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Head-to-head · AI Reading Assistant Apps

Smallpdf vs Recall

  • Updated Nov 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Smallpdf #4 in AI Reading Assistant Apps 8.8/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Smallpdf
Recall #7 in AI Reading Assistant Apps 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Recall

Smallpdf leads on 1 check, Recall on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSmallpdf · 8.8/10
  • Lowest starting priceSmallpdf · $7/seat/mo
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Smallpdf

Smallpdf scores higher on our rubric for ai reading assistant apps: 8.8 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #7.

Smallpdf is cheaper to start at $7/mo against $10/mo.

Smallpdf is the better fit for readers wanting AI tools inside a full PDF toolkit. Recall is the better fit for readers building a searchable knowledge library.

  • Smallpdf fits best

    Readers wanting AI tools inside a full PDF toolkit

  • Recall fits best

    Readers building a searchable knowledge library

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Smallpdf 8.8/10 Visit ↗ Recall 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.8 8.5
Ranking #4 in AI Reading Assistant Apps #7 in AI Reading Assistant Apps
Best for Readers wanting AI tools inside a full PDF toolkit Readers building a searchable knowledge library
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $7/seat/mo (best) $10/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial 7 days —
Deployment Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension Cloud, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Chrome extension Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension
Support Email, Tickets, Docs Email, Community, Docs
Integrations 5 integrations 3 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features Smallpdf 0/3 · Recall 0/3
PDF question answering Not checked yet Not checked yet
Article summaries Not checked yet Not checked yet
Reading annotations Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Source import Not checked yet Not checked yet
AI queries per month Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • AI chat, summaries, translation, and question generation for PDFs
  • Combines OCR, text editing, annotation, conversion, and page tools
  • Available on web, Windows, iOS, Android, and as a Chrome extension
  • Summarizes articles, videos, podcasts, and PDFs
  • Searches and chats across saved content and notes
  • Connects ideas with tags, a knowledge graph, and spaced repetition
Cons
  • Free includes limited document downloads and mobile app access
  • Unlimited AI tools require a paid Pro or Team plan
  • The 7-day free trial requires a payment card
  • Free plan limits AI summaries to 10 per month
  • Plus and Max prices are shown with annual billing
  • Offline access is limited to reopening previously saved content
Our verdict

Smallpdf brings AI reading features into a broader PDF toolkit for individuals, teams, and organizations. Its AI tools can chat about PDFs, summarize them, translate content, and generate questions. The same suite covers editing and…

Read the review →

Recall is a personal AI knowledge base for people who want to retain and revisit material from articles, videos, podcasts, PDFs, web pages, and notes. It captures content through browser extensions and mobile apps, then adds summaries,…

Read the review →
  1. SmallpdfAI Reading Assistant Apps 8.8Free plan · 7-day trial
  2. RecallAI Reading Assistant Apps 8.5Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Smallpdf — where it wins

    • AI chat, summaries, translation, and question generation for PDFs
    • Combines OCR, text editing, annotation, conversion, and page tools
    • Available on web, Windows, iOS, Android, and as a Chrome extension

    Where it doesn't

    • Free includes limited document downloads and mobile app access
    • Unlimited AI tools require a paid Pro or Team plan
    • The 7-day free trial requires a payment card
  • Recall — where it wins

    • Summarizes articles, videos, podcasts, and PDFs
    • Searches and chats across saved content and notes
    • Connects ideas with tags, a knowledge graph, and spaced repetition

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan limits AI summaries to 10 per month
    • Plus and Max prices are shown with annual billing
    • Offline access is limited to reopening previously saved content
  • Smallpdf8.8/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

    Smallpdf pairs AI document help with editing, conversion, OCR, and page-management tools.

    Visit SmallpdfFull verdict →
  • Recall8.5/10 · Free plan

    Recall turns saved reading and media into a searchable personal knowledge library.

    Visit RecallFull verdict →

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026

Last updated · How we research and update