Alternative to Smallpdf
Looking for a Smallpdf alternative?
Swiss-based PDF-first conversion suite with a clean UI and broad enterprise footprint. bulkconvert.io covers the conversion subset most people actually use — without the signup gate, the watermark, or the US default.
TL;DR
bulkconvert
No signup. No watermark. EU. API on every plan.
- No signup or email on the free tier — Smallpdf gates after 2 free uses
- Never adds a watermark; Smallpdf's free tier does on some output
- Public HTTP API on every signed-in account, including free
- All conversions EU-hosted by default
Smallpdf is better when
You actually need the broader toolkit
- If you need merge/split/sign/OCR — Smallpdf has the broader PDF toolkit
- Enterprise procurement: SOC 2 + ISO 27001 + dedicated account team
Side-by-side
| bulkconvert | Smallpdf | |
|---|---|---|
| Free per day | 3, no signup | 2 free, then login + ad gate |
| Watermark | Never | Free tier: yes (on some output) |
| Signup | Optional (magic link) | Required after 2nd free |
| Paid entry | €9/mo (Pro) | €9/mo (Pro) |
| HTTP API | Free + paid (Bearer) | Paid only |
| File retention | 24 h, then deleted | Unclear on free tier; 1 h on paid |
| Data residency | EU | Mixed (CH + cloud regions) |
Sourced from Smallpdf's public pricing and privacy pages. If you spot an inaccuracy, email hello@bulkconvert.io — we review quarterly.
Popular conversions
Jump directly to the dedicated page for the conversion you need.
Frequently asked questions
- Yes — 3 conversions a day on the free tier with no signup, no email, no watermark. Smallpdf's free tier gates you after a couple of uses (2 free, then login + ad gate). For occasional one-off conversions, bulkconvert is friction-free.
- Yes. Every signed-in user — including free tier — gets a bc_live_… key to use against /api/v1/convert with Bearer auth. Smallpdf's API is paid only.
- Conversions run on EU-hosted infrastructure over HTTPS. Source files are kept only as long as the conversion job needs (seconds), then deleted. The signed download URL expires after 24 hours, and the file is permanently removed. Smallpdf keeps files for unclear on free tier; 1 h on paid and stores them in Mixed (CH + cloud regions).
- If you need merge/split/sign/OCR — Smallpdf has the broader PDF toolkit. Enterprise procurement: SOC 2 + ISO 27001 + dedicated account team.