Having the right PDF editor is very important when working with PDF files. PDF files might look rigid, but they can be used in a lot of different ways. I’ve tried out a number of PDF editors to find the one that works best for me and my needs. It is possible to open and change almost any PDF file with a good PDF editor. It lets me change things, add notes, sign documents, and even change PDFs into other file types, like Microsoft Word.
In addition, a PDF editor should be easy to use, run smoothly, and the results should be pixel perfect with a minimum of errors. In this article we have collected the six best PDF editor applications currently available. Number one on our list is Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, available for Windows and Mac, which we consider the best PDF editor out there. However, if you are looking for a free PDF editor or the PDF editor for iPhone, iPad, Android or Linux, we have something for you here as well. Do you need a PDF editor? Not necessarily. It depends on what you want to do with the file.
What is PDF?
PDF, or Portable Document Format, is a file format created by Adobe that is designed to be easily shared and viewed on any device. PDFs can contain a range of content, including text, images, and multimedia elements, and can be password protected or digitally signed for security.
PDFs are widely used in business, education, and personal settings for a range of purposes, including document sharing, archiving, and printing. They are also commonly used for creating forms, ebooks, and other digital content.
In conclusion, PDF editors are essential tools for anyone who works with digital documents. They allow you to easily edit, annotate, and sign PDFs, as well as convert them to other formats and merge multiple documents into a single file.
While there are many PDF editors available, each with its own unique set of features and benefits, the five mentioned in this article are among the best options for different platforms and needs. Whether you’re looking for a free PDF editor, an online tool, or a mobile app, there’s sure to be an option that meets your needs and budget.
So, choose the one that suits your needs the most and start editing your PDF documents with ease.
How PDF Editors Work?
A PDF editor allows you to make changes to a PDF document, such as adding or deleting text, inserting images, and creating annotations. It can also merge, split, and compress PDF files. The basic features of a PDF editor include the ability to add, edit, or delete text, images, and pages. PDF editors also allow you to create forms, add digital signatures, and encrypt PDF documents for security purposes.
The 5 Best PDF Editors 2023 March: Unbiased Opinion
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC: The Best PDF Editor
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is a popular and powerful PDF editor that offers a wide range of features. It allows you to edit, convert, and sign PDF documents. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC comes with a user-friendly interface and offers a variety of tools to make editing and annotating PDF documents easy. It’s available for both Windows and Mac.
Adobe introduced the PDF format almost 30 years ago, and the Acrobat Pro DC is current industry standard for editing PDF files. It is a PDF editor that combines the functions of the other programs on our list into a unified software. It is also one of a few premium programs available for both Windows and macOS. Acrobat Pro DC has special mobile features (with apps for iOS and Android) and can convert a variety of file formats to PDF, including the multiple web pages (HTML), Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, the PowerPoint presentations, and even scans or image files such as PNG or JPEG.
Pros:
- Advanced features for editing and conversion
- User-friendly interface
- Support for electronic signatures
- Integration with other Adobe products
Cons:
- Expensive compared to other PDF editors
- Requires a subscription for full access to features
PDF Expert: The Best PDF Editor for Mac
PDF Expert is a great PDF editor for Mac users. It offers a clean, modern interface and easy-to-use tools for editing and annotating PDF documents. It also allows you to fill out forms and sign documents electronically. PDF Expert is available for both Mac and iOS.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Support for electronic signatures
- Integration with cloud services like Dropbox and iCloud
Cons:
- Limited support for Windows and Android devices
- Expensive compared to other PDF editors
Nitro PDF Editor: The Best PDF Editor Free
Nitro PDF Editor is a free, browser-based PDF editor that offers a variety of basic features for editing and annotating PDF documents. It allows you to add text, images, and links to PDF documents, as well as highlight and underline text. Nitro PDF Editor is available for both Windows and Mac.
Pros:
- Free to use
- Easy-to-use interface
- Basic features for editing and annotation
Cons:
- Limited features compared to paid PDF editors
- Requires an internet connection to use
Foxit PhantomPDF: The Best PDF Editor for Windows
Foxit PhantomPDF is a powerful PDF editor for Windows users. It allows you to edit, annotate, and sign PDF documents, as well as create and fill out forms. Foxit PhantomPDF also offers a variety of security features, including password protection and encryption.
