Compare Pixoate with Smallpdf
Smallpdf is a polished PDF suite with a limited free tier. Pixoate downloads the same PDF essentials without an account and adds image editing, OCR and document builders.
Pixoate tools for the same jobs
Smallpdf offers a limited free tier (historically a couple of tasks per day) plus Pro plans. Pixoate lets visitors process and download standard results without an account; Premium adds batch and higher capabilities. Verify current limits and pricing on their site.
Core PDF tools
Access
Beyond PDF
When to pick which
Pick Smallpdf if
- You are already on a Smallpdf Pro plan and like their workflow
- You want their Google Workspace / desktop integrations
- You need a specific Smallpdf feature Pixoate does not list
Pick Pixoate if
- You keep hitting Smallpdf's free daily task limit
- You want to verify and download a PDF result without creating an account
- You also need image, OCR or document-builder tools in one place
Shrink, edit, sign and send a PDF without installing software
Most PDF work comes down to a few situations: the file is too big to send, the text needs changing, a signature is missing, or the pages are still photos. Each has a Pixoate tool that opens in your browser, with no PDF editor to open first. This page walks through each situation and ends with what to check when you swap one PDF site for another.
Make a PDF small enough to email
To make a PDF small enough to email, upload the file and pick a Compression level. E-book is a sensible first try, Screen (smallest) is the next step down, and Printer (300 DPI) or Prepress (largest) keep more picture detail for print. The result shows Before and After sizes. Scans and photo-heavy reports shrink the most, while a PDF that is mostly text is already small and may barely change.
Edit a PDF by taking it through Word and back
When the text itself must change, convert the PDF to a Word file, edit it there and save the result as a PDF again. Leave Edit the content selected for a PDF with selectable text, and choose Keep the exact appearance for a scan, which places each page as a picture that cannot be retyped. Word to PDF takes DOC, DOCX, ODT and RTF files and has no settings.
Complex layouts can shift when a PDF becomes a Word document, because PDF and Word position content differently. Read the converted file before you edit it, check tables, columns and fonts, then read the new PDF once more before you send it.
Sign a PDF and send it back
Signing a PDF places a visible image of your signature, the same as signing paper and scanning it. It does not add a certificate or check who signed. The preview covers at most the first 24 pages, but an item set to Apply to every page still lands on the whole document.
- Upload the document to Sign PDF.
- Choose Draw, Type or Upload and create the signature.
- Tap or click the page to place it, then drag and resize it onto the line.
- Add a date, a line of text or a stamp if the document needs one.
- Select Sign my PDF, choose See result and download the signed copy.
Turn photos or scans into one PDF
To turn photos or scans into one PDF, add them in order: each picture goes on its own page, and you can change the order by dragging or with the arrow buttons. Choose a Paper size of A4, Letter or Image fit, set Orientation and Margins, then select Make my PDF. A transparent PNG lands on a white page. When several PDFs must become one document, combine them in the order you choose afterward.
Switching a regular PDF task over from Smallpdf
Your files are not tied to any one tool, because every tool starts from the PDF, Word file or photos you already have and leaves them unchanged. Here each task has its own page with its own options, and batch processing of many files is a Premium feature. Try your most common task with one real file before you switch the rest.
Quick checks on the first files
- Compare the Before and After sizes and open the compressed file to check small print and photos.
- Read the converted Word document for fonts, tables and page breaks.
- Confirm the signature sits on the line at the size you want.
- Keep your originals until the new files are checked.
FAQ
Is there a free Smallpdf alternative?
Yes. Pixoate lets you process, preview and download standard PDF results without an account. Premium adds batch and higher capabilities. Files are processed over HTTPS and removed after temporary retention.
Can Pixoate compress and convert PDFs like Smallpdf?
Yes — compress, merge, split, and convert between PDF and Word/Excel/PowerPoint are all available, plus image-to-PDF.
What if a compressed PDF is still too large to email?
Try Screen (smallest) first, then check the After size. If the file is still over your limit, Split PDF has a By file size mode that fills each part with whole pages up to the Max MB per part you set. Organize PDF can also delete pages you do not need before you compress again.
Will a Word document look the same after it becomes a PDF?
It should look close, because the PDF is built from the document with supported fonts and layout retained. Unusual fonts and complex layouts are the things to check, so read the finished PDF once, especially tables and headers, before you send it.
Can I put several photos into one PDF?
Yes. Image to PDF accepts JPG, PNG, WebP and HEIC pictures, puts one picture on each page and lets you reorder them before you build the file. Choose Make text searchable instead of a normal PDF if the pictures are scans and you want to search or copy the words.
Does signing change my original PDF?
Signing creates a new signed copy, and your uploaded original is not changed, so keep the unsigned version if you may need it again. Anything you place, such as a date or a stamp, becomes part of the page in the signed copy.
How do I get a PDF into Excel or PowerPoint instead of Word?
Use PDF to Excel to pull tables into a workbook, or PDF to PowerPoint to turn pages into slides. PDF to PowerPoint has Edit slide content for movable text boxes and pictures, and Keep exact appearance to place each page on a slide as one picture.
Can I combine a PDF with a Word file?
Not directly, because Merge PDF accepts PDFs only. Convert the Word file with Word to PDF first, then add both PDFs to Merge PDF and drag them into order. The same applies to photos: build a PDF from them with Image to PDF and merge that.
Watch each transformation land
Every photo crosses the slash untouched and comes out the other side finished.
