Is Smallpdf safe to use?

Short answer

Smallpdf uploads your files to its servers.

When you use Smallpdf, your documents are transmitted over the internet to third-party servers for processing. You are trusting their retention, security, and privacy policies with your data — and once a file is uploaded, you cannot verify what happens to it.

The private alternative

Brevio runs every tool entirely inside your browser. Your files are never uploaded — they never leave your device. No account, no server, no retention. You can verify it yourself in the browser network tab.

Frequently asked questions

Does Smallpdf upload my PDFs?

Yes. Smallpdf processes PDFs on its cloud servers. Files are uploaded during processing. Brevio processes PDFs entirely in your browser using pdf-lib — nothing is uploaded.

Is Smallpdf free?

Smallpdf has a free tier limited to 2 tasks per hour. Brevio is fully free with no rate limits.

Which is better for confidential documents?

Brevio is the safer choice because files are never transmitted over a network — all processing uses pdf-lib running in your browser.