Pros:
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- User-friendly interface
- Support for electronic signatures
- Integration with Microsoft Office
Cons:
- Expensive compared to other PDF editors
- Limited support for Mac and mobile devices
PDFelement: The Best PDF Editor for iPad
PDFelement is a versatile PDF editor that is optimized for iPad users. It allows you to edit, annotate, and sign PDF documents, as well as create and fill out forms. PDFelement also offers a variety of tools for organizing and managing PDF files.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Support for electronic signatures
- Integration with cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive
Cons:
- Limited support for other mobile devices
Smallpdf: The Best Online PDF Editor
Smallpdf is a free, online PDF editor that allows you to edit, annotate, and sign PDF documents. It also offers a variety of tools for compressing, converting, and merging PDF files. Smallpdf is available for all platforms.
With Smallpdf’s Edit PDF tool you have a simple interface that allows you to add text and image content to the PDF files. This platform also offers a simple electronic signature and ability to add comments and underlines to information already stored in your PDFs. The Smallpdf system also includes many other PDF editing tools. In addition to the editing function, there are several ways to convert PDFs to easier-to-edit formats, such as Word and the PowerPoint files, and you can combine individual PDF documents into a single file to save space.
But the best thing about the Smallpdf is that it’s a cloud-based platform. That means you can access it from any supported device by simply visiting the Smallpdf website and dragging and dropping a PDF file into your browser. Don’t be distracted by the prompt to start a “free trial” – you only need to do that if you want to install Smallpdf desktop program for offline editing.
Pros:
- Free to use
- Easy-to-use interface
- Variety of tools for editing and conversion
Cons:
- Limited features compared to paid PDF editors
- Requires an internet connection to use
Sejda PDF: The Best PDF Editor App
Sejda PDF is a cross-platform PDF editor app that offers a variety of features for editing, annotating, and signing PDF documents. It also allows you to merge, split, and compress PDF files. Sejda PDF is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
PDF files are good way to store business or financial information, which means that their contents are often sensitive. Sejda is a free online PDF editor you can trust with important documents, as all uploaded files are deleted from its servers after five hours. In addition to security, Sejda is a good choice if you are looking for a free PDF editor with a user-friendly interface. Thanks to Sejda’s single menu bar, all the editing options needed to add text, links, images and signatures to PDF documents are easy to find.
Once you have finished editing a document in Sejda, simply click the “Apply Changes” button to save the finished product to your Google Drive account, Dropbox system, or locally. Sejda has some limitations, but they are not so restrictive as to cause problems for casual users. You can only perform three operations and upload 50 MB or 200 pages of information per hour to the Sejda platform.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Support for electronic signatures
- Integration with cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox
Cons:
- Limited features compared to paid PDF editors
- Requires a subscription for full access to features
PDFescape: Best Free Online PDF Editor
PDFescape is a free, browser-based PDF editor that offers a variety of basic features for editing and annotating PDF documents. It allows you to add text, images, and links to PDF documents, as well as highlight and underline text. PDFescape is available for all platforms.
With PDFescape you can edit either online or via a desktop application. The desktop application is more powerful of two, as it supports editing of existing PDF content and allows scanning of paper documents. However, only the online version of PDFescape can be used for free. Still, with PDFescape online you get many useful PDF editing options, such as the ability to make freehand notes and a tool that lets you add clickable URL links to your documents.
Also, the browser version of PDFescape makes it delightfully easy to add, rotate, and annotate pages. The only major shortcoming of this free PDF editor is that you can’t upload documents larger than 10 MB. However, a normal A4 page only takes up about 100 KB of data, so this shouldn’t be a problem unless you’re editing a book-sized document.
Pros:
- Free to use
- Easy-to-use interface
- Basic features for editing and annotation
Cons:
- Limited features compared to paid PDF editors
- Requires an internet connection to use
PDFpenPro 11
PDFpenPro is a macOS-only PDF editor that has been around for many years. It is also available in a cheaper version with fewer editing options. (This version, PDFpen, is available for both iOS and Mac devices.) PDFpenPro is particularly attractive to Mac users because of its robust features, not the least of which is an excellent OCR engine. Full editing of PDF documents allows you to make text changes and replace images in PDF documents. You can also create PDFs from scratch, create or edit forms, and create tables of contents for PDF documents.
