Top 8 PDF Squeezer

Elise Williams

2024-09-27 19:02:30 • Filed to: Best PDF Software • Proven solutions

A good PDF squeezer should be able to properly render the original file in a much smaller size without losing too much quality. That correct balance should be achievable whether you're using a PDF squeezer online or a PDF squeezer for Windows or Mac. Regardless of the platform, a good PDF squeezer will do the job of compressing images and removing unnecessary elements that are typically layered on a PDF file. That being said, there's a difference between using a PDF squeezer free and paying for a service or software. Fortunately, there are both online PDF squeezer services and downloadable PDF squeezer applications that you can either use for free with certain limitations or offer PDF optimization as a free feature. This article covers the best of online and offline PDF squeezer tools, so let's get started.

Top 4 PDF Squeezer Applications

An offline tool is essentially a software application that can be downloaded and installed on your computer. The advantage of this is that sensitive, private, and confidential information never needs to leave your PC because everything is done locally, as opposed to a cloud-based or web-based utility. Here's a look at the top PDF squeezer tools for Windows in 2022.

1. Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor Wondershare PDFelement Wondershare PDFelement

PDFelement is a professional PDF editor with a host of functions for handling all your documentation needs. Whether it's squeezing a PDF file to reduce the file size, editing a document, converting it to and from PDF, or executing advanced tasks like OCR and form field recognition, PDFelement offers a range of tools for each function. The user interface (UI) is highly intuitive and you'll hit the ground running as a first-time user.

PDFelement has won several accolades, among which are top user ratings as a document management system software and a contract management utility. Both professional reviewers and consumers have attested to its usability, efficiency, affordability, and capability, with some even calling it the most affordable alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC. It is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, and there's also an ancillary online service from the same company called HiPDF that offers much of the same functionality on your browser.

Let's look at some of the advantages that PDFelement offers its large and growing user base around the world.

Pros

• Full editing suite for PDF documents.
• Comprehensive conversion tools to change files to and from the PDF format.
• Fully loaded annotation tab that allows you to accurately and conveniently markup your PDF workflows.
• Enterprise-grade encryption, redaction tools, watermarking options, and the ability to add digital signatures that hold up in a court of law.
• PDF file and page management tools for splitting, merging, reordering, adding, removing, etc.
• Extensive tools to create, fill and convert forms. Advanced form field recognition and bulk form data extraction available.
• Highly refined and accurate OCR tool for converting scanned or photographed documents into PDFs with searchable and editable text.
• One-click PDF squeezer included as a free utility. Just import the file, move the slider to choose compression quality and hit "Optimize".

Cons

• Watermark will be added in the free trial.

#2: Adobe Acrobat DC

Adobe Acrobat DC Pro DC is a lot more expensive as a PDF squeezer utility but comes with a plethora of features that have evolved over the years to become a formidable arsenal of PDF tools. If you need a full toolkit for PDF documents, this is it. The user interface in the Document Cloud version of Acrobat is a lot more user-friendly than previous iterations but still leaves a lot to be desired. That being said, since it is one of the most widely used PDF editors in the world, most users are familiar with its capabilities, which makes it user-friendly in a roundabout sort of way. Let's look at the pros and cons of this powerful PDF software application.

Pros

• Full set of tools for PDF editing, annotation, conversion, form handling, protection, etc.
• Advanced features like OCR, signature tracking, extended cloud search, and so on.
• Cross-platform support for desktop and mobile.
• Familiar Windows-style layout for better usability.
• Deep cloud integration with Adobe Document Cloud (DC).

Cons

• Expensive when compared to alternatives like PDFelement.
• The interface is still a little confusing for many users looking for specific tools.
• Form preparation is still a little clunky.
• Some issues have been reported with file conversions.

#3: PDF Reducer

This PDF squeezer utility focuses on reducing PDF file size and comes with a robust ‘re-compression' feature to cut image resolutions and remove unwanted elements to ‘slim down' your PDF files. The site claims that PDFs can be reduced by up to 80% more than with other PDF squeezer utilities. The tool uses multiple compression techniques like raster image recomposition, segmentation of content, B&W encoding, and other advanced methods.

Pros

• Excellent compression ratio.
• Near-lossless compression.
• Additional features are available in the On-Premise and Cloud editions of the software.

Cons

• Limited language support (only three languages as of now.)
• No PDF editing or other features.
• The really useful features are mostly packaged in the Pro version.

#4: TalkHelper PDF Converter

TalkHelper has a clean interface with features neatly segregated into collapsible sidebar menu items. You can execute the PDF squeezing feature as a batch process and it also offers other optimization options such as PDF splitting. The core functionality is PDF conversion but it also offers tools like rotation, image extraction, and even OCR.

