Smallpdf vs. iLovePDF vs. Convert: Anything to PDF — Which Is Actually Free?

TL;DR

Smallpdf limits free users to 2 tasks per day. iLovePDF has daily conversion caps and file size limits. Both upload your files to their servers. Convert: Anything to PDF is a Chrome extension with zero limits, zero watermarks, and zero uploads — every conversion happens on your device.

The "free" PDF converter problem

Search for "convert to PDF free" and you will find dozens of tools. Almost all of them follow the same pattern:

• Advertise as "free"
• Let you convert 1 or 2 files
• Hit you with a daily limit, file size cap, or signup wall
• Push you toward a $7 to $15 per month subscription

Smallpdf and iLovePDF are the two biggest players in this space. Both are well-designed, well-known, and heavily marketed. But neither is truly free. Here is what you actually get.

Smallpdf: the 2-task-per-day limit

What Smallpdf offers

Smallpdf is a web-based PDF toolkit with tools for conversion, compression, merging, signing, and editing. It has a Chrome extension and a polished web interface.

The free tier reality

Smallpdf's free plan allows 2 tasks per day. A "task" is any operation — converting a file, merging PDFs, compressing a file. After 2 tasks, you are locked out until the next day.

This limit applies across all tools. If you convert one file and compress another, you have used your daily allowance. Need to convert 5 images to PDF for a meeting in an hour? You will need to wait 3 days or pay.

Smallpdf pricing

• Free: 2 tasks per day
• Pro: $12 per month (billed annually) or $15 per month (billed monthly)
• Team: $10 per user per month (minimum 2 users)

Smallpdf privacy

Smallpdf uploads your files to their cloud servers for processing. They state that files are deleted after a period, but your data does leave your device. For sensitive documents (financial records, contracts, medical forms), this is a concern.

What Smallpdf does well

• Very polished, professional interface
• Wide range of PDF tools beyond conversion (editing, signing, OCR)
• Good output quality on most conversions
• Desktop apps available for offline use (paid plan only)

iLovePDF: daily limits and file size caps

What iLovePDF offers

iLovePDF is another web-based PDF toolkit with conversion, merging, compression, splitting, and editing tools. It has a Chrome extension and mobile apps.

The free tier reality

iLovePDF's free plan has multiple limits:

• Daily task limits — The exact number varies by tool, but heavy users hit walls quickly
• File size limits — Free users face file size restrictions on uploads
• Batch limits — The number of files you can process in a single batch is restricted
• Feature restrictions — Some tools and features are reserved for premium users

iLovePDF pricing

• Free: Limited daily tasks, file size caps
• Premium: $7 per month (billed annually) or $9 per month (billed monthly)
• Business: Custom pricing

iLovePDF privacy

Like Smallpdf, iLovePDF uploads your files to their servers for processing. They have data centers in Europe and state compliance with GDPR, but your files still leave your device.

What iLovePDF does well

• Lower pricing than Smallpdf
• Comprehensive PDF toolkit
• Good for users who need occasional conversions and do not mind limits
• GDPR compliance and European data centers

Convert: Anything to PDF: the local-first approach

What it offers

Convert: Anything to PDF is a Chrome extension that converts files to PDF entirely on your device. It supports images (JPG, PNG, WebP, SVG, GIF, BMP), text files (TXT, HTML, JSON, XML, Markdown), spreadsheets (CSV with formatted tables), and web pages.

The free tier reality

There is no "free tier" because there is no paid tier. Everything is free:

• Zero daily limits — Convert as many files as you want
• Zero file size limits — No restrictions on file size
• Zero watermarks — Your PDFs have no branding from the tool
• Zero accounts — No signup, no login, no email required
• Zero conversion caps — No monthly or annual limits

Privacy

Every conversion happens on your device. Files are never uploaded to any server. There is no network request during conversion. Your data stays on your machine.

What it does well

• Supports a wide range of file formats in one extension
• Merge multiple files into a single PDF (drag and drop)
• Auto-landscape for wide CSV files with 6 or more columns
• Clean table formatting for CSV data
• Paper size options (A4, Letter, Legal) with orientation control
• Instant conversion — no upload time, no server processing time

Limitations

• Chrome extension only (requires a Chromium-based browser)
• No PDF editing, signing, or OCR (it is a converter, not a full PDF suite)
• Cannot convert PDF to other formats (it converts to PDF, not from PDF)

Feature comparison

Daily conversion limits:

• Smallpdf: 2 tasks per day (free)
• iLovePDF: Limited daily tasks (free)
• Convert: Anything to PDF: Unlimited

File size limits:

• Smallpdf: Restrictions on free tier
• iLovePDF: Restrictions on free tier
• Convert: Anything to PDF: None

Watermarks on output:

• Smallpdf: None
• iLovePDF: None
• Convert: Anything to PDF: None

Account required:

• Smallpdf: Yes (for saving and some features)
• iLovePDF: Yes (for saving and some features)
• Convert: Anything to PDF: No

