Size limits
Understand file size limits and recommendations for optimal performance.
File size limits​
Individual PDF file size:
- Maximum: 10MB per file
- Recommended: Under 5MB
- Ideal: 2-3MB
Why size matters​
Large files cause problems:
- Slow upload times
- Slow page loading for customers
- Poor mobile experience
- Higher bandwidth costs
- Customer frustration
Small files provide:
- Fast uploads
- Quick page loads
- Better mobile experience
- Happy customers
- Better SEO scores
Size by plan​
All plans have the same file size limits:
- Free: 10MB per file
- Basic: 10MB per file
- Standard: 10MB per file
- Unlimited: 10MB per file
Plan differences are about number of PDFs, not file sizes.
Total storage​
No hard limit on total storage
You're limited by number of PDFs (based on plan), not total MB stored:
- Upload 30 × 10MB files on Standard = fine
- Upload 3 × 10MB files on Free = fine
- Storage within reasonable use is unlimited
What counts as "reasonable use"​
Reasonable:
- Business documents and catalogs
- Product manuals and guides
- Policies and forms
- Marketing materials
Not reasonable:
- Storing personal file backups
- Video files disguised as PDFs
- Archive storage of unrelated content
- Excessive unused files
Compress large files​
If your PDF is over 5MB, compress it:
Online tools:
- Smallpdf.com
- PDF Compressor
- iLovePDF
- Compress PDF
Desktop software:
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Preview (Mac)
- PDF-XChange Editor
- Nitro Pro
Target compression:
- Aim for 40-60% size reduction
- Don't compress below readable quality
- Test readability after compression
Break large PDFs into sections​
For very large PDFs (catalogs, manuals):
Split into logical parts:
- Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc.
- Product categories
- Seasons or time periods
Benefits:
- Each file loads faster
- Customers download only what they need
- More manageable
- Better mobile experience
Link all sections:
- Link all parts to the same resource
- Customers see list of sections
- Clear naming helps navigation
Optimize before uploading​
Reduce PDF size without quality loss:
- Compress images to 150-200 DPI
- Remove blank pages
- Delete unnecessary graphics
- Flatten layers
- Embed fonts properly
- Remove metadata
- Optimize for web viewing
Save settings:
- Most PDF software has "Optimize for Web"
- "Reduce File Size" export option
- "Smallest File Size" quality setting
What if upload fails​
File too large:
- Compress the PDF
- Split into smaller files
- Reduce image quality
- Remove unnecessary content
Check actual size:
- Right-click file → Properties (Windows)
- Get Info (Mac)
- Must be under 10MB
- Displayed size might be rounded
Mobile considerations​
Mobile data limits:
- Many customers use cellular data
- Large files consume data quickly
- Consider mobile-first file sizes
Recommended for mobile:
- Under 3MB for mobile-heavy stores
- Under 2MB for international customers
- Under 1MB for data-sensitive markets
Image-heavy PDFs​
Photos and graphics increase size:
- Reduce image dimensions before adding to PDF
- Compress images (JPEG at 70-80% quality)
- Use appropriate resolution (150-200 DPI for screen)
- Don't use print resolution (300 DPI) for web PDFs
Text-only PDFs:
- Usually very small (under 1MB)
- Load instantly
- Ideal for manuals and policies
Monitor file sizes​
In your library:
- PDF Connect shows file size for each PDF
- Sort by size to find large files
- Review and compress outliers
Before uploading:
- Check size on your computer
- Compress if over 5MB
- Test compressed version before uploading
Size limits summary​
| Limit Type | Size |
|---|---|
| Maximum per file | 10MB |
| Recommended max | 5MB |
| Ideal size | 2-3MB |
| Mobile-friendly | Under 3MB |
| Total storage | Unlimited (reasonable use) |