PDF Squeezer alternatives for Mac
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
PDF Squeezer is a focused, well-made PDF compressor with custom profiles. If you would rather hit a size limit than tune settings, or want compression next to OCR, redaction and merging, FileDial is the closest Mac alternative: Compress › Email-safe (under 20 MB) works offline from Finder. For free, Preview's Reduce File Size filter handles the occasional file.
Why people look for a PDF Squeezer alternative
- Profiles take tuning: image quality, resolution and colour settings give control, but many people only want a file under a specific size.
- Single purpose: PDF Squeezer compresses and inspects; merging, OCR, redaction and signing need other apps.
- Another subscription option: on Setapp it comes bundled, but if you are not a Setapp user it is a separate purchase for one job.
About PDF Squeezer: A PDF compression app from Witt Software with predefined and custom compression profiles, batch processing and automation hooks. Platforms: Mac (macOS 13 or later per the US Mac App Store listing for version 4.9), plus iOS/iPadOS and Windows versions.. Price: US$19.99 on the Mac App Store and listed at $19.99 on Witt Software's site (with a limited-time 50% offer for the Windows launch at the time of checking); also in Setapp.. Where files are processed: Processed entirely on your device, with no internet connection required, per Witt Software.
Every PDF Squeezer tool, and its FileDial equivalent
| PDF Squeezer | FileDial (offline) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Predefined profile (light) | Compress › Compress PDF (light) | Images at 200 dpi · text stays selectable |
| Predefined profile (medium) | Compress › Compress PDF | Images at 144 dpi · text stays selectable |
| Predefined profile (strong) | Compress › Compress PDF (strong) | Images at 96 dpi · text stays selectable |
| Remove metadata | Sign & Lock › Remove metadata | Title, author, dates and app names removed |
| Remove annotations and other data | Sign & Lock › Sanitize for sending… | Removes scripts, actions, attachments, comments and metadata |
| Extract all images | Convert › Extract images | Every embedded picture as its own file |
| File inspector | Sign & Lock › Inspect PDF | Writes a short .txt report |
| Convert content to bitmaps | Convert › Rasterize PDF… | Every page becomes a picture: no selectable text, links or form fields |
What FileDial does not replace:
- Custom profiles: PDF Squeezer lets you set image quality, resolution and colour profile, remove unused fonts, and export and share profiles. FileDial offers fixed strengths and size targets.
- Other platforms and automation: PDF Squeezer has iOS/iPadOS and Windows versions, a side-by-side comparison view, and Shortcuts, Automator, Folder Actions and command-line support.
- Older Macs: PDF Squeezer runs on macOS 13 and is not limited to Apple silicon in its listing; FileDial needs macOS 14 on Apple silicon.
Details about PDF Squeezer come from its own website, checked 2026-11-09. FileDial tool names match the app exactly.
The best PDF Squeezer alternatives for Mac
1. FileDial
Compress › Gmail-safe (under 25 MB), Compress › Compress under 10 MB and Compress › Compress to size… squeeze images step by step and split the file into parts if they cannot get there. A 42 MB PDF compressed in about 2 seconds on a MacBook. Text stays selectable in the dpi presets.
- Size targets with automatic splitting
- 155 PDF tools in the same dial
- Needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple silicon Mac
- No custom compression profiles
2. Preview (built in)
Apple's guide: open the PDF, choose File › Export, pick Reduce File Size from the Quartz Filter menu and save. Apple warns the result may be lower quality than the original.
- Already on every Mac
- Fine for a single file
- One strength, no target size
- Can soften images and scans noticeably
3. Clop
Clop optimises PDFs as well as images, video and audio, and can crop PDFs for a device from its command line. Its site says it uses no cloud services.
- Free tier for light use
- Also handles images and video
- Free version capped at 5 per session
- No PDF size target listed
Who PDF Squeezer suits best
PDF Squeezer is a careful tool for people who want control. Witt Software lists predefined and custom profiles, image quality, resolution and colour settings, removal of unused fonts and annotations, batch processing of folders and subfolders, password-protected PDFs, and automation through Shortcuts, Automator, Quick Actions, Folder Actions and a command-line interface. It processes files on the device. If you publish PDFs and tune output by hand, keep it.
When a size target beats a profile
Most compression has a deadline attached: a court portal limit, a job application form, an email server. FileDial's size tools are built for that. Compress › Email-safe (under 20 MB) squeezes images step by step until the file is under 20 MB, and splits it into parts if it cannot get there, so you are not guessing between profiles.
When you do not have a limit, the three fixed strengths are easy to choose between: Compress › Compress PDF (light) keeps images at 200 dpi, Compress › Compress PDF at 144 dpi and Compress › Compress PDF (strong) at 96 dpi, and text stays selectable in all three.
- Select the PDF, or several, in Finder.
- Hold the right Option key and move to Compress.
- Choose Compress › Email-safe (under 20 MB), or a dpi preset.
- Read the result card, which shows the size before and after.
- If the scan needs to be searchable, run OCR › Make searchable on the result.
What else you get in one place
Compression is often one step in a longer job. FileDial puts the next steps in the same dial: Combine › Merge PDFs, Sign & Lock › Redact text…, Sign & Lock › Sanitize for sending… and Convert › PDF to PDF/A. Recipes chain them, so compress then remove metadata can be one action.
Checking the result
PDF Squeezer has a side-by-side comparison view, which is useful for judging image quality. FileDial's result card shows the size before and after, and the original is never changed, so you can open both files in Preview and compare pages yourself. If the strong preset softens a chart too much, Undo and try Compress › Compress PDF (light) instead.
For scans, remember that compression and OCR are separate. A compressed scan is still a picture of text; OCR › Make searchable adds an invisible text layer to pages without text, so the file becomes searchable as well as smaller.
The free route
Preview's File › Export with the Reduce File Size Quartz filter costs nothing and is fine for an occasional file. Apple notes the result may be lower quality than the original, and there is only one strength, so scanned documents can come out softer than you want. Try it first; pay for an app when it stops being enough.
Questions
Is there a free alternative to PDF Squeezer on Mac?
Yes. Preview, included with macOS, can export a PDF with the Reduce File Size Quartz filter from File › Export. It offers one strength and Apple warns quality may drop. Clop's free version also optimises PDFs, capped at 5 per session. For size targets or batches, a paid app such as PDF Squeezer or FileDial does more.
Does PDF Squeezer upload my PDFs?
No. Witt Software says files are processed entirely on your device and no internet connection is required. FileDial is the same: every tool runs on the Mac and works with Wi-Fi off. Online compressors are the ones that need an upload.
Can FileDial compress a PDF to an exact size?
It can aim for a ceiling. Compress › Compress to size… squeezes images step by step until the file fits, and splits it into parts if it cannot get there. There are also fixed targets: Compress › Compress under 10 MB, Compress › Email-safe (under 20 MB) and Compress › Gmail-safe (under 25 MB).
How much is PDF Squeezer?
The US Mac App Store lists PDF Squeezer 4 at US$19.99, and Witt Software's site showed $19.99 with a limited-time 50% offer when we checked on 9 November 2026. It is also included in Setapp. FileDial is $20 once for 2 Macs after a 1-day trial.