Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Acrobat
Score 8.8 out of 10
N/A
Adobe Acrobat DC is the current version of the well-established document / PDF management solution, part of the Adobe Document Cloud (the other part being Adobe's eSign services based on technology acquired with EchoSign in 2011).
$29.99
per month per seat
M‑Files
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
M-Files delivers Context-First Document Management with a metadata-driven architecture that improves productivity across the document lifecycle. By linking documents to the people, processes, clients, and projects that give them meaning, M-Files creates a unified environment that strengthens governance.N/A
Smallpdf
Score 6.7 out of 10
N/A
Made in Switzerland, Smallpdf is a company that offers a suite of document management tools for everyone-for work, for home, for life. Founded in Switzerland in 2013, Smallpdf provides what they describe as a simple, secure, and reliable answer to the world's PDF challenges. Smallpdf boasts serving over a billion users in 24 different languages since 2013, and in every country in the world.
$0
Pricing
Adobe AcrobatM‑FilesSmallpdf
Editions & Modules
Acrobat Pro for Individuals
$19.99
per month
Acrobat Pro for Teams
$23.99
per month per user
Acrobat Studio for Individuals
$24.99
per month
No answers on this topic
Smallpdf Basic
$0.00
Smallpdf Pro
$12.00
per month
Smallpdf Pro
$108.00
per year
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe AcrobatM‑FilesSmallpdf
Free Trial
YesYesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesYesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsDiscounts are available for bulk purchases
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe AcrobatM‑FilesSmallpdf
Considered Multiple Products
Adobe Acrobat
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I have used Smallpdf.com for splitting documents or rotating PDF pages but it's kind of a pain to have to upload each file and it's always a risk uploading documents to a website if those documents are confidential. It is also much slower than Acrobat DC. Yes, some of the …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
In comparison to Smallpdf and iLovePDF, inevitably, Adobe Acrobat is the most popular and higher marketed software. Additionally, Smallpdf and iLovePDF are online conversion software, so your document needs to be uploaded to a cloud where it is converted and then you need to …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat has been the market leader against these other solutions for our organization when needing more robust, enterprise grade features. Cost versus benefit has placed Adobe Acrobat at or near the top option for our organization. Some of the other solutions do …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat stands out because its more powefull and feature rich as compared to these free tools. and it offers more compatibilty, security and many other editing options in a single software. which is much suitable for professional work rather than these cheap alternatives. …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat has more features and very convenient to use. Aside from that, because of the software integration of Adobe Acrobat. You can convert everything using that. The security feature of Adobe Acrobat is very reliable.

Then you can access that with other Adobe Products …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I selected Adobe Acrobat because of the following reasons..

1. It provides the Ai powered features and straight forward cloud integration which is not available with other providers. 2.Adobe Acrobat has global certifications of market standards for security and compliance areas.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
We liked Adobe Acrobat better due to the increased security versus other options. It also works easily with Microsoft and can be set as the default program to open PDFs. While some of the other options we evaluated offered similar interactions with non-Adobe products, Acrobat …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat DC simplifies the process of editing and creating PDFs. With drag-and-drop functionality, it's simple to use. We can also choose to forego reading by utilizing the text-to-speech function. It's InDesign and Illustrator-compatible. Templates in Acrobat DC make it …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is an integrated tool, which captures open/view, edit and sign/stamp features all together in a single software without adds or advertisements. When cloud feature is added then it becomes an essential tool for the office work. Mobile version is a good plus to …
M‑Files

