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10 Adobe Acrobat PDF Editor Alternatives in 2022

• Filed to: Top Online PDF Software • Proven solutions

If you asked most people what the most popular PDF editor is, the majority of them will say “It’s the Adobe PDF editor,” right? The problem is that, although the Acrobat PDF editor family is certainly a well-known set of PDF tools, they’re not necessarily the best. In this article, we show you the 10 best Adobe PDF editor alternatives for desktop and online use, and we’ll also cover the best options for Adobe PDF editor free users, for whom the trial period has expired.

Top 10 Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat PDF Editor

1. HiPDF

adobe pdf editor

Pros:

  • 100% online utility - no installation required
  • Free alternative to Adobe PDF editor online
  • Clean UI with an intuitive layout
  • Dedicated web page for each feature
  • Extensive conversion options (to and from PDF)
  • An affordable upgrade to access advanced capabilities such as batch processing
  • A comprehensive suite of PDF management tools

Cons:

  • Low file processing limits for free users
  • Requires a fast and stable Internet connection to process large workflows

Price: Starts at $4 a month for the annual plan or $6 monthly

If you’re looking for an alternative to using the Adobe PDF editor online or doing an Adobe Acrobat PDF editor free download for trial purposes, HiPDF is it. It’s not only super-convenient as a web-based utility, but it brings some serious PDF firepower to the table with advanced tools such as OCR, extensive file conversion options, PDF compression, annotations, PDF protection, page management, and comprehensive PDF creation and editing. HiPDF also acts as a gateway to the PDFelement family of PDF editors for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android, as well as Wondershare Document Cloud, a dedicated PDF cloud storage and comprehensive electronic signature platform.

2. PDFelement

adobe pdf editor online

Pros:

  • A professional set of PDF tools designed for heavy and on-the-go workflows
  • Comprehensive feature set - create, edit, secure, annotate, sign, fill, organize, convert, perform OCR, and more
  • The intuitive user interface provides smooth navigation and easy operations
  • Ongoing development with frequent feature additions
  • Available for multiple platforms - Win/Mac/iOS/Android

Cons:

  • The free version adds watermarks to output files
  • The Android version is missing some key features that the iOS version has

Price:Starts at $79/year, and $129 for a perpetual license

As mentioned in the previous HiPDF section, PDFelement comprises a collection of basic and advanced PDF editing tools with rich features, easy usability, and the option to work securely offline. As an affordable alternative to the ubiquitous Adobe Acrobat PDF editor, it is unrivaled, offering advanced features such as OCR, form data extraction, image manipulation, and more. If you’re looking for features that are similar to those of the Adobe PDF editor, this is your final destination.

3. Kofax Power PDF

acrobat pdf editor

Pros:

  • Advanced and basic PDF editing and document management tools
  • Windows-friendly interface with easy navigation
  • UI will be familiar to users of the former Nuance PDF editor
  • An affordable alternative to the Adobe PDF editor
  • 15-day free trial with no credit card requirement

Cons:

  • Limited options to convert PDFs to other formats
  • No Kofax SignDoc integration in the Standard and Mac versions
  • No Advanced version for Mac

Price:Starts at $129 for the Standard Windows and Mac versions

Kofax Power PDF is a powerful PDF editor that lets you create, edit, and convert PDF files. It has all the features of Adobe Acrobat but with a more intuitive interface and a considerably lower price point. It also has a built-in PDF reader that lets you read and annotate PDFs. The conversion accuracy is quite good, and Kofax Power PDF also brings advanced tools to the table, such as text redaction, object embedding, interactive form creation and conversion, and much more.

4. Nitro PDF Pro

adobe pdf editor free

Pros:

  • Office-like interface makes it easy for Windows users to switch from Adobe PDF editor and other PDF products
  • A comprehensive collection of PDF tools to edit, protect, annotate, convert, create, fill, organize, etc.
  • Powerful conversion engine
  • Accurate rendering of formats, alignment, font attributes, and so on during conversion

Cons:

  • No macOS version (The Mac product is sold under the PDFpen branding)
  • Nitro Productivity Platform with cloud and eSignature tools costs extra
  • Fairly expensive compared to most other PDF editors

Price:One-time perpetual license fee of $179.99 for Nitro PDF Pro

Nitro PDF Pro Editor has many benefits over other software in its category, including the Adobe Acrobat PDF editor. Its MS Office-like interface makes it perfect for beginners as well as professionals who need an efficient tool for their workflows. Nitro PDF Pro also offers a free trial version - similar to the Adobe PDF editor free download - that can be downloaded from their website so you can try it before you buy a licensed copy.

