Best Tool to Split PDF Files in 2026: 9 Tools Compared

iLovePDF is the tool we point most casual users to first. You upload a file, pick the pages or ranges you want, and download the results in a few clicks. The interface shows page thumbnails, so you can see exactly what goes into each new file before you split it.

The catch is the free plan. It covers occasional jobs well, but heavy users will hit limits and need the paid plan. Files are also processed online, so we would not use it for medical records, legal papers, or anything with private personal details. For school handouts, invoices, and everyday documents, it is fast and hard to beat.

Smallpdf feels like the most finished online option in this list. Its split tool lets you extract pages or divide a document into separate files, and the same account covers compression, conversion, and signing. If you already use Smallpdf for other PDF jobs, splitting inside it keeps everything in one place.

The downside is price and free limits. The free plan allows only a few tasks per day, which frustrates anyone with a batch of files to process. Paid users get more room, but at 12 dollars a month it is one of the pricier options here. We would pick it for ease of use, not for value.

Sejda is the most capable online splitter for people who need control. You can split a document at bookmarks, which is ideal for chapters and reports. You can also split by page ranges, split every page into its own file, or split when the file reaches a set size. Few browser tools offer all of those options.

The free plan handles files up to 200 pages or 50 MB, with a few tasks per hour. That covers most personal jobs. People who split long reports every day will want the paid plan or a desktop tool. Sejda states that uploaded files are deleted after processing, which is a plus, but offline tools still win for truly sensitive files.

PDFsam Basic is our pick for most people who split PDFs more than once a month. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it never uploads your file anywhere. That privacy advantage alone makes it the right choice for work documents, tax forms, and contracts.

It also splits in more ways than most free tools. You can split after every set number of pages, split at bookmarks, split by file size, or extract selected pages. The interface is plain and takes a few minutes to learn, but the controls are clear once you run your first job. There is no account, no daily cap, and no cost.

PDF24 Tools is a good middle ground between a quick website and a full desktop app. The online splitter needs no account and places no obvious daily cap on use, which makes it handy for a one-off job on a borrowed computer. The same project offers PDF24 Creator for Windows, which handles PDF work offline.

We like PDF24 for students and office workers who need many PDF tools without paying. The trade-off is the same as with any online tool: your file goes to a server for processing. For routine, non-sensitive files that is fine. For private files, use the Creator app or PDFsam Basic instead.

Adobe Acrobat is the heavyweight here. Its desktop app splits by page count, file size, or bookmarks, and it handles very large documents that choke smaller tools. If your job already pays for Acrobat for editing and signing, splitting inside it costs nothing extra and keeps your workflow in one app.

For splitting alone, though, Acrobat is hard to justify. Paid plans cost far more than a dedicated splitter, and the free online tools are limited. We would only pick Acrobat if you need its editing, forms, and signing features too. Everyone else gets the same split result free elsewhere.

PDFgear gives you a free desktop PDF editor that also splits and extracts pages. Because it runs on your computer, your files stay local, which suits anyone handling client or company documents. It also covers editing, conversion, and compression, so it can replace several single-purpose tools.

The free tier is generous for everyday PDF work, though a few advanced features require a paid plan. The interface packs in many tools, so first-time users may need a minute to find the split option. Once you know where it is, splitting is quick and the results are clean.

PDF2Go is a straightforward browser tool for people who want to split a file and move on. You upload, choose your split points, and download the parts. It also connects to cloud storage, which helps if your files already live in Drive or Dropbox.

Free use covers small and medium files, but larger files push you toward a paid plan. As with other online tools, uploaded files pass through its servers, so skip it for sensitive material. For a quick classroom handout or a chapter from a public report, it does the job with little fuss.

Stirling PDF is the pick for teams and technical users who want a private PDF toolkit they control. You run it on your own server or computer, and it offers splitting alongside merging, compression, conversion, and signing. That makes it a strong choice for a small company that handles many PDFs and wants nothing sent to a third party.

The catch is setup. Installing and maintaining a self-hosted tool takes more skill than opening a website, and support comes mainly from community docs. If that sounds like too much work, PDFsam Basic gives you offline splitting with far less setup. If you want a full private toolkit, Stirling PDF is worth the effort.