No answer on this topic

Smallpdf
Chose Smallpdf
When comparing Smallpdf to Adobe Acrobat the first thing that comes to mind immediately is how much cheaper Smallpdf is compared to Adobe. The difference has been huge for our company and has allowed us to save money while keeping the same quality level for the products …
Chose Smallpdf
I think that Smallpdf stacks up against its competitors in terms of easiness of use. The tool is very user-friendly, every feature is communicated in an efficient way and very simple to user so the user doesn't have to be particularly good at using software. Its features are …
Chose Smallpdf
Smallpdf has a wonderful free version and is extremely simple to use. Adobe Acrobat can be a bit jumpy and heaven forbid you click on the wrong icon and it will ask you to sign in over and over again. Smallpdf isn't always the prettiest to use, but it is the best to get the job …
Chose Smallpdf
Adobe is not so quick. It takes a lot of effort to do a job in it. but small PDFs do the same job as in the second. Even adobe Acrobat does not have as many features as Smallpdf. Smallpdf is like an ocean because you don't know ocean depth so a small pdf has so many features.
Chose Smallpdf
Smallpdf is a basic PDF editor platform. Overall, it is best for beginners and those who only need a PDF editor to make simple edits and changes. Would also recommend it to those with a smaller budget. If you prefer an advanced, all-in-one PDF editor and also use other Adobe …
Chose Smallpdf
This is a more ethical decision. Adobe tends to lock you into their products and then charge you to end your contract. Smallpdf allows us to remain flexible and do our work at a lower cost.
Chose Smallpdf
Smallpdf has had a great impact on our business since we moved to this software from Adobe which is more expensive, so we managed to save a lot of money for using it.
Chose Smallpdf
Smallpdf is accessible online as a web-based .pdf solution not like many software that must be installed on a computer.
Chose Smallpdf
I used to convert my PDF files with LightPDF software. But It was slightly difficult for me to navigate on that software. The interface of that software was not very easy to understand. And compression result quality was also not satisfactory. So I selected Smallpdf for all my …
Chose Smallpdf
Smallpdf is a cheaper alternative. There is no additional software to purchase, so no need to pay to upgrade licensing every year. I think it is easier to use, although it doesn't have as many tools or options as Adobe. Depending on what you use it for, I think it is a great …
Best Alternatives
Adobe AcrobatM‑FilesSmallpdf
Small Businesses
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.7 out of 10
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.7 out of 10
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.7 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
Enterprises
Tungsten Capture
Tungsten Capture
Score 8.0 out of 10
Tungsten Capture
Tungsten Capture
Score 8.0 out of 10
Tungsten Capture
Tungsten Capture
Score 8.0 out of 10
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User Ratings
Adobe AcrobatM‑FilesSmallpdf
Likelihood to Recommend
8.8
(812 ratings)
9.9
(68 ratings)
8.7
(25 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.1
(45 ratings)
9.9
(15 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.2
(254 ratings)
8.2
(12 ratings)
9.5
(6 ratings)
Availability
9.2
(3 ratings)
9.1
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
5.8
(10 ratings)
9.1
(2 ratings)
9.4
(6 ratings)
Support Rating
9.2
(63 ratings)
8.0
(11 ratings)
9.9
(2 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
9.1
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.8
(15 ratings)
8.2
(8 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
8.0
(4 ratings)
9.6
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
4.5
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
8.0
(8 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
6.8
(6 ratings)
Product Scalability
7.0
(4 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
1.0
(2 ratings)
7.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
1.0
(1 ratings)
7.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AcrobatM‑FilesSmallpdf
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
When preparing artwork for print production from an application like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign, the best way to preview and preflight the work is to export to PDF and use Adobe Acrobat's output preview to check process colors, spot colors, dielines, and any special requirements, like foil stamping or varnish. Adobe Acrobat is also where you make any needed final adjustments to ensure correct reproduction on press. Documents intended for screen viewing must be exported to PDF and edited in Adobe Acrobat so as to add and edit needed accessibility features critical for legislative compliance.
Read full review
M‑Files
M‑Files is great for companies with multiple locations. Drive letters can become cumbersome to use and collaborate with colleagues and M‑Files fills that gap. The check out/check in system is great and allows only one editor at a time. This can be good and bad depending on the situation.
Read full review
Smallpdf
As per my knowledge and experience, Small PDF is well suited when we want to convert the large and bulk processing on the images to convert them into a single file and share. I found it well suited for college students because daily they scan multiple images and merge them to send as a single assignment file. Smallpdf has the future in the education field. Sometimes it is less appropriate for the people who want to share official documents by converting them into pdf without a watermark. I personally really like the Small PDF, it really helped reduce the difficulty of sending files, and photos to others.
Read full review
Pros
Adobe
  • Ability to manipulate a PDF in various ways.
  • Print production is incredibly helpful for checking off and making sure PDFs are ready for print.
  • Commenting in Adobe Acrobat is awesome! So nice to be able to hand off a PDF and get it back with edits that are easy to navigate and resolve!
Read full review
M‑Files
  • Reliable: Our M-Files system has only gone down one time (for a very short period of time) at the beginning of the two years that we have been with M-Files. Our previous vendor's system had so many downtimes that our IT Department had to assign an associate to work with me for sending out notifications to associates etc. With our last vendor, one day I came to work and only 60 of the 260 consent for surgery forms were available to our end users although they were visible to me as the Administrator but weren't showing up for the end-users!
