# Compress PDF: Arthize vs PDFtk

_Updated July 2026 · Arthize · https://arthize.com/vs/pdftk/compress-pdf_

To compress a PDF, Arthize offers a free, private compress pdf with no watermark — a focused alternative to PDFtk. Compressing a PDF reduces file size — often 50–90% on image-heavy scans — by down-sampling images and stripping redundant data, while keeping text selectable.

## Arthize's compress pdf vs PDFtk

PDFtk is a command-line PDF toolkit. PDFtk is a free command-line tool for scripted PDF operations.

**Arthize's approach:** Compressing a PDF reduces file size — often 50–90% on image-heavy scans — by down-sampling images and stripping redundant data, while keeping text selectable.

- A visual workspace instead of memorising command-line flags.
- 50+ tools live in one workspace, so you don't jump between single-purpose pages.
- Files are processed inside your private Arthize workspace and deleted after the job — never sold or used to train models.
- Handles conversion, OCR, signing and editing that PDFtk doesn't.

## How to compress a PDF with Arthize

PDF file size almost always comes from embedded images, not text.

Down-sampling scans to a lower DPI usually gets an image-heavy file under 1MB.

Light compression is visually lossless for most documents.

## How to compress a PDF with Arthize

1. **Open the compress tool** — Sign in and open the Compress tool.
2. **Add your PDF** — Upload the oversized file; it is processed privately.
3. **Pick a compression level** — Higher compression down-samples images more; light compression keeps them crisp.
4. **Download the smaller file** — Most image-heavy PDFs drop well under 1MB with no visible quality loss.

## FAQ

### Is Arthize a good PDFtk alternative to compress a PDF?

Yes. Compressing a PDF reduces file size — often 50–90% on image-heavy scans — by down-sampling images and stripping redundant data, while keeping text selectable. Arthize does it free with no watermark and deletes the file after the job. PDFtk is excellent for developers automating simple, repeatable PDF tasks from scripts.

### How do I compress a PDF to under 1MB?

Compressing a PDF reduces file size — often 50–90% on image-heavy scans — by down-sampling images and stripping redundant data, while keeping text selectable. On Arthize it's free with no watermark and processed privately.

### Will compressing a PDF lose quality?

Compressing a PDF reduces file size — often 50–90% on image-heavy scans — by down-sampling images and stripping redundant data, while keeping text selectable. On Arthize it's free with no watermark and processed privately.