A Smallpdf alternative with no daily limit
If you only need to compress, merge, split or turn images into a PDF, FilesStay does it free, without a daily cap and without uploading your file.
Compress PDF
Make a heavy file smaller by recompressing its images. Set a target size if you need one.
Open Compress →Merge PDFs
Drop several files, put them in order, and combine them into one document.
Open Merge →Split PDF
Keep the pages you want, remove pages, or download every page as its own PDF.
Open Split →JPG / PNG to PDF
Drop one photo or a stack. Each image becomes a page, sized to fit.
Open JPG to PDF →We make FilesStay, so read this knowing who wrote it. Details about Smallpdf come from Smallpdf’s own help center and security page, checked in October 2026. Plans change, so check their site for the current terms.
The short version
Smallpdf is a big, polished PDF suite. Its free plan lets you process up to 2 files a day, according to its help center; the paid Pro plan removes the cap. FilesStay does only four jobs, but with no daily limit, no account and no upload.
| FilesStay | Smallpdf (free) | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily limit | None | Up to 2 per day |
| Where files are processed | In your browser; never uploaded | Uploaded to Smallpdf’s servers; deleted after 1 hour for free tools |
| Account needed | No | No for basic tools |
| Compress, merge, split, JPG to PDF | Yes | Yes |
| PDF to Word, OCR, editing, e-sign | No | Yes (some features Pro only) |
| Desktop and mobile apps | No (works in mobile browsers) | Yes, with Pro |
| Cloud integrations | No | Google Drive, Dropbox |
When FilesStay is the better fit
- You hit the daily limit and still have files to do.
- The document is private (contracts, IDs, medical or tax papers) and you would rather it never left your device.
- You need a file under a size such as 100 KB or 200 KB and want to see the exact byte count.
When Smallpdf is the better fit
- You need to convert a PDF to Word, Excel or PowerPoint, run OCR on a scan, edit text, or collect signatures. FilesStay does none of these.
- You want desktop or mobile apps, or files saved to a cloud account.
- Your PDF is mostly text and fonts. Our compressor only shrinks images, so a server-side compressor may get a smaller result on that kind of file. Try both.
Is browser processing slower?
Sometimes, on large files and older phones, because your device does the work. But there is no upload or download wait, so for typical files it is often quicker overall.
Questions
Is FilesStay affiliated with Smallpdf?
No. Smallpdf is a trademark of its owner. We mention it only to compare.
Is FilesStay really unlimited?
Yes. There is no server cost per file, so there is no counter. The only limit is your device’s memory on very large files.
Does FilesStay add a watermark?
No.