  • Our M-Files system was created for us. It was created by working with developers to only have on our system what we required, and I must say, there were so many extra features that M-Files offered in our program that weren't available with our previous vendor. As mentioned previously, we can have two policies or forms visible to the end-user so one can be listed as "draft" or "training only" so our end users can read and use for training as we get ready to roll out a new medical record system. I can also preload policies and leave them in the working stage until they are approved and go back and publish them the day they are approved. The list goes on with so many great features.
  • Our end users would say the greatest asset of this product is the search function. It's amazing how fast it is. There are many ways to search out a form or policy which makes it a true asset for our associates.
Read full review
Smallpdf
  • It's PDF editing tool suite is extremely comprehensive.
  • Drag & Drop functionality and intuitive user interface means non-technical users can easily use most of its features.
  • It's online-first design avoids typical problems of depending on one specific computer for specific tasks.
Read full review
Cons
Adobe
  • More printing settings, like being able to adjust the margins and place the print area on the page when the file size is larger than the page, and I only want to print one section. Illustrator has this feature. Often, we print from Illustrator instead, because of this limitation.
Read full review
M‑Files
  • If you are new to Electronic Document Management, this can be a really difficult product to roll out. Since it is infinitely versatile, there are infinite ways to configure it wrong. I highly recommend the M-Files admin training offered by M-Files as it will set you in the right direction.
  • Many options are paid add-ons. So while you are not paying for what you don't need, many great features will come at a cost.
  • If you don't have a technical person on staff, this will be tricky to maintain. Not impossible. If your processes do not change, once setup it will be fine.
Read full review
Smallpdf
  • It has everything I'm not sure what I will say. E-sign, Share, convert. You can give an option in upload priorities features which I can see later.
  • Background remover thing also you can add in it. So I can remove the unnecessary thing from an image.
  • You can add a chatbot for help.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Adobe
Adobe Acrobat works seamlessly with the other Adobe products we use that are industry-standard. We will certainly continue to use Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, meaning it will always be convenient to work seamlessly with Adobe Acrobat for our organization. We are happy with the performance of Acrobat and it's meets our expectations.
Read full review
M‑Files
M-files meets our almost all needs, we dont have other option to replace m-files. it saves lots, like Hardware because of Vault Feature means we can create many vaults (mini-servers) in m-files in other solutions we need more hardware for more installations.
Read full review
Smallpdf
No answers on this topic
Usability
Adobe
It’s a very easy app to learn and software is essential. I feel like the app could load a bit faster but overall, is one of my go to apps. Makes reading and editing pdfs easy and I enjoy the usability of the app. It is definitely something I make sure to have downloaded on any computer I’m working from
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M‑Files
It is a powerful system that can locate content fast and effectively. The system takes quite some time to setup initially. It can be hard for M-Files support to know how businesses operate and how they want to use the system in a way that works for them. The customization makes it great for companies to cater to their own needs. Once the system is set up in a way that makes sense for the business, the user experience is positive. There is room for improvement in the notifications, workflow, and support areas.
Read full review
Smallpdf
I give this rating to Smallpdf because it comes with a large array of tools and gadgets. It allows not only pdf reading but also mixing, splitting, conversion to and from pdf, pdf compression or protecting. It is really complete and it works excellent compared to other much more expensive alternatives in the market.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Adobe
We have not had availability issues with Adobe Acrobat, or at least none that I am personally aware of. Some may encounter crashes of the software during outages of electricity in their city or neighborhood, which no one can plan for, but with generators in our organization, we have been lucky not to have outages
Read full review
M‑Files
always there.
Read full review
Smallpdf
No answers on this topic
Performance
Adobe
One of the best features of Adobe Acrobat is its speed and stability. When dealing with massive multi-page files, having to reload a crashed program over and over again would slow down progress unnecessarily. And expanding on that, having the table of contents generated allows me to skip to different pages with ease, a necessary feature with exceptionally long files. word searches are even more helpful with text recognition.
Read full review
M‑Files
I noticed some lagging with the integration with Microsoft Office but not so much that I would not use it. It has gotten better with updates. to be fair the issues were when Office 2013 first came out.
Read full review
Smallpdf
1.- Because it is easy to use and each function is duly indicated so you can not go wrong. 2.- Its service is fast, it takes only a few seconds to transform the files and in less than a minute it is downloaded and you can occupy it without problem. 4.-This IS online so you do not install anything, which is very useful because you can also use it from a tablet or your mobile
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Support Rating
Adobe
For a while, Acrobat DC crashed pretty frequently. I contacted Adobe Acrobat support about the problem. At first support was unable to provide a solution. After about a month Adobe's software engineers provided a fix. I just wish it had taken less than a month to solve the problem.
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M‑Files
