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Microsoft Word vs Smallpdf vs Formstack Documents Comparison

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Microsoft Word

4.8(1,425 reviews)

Starting at $5 /User/Month

  • Free Trial
  • Individuals
  • Large Enterprises

Introducing Word, a comprehensive software package that makes it easier than ever to create effective documents. Whether working on a report, newsletter, business card, or resume, Word enhances the look of document and i…

Smallpdf

3.2(518 reviews)

Starting at $7 /User/Month

  • Free Trial
  • Freelancers / Consultants
  • Large Enterprises

Smallpdf is a software to create PDF documents on the fly. With this software anyone can easily create PDF documents from any printable document like doc, xls, ppt. Its very easy to use and have fast conversion speed. Sm…

Formstack Documents

4.7(183 reviews)

Starting at $92 /Month

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Create custom legal forms, contracts, letters and more with Formstack's extensive library of fully customizable standard and legal documents. Create, customize and fill out documents online using our cloud-based software…

Microsoft Word leads on user satisfaction with a 4.8-star rating across 1,425 reviews.

Microsoft Word vs Smallpdf vs Formstack Documents — at a glance

FeatureMicrosoft WordSmallpdfFormstack Documents
Rating4.8 / 53.2 / 54.7 / 5
Reviews1,425518183
Starting price$5 /User/Month$7 /User/Month$92 /Month
Free trial Yes Yes Yes
Free version No No No
Best forIndividuals, Large Enterprises, Medium BusinessFreelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryDocument Creation SoftwareDocument Creation SoftwareDocument Creation Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Mobile - Windows, Installed - Windows, Installed - MacSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - MacSaaS/Web/Cloud
APIAvailable
Support modesOnline24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, OnlineBusiness Hours, Online
CertificationsHIPAA, GDPRSOC 2, GDPRSOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR
Data residencyUSGlobalGlobal

Key differences between Microsoft Word and Smallpdf

  • Pricing: Microsoft Word starts at $5 /User/Month, while Smallpdf starts at $7 /User/Month.
  • Target audience: Microsoft Word is built for Individuals and Large Enterprises, while Smallpdf targets Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises.
  • User satisfaction: Microsoft Word scores higher with a 4.8-star average.
  • Deployment: Microsoft Word supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Mobile - Windows, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Smallpdf supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac.

Compare Microsoft Word vs Smallpdf vs Formstack Documents — and walk away knowing which one fits.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Document Creation Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Microsoft Word - Document Creation Software
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Smallpdf - Document Creation Software
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Formstack Documents - Document Creation Software
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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Microsoft Word

Best for creating professionally formatted documents with rich styling and mail merge.

Choose if
  • You need advanced document formatting and extensive style options.
  • You require mail merge capabilities for personalized mass communications.
  • Your team values integration within the Microsoft Office ecosystem.
Consider alternatives if
  • You need robust real-time collaborative editing beyond basic features.
  • You prefer transparent, straightforward pricing or free/open-source tools.

Smallpdf

Best for

Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business

Formstack Documents

Best for legal and HR teams needing customizable, collaborative document creation.

Choose if
  • You require a broad library of customizable legal and standard document templates.
  • Your team needs real-time collaboration and version control across multiple devices.
  • Your organization is mid-sized to large, benefiting from cloud-based document workflows.
Consider alternatives if
  • You are a freelancer or sole proprietor with minimal document automation needs.
  • Your company demands highly specialized or industry-specific document automation beyond standard templates.

Microsoft Word typically suits Individuals and Large Enterprises. Smallpdf tends to fit Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

Introducing Word, a comprehensive software package that makes it easier than ever to create effective documents. Whether working on a report, newsletter, business card, or resume, Word ... Read More about Microsoft Word

Smallpdf is a software to create PDF documents on the fly. With this software anyone can easily create PDF documents from any printable document like doc, xls, ppt. Its very easy to use and ... Read More about Smallpdf

Create custom legal forms, contracts, letters and more with Formstack's extensive library of fully customizable standard and legal documents. Create, customize and fill out documents online ... Read More about Formstack Documents

Entry Level Pricing

  • Starts from $5 , Billed Yearly
  • Starts from $7 , Billed Yearly
  • Starts from $92 , Billed Yearly

Free Trial Availability

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

Best Company Size

1-50 employees501+ employees
51-500 employees500+ employees
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Software Demo

Demo

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Step 1 of 4

How big is your team?

We tailor recommendations to companies your size.