Pros:
- Advanced OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capabilities
- Powerful PDF editing features including text, image, and shape editing
- Batch watermarking, redaction, and resizing
- Integrates with cloud services like iCloud and Dropbox
Cons:
- Expensive compared to other PDF editors
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Mac-only software
Microsoft Word
If you use Microsoft Office, you already have access to a versatile editor for PDF documents. In the past, versions of the Microsoft Word were limited to saving a document to or from PDF format, and that was it. However, the newer 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 and the Microsoft 365 versions allow you to open a PDF and then make certain edits to the text as a Word document. When you’re done, you can save it back as a PDF (although Microsoft says it doesn’t support saving as a PDF in Word 2013). This is especially useful since many people are already familiar with editing documents in Microsoft Word format.
It’s a simple tool, and the formatting isn’t always correct, but it’s a great alternative when you need a PDF quickly for basic editing or text changes. Also, Word is a straightforward editing tool for the employees and students who are already familiar with the Word and don’t want to learn a new program. Microsoft Word can be used for free to a limited extent, but it is usually a paid software that requires you to either subscribe or make a large one-time payment.
Pros:
- Familiar interface for Microsoft Office users
- Easy to use basic PDF editing features
- Affordable for users with existing Microsoft Office subscriptions
Cons:
- Limited editing capabilities compared to dedicated PDF editors
- Limited support for complex PDF features like interactive forms and bookmarks
- Conversion to PDF can cause formatting issues
PDF Architect 8
German company Pdfforge has unique purchase model for the PDF Architect program. It is available as free download or as part of the three separate packages (Standard, Professional and Pro+OCR). Each package contains a set of modules for the program that determine its editing performance. The Standard package contains the Edit, Convert and Page modules. Professional contains all the modules of the Standard package, plus the Review/Comment, Secure and Forms modules. Finally, Pro+OCR contains everything from the Professional package and OCR Advanced module. Detailed descriptions of each module can be found on Pdfforge website.
Even the Pro+OCR package is available at the reasonable price, and the full suite of editing tools makes it one of the most complete PDF editors available. The latest version of PDF Architect is a PDF Architect 8, and premium subscriptions to this program include features like text editing, the ability to convert PDFs to other file formats, support for the comments/annotations, and password protection for your PDFs. There is a free version of PDF Architect 8, which allows you to convert Word, Excel or a PowerPoint document to the PDFs, rotate PDFs or even merge PDFs and delete pages.
Pros:
- Modular design allows users to purchase only the features they need
- Cloud storage integration with Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive
- Advanced PDF editing capabilities including OCR and redaction
- Available on multiple platforms including Windows and Mac
Cons:
- Expensive for users who need multiple features
- Limited support for interactive forms and other advanced PDF features
- Slow performance when working with large documents
PDF Candy
Our new favorite for best free PDF editor is the PDF Candy because it offers something that many free options do not: an OCR feature for scanning text. OCR text cannot be edited in this web-based PDF editor, but you can upload PDF files, extract the text, and create a text document, RTF file, or the Word document in doc and docx formats. You can choose from 44 tools to create or convert PDF files. It is also easy to rearrange the pages of a document, add watermarks, protect PDF files with access codes, edit metadata within the PDF file, split or add pages to documents, and extract images. Text editing is somewhat limited, but that’s the price you pay for enjoying a free PDF editor with a wide range of features.
Once you’ve made your changes in PDF Candy, you can download edited document or upload a new document to the work on. PDF Candy saves all your documents in queue, so you can download them all at once, after you have made the changes to them.
Pros:
- Wide range of PDF editing tools including conversion, merging, and compression
- User-friendly interface
- Batch processing capabilities for multiple documents
- Available as both desktop and web application
Cons:
- Limited advanced features compared to other PDF editors
- Limited editing capabilities for text and images
- Some features require a premium subscription
PDF-XChange Editor
PDF-XChange Editor is free PDF editing program for the Windows computers developed by Tracker Software. The user interface is a bit more complex than that of the Smallpdf editing program, but gives you easy access to many helpful features, such as a stamp option to mark documents as “expired” or “approved”. For most users, however, the main reason to use the PDF-XChange Editor is the fact that the program has built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR).
