Smallpdf and LostMyPassPro show up in similar Google searches but solve different problems. Smallpdf is a generalist PDF toolkit — it removes a known password, converts files, compresses, edits. LostMyPassPro recovers forgotten passwords. If you remember the password, Smallpdf is easier; if you don't, LostMyPassPro is the only one of the two that can help.
Use Smallpdf when you have the password and want to strip it from the file. Use LostMyPassPro when you don't have the password and need to recover it. They're not really competitors — they sit on opposite sides of one workflow boundary.
Swipe sideways to compare the full table.
| Feature | LostMyPassProForgotten-password recovery | SmallpdfGeneralist PDF toolkit |
|---|---|---|
| Works without the password | Yes — that's the point | No — needs you to enter it |
| Removes a known password | Yes (post-recovery) | Yes — fast |
| PDF editing / conversion / merge | Not the focus | Full toolkit |
| Pricing for recovery | Pay only on success | N/A — doesn't recover |
| PDF format coverage (legacy 40-bit) | Effectively guaranteed | Only if you have the password |
| Modern AES-256 PDFs | Recovery depends on password | Removes if you have the password |
| Entry analysis | Fast Check + analysis | Free tasks per day |
This is the right path when the password is gone, not when you have it.
Smallpdf is great for everything else PDF-related when you already have access.
PDF tools that 'remove password' work by decrypting the PDF using a password you provide and re-saving it without encryption. They literally cannot do anything if you don't have the password.
LostMyPassPro instead recovers the password — through analysis of the encryption metadata and password search techniques. The output is the password itself, which then enables removal.
If your PDF prompts for a password and you don't know what to type, Smallpdf can't help. If you know the password and want to strip it, Smallpdf is the simpler choice.
Some PDFs have two passwords: an 'open' password (required to view content) and a 'permissions' / 'owner' password (controls printing/editing). Smallpdf's 'unlock PDF' feature targets the permissions case where no open password is set.
If your PDF opens fine but blocks printing, Smallpdf can usually unlock it without any password. If it prompts for a password to open, that's the case LostMyPassPro handles.
Smallpdf charges a subscription for unlimited tasks across its toolkit. Reasonable if you regularly do PDF work.
LostMyPassPro charges per successful recovery — no subscription, no upfront. Fast Check gives you real recovery evidence before any commitment.
If you only have one forgotten-password PDF, the per-recovery model fits better. If you do daily PDF work, Smallpdf's subscription is more economical for that workload.
Next step
Removers need the password as input. Recovery works without it. Run a free analysis to see what's possible on your specific file.
