, or split a large PDF into smaller files. Great for reports, invoices, forms and document collections. # SIGN DOCUMENTS - Sign PDFs directly on your iPhone or iPad. - No printing, signing and scanning again. Simply open your document, add your signature and share the completed PDF. # CONVERT FILES TO PDF — OR BACK AGAIN - Quickly convert documents between popular formats: - Word to PDF - PDF to Word - Excel to PDF - PDF to Excel - PowerPoint to PDF - PDF to PowerPoint - JPG to PDF - PDF to JPG - Web Page to PDF - PDF to Text - PDF to HTML - PDF to RTF Keep your documents in the format you actually need. # COMPRESS PDFs - Large PDF taking too much space? - Reduce PDF file size to make documents easier to email, share, upload or store while maintaining useful document quality. # PROTECT, UNLOCK & WATERMARK PDFs - Keep sensitive documents protected. - Add password protection to PDFs, unlock files you have permission to access, and add watermarks to help protect your work. # CHAT TO PDF - Export WhatsApp chats as beautifully formatted PDFs or interactive HTML. - Choose from WhatsApp-style or clean document layouts, personalize with themes, search messages, jump between months, and view shared media easily. - Perfect for saving memories, keeping records, and archiving important conversations. # ROTATE & CROP PDF PAGES - Fix poorly oriented or badly cropped pages in seconds. - Rotate pages with a tap, remove unwanted margins, or crop multiple pages to create a cleaner document. # MORE PDF TOOLS - PDF Export includes many additional tools for everyday document work, including: - Blank PDF editor - Web to PDF - Clipboard to PDF - Add page numbers - Extract images - Repair PDFs - Transcribe content - Send fax And more TRY BEFORE YOU BUY See how the tools work before purchasing. Import your own file for a trial, or use the built-in sample document anytime to explore available features. # WHY PDF EXPORT? - 30+ PDF tools in one app - One-time purchase — no subscription - Scan, edit, sign and convert documents - Export WhatsApp chats to PDF or interactive HTML - Designed for iPhone and iPad - Many document tools work offline - Simple tools for everyday PDF tasks Whether you're scanning paperwork, signing a contract, converting an Office document, compressing a large PDF or preserving an important WhatsApp conversation, PDF Export gives you the tools to get it done in one place. Download PDF Export and make PDF and document management simpler.

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

PDF Export Pro4 screens
Smallpdf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Smallpdf at Free against PDF Export Pro's $12.99. Smallpdf also leads on review sentiment (68% vs 39%) and ratings volume (6.9K vs 217). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Smallpdf is free to download; PDF Export Pro costs $12.99 up front. PDF Export Pro sells 10 one-off in-app purchases 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 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smallpdf has 6.9K ratings behind it against 217, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of PDF Export Pro's written reviews are positive against 68% of Smallpdf's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Export Pro ships an update fortnightly, Smallpdf every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PDF Export Pro versus Smallpdf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF Export ProSmallpdf
Price$12.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (217 ratings)4.8 (6.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews39.4% of reviews68.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2176.9K — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.6
Further details — not scored
Size214 MB159 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLiveBird Technologies Private LimitedSmallpdf

Customer experience

PDF Export Pro

All ratings217 ratings
Positive89.9%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews104 reviews
Positive39.4%
Neutral5.8%
Negative54.8%

Smallpdf

All ratings6,876 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral0.9%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews895 reviews
Positive68.0%
Neutral2.7%
Negative29.3%

Bugs and requests

PDF Export Pro

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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

10 purchases

PDF Export Pro

One-time10
  • 1 Fax Credit$0.99
  • Convert 5 Documents Online$0.99
  • 5 Fax Credit$3.99
Show 7 more
  • PDF Export Pro Plus$3.99
  • Convert 30 Documents Online$4.99
  • 10 Fax Credit$5.99
  • 20 Fax Credit$9.99
  • Convert 70 Documents Online$9.99
  • 50 Fax Credit$19.99
  • Convert 150 Documents Online$19.99
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 PDF Export Pro free?
PDF Export Pro costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Smallpdf free?
Smallpdf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Export Pro or Smallpdf?
Smallpdf is rated higher. PDF Export Pro averages 4.6 out of 5 from 217 ratings, while Smallpdf averages 4.8 from 6.9K ratings.
Do PDF Export Pro or Smallpdf have ads?
Neither PDF Export Pro nor Smallpdf shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Export Pro or Smallpdf?
PDF Export Pro ships an update fortnightly, and Smallpdf every 9 days. Most recently, PDF Export Pro was updated on September 22, 2026 and Smallpdf on September 24, 2026.

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