The main difference between SmallPDF vs. Adobe Acrobat is in the features they carry. While some features are unavailable on SmallPDF, these are offered by Adobe Acrobat. Thus, it’s important to compare these two tools to pick out the option that fits your needs. Let’s dive in.
SmallPDF vs. Adobe Acrobat Comparison
| Platforms Supported | Cloud Storage | Integrations | Custom Branding | Pricing |
SmallPDF | Windows Mac SaaS/Web iPhone iPad Android | Google Drive Dropbox | 3 Integrations | No | Starts at $12 per month |
Adobe Acrobat | Windows Mac iPhone iPad Android | Adobe Document Cloud | 231 Integrations | Yes | Starts at $24.99 per month |
Before starting, it’s important to note that Adobe Acrobat comes as a leading option for the many features it carries. Having been launched in 1993, Adobe Acrobat has gone through several updates and improvements. Unfortunately, this also means that it costs more to use than SmallPDF.
On the other hand, SmallPDF was only founded in 2013 but almost has similar features. So is Adobe Acrobat worth it? Or is there another option that is worth looking into?
Create/convert PDFs
As a PDF editor, Adobe Acrobat and SmallPDF do a pretty good job. They both allow their users to create and convert PDFs using the free account. If you opt for the free account on either platform, you’ll only have access to limited features.
You won’t be able to use batch processing, OCR, or eSignature on a free account with SmallPDF. Meanwhile, a paid account on Adobe Acrobat unlocks all of its editing capabilities.
Edit PDFs
When it comes to editing a PDF, this is where a proper SmallPDF and Adobe Acrobat comparison can be made. This is because Adobe Acrobat offers a host of features that SmallPDF does not offer.
If you are using Acrobat DC, you’ll be able to access its PDF editing features, such as the following:
- Fix typos
- Change, add, or delete text or graphics
- Insert, rearrange, and delete pages
- Access commenting options
- Rotate pages
- Watermark
Although SmallPDF has numerous features, it does not offer as many as Adobe Acrobat. For example, it does not come with watermarking functionality. If this is something you do not require from a PDF editor, you may opt for SmallPDF instead.
Cloud Storage
One of the exclusive features available on Adobe Acrobat is Adobe Document Cloud. This is an online cloud service that comes with free 2GB storage exclusively for its users.
Through this feature, users no longer have to be stuck on a desktop computer to access their files. They can use the cloud service to access their files from any platform.
Meanwhile, SmallPDF has integration with popular cloud storage tools like Google Drive and Dropbox.
Compare PDFs
Another Adobe Acrobat vs. SmallPDF factor to look at is the tool’s ability to compare PDFs. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC gives its users a way to compare documents side-by-side to see the changes that were made. SmallPDF, on the other hand, does not offer this feature.
Single identity verification
Adobe Acrobat offers this key feature as a way of authenticating a single signer via a knowledge-based platform. Unfortunately, this feature is limited to its enterprise-tier accounts.
SmallPDF does not offer this feature. You will need to verify a signature manually. This may be too much work, especially if you are dealing with thousands of documents every day.
If this is the case, opting for Adobe’s enterprise-tier account may be suitable for you.
Custom branding
Another feature that Adobe Acrobat offers over SmallPDF is the ability to customize the signing URL for branding purposes. When you send out a document for signing, you can brand these with your logo. The ability to brand your signing URL can be a big help to let your recipient know that it is from you.
SmallPDF requires you to have a Team or Business account before you can customize your branding. They do not offer this out to their free customers.
Pricing
As for the pricing, this is where SmallPDF vs. Adobe Acrobat wins. Adobe has a free trial period that gives interested individuals a fee of its features. Unfortunately, this is only available for a short period of time.
Once you decide to sign up, you will have access to all its features and 100GB Cloud storage. It will also give you access to Adobe Portfolio and Adobe Fonts. The price of the plan starts at $24.99 per month.
SmallPDF has a free plan that lets you use the tool for free. Since this is a free plan, you won’t have full access to its features. If you need access to the full features, you will need to sign up for the Team or Pro plan, which starts at $10 per month.
SmallPDF vs. Adobe Acrobat: Which Is Better?
Choosing the right tool will depend on your budget and the features you need for the PDF editor. It will also depend on how much you will use the tool. If you just need it occasionally, you can sign up for SmallPDF since it doesn’t cost much. But if you deal with PDFs every day, Adobe Acrobat is something you can consider.
Why You Should Consider Fill
Did you know that you can get the best of both worlds with Fill? It has features that are not available on SmallPDF without costing as much as Adobe Acrobat. For starters, Fill offers Single Identity Verification like Adobe Acrobat. This feature is not available on SmallPDF.
But again, Fill does not cost as much as Adobe Acrobat. Because of this, you won’t have to pay an exorbitant amount every month to use a PDF editor tool.
Sign up for a free Fill account today to experience what the tool is like.
