iLovePDF, Smallpdf, Adobe or PDF24: merge and compress PDFs
Any of the four will merge a few PDFs or shrink one for email in a minute, so choose by what is inside the file. For a menu, a flyer or a school form, PDF24, iLovePDF, Smallpdf or Adobe is fine. For contracts, ID scans, tax or medical paperwork, use a tool that never uploads the file, because all four of these send it to their servers.
Merge PDFsSeveral PDFs need to be oneDo it freeAt a glance
Limits and prices are as published by each service at the time of writing (November 2026) and can change.
| Tool | Where your file goes | Sign-up | Free use | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iLovePDF | Uploaded, deleted within two hours of processing | Free account available | Basic plan with limited processing | Merging, plus desktop and mobile apps |
| Smallpdf | Uploaded, encrypted, deleted after one hour | Not needed for a few tasks | A few tasks a day, 7-day trial of paid plan | One-off tasks, editing and signing |
| Adobe Acrobat online | Uploaded to Adobe cloud storage | Sign-in for repeat use | One free transaction without signing in | Trying Acrobat before buying |
| PDF24 | Uploaded, deleted after one hour, EU servers | None | Free, paid for by ads | Heavy free use, offline Windows app |
| fixmint | Stays on your device | None | Free, no watermark | Private files, no daily cap |
iLovePDF
iLovePDF covers merge, split, compress, convert, sign and OCR, and has desktop and mobile apps. Its terms state that it deletes files automatically within two hours of processing them on its servers, and its security page adds that you can delete them yourself from the download screen.
The free Basic plan lists limited document processing. Premium lists unlimited processing, no ads and digital signatures, at US$7 a month or US$48 for a year.
Smallpdf
Smallpdf is a wide toolbox: editing, signing and conversion sit beside merge and compress. Its safety page says files travel over 256-bit TLS encryption, and its help text says processed files are deleted automatically after one hour.
Free use is capped at a small number of tasks per day, and you can try a paid plan for 7 days. If you cancel the trial, the account drops back to the free plan.
Adobe Acrobat online
Adobe's online tools are the front door to Acrobat. Adobe's help page says they upload your file to Adobe cloud storage. If you sign in, the file is saved to your Adobe account. If you do not, Adobe soon deletes it from its servers.
Without signing in, most tools allow one free transaction and one download. Signed in, you can fill, sign, share and comment for free, while premium tools such as Compress PDF allow one free transaction every 30 days.
PDF24
PDF24 is run by a German company, geek software GmbH. Its FAQ says the online tools are free for everyone, including companies, without restriction, and that discreet advertising pays for them. The merge page says no registration is needed and that files are deleted from the server after one hour. The processing servers are in EU data centres.
PDF24 Creator, a free Windows program, runs the same tools offline, so the files stay on your computer. That makes PDF24 the only one of the four with an offline route.
When another tool is the better choice
- You need to edit text, sign or convert to Word: Smallpdf, iLovePDF or Acrobat cover more than fixmint does.
- You process dozens of PDFs every week: PDF24 Creator on Windows, or a paid plan, handles volume better.
- Your PDF has a password: fixmint cannot merge a protected file. Save an unprotected copy first.
- You need the text to stay selectable after shrinking: fixmint's compressor redraws each page as a picture, so the text can no longer be selected, searched or clicked. Keep the original.
- Your files are very large: fixmint works within your device's memory, so big files take longer on an older phone.
Do it free on fixmint
fixmint merges and compresses PDFs in your browser, so the files are never uploaded, and there is no sign-up, watermark or daily cap. Merge your PDFs free, in your browser, or make a PDF smaller when it is too big to email. Both keep working offline once installed.
Quick answers
Is it safe to merge a PDF on a website? The four services above say they delete files after one to two hours, or soon after for Adobe when you are not signed in. That is acceptable for public documents. For anything private, keep the file on your device, as merging PDFs without uploading explains.
Why can I not select text in a compressed PDF? Some compressors turn each page into a picture to save space. The text then looks the same but is part of the image. If you need searchable text, keep the original or compress only a copy.
How small can I get a PDF for email? Scans and PDFs full of photos shrink the most, while a text-only PDF is already compact. A PDF too large to email lists the options in order.
Can I do this on my phone? Yes. iLovePDF lists a mobile app for iOS and Android, and PDF24 says its tools can be installed as an app from your phone's browser. fixmint also runs in a phone browser and can be installed as an app, but merging many large files can be slow on an older phone because the work happens on the device.
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