This means that even if your original PDF document is photocopy, PDF-XChange Editor will recognize the text and let you edit it. Moreover, PDF-XChange Editor lets you reformat text and even convert it to fonts that are not yet loaded on your computer. And like Smallpdf, you can use this platform to merge or split individual PDF files. The only serious drawback to this powerful editor is that a small “Created with PDF-XChange Editor” watermark is added to the bottom of each exported PDF file if you haven’t signed up for the Pro version.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing
- Advanced OCR capabilities
- Wide range of editing tools including text, image, and shape editing
- Lightweight and fast software
Cons:
- Limited support for interactive forms and other advanced PDF features
- User interface can be overwhelming for beginners
- Available only on Windows
PDFSam Basic
Often it is enough to split a PDF document into several documents, merge several pages or change the orientation of the pages. This is often the case when you work with scanned paper documents. If this sounds familiar, PDFsam Basic is the perfect tool for the job. It is a lightweight desktop application that is worth keeping installed for just such situations. Unlike some of the tools presented here, you can’t use it to change the actual content of PDFs, but splitting and combining PDFs is a breeze.
Just select the page range and off you go. You don’t have to worry about watermarks or entrusting your (potentially sensitive) documents to an unknown third party. During installation you will be asked if you want to install a trial version of PDFsam Enhanced (a paid product), but you can decline if you’re not interested by unchecking the corresponding box.
Best PDF Editor: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is considered the best overall PDF editor due to its advanced features and capabilities. Some of its key features include the ability to edit, annotate, and sign PDF documents, as well as create forms, convert PDFs to other formats, and protect PDFs with passwords.
Pros:
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Integration with other Adobe products
- Support for electronic signatures and form creation
- Available for Windows and Mac
Cons:
- High cost compared to other PDF editors
- Steep learning curve for beginners
Best PDF Editor for Mac
PDF Expert is the best PDF editor for Mac users. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, merge PDFs, and sign documents. PDF Expert also has a user-friendly interface and integrates with other Mac applications.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Integration with other Mac applications
- Available for iOS and macOS
Cons:
- Limited features compared to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- High cost for the Mac version
Best Free PDF Editor
Nitro PDF Editor is the best free PDF editor available, offering features such as editing, annotating, and filling out forms. It also allows you to convert PDFs to other formats and merge multiple PDFs into one document.
Pros:
- Free to use
- Easy-to-use interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
Cons:
- Limited features compared to paid PDF editors
- Nitro PDF Editor is only available for Windows
Best PDF Editor for Windows
Foxit PhantomPDF is the best PDF editor for Windows users. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, merge PDFs, and sign documents. Foxit PhantomPDF also has a user-friendly interface and integrates with other Windows applications.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Integration with other Windows applications
- Available for Windows and macOS
Cons:
- High cost compared to some other PDF editors
Best PDF Editor for iPad
PDFelement is the best PDF editor for iPad users. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, and sign documents. PDFelement also allows you to fill out forms and convert PDFs to other formats.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Integration with other iPad applications
- Available for iOS and Android
Cons:
- Limited features compared to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- High cost for the iOS version
Best PDF Editor for Android
PDFelement is also the best PDF editor for Android users. It offers the same features as the iPad version, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, and sign documents. PDFelement also allows you to fill out forms and convert PDFs to other formats.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Integration with other Android applications
- Available for iOS and Android
Cons:
- Limited features compared to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- High cost for the Android version
Best Online PDF Editor
Smallpdf is the best online PDF editor available. It offers features such as editing, annotating, and signing documents. Smallpdf also allows you to convert PDFs to other formats and compress PDF files.
Pros:
- Free to use
- Easy-to-use interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
Cons:
- Limited features compared to paid PDF editors
- Requires an internet connection to use
Best Free PDF Editor for Mac
PDF Expert is the best PDF editor for Mac users. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, merge PDFs, and sign documents. PDF Expert also has a user-friendly interface and integrates with other Mac applications.