Trusted by teams at

Compare Microsoft Word, Smallpdf and Formstack Documents on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

        Starting From

        • $5 , Billed Yearly
        • $7 , Billed Yearly
        • $92 , Billed Yearly

        Pricing Plans

        • Microsoft 365 Family (For Home)

          • Premium apps included Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft OneNote Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Access (PC only) Microsoft Publisher (PC only)

          • Microsoft Word

          • Microsoft Excel

          Show more +

        • Microsoft 365 Personal (For Home)

          • Premium apps included Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft OneNote Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Access (PC only) Microsoft Publisher (PC only)

          • Microsoft Word

          • Microsoft Excel

          Show more +

        • Office Home & Student 2019 (For Home)

          • Premium apps included Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Microsoft PowerPoint

          • Microsoft Word

          • Microsoft Excel

          Show more +

        • Browse all pricing plans
        • Free

          • Access to 21 Smallpdf tools

          • Work on website and mobile app

          • Process up to 2 documents per day

        • Pro

          • Includes features of Free plan, plus

          • Strong Compress, convert scanned PDFs to Word, and digital seal protection on signatures

          • Unlimited document processing

          Show more +

        • Team

          • Includes features of Pro plan, plus

          • Easy and flexible billing management

          • Add more users as needed

          Show more +

        • Browse all pricing plans

        Pricing Page

        Microsoft Word pricing
        Smallpdf pricing
        Formstack Documents pricing

        Other Details

        Organization Types supported

        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Medium Business
        • Large Enterprises
        • Individuals
        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Medium Business
        • Large Enterprises
        • Individuals
        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Medium Business
        • Large Enterprises
        • Individuals

        Platforms Supported

        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Mobile - Android
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Mobile - Android
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Mobile - Android
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)

        Modes of support

        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online

        API Support

        • Not Available
        • Not Available
        • Available
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing

        Security & Compliance

        Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

        SOC 2

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        HIPAA

        ✓ Yes
        ✗ No
        ✓ Yes

        GDPR

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Single Sign-On (SSO)

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Data Encryption

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Audit Logs

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Data Residency

        🇺🇸 US
        🌐 Global
        🌐 Global

        Microsoft Word vs Smallpdf User Reviews & Rating Comparison

        User Ratings

        4.7

        (based on 183 reviews)

        Rating Distribution

        635

        30

        2

        2

        1

        807

        4

        0

        6

        25

        0

        0

        0

        0

        0

        Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

        Buyer sentiment

        Users generally praise Microsoft Word for its powerful formatting tools and professional output, though some note limitations in collaboration and pricing transparency.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of use
        • Rich feature set
        • Document formatting quality

        Common complaints

        • Pricing opacity
        • Collaboration limitations

        Buyer sentiment

        Buyer sentiment is mixed across 842 reviews, so it is worth reviewing the tradeoffs closely.

        What buyers like

        • Fast PDF creation
        • Easy to use
        • Supports multiple formats

        Common complaints

        • Limited editing features
        • Basic functionality
        • No advanced PDF management

        Buyer sentiment

        Users generally express high satisfaction with the platform's document customization and collaboration features, though some note pricing and integration limitations.

        What buyers like

        • Customizability of document templates
        • Ease of collaboration and real-time editing
        • Cloud accessibility and version control

        Common complaints

        • Pricing transparency
        • Integration options

        Pros and Cons

        • Extensive font and style options

        • Mail merge functionality

        • Professional document formatting capabilities

        • No publicly listed pricing, requiring sales contact for details

        • Limited advanced collaboration compared to cloud-native tools

        • Quickly converts various document types to PDF

        • User-friendly design for all skill levels

        • Fast conversion speeds enhance productivity

        • Limited editing capabilities compared to competitors

        • Basic features may not meet all needs

        • Extensive library of customizable legal and standard documents

        • Cloud-based platform enabling real-time collaboration across devices

        • Version control with quick retrieval of document history

        • Pricing details are not publicly available, requiring sales contact

        • May require some learning curve to fully customize complex documents

        Positive Reviews

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        List of Customers

        Customers

        No Customers information available.

        Verizon

        Verizon

        Hilton

        Hilton

        Unilever

        Unilever

        No Customers information available.

        Media and Screenshots

        Screenshots

        Word Co Authoring

        4 Screenshots

        No screenshots available.

        No screenshots available.

        Videos

        video-0

        3 Videos

        video-0

        3 Videos

        video-0

        2 Videos

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        Add another option to compare side by side

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        Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

        Frequently asked questions

        Which is better, Microsoft Word or Smallpdf?
        Microsoft Word edges out the other on user ratings (4.8 vs 3.2). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
        Do Microsoft Word and Smallpdf offer a free trial?
        Yes, both Microsoft Word and Smallpdf offer a free trial.
        What is the starting price of Microsoft Word vs Smallpdf?
        Microsoft Word starts at $5 /User/Month. Smallpdf starts at $7 /User/Month.
        What are the top alternatives to Microsoft Word?
        Top alternatives to Microsoft Word include Documint, Google Docs, pdfFiller, Documate, LiveDocs.
        What are the top alternatives to Smallpdf?
        Top alternatives to Smallpdf include AltoPDF, ZonePDF, iLovePDF, Adobe Acrobat DC, pdfFiller.

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