Best App for Shrinking PDFs in 2026

iLovePDF is the tool we would point a casual user to first. Upload a PDF, pick a compression level, download a smaller file, and move on. The free tier handles most one off jobs, with size limits that suit everyday documents, and the same account covers merging, splitting and converting.

Premium, listed from about $4 to $9 per month depending on term, removes limits and adds desktop processing. The trade off is that files are processed on iLovePDF servers, so it is not the right choice for private contracts. For a file that must fit an email attachment, it is fast and forgiving.

Smallpdf keeps compression to a few clicks, with basic and strong options that cover most needs. The interface is clean, the toolkit around it is broad, and the result is usually ready in under a minute. That simplicity is why it stays popular despite tighter free limits.

The free tier allows about two tasks a day, and Pro is listed at $15 per month or $108 per year. If you compress files most days, that cost adds up, and iLovePDF or PDF24 may be cheaper. If you compress once or twice a month, the free tier is enough.

Adobe Acrobat is the full professional option, and its PDF optimizer gives more control than a simple web compressor. You can adjust image resolution, remove unused objects and check the result before you save. That control matters when a file must stay sharp enough to print.

Acrobat Pro is listed from $19.99 per month on an annual plan, with a seven day trial, and online tools allow limited free uses. For one file, that price is hard to justify. For regular office work where quality and editing matter, Acrobat is the benchmark the others are judged against.

Sejda suits people who compress a PDF now and then and do not want another account. Free users get a few tasks per hour, with files up to 50 MB or 200 pages in recent listings. The tools run in the browser, and the site publishes clear handling terms for uploaded files.

Paid plans start at about $7.50 per month, with a week pass for short projects. The limits mean Sejda is not ideal for batch work or very large files. For a quick, no fuss job, it is one of the cleanest options on this list.

PDF2Go is a straightforward online compressor with a familiar workflow: upload, compress, download. It also covers conversion, merging and editing, so a file that needs more than shrinking can stay in one place. No install is needed, which helps on a shared or borrowed computer.

Because files are uploaded to PDF2Go servers, it is not the right tool for private documents. Free use also has limits that vary by task. For a public or low sensitivity file that needs shrinking fast, PDF2Go does the job without fuss.

PDFgear stands out because its desktop editor and compression tools are free, without a subscription wall for the core job. You can shrink a PDF, edit text, annotate pages and convert formats from the same app. That makes it a strong choice for students and small offices on a tight budget.

It does not offer the same fine optimization controls as Acrobat, and its support resources are smaller than Adobe or Foxit. For everyday shrinking and editing, though, the free price is hard to argue with. Download it from the vendor site and test it with a real file first.

PDF24 Tools offers compression without the daily task counter that limits Smallpdf and Sejda. The online tools are free, and a Windows app processes files on your own computer, which is better for privacy. The toolkit around compression is broad, covering merging, splitting and conversion.

The offline app is Windows only, so Mac users must use the web tools. The interface is plainer than its rivals, but that is a small price for unlimited free use. If you shrink PDFs often and do not want to pay, PDF24 is our pick.

PDFelement brings compression into a full desktop PDF editor, which suits people who shrink files as part of a larger editing job. You can optimize a file, check the result, then edit text or add pages without switching apps. Batch options help when a whole folder needs shrinking.

The price is listed at about $79.99 per year, with a perpetual license also offered, and the free trial is watermarked. Confirm current pricing on the vendor site, since plans change. For compression alone, a free tool is cheaper. For regular PDF editing, PDFelement is a solid middle price.

Foxit PDF Editor is aimed at offices that already edit PDFs daily, and its optimizer fits naturally into that workflow. You can reduce file size, then continue editing, signing or sharing the same document. Team features and a mobile version add value for larger groups.

Recent listings put Foxit PDF Editor at about $10.99 per user per month on an annual plan, with a 14 day trial. That is a lot to pay just to shrink a file, so we would only recommend it if you also need the editor. If you do, the compression tools are a useful bonus, not an afterthought.