Pros:
- Pre-installed on all Macs
- Basic features are free to use
- User-friendly interface
Cons:
- Limited features compared to paid PDF editors
- No support for form creation or advanced annotation tools
Best PDF Editor App
PDF Expert is the best PDF editor app available for both iOS and Android. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, and sign documents. PDF Expert also allows you to fill out forms and convert PDFs to other formats.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Integration with other mobile applications
- Available for iOS and Android
Cons:
- High cost compared to some other mobile PDF editors
- Limited features compared to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Best PDF Editor App for iPad
GoodNotes is the best PDF editor app for iPad users. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, and sign documents. GoodNotes also allows you to fill out forms and create handwritten notes.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Integration with Apple Pencil for handwriting and note-taking
- Available for iOS only
Cons:
- Limited features compared to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- High cost for the iPad version
Best PDF Editor App for Android
Xodo PDF Reader & Editor is the best PDF editor app for Android users. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, and sign documents. Xodo PDF Reader & Editor also allows you to fill out forms and convert PDFs to other formats.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Integration with other Android applications
- Available for Android only
Cons:
- Limited features compared to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Some features require a premium subscription
Best PDF Editor Online
Sejda is the best online PDF editor available. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, and sign documents. Sejda also allows you to fill out forms and convert PDFs to other formats.
Pros:
- No software installation required
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
- Available on any platform with an internet connection
Cons:
- Some features require a premium subscription
- Limited features compared to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Best Free PDF Editor
LibreOffice Draw is the best free PDF editor available. It offers a range of features, including the ability to edit text and images, add annotations, and sign documents. LibreOffice Draw also allows you to fill out forms and convert PDFs to other formats.
Pros:
- Completely free to use
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced features for editing and annotation
Cons:
- Limited features compared to paid PDF editors
- No support for form creation
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many great PDF editors available, each with its own unique set of features, pros, and cons. When choosing a PDF editor, it’s important to consider your specific needs and budget. Whether you’re looking for a basic PDF editor or a more advanced tool, there’s sure to be an option out there that’s perfect for you.
Choosing the best PDF editor depends on your specific needs and requirements.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is the best overall PDF editor, while PDF Expert is the best option for Mac users.
- Nitro PDF Editor is the best free PDF editor, while Foxit PhantomPDF is the best option for Windows users.
- PDFelement is the best PDF editor for iPad users. Smallpdf, Sejda PDF, and PDFescape are other notable PDF editors that offer basic features for editing and annotating PDF documents.
Things to know about pdf editor
- A PDF editor allows you to drag and drop pages from existing PDFs to change their order or to combine pages from different PDF documents to create a completely new one.
- PDFs are document images, not editable text files (like a Word document). A PDF editing software solution transforms a PDF into a living, editable document.
- PDFs can be created or uploaded within these platforms. These solutions should not be confused with document creation software.
- PDF editors often include password protection for viewing and editing documents and designated fields, unlike document creation software, which is collaborative and allows users to edit any part of the document.
- When selecting a PDF editor, consider factors such as cost, features, ease of use, and platform compatibility. It’s also important to consider the level of security provided by the PDF editor, especially if you’re dealing with sensitive or confidential information.
FAQs
- What is a PDF editor?
A PDF editor is a software tool that allows you to modify, annotate, and edit PDF documents. It can also merge, split, and compress PDF files. - How does a PDF editor work?
A PDF editor allows you to make changes to a PDF document, such as adding or deleting text, inserting images, and creating annotations. It can also merge, split, and compress PDF files. - What are the features of a PDF editor?
The features of a PDF editor include the ability to add, edit, or delete text, images, and pages. PDF editors also allow you to create forms, add digital signatures, and encrypt PDF documents for security purposes. - What are the pros and cons of using a PDF editor?
The pros of using a PDF editor include the ability to make changes to PDF documents, add digital signatures, and encrypt PDF files for security. The cons include the cost of purchasing a PDF editor and the limited features of free PDF editors.
My Verdict
Overall, a good PDF editor can streamline your workflow and save you time and effort when working with PDF documents. Whether you’re a student, a business professional, or a freelancer, a PDF editor is an essential tool that can help you achieve your goals.
We hope this article has helped you in your search for the best PDF editor. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!
