Compress PDF, free, no upload

Compress a PDF free: shrink the photos inside while text stays sharp and selectable, then pick the size you need.

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You have used your 3 free conversions.

Pick how to keep going. Whatever you choose, your files stay on your device.

Free for life

The Filo app

No credits, no daily limit, no Filo mark. Scan with your camera, and many tools work offline.

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4.8 rating · 100K+ downloads

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Web plan

Renews automatically until you cancel. Cancel anytime from your account. Your credits last until the end of the period you paid for. Unused credits do not carry over. Compare all plans

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Drop PDF files anywhere on this pagebrowse, or paste with ⌘V · one file

No sign-up · Small Filo mark on free files

Your file stays on your device
Works in any current browser
No sign-up, no email
4.8 rating · 100K+ downloads

Compress PDF: how it works

An upload form, an email or a job portal refuses your PDF because it is over 5 MB, 2 MB or even 1 MB. Most of that weight is the photos and scans inside it, not the text.

Step 1: Open the PDF
Select the document that is too large to send or upload.
Step 2: Pick a level
Choose light, balanced or strong compression and see the new size before you save.
Step 3: Download
Save the smaller PDF. Text, links and page order stay as they were.

Filo vs iLovePDF and Smallpdf

Full comparisons →

Free plans of Filo, iLovePDF and Smallpdf compared
	Filo	iLovePDF	Smallpdf
Where your file goes	Stays in your browser, not uploaded	Processed on its servers, deleted within two hours	Uploaded to its servers, deleted after one hour
Free use without an account	Yes, 3 free conversions in total	Yes, with limited processing	Yes, usage limits may apply
Phone app	Free for life, with no daily limit	Free download with limited daily tasks · Premium for more	Free within a daily task limit · Pro for more
Paid plan	Optional on the web · the app is free for life	Premium from US$4 a month, billed yearly, or US$7 monthly	Pro subscription with a 7-day free trial

Based on each service's public free plan, checked November 2026.

Sources

iLovePDF security: Files processed on the platform are automatically and permanently deleted within two hours of being processed.
iLovePDF pricing: Free plan: limited document processing and limited batch processing. Premium: US$4 a month billed annually (US$47 a year) or US$7 billed monthly.
iLovePDF terms: Free Account as an unregistered user; Premium only as a registered user.
iLovePDF on the App Store: Free with in-app purchases (Premium monthly and yearly); the developer states free users get limited daily tasks in the app.
Smallpdf Compress PDF: Files are deleted automatically after one hour; try it for free with no sign-up; usage limits may apply; iOS and Android apps.
Smallpdf on the App Store: Free with in-app purchases; free within a daily task limit; Smallpdf Pro subscription with a free 7-day trial.

Compress PDF, answered

All FAQs →

How much smaller will my PDF get?

It depends on what is inside. A PDF made of photos or scans often shrinks by half or more. A PDF that is mostly text is already small, so it changes little, and Filo keeps your original if the new copy would not be smaller.

Does compressing make the text blurry?

No. Only the pictures inside the PDF are made smaller. Text and vector drawings are kept as they are, so they stay sharp and selectable at any zoom.

Is my PDF uploaded?

No. The PDF is compressed in your browser, so the file stays on your device and no account is needed.

Do I need the app to use this tool?

This tool works entirely in your browser. Your file is not uploaded, and no account is needed. On the web you get 3 free conversions; the Filo app is free for life, with no daily limit.

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