Short answer
If you mostly use Smallpdf to compress or merge PDFs on a Mac, Ricly does both from the Finder right-click menu, on your Mac, with no browser tab. It shows the exact size before you click, and its free plan covers 5 compressed PDFs and 5 merges a month. If you need Smallpdf’s e-signatures, editing, or its Windows and phone apps, keep Smallpdf.
Who it’s for: Mac users who shrink or combine PDFs a few times a week and would rather not upload them.
Why people look for a Smallpdf alternative
- Uploading documents. Smallpdf processes your file on its servers in Europe and says it deletes it one hour after processing. For a contract or a payslip, some people would rather the file never left their Mac. Source: Is Smallpdf safe?
- Free limits. On Smallpdf’s free plan, Compress PDF offers Basic compression with a daily download limit; the stronger levels are Pro. Sources: Smallpdf pricing page, Compress PDF
- No Mac app. Smallpdf’s download page says its macOS app hasn’t been supported since October 1, 2021. Its desktop app is for Windows, and its App Store app is listed for iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision. On a Mac, you use Smallpdf in the browser or through its Chrome extension. Sources: Smallpdf download page, App Store
Smallpdf vs. Ricly (as of October 2026)
| Smallpdf |  Ricly | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Any browser, Windows app, iPhone, iPad, Android | Mac only (macOS 13 or later) |
| On a Mac | In the browser or its Chrome extension | In the Finder right-click menu |
| PDF tools | 30+: edit, e-sign, OCR, Office conversions and more | Compress PDF, PDF Merge, Extract Text (Pro) |
| Beyond PDFs | Converts Office files and images to and from PDF | 17 tools in one menu: images, audio, video, sharing |
| Where your file is processed | On Smallpdf’s servers in Europe, deleted one hour after processing | On your Mac (Upload & Share is the one tool that uploads) |
| Free plan | Basic compression, with a daily download limit | 5 compressed PDFs and 5 merges a month on your Mac |
| Paid plan | See Smallpdf’s pricing page | Pro: €4.99/month, or €47.88/year |
| To start | Nothing to install | Install the app and create a free account |
Compress a PDF from your right-click menu, and see the exact size before you click.
What Smallpdf does well, and when to keep it
Smallpdf covers far more PDF work than Ricly: e-signatures, editing, Office conversions, OCR and AI tools. It runs in any browser, has apps for Windows and phones, and asks you to install nothing on a Mac. If that’s what you need, keep it.
The right-click way
What Ricly does with a PDF
- The size Ricly shows before you click is the size you get, to the byte.
- If Ricly can’t make it smaller, it tells you and keeps your original. It never hands you a bigger file.
- Two settings, Screen and Print, plus other sizes it has already measured on your file.
- Your originals are never touched.
- Everything happens on your Mac. Nothing is uploaded.
- Merge to PDF combines PDFs and images (JPG, PNG, HEIC, WebP, TIFF) into one PDF. Before it merges, it shows them as thumbnails: press Return to keep the order, or drag one to change it.
How to compress a PDF on a Mac: Preview, Shortcuts and Ricly, with the sizes we measured →
Switch in 2 minutes
- Install Ricly and open it. Turn on the Finder extension when it asks (one setting), then create your free account and verify your email.
- In Finder, right-click a PDF and choose Ricly › Compress PDF… (or select several files and choose Merge to PDF…, after clicking Enable on PDF Merge in Ricly › Modules).
- Pick Screen or Print. The lighter copy lands next to the original.
Other Smallpdf jobs Ricly covers
- Merge PDF → PDF Merge: select the files, right-click, Merge to PDF… Free, 5 a month.
- JPG to PDF → right-click one image and choose Convert to PDF (free, no monthly limit), or select several and choose Merge to PDF…
- PDF OCR → Extract Text, with Pro.
- Share a PDF by link → Upload & Share: free up to 1 GB, links live 3 days.
Smallpdf alternatives: common questions
Is Smallpdf safe?
Smallpdf says it encrypts transfers with TLS, is ISO 27001 certified, processes files on European servers and deletes them one hour after processing. Whether that’s enough for a confidential document is your call. With Ricly, Compress PDF works on your Mac and nothing is uploaded.
Does Smallpdf have a Mac app?
Not anymore: its download page says the macOS app hasn’t been supported since October 1, 2021. Its desktop app is for Windows, and its App Store app is listed for iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision, not the Mac (US App Store, October 2026). On a Mac, Smallpdf runs in the browser or through its Chrome extension.
What is Smallpdf’s free limit?
Smallpdf’s pricing page lists limited document downloads on the free plan, with a daily download limit on Compress PDF. Check their pricing page for the current numbers.
Is there a free Smallpdf alternative on a Mac?
Preview, built into macOS, can reduce a PDF’s size: see our guide to compressing a PDF on a Mac. Ricly’s free plan compresses 5 PDFs and merges 5 times a month.
Can Ricly edit or sign PDFs?
No. It compresses, merges and, with Pro, extracts text. For editing and signing, Smallpdf or Preview are the right tools.
Does Ricly work on Windows?
No. Ricly is a Mac app.
Compress PDF in Ricly →PDF Merge in Ricly →An iLovePDF alternative →Other alternatives →
