Best PDF Compression Software in 2026
Updated
In short: iText pdfOptimizer is ranked #1 of 37 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Compresto and PDF Candy. The best-ranked option with a free plan is PDF Candy. The lowest first paid tier on this page is PDF Candy at $0.33/mo.
When large PDFs are slowing down a workflow, the listed compression modes and maximum file sizes help frame what each tool supports. Compare batch compression for handling groups of files, and check whether an offline desktop app or API access matters for how you work. Supported platforms, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing offer more ways to assess fit. iText pdfOptimizer, Compresto, and PDF Candy are among the entries shown. Use the published specifications to weigh file limits and access options against your document needs.
37 PDF compression software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
PDF Compression Software, one module each. A lit port is something its maker publishes; 2 of the 25 on this page have a public API.
- 01 iText pdfOptimizer API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.6
- 02 Compresto API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.5$49/mo
- 03 PDF Candy API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 6.0$0.33/mo
- 04 PDF2Go API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 6.0Free
- 05 Smallpdf API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 6.0$10/mo
- 06 AvePDF API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.9$3.75/mo
- 07 FS PDF Compressor API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.9Free
- 08 PDF Compressor API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.9Free
- 09 PDF24 Compare PDF API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.9Free
- 10 PDFOptim API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.9$4.99/mo
- 11 Xodo Compress PDF API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.9$0.67/mo
- 12 Adobe PDF Services APIAdobe API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.8Free
- 13 Online2PDF API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.8Free
- 14 Sejda PDF Editor API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.8Free
- 15 Compressify API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.6Free
- 16 iLovePDF API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.6
- 17 BentoPDF Hyper Compress API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.4
- 18 PDF.coArtifex Software, Inc. API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.3$8.99/mo
- 19 PDFify API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.3
- 20 Online PDF Compressor API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.2
- 21 PDF Compressor by DocuPub API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.2
- 22 Foxit PDF Compressor API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.1
- 23 MinimalPDF Compress API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.1
- 24 PDF Resizer API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.1
- 25 PDFLight API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.1
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which PDF compression software is ranked first on Inferse?
iText pdfOptimizer is ranked #1 of 37 with a score of 6.6. Compresto is second and PDF Candy third.
How many of these have a free plan?
13 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, PDF Candy has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.33/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.