Best PDF Compression Software in 2026
Updated
In short: PDF Candy is ranked #1 of 37 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of PDF2Go and Smallpdf. The best-ranked option with a free plan is PDF2Go. The lowest first paid tier on this page is PDF Candy at $0.33/mo.
When a PDF needs to take up less space for storage or sharing, compression software offers different controls and limits to compare. Compared on compression modes, batch compression, and maximum file size, the options also vary in offline desktop app availability, API access, and supported platforms. PDF Candy, PDF2Go, and Smallpdf are among the tools to consider for the documents and setup you have in mind. Check whether you need to compress files in batches, and which mode or file-size limit suits your work. Free-plan availability and Paid from pricing offer additional access and cost details to weigh alongside platform support.
37 PDF compression software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 PDF Candy iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9$0.33/mo
- 2 PDF2Go iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9Free Maximum file size: 50 MBBatch compression: Yes
- 3 Smallpdf iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9$10/mo
- 4 Xodo Compress PDF iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9$0.67/mo Batch compression: Yes
- 5 AvePDF iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8$3.75/mo Maximum file size: 128 MBBatch compression: Yes
- 6 PDF24 Compare PDF iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8Free
- 7 PDFOptim iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8$4.99/mo Compression modes: balancedMaximum file size: 25 MBBatch compression: Yes
- 8 iLovePDF iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.4
- 9 FS PDF Compressor No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Compression modes: balancedBatch compression: Yes
- 10 Adobe PDF Services APIAdobe No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free
- 11 Online2PDF No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free
- 12 Sejda PDF Editor No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free
- 13 Compressify No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.0Free
- 14 BentoPDF Hyper Compress No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6
- 15 PDF.coArtifex Software, Inc. No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5$8.99/mo
- 16 PDFify No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5
- 17 iText pdfOptimizer No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Batch compression: Yes
- 18 Online PDF Compressor No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Maximum file size: 100 MBBatch compression: No
- 19 PDF Compressor by DocuPub No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Maximum file size: 50 MB
- 20 Compresto No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3$49/mo Batch compression: Yes
- 21 Foxit PDF Compressor No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Batch compression: Yes
- 22 MinimalPDF Compress No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Compression modes: losslessBatch compression: Yes
- 23 PDF Compressor No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3Free Batch compression: Yes
- 24 PDF Resizer No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Maximum file size: 100 MBBatch compression: Yes
- 25 PDFLight No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which PDF compression software is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
PDF Candy is ranked #1 of 37 with a score of 7.9. PDF2Go is second and Smallpdf third.
How many of these have a free plan?
13 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, PDF Candy has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.33/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.