I’m comparing iLovePDF and Smallpdf for handling invoices and scanned client forms at my small business. Has anyone found a recent 2026 comparison that covers pricing and privacy?
Yes, it is annoying that a trustworthy 2026 comparison is hard to find. I have not seen one I would rely on for pricing or privacy, and honestly I would avoid uploading client invoices to any online PDF service. To be fair, I would keep sensitive scans local and use the basic PDF printing or viewing tools in Windows. I would test any plan with a dummy file first.
Haven’t seen a real 2026 comparison, most of those articles are affiliate filler anyway. For invoices and scanned forms I’d just run a few of your actual files through both free tiers, OCR quality matters more than any chart. Both claim to delete uploads within a couple hours. How many docs a month are you handling? That’s what decides the pricing.
I haven’t found a comparison I’d fully trust for 2026, so I’d check both services’ current pricing and privacy pages, then test a few anonymised scans for OCR and table layout. Tip: use a short sample first; avoid uploading real client forms until you’re happy with their data retention terms.
I have not seen a reliable 2026 comparison, and honestly pricing changes too often for older articles to be useful. I would compare their current business plans, data retention terms, encryption, and whether scanned forms are used for training. Avoid uploading real client documents during trials; use a redacted sample invoice first.
@cameron2002 You make a realy good point about testing actual files instead of trusting charts. When I process my event vendor invoices, those articles never show how the layout will shift, which is always super stressful. Did you find a trick to keep the margns exact when testing?
@rando72836 Margins shifting is usually the tool re-flowing the text, not your file. Try this:
- Test one redacted invoice, not a batch.
- Compare the print preview side by side, or print both to PDF and check the edges.
- Keep a backup of the original before any conversion.
If the margins still move, a local tool will hold the layout better.
I haven’t seen a solid 2026 writeup, most “comparisons” online are just ads in disguise. For scanned client forms I’d worry more about privacy policy wording than price, since both upload your files to their servers.