Comparison

PDF Compressor vs Shrink PDF

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

Head to head
About

PDF Compressor

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PDF Compressor is a fast, simple, and privacy-focused tool for reducing PDF file size on your iPhone and iPad. — COMMON PROBLEMS WE SOLVE — • Application system says "PDF must be under 2MB" but yours is 8MB • Exam registration (civil service, teaching certification, GRE, IELTS) requires smaller PDFs • Visa and passport scans are too large for embassy upload portals • Email attachments exceed the 25MB limit • Contracts, invoices, and resumes need to be smaller for sharing • Academic journal submission systems have strict PDF size limits If any of these sound familiar, PDF Compressor can fix it in seconds. — KEY FEATURES — COMPRESS TO A SPECIFIC TARGET SIZE Choose your target and let the app handle the rest: • 500KB — For strict application forms • 1MB — For exam registrations • 2MB — Most common, works for most upload systems • 5MB — For visa and passport documents • 10MB — For email attachments and file sharing • Custom — Set any target size you need CLEAR RESULTS • See original size vs. compressed size • View compression ratio (e.g., reduced by 78%) • Know immediately if your target was met • Preview the compressed PDF to verify readability SAVE & SHARE • Save to iCloud Drive, local folders, or other locations • Share via Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or any app • Smart file naming for easy organization • Batch compress multiple PDFs with Pro — PRIVACY FIRST — PDF Compressor processes everything on your device. Your PDF files are never uploaded to any server. We don't read, store, or share your file content. No third-party analytics, no ad tracking, no data collection. — PLEASE NOTE — Compression results vary by PDF type: • Scanned / image-heavy PDFs — Typically see 50%–90% size reduction • Text-only PDFs — Already small; limited compression possible • If the target isn't met, try a larger target — PDF COMPRESSOR PRO — Free users can compress up to 1 time per day. Upgrade to Pro for: • Unlimited PDF compression • Custom target sizes • Batch compression for multiple PDFs • Ad-free, distraction-free experience Choose from flexible options: a one-time purchase Lifetime Pro (unlocked forever), or flexible Monthly Pro and Yearly Pro auto-renewable subscription plans. — IN-APP PURCHASES & SUBSCRIPTIONS TERMS — • Plans and Billing: Monthly Pro and Yearly Pro are auto-renewable subscriptions. Lifetime Pro is a one-time purchase. Actual prices are shown on the App Store product page and purchase sheet. • Auto-Renewal: Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions will automatically renew at the same price and duration unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the cost of the chosen plan. • Manage Subscriptions: You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal at any time by going to your App Store Account Settings after purchase. • Restore Purchases: If you have previously unlocked Pro, you can reactivate it by clicking "Restore Purchases" on the paywall or settings screen. • Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Questions or feedback? Reach us through Settings > Contact Us.

About

Shrink PDF

Features
Read full description

"File is too large." Seeing that right before a deadline is a special kind of stress. Shrink PDF makes heavy PDFs small enough to attach to an email. Pick a PDF, pick how much to compress, done. ◆ See exactly how much smaller it got ・The size before and after sit side by side, in big clear numbers ・In one measured example, 10.3 MB became 1.0 MB (about 90% smaller) ・How much you save depends on what is inside your PDF ◆ Three compression levels, all included ・For email — when it just has to be small ・Standard — a balance of size and appearance ・High quality — stays sharp, still lighter ・None of them are locked behind a purchase. You get all three ◆ Nothing is sent to a server ・Compression happens entirely on this device ・Your PDF is never uploaded anywhere ・Safe for contracts, invoices, scanned IDs and anything else you would rather not hand to a website ・Works with no internet connection at all ◆ Made for moments like ・A form that only accepts files up to 10 MB, and yours is bigger ・An email that bounced back because the attachment was too heavy ・Scanned paperwork that somehow takes several MB per page ・A university or workplace portal that refuses your upload ・A contract or invoice you need to send a client, but it is too large 【How the compression works】 This app rebuilds each page as an image to bring the size down. Because of that, text in the compressed PDF can no longer be selected, copied or searched. Your original file is left untouched, so you can keep both and use whichever fits. 【About Premium】 The app is free to use and the compression features are not limited in any way. The free version shows ads. Premium — an auto-renewing monthly subscription — removes all ads from the app. ・Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase ・The subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period ・Manage or cancel in your device Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions ・There is no free trial period Privacy Policy: https://hecuhecu.github.io/apps/pdf-compress/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://hecuhecu.github.io/apps/pdf-compress/terms/

Screenshots

PDF Compressor4 screens
Shrink PDF4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Compressor at none against Shrink PDF's shown. On price, update cadence, 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

Both are free to download. PDF Compressor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Shrink PDF sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Compressor ships an update every 3 weeks, Shrink PDF every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
PDF Compressor versus Shrink PDF: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF CompressorShrink PDF
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer荣晖 丁hiroki kawamura

In-app purchases

3 purchases

PDF Compressor

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Pro$0.991 Month
  • Yearly Pro$2.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$3.99
1 purchases

Shrink PDF

One-time1
  • Ad-Free Forever$17.99

Questions

Is PDF Compressor free?
PDF Compressor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shrink PDF free?
Shrink PDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PDF Compressor or Shrink PDF have ads?
Shrink PDF shows ads; PDF Compressor does not.
Which is updated more often, PDF Compressor or Shrink PDF?
PDF Compressor ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shrink PDF every 2 weeks. Most recently, PDF Compressor was updated on October 31, 2026 and Shrink PDF on November 8, 2026.

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