Usually when I need help from them I got support and it was very good and focused to solve my problem. I didn't have so many problems, but when used it worked. I just would like to have a support in my native language, but I can understand that sometimes is hard for the companies.
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Smallpdf
Everything is so simple and works so well, you shouldn't need support, but on the one occasion in several years that I needed it, support was quick and courteous.
Read full review
In-Person Training
Adobe
No answers on this topic
M‑Files
We had online conference call training with a recording to use later as needed
Read full review
Smallpdf
No answers on this topic
Online Training
Adobe
Answered basic questions.
Read full review
M‑Files
They answer all questions and record your training for later use.
Read full review
Smallpdf
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Adobe
I was not involved with the implementation process, so I cannot answer this question. However, when it was installed on my computer system, they did so virtually. I just sat there while they took control of my computer over the network and watch them install it, lickety split
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M‑Files
The key insight is that the most important thing is to have a open mind. The application is easy to use, but if you have a company with different views and it is not aligned could be a huge problem. So the company transformation is required together with the application. Ensure to use as much as possible the capabilities of the application helps to have best ROI.
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Smallpdf
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Adobe
In my opinion, both complement each other. Microsoft clearly has with Copilot the AI Edge. However, the visual dynamics of Adobe Creative are Outstanding and provide a balanced approach to creativity, utilizing both Excellent, user-friendly Tools.
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M‑Files
The customization ability seemed to be a level above and easy to navigate and available options are constantly being reinvented. We have used OnBase for years and now desire to move away from this option for a number of reasons.
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Smallpdf
I think that Smallpdf stacks up against its competitors in terms of easiness of use. The tool is very user-friendly, every feature is communicated in an efficient way and very simple to user so the user doesn't have to be particularly good at using software. Its features are superficial when compared to Acrobat but easiest to use for sure.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Adobe
I am not responsible for sales or purchasing
Read full review
M‑Files
No answers on this topic
Smallpdf
No answers on this topic
Scalability
Adobe
I find that many users aren't aware of many features of the software they use, nor may they be comfortable with learning multiple-step processes. For the simplest of PDF purposes (scanning, downloading, exporting), it gets a thumbs-up. For anything involving electronic signatures, meh--causes eyes to glaze over, or forgetting what all is involved.
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M‑Files
do so much more than we need but has all the stuff we do need.
Read full review
Smallpdf
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Adobe Acrobat has saved us time in managing documents. In this day, everything is fast, moves fast, and keeping up with that pace demands software that functions at the same level. Adobe Acrobat does that. It has streamlined the steps I need to take to edit and create documents we need to manage our customers.
  • Adobe Acrobat removes the worry and stress associated with managing a large influx of documents. Something as simple as a document featuring an image that was sent to us upside down. Using the old method, I would have to open other software, click 'Edit', find the 'Rotate Image' button, click it a couple of times, save it as a JPEG, then attach it to Word, and finally save it as a PDF. It was a grueling process that consumed a great deal of time. Now, I simply open the image, and Adobe automatically recognizes it is upside down and fixes it for me. I can save and move on; it literally takes me seconds. Amazing.
  • Adobe Acrobat is intuitive and easy to use, and the additional apps are relevant to the needs that come up. If I have an idea, I can go to the available apps and find exactly what I need. Impressive and speaks to the years of experience this company has had to fine-tune its product and make it obvious that it is aggressive in staying on top.
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M‑Files
  • M-Files allows us to track important milestones and expiration dates. We are now able to easily track revisions to contracts with community partners and record comments and history in one place.
  • We are able to track all contracts that come through our District and to create monthly reports to present to our Board.
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Smallpdf
  • It has definitely increased efficiency. Lower paid employees can complete a simple task with Smallpdf rather than having a higher paid employee use their time to do it differently.
  • Smallpdf decreases the customer-response time. Being able to send over the proper sized file quickly makes us look great!
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ScreenShots

Adobe Acrobat Screenshots

Screenshot of where to create, edit, convert, and share PDF files all from within Microsoft Teams – as part of Acrobat integrations with Microsoft 365 apps.Screenshot of Liquid Mode in Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app, where users can read PDFs on phones and tablets without having to pinch and zoom. Navigate lengthy documents with intelligent outline and search tools, while maximizing readability and comfort with font size and line spacing that are adjustable.Screenshot of where to fill and sign PDF forms from anywhere and on any device. Here, users can collect signatures, digitally track progress, and automatically archive the signed document.Screenshot of the Adobe Scan mobile app, used to capture and convert documents into high-quality, interactive PDF documents that can be filled out, signed, and shared. This eliminates the hassle of finding a printer, filling a form by hand, and scanning it again.

M‑Files Screenshots

Screenshot of M-Files - SearchScreenshot of M-Files - Profile openScreenshot of M-Files - PermissionsScreenshot of M-Files - Process mapsScreenshot of M-Files - Pinned items

Smallpdf Screenshots

Screenshot of Desktop AppScreenshot of Homepage