File upload to servers:

• Smallpdf: Yes (cloud processing)
• iLovePDF: Yes (cloud processing)
• Convert: Anything to PDF: No (100% local)

Supported input formats:

• Smallpdf: JPG, PNG, Excel, Word, PPT, and more
• iLovePDF: JPG, PNG, Excel, Word, PPT, and more
• Convert: Anything to PDF: JPG, PNG, WebP, SVG, GIF, BMP, TXT, HTML, JSON, XML, Markdown, CSV, and web pages

File merging:

• Smallpdf: Yes (separate merge tool)
• iLovePDF: Yes (separate merge tool)
• Convert: Anything to PDF: Yes (drag and drop multiple files, merged into one PDF)

CSV to PDF with table formatting:

• Smallpdf: Via Excel conversion (requires Excel file, not raw CSV)
• iLovePDF: Via Excel conversion
• Convert: Anything to PDF: Yes, with automatic table formatting and auto-landscape for wide data

Markdown to PDF:

• Smallpdf: Not supported
• iLovePDF: Not supported
• Convert: Anything to PDF: Yes

Web page to PDF:

• Smallpdf: Yes (via URL input)
• iLovePDF: Yes (via URL input, server-rendered)
• Convert: Anything to PDF: Yes (converts current page locally, works behind logins)

Pricing for unlimited use:

• Smallpdf: $12 to $15 per month
• iLovePDF: $7 to $9 per month
• Convert: Anything to PDF: Free

Who should use what

Use Smallpdf if:

• You need a full PDF suite (editing, signing, OCR, compression) in addition to conversion
• You do 1 to 2 conversions per day and the free tier is sufficient
• You do not mind cloud-based processing
• You need desktop apps for offline work (paid plan)

Use iLovePDF if:

• You need a full PDF suite at a lower price than Smallpdf
• Your daily conversion volume stays within the free limits
• European data processing is important to you (GDPR compliance)
• You need mobile apps

Use Convert: Anything to PDF if:

• You convert more than 2 files per day (or unpredictably — sometimes 0, sometimes 20)
• You do not want to create an account or manage a subscription
• You work with sensitive files that should not be uploaded to servers
• You need CSV, Markdown, or HTML to PDF conversion
• You want to merge multiple different file types into a single PDF
• Privacy matters to you

The math on "free" vs. actually free

If you convert files to PDF even a few times per week, Smallpdf's 2-per-day limit forces you to either spread work across days or pay $144 per year. iLovePDF's limits are slightly more generous but still restrict heavy use days.

Convert: Anything to PDF has no limits at all. The extension costs nothing, requires no account, and processes everything on your device. Over a year, the difference is $0 versus $84 to $180.

For users who only need 1 to 2 conversions per day and also need editing, signing, and OCR, Smallpdf or iLovePDF may justify the subscription. For everyone else — especially anyone doing batch conversions, working with sensitive files, or wanting zero friction — a local-first tool is the better choice.

Related reading

• Adobe Acrobat Free Alternatives in 2026: PDF Conversion Without the $156/Year Subscription — how to replace the most expensive PDF suite
• Why Your PDF Converter Shouldn't Upload Your Files (And What to Use Instead) — the privacy risks of cloud-based converters like Smallpdf and iLovePDF
• How to Batch Convert Multiple Files to PDF at Once (Free, No Limits) — for users who hit daily limits on other tools

Frequently asked questions

Is Smallpdf really limited to 2 tasks per day?

Yes. On the free plan, you get 2 tasks per day across all tools. This includes converting, merging, compressing, or any other operation. The counter resets at midnight.

Does iLovePDF add watermarks?

iLovePDF generally does not add watermarks on the free tier, but some tools and output formats may have limitations. Premium removes all restrictions.

Can Convert: Anything to PDF handle Word or PowerPoint files?

The extension supports images (JPG, PNG, WebP, SVG, GIF, BMP), text formats (TXT, HTML, JSON, XML, Markdown), CSV with table formatting, and web pages. For Word (.docx) or PowerPoint (.pptx) to PDF, Smallpdf or iLovePDF are better options, or you can use the application's built-in export function.

Which tool has the best output quality?

For the formats it supports, Convert: Anything to PDF produces clean, properly formatted PDFs. Smallpdf and iLovePDF also produce good quality output. The key difference is not quality but privacy, limits, and cost.

Is it safe to upload files to Smallpdf or iLovePDF?

Both services state that they delete files after processing and comply with data protection regulations. However, your files do travel over the internet and are processed on their servers. For sensitive documents, local processing is inherently safer.

Bottom line

"Free" means different things to different tools. Smallpdf gives you 2 tasks per day. iLovePDF gives you limited daily use. Convert: Anything to PDF gives you unlimited conversions, zero watermarks, and zero data uploads — for free, forever. Install it from the Chrome Web Store and stop counting your daily conversions.