Let’s take a look at this scenario. You’ve scanned a document only to discover that the final file has a 180-degree rotation. What do you do then? Should you scan your files again? That would only take more time and is unnecessary. There are several PDF tools online and offline that you can use to rotate PDF pages easily.
This article will introduce you to one of the most popular PDF rotator tools - Smallpdf, and its great alternatives. Read on to learn their features and the steps on how to use each one of them.
In this article
Part 1. How To Rotate PDF Pages With Smallpdf
Smallpdf is a free online PDF viewer and editor. It can easily and permanently rotate your PDF files at 90, 180, or 270 degrees clockwise or anticlockwise. It’s frequently used with Smallpdf split and merge tools to help you organize your files more efficiently.
Key Features
Even if you have no prior knowledge of how to rotate PDFs, Smallpdf surely simplifies the process.
- Quick and easy online PDF rotating
- Secure PDF handling
- Compatible with a wide range of devices
- PDF in the Cloud
- Also features a PDF converter tool
The guide below will walk you through using Smallpdf to rotate PDF pages.
Step 1: Click the Choose File button to upload your PDF file. You can also drag and drop your PDF into the toolbox or upload it from Dropbox or Google Drive.
Step 2: Rotate specific pages or all pages at once. Click on the “rotate icons” above each page to rotate specific pages.
Step 3: Once you’re done modifying your PDF, click Apply Changes and the Download button on the next window to successfully save your file.
Part 2. Just Like Smallpdf, Easily Rotate PDF Online With HiPDF
Rotating PDF pages for whatever reason doesn’t have to be difficult with HiPDF. This tool lets you quickly and easily rotate PDFs online from your browser, so all you need is an internet connection to finish the process.
Key Features
HiPDF’s online PDF file rotation tool is useful in various ways. Check out its key features below.
- Truly Secure with its SSL Encryption
- Free PDF Rotation
- Rotate PDFs on All Devices
- Rotate PDF on Cloud
- Quick and Easy-to-Use Tool
- Rotate PDF Pages Tool API
To rotate one or more PDF pages at the same time, here’s a quick guide on how to use the HiPDF Rotate tool.
Step 1: Upload the PDF file(s) on the HiPDF rotator by clicking the CHOOSE FILE button.
Step 2: Navigate to Page Mode if you want to rotate specific PDF pages. Choose the File Mode instead if you wish to have all pages rotated.
Step 3: Once done, click the APPLY button.
Step 4: On the next screen, click DOWNLOAD to export your file.
You can also check out the video below to learn more about rotating PDF pages with HiPDF.
Part 3. Smallpdf Rotate Pages Offline Alternative - Wondershare PDFelement
There might be cases where you’ll need to rotate your PDF pages without an internet connection. Good thing there’s a great offline alternative to Smallpdf, and that is Wondershare PDFelement.
Key Features
PDFelement is one of the best free PDF rotation tools available for download. It helps you rotate your PDF pages and includes many PDF editing tools, making it a one-stop shop for all your PDF management needs.
- Drag and drop page Thumbnails to arrange pages
- Rearrange PDF pages exactly the way you want
- Combine, organize, and edit PDFs in one software
Here’s how to rotate PDFs using Wondershare PDFelement:
Step 1: In the left-side thumbnail panel, click the page you want to rotate, or hold down the Ctrl key and select multiple pages at once, then right-click the thumbnail(s) to choose the Rotate option.
Step 2: To save the changes, navigate to File > Save or Save As.
Part 4. Comparison Among Rotating PDF With Smallpdf and Its Alternatives
This section comprehensively compares the tools discussed above - Smallpdf, HiPDF, and Wondershare PDFelement. It will give you a better insight into which PDF rotation tool suits you the best. You’ll be looking into their ratings, cross-platform availability, file size limit, user interface, features, pricing plan, and user reviews, as well as their pros and cons.