Pros

• Clean interface that's user-friendly and easy to understand and navigate.
• Works with multiple files.
• Priority modes for conversion.

Cons

• No PDF editing, annotation, protection, eSigning, and other features.
• The output quality is not always consistent or as good as more comprehensive PDF editors.

Now that we've seen the best PDF squeezer applications for desktop computers, specifically, Windows PCs, let's look at some online PDF squeezers that can be used on any platform as long as the device has a web browser and is connected to the Internet.

Top 4 Online PDF Squeezer Services on the Web

An online PDF squeezer has several advantages, not the least of which is that there's no need to download and install and application on your PC. Most online PDF compression tools are available as standalone web pages that can be accessed with a direct URL to the page. They usually also have a range of other PDF tools, each of which gets a page of its own so you can bookmark them on your browser for various tasks. Here's a peek at the top online PDF squeezer services.

1. Hipdf

HiPDF is an elite PDF management service hosted on the cloud. It allows you to compress PDFs, edit them, convert them, protect them, etc. and comes with advanced add-ons like OCR, eSigning, content redaction, unlocking PDFs, and more. In all, there are nearly 60 different PDF tools in one, making this one of the most comprehensive online PDF suites on the web.

The core functions that HiPDF offers are ‘to and from' PDF conversion, image tools, page and file management, PDF security, PDF editing, etc. It is also well-integrated with Wondershare's other products like PDFelement Sign for PDF signing and PDFelement desktop version for comprehensive document management on Windows and Mac.

Pros

• A whole host of PDF functions that include PDF squeezing, PDF editing, annotating, protection, organizing, image extraction, and much more.
• Central page from which all the PDF tools can be accessed quickly.
• API to integrate the service with PDF workflows in large organizations.
• Advanced functions for security, OCR, etc.
• Fast conversion and high-quality PDF compression that maintains the viewability of the output content.
• New feature to convert PDF into the Apple macOS Pages format.
• Convenient integration with cloud storage platforms like Dropbox and Google Drive.
• Accurate conversion and compression.

Cons

• Need to purchase the Pro version for advanced feature.

#2: Sejda PDF Editor

Sejda's PDF tools are completely online, but there's also a desktop variant if you're willing to commit to an annual plan that's billed on a monthly basis. Sejda offers a nice mix of basic and advanced PDF utilities across several categories such as Edit & Sign, Merge, Split, Convert, Security, and Compress, as well as a range of tools like OCR, file repair, grayscaling, adding headers and footers, etc.

Pros

• Generous free usage limits of 200 pages or 100MB file size up to 3 tasks per hour.
• Files are auto-deleted after a couple of hours, ensuring that your documents are not floating around on the cloud indefinitely.
• Affordable upgrades starting at $5.25 a month for web+desktop combo (annual plan only.)

Cons

• No PDF creation, form management (except simple form-filling), annotation, and other core PDF functions.
• Advanced tools are only available on the annual plan.

#3: Smallpdf

Smallpdf is definitely on the expensive side for a PDF squeezer service but it comes with several other online PDF tools such as editing, converting, security, signing, and page management. You won't find any advanced features like OCR or form field recognition but it gets the job done, and quickly.

Pros

• 100% online and accessible from anywhere.
• Clean and uncluttered interface.
• Simple controls for optimal user experience.

Cons

• Expensive when compared to more comprehensive desktop applications like Acrobat and PDFelement.
• Limited conversion options.
• No advanced features like OCR.

#4: ILovePDF

Another much-loved online PDF utility with a good compression engine is ILovePDF. The tools in this online service are centered mostly around conversion and page management but it does have some useful tools for security, pagination, etc. There's also a desktop utility that offers most of the functions found in the online version.

Pros

• Fast conversion.
• Useful features like PDF/A compliance validation.
• Comprehensive PDF organizing tools.

Cons

• Limited feature set - no editing, except for pagination and watermarking.
• The free version (registered users) has limited batch processing.

Which Ones Are the Best Offline and Online Utilities among These Top 8 PDF Squeezers?

Together, these offline and online PDF squeezer tools and services comprise the Top 9 PDF Squeezers list. Your choice of tools depends on what tasks you plan to perform on your PDF workflows on a regular basis. While most of them offer free versions or free trial periods, the real power is in the paid upgrades. Annual plans are more affordable but require 12-month commitments. Our review of these top PDF compression tools reveals that PDFelement, along with HiPDF, offers the best balance of affordability, functionality, accuracy, and speed. Both are true cross-platform utilities and true PDF editors that can handle heavy workloads on a daily basis. You can try them for free and see if that's what you're looking for.

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Elise Williams

chief Editor

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