Comparisons6 min read
PixelTools vs Smallpdf: Which to Use?
PixelTools and Smallpdf both handle PDFs, but differ on price, limits, and privacy. Compare features, plans, and use cases to pick the right one.
Unlock PDF
Remove password protection and printing/editing restrictions. Free, instant, nothing uploaded.
Drop your protected PDF here
or click to browse — PDF files only
✓Free forever
✓Runs locally
✓No account
✓No watermark
Everything you need to unlock a PDF
100% private — nothing uploaded
Unlocking happens locally in your browser using pdf.js and pdf-lib. Nothing is sent to a server.
Works with or without a password
Handles both permission-restricted PDFs and PDFs that require a password you already know.
Removes printing/editing restrictions
Strips owner-password restrictions that block printing, copying, or editing.
Instant processing
No server round trip — your PDF is rebuilt in seconds, right in the browser.
Your password stays local
If you enter a password, it's used only in your browser's memory and never transmitted anywhere.
Three steps to an unlocked PDF
- 1
Upload your PDF
Drag and drop your protected PDF onto the page, or click to browse.
- 2
Enter the password (if you have one)
If the PDF only restricts printing or editing, leave this blank. If it requires a password to open, enter it.
- 3
Unlock and download
Click Unlock PDF — your browser rebuilds a password-free copy instantly. Download it, nothing is uploaded.
Built for anyone who works with PDFs
Whether you need to print a restricted vendor document, revisit an old archive, or copy text from a locked report — PixelTools removes the protection in seconds, free, with no upload.
Business documents
Remove printing restrictions from a vendor-supplied PDF you need to annotate or print.
Old archives
Unlock a password-protected PDF you saved years ago and still remember the password for.
Shared reports
Strip copy/edit restrictions from a report so you can extract quotes or figures.
Frequently asked questions
Is this tool free?
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Yes, completely free with no limits. No account required.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
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No. Unlocking happens entirely in your browser using pdf.js and pdf-lib. Your file and password never leave your device.
Do I need to know the password?
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Only if the PDF requires one to open. Many "restricted" PDFs (no printing/editing/copying) open without a password — try leaving the field blank first.
Can this crack a password I don't know?
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No. This tool removes protection from PDFs you can already open — either because there's no open password, or because you know it. It cannot break or guess an unknown password.
Does the unlocked PDF look the same?
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Visually yes, but it's rebuilt from rendered page images rather than the original text and vector content. This is the tradeoff for removing protection entirely in the browser — text will no longer be selectable or searchable in the output.
Unlock your PDF now
Free, instant, no account needed.