Apexkit vs Smallpdf
Smallpdf is great. Apexkit is Smallpdf + 75 other tools, half the price.
Smallpdf earned its $8M ARR by getting subscription-first PDF right when iLovePDF stayed ad-supported. We respect the move. But at $12/mo for PDF-only, you're paying premium for a slice of what you actually do day-to-day. Apexkit gives you the same PDF surface plus the AI/image/video/writing tools you're paying separately for elsewhere.
TL;DR
Smallpdf: The most popular PDF software online. (From $12/mo (Pro) · $24/mo (Team))
| Feature | Apexkit | Smallpdf |
|---|---|---|
Number of tools | 100+ (across 10 categories) | ~30 (PDF-focused) |
Entry price | £7.99/mo | $12/mo |
AI beyond PDF | Yes | Limited (AI Chat with PDF) |
Free tier limits | 1 use per tool, no daily reset | 2 tasks per day |
Full feature comparison
| Feature | Apexkit | Smallpdf |
|---|---|---|
PDF Compress / Merge / Split | Yes | Yes |
OCR (scanned PDF → text) | Roadmap month 3 | Yes |
PDF Chat | Yes | Yes |
PDF Sign | Roadmap month 4 | Yes |
Background Remover | Yes | No |
AI Resume Tailor | Yes | No |
AI Slide Deck | Yes | No |
Video / Audio tools | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | PWA month 6 | Yes |
Choose Apexkit if…
Solopreneurs, freelancers, and agencies who do PDF work AND any of: AI writing, image editing, slide decks, transcription.
Try freeStick with Smallpdf if…
Mid-to-large teams that buy 20+ seats, need SAML SSO + advanced admin today, and don't care about AI writing tools.
We'd rather you stay where you're best served than churn next month.
Things Smallpdf still does better
We won't pretend we beat them on everything. Three honest wins for the competition:
- Smallpdf has the smoother PDF UX for users who do nothing but PDFs. Their drag interactions are slightly nicer.
- They have OCR + e-signature shipping today; we're adding both in months 3-4.
- They have richer enterprise / team admin features for organisations buying 50+ seats.
Stop paying ten AI bills. Start your free Apexkit account.
No credit card. One free use of every tool. Upgrade only if you find yourself coming back.
Comparison last reviewed May 2026. Information about Smallpdf reflects publicly available pricing and feature lists at that time and may change. Apexkit is a trademark of Apexkit Ltd; Smallpdf is a trademark of its respective owner; this page is independent comparison content, not endorsed by Smallpdf.