Factor | Smallpdf PDF Page Rotating Tool | Wondershare PDFelement | HiPDF Rotating PDF Tool |
Ratings from G2 | 4.5 out of 5 | 4.5 out of 5 | 5.0 out of 5 |
Cross-Platform Availability | Windows/Mac/Android/iOS/Linux | Windows/Mac/Android/iOS/Cloud/Linux | Windows/Mac/Android/iOS/Cloud |
File Size Limit |
Free Version - 100MB Pro - No Limit |
Registered Trial - Up to 3 files within 20 MB (14-day trial) Paid Subscription - No Limit |
Free Version - 20MB Pro - 100MB |
Features |
· Read & Edit PDF · Compress PDF · PDF Converter · PDF Scanner · Split & Merge PDF · Rotate PDF … |
· Annotate PDF · Create & Edit PDF · Rotate PDF · Convert PDF · Sign PDF · PDF OCR … |
· Extract Images · Edit PDF · Rotate PDF · Protect & Unlock PDF · Redact PDF · Sign PDF … |
Pricing Plan |
Individual: 9 USD/month per user, billed annually (Billed as one payment of 108 USD) Team (2-14 users): 7 USD/month per user, billed annually (Billed as one payment of 84 USD) |
Individual: Yearly Plan - 79.99 USD 2-Year Plan - 109.99 USD Perpetual Plan - 129.99 USD Team: Annual Plan - 109 USD per user Perpetual Plan - 139 USD per user |
Pro: 5.99 USD/month per user, billed monthly. 3.33 USD/month per user, billed annually. (Billed as one payment of 39.99 USD) |
Pros |
· User experience is straightforward, with no steep learning curve · Integrates Cloud services |
· Easy-to-navigate interface · Variety of useful PDF management tools · Offers some advanced editing features · Integrates Cloud services |
· Clean and straightforward user interface · Feature-rich PDF API for developers · Integrates Cloud services |
Cons |
· Some tools are difficult to navigate · When converting PDF to Word, some equations do not provide accurate data |
· OCR can occasionally fail to detect texts accurately |
· OCR is not available in the free version · The free version only allows five files for Batch Processing |
Part 5. Users’ Reviews
This section will dig into what users generally say about Smallpdf, Wondershare PDFelement, and HiPDF. According to users’ reviews from G2, in terms of meeting PDF needs, Smallpdf rated 8.9, while Wondershare PDFelement and HiPDF rated 9.0 and 9.9, respectively.
When asked what she liked best about Smallpdf, Jisha Thomas described it as “a tool for any PDF operations” as it comes in handy for compressing PDFs or converting any document to PDF quickly. Additionally, Smallpdf is an excellent tool for e-signing and merging PDFs. When asked what she disliked about the tool, she suggested it would be better if Smallpdf added more features like multiple signature templates.
Wondershare PDFelement, on the other hand, was reviewed by Silvia O. as “The best PDF file management in one place.” According to her, PDFelement is very functional and contains many extremely useful tools. She also commended the customer support services as PDFelement always listens to feedback. When queried about the con, she said that PDFelement has a low level of tool deployment when editing PDF files.
As for HiPDF, Gale M. characterized it as “the most efficient tool compatible with different operating systems to convert PDF files.” She further described HiPDF as a complete instrument designed to edit, convert, merge, divide, and password-protect files quickly and securely. When inquired about the cons, she said that HiPDF is a very comfortable tool and that she has nothing to dislike about it.
Part 6. Categories and Industries Each Tool Is Most Suitable For
Smallpdf, Wondershare PDFelement, and HiPDF are all categorized as PDF Editors. Distinctively, Smallpdf is categorized as Document Creation, while Wondershare PDFelement uniquely belongs to 3 categories: Document Generation, Desktop Publishing, and Document Creation.
- Smallpdf is most suitable for the Information Technology and Services, Computer Software, Higher Education, Marketing and Advertising, and Education Management industries.
- Wondershare PDFelement, on the other hand, was reviewed to be most suitable for Education Management, Information Technology and Services, Higher Education, Real Estate, and Management Consulting industries.
- HiPDF has been deemed most suitable for the Accounting, Oil & Energy, Writing and Editing, Translation and Localization, and Research Industries.
Conclusion
As PDFs become more prevalent in a variety of scenarios in the digital world, having useful tools to manage or edit them becomes increasingly important. Smallpdf and its great alternatives for rotating PDF pages - HiPDF (online) and Wondershare PDFelement (offline) can save you a great deal of time and effort when modifying PDFs with incorrect orientation.
You can test them out and choose the best suits your needs, allowing you to work more efficiently while boosting your PDF productivity.