5. Smallpdf

adobe acrobat pdf editor free download

Pros:

  • Convenient access on any modern browser on a connected desktop or mobile device
  • An expansive collection of conversion tools
  • Nearly organized menus - easy to find the tool you need
  • Simple and intuitive web interface

Cons:

  • Many key features are locked behind the Pro paywall
  • Limited file conversion options compared to HiPDF
  • Relatively expensive

Price:$12 a month or $108 annually

Smallpdf is a freemium online alternative to the Adobe PDF editor that lets you edit, sign, and share PDFs, among other things. It is one of the top web-based alternatives to the Adobe Acrobat PDF editor and Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. You can use it to create new PDFs from scratch or open existing ones for editing. Convert any document into a PDF file with just one click of the mouse button, or perform a number of advanced actions by upgrading to a Pro account.

6. iLovePDF

adobe pdf editor free download

Pros:

  • All basic PDF tools are available
  • Free usage limits are quite generous
  • Clean and user-friendly web interface
  • Responsive and fast
  • Desktop versions available for Mac and PC

Cons:

  • No advanced tools such as OCR or comprehensive form-handling
  • Batch processing is limited to 10 files for most file conversion processes even in the Premium and Business plans

Price:Starts from $4 per month

iLovePDF is a well-known online PDF editing and document management service with all the essential features that users need to handle daily business workflows. With tools for conversion, protection, annotations, editing, compression, and organizing of PDFs, it offers a user-friendly platform on an attractive interface. Though it lacks some advanced features such as OCR and forms management, it’s a handy Adobe Acrobat PDF editor alternative in a pinch.

7. Sejda PDF Editor

adobe acrobat pdf editor

Pros:

  • Extensive collection of online and offline PDF tools
  • OCR and other advanced features
  • Slick interface - easy usability
  • Multiple file splitting options
  • Desktop options for Mac, Win, and Linux

Cons:

  • Not suitable for heavy PDF workflows
  • Compression quality could be better
  • Limited PDF creation options in terms of source file types - only HTML, JPG, and Word files can be converted to PDF

Price: Starts at $7.50 a month

Sejda PDF Editor is a hybrid platform with online and desktop utilities for PDF management. It includes diverse features such as PDF editing, image extraction, PDF flattening, file conversion, PDF security, and numerous other tools. The OCR engine is pretty accurate but you can further enhance the output by first modifying the file with deskewing and other actions to make the results more accurate. The desktop version is bundled with the web edition in an affordable package but the online PDF editor is slightly on the expensive side compared to many similar services.

8.PDF Complete

adobe pdf editor

Pros:

  • Covers all basic and advanced PDF needs
  • Two versions suited to different workflows - Office and Corporate
  • Popular as a budget PDF editor
  • Easy PDF page management

Cons:

  • No macOS version
  • No PDF editing or advanced features in the Corporate edition

Corporate version is $49.95 | Office version is $129.95

PDF Complete is promoted as an affordable PDF solution for businesses that don’t require advanced document processing. Features include PDF creation, document assembly (merging), web to PDF conversion, scan to PDF, form filling, PDF to email, PDF compression, etc. In the Corporate version, there’s no OCR to convert image PDFs or scanned PDFs, and there’s also no PDF editing feature. The Office edition comes with PDF editing, OCR scanning, digital signatures, annotations, and other useful tools. PDF Complete is reasonably priced, but the only downside is that there’s no Mac version.

9. PDF2Go

adobe pdf editor online

Pros:

  • A well-organized website with easy access to all features
  • Multiple compression levels for PDF optimization
  • Good selection of PDF conversion tools
  • Complemented by a desktop version
  • Useful Repair PDF tool to fix corrupt or damaged files

Cons:

  • No advanced functionality - forms management, OCR, etc.
  • The desktop version is very basic and still in the beta testing stage

Price:$8.50 per month | $78 annual subscription

PDF2Go is a freemium online PDF editor and a great alternative to the Adobe Acrobat PDF editor. There are also add-ons and extensions for browsers and a desktop edition as well, but the online version covers all the bases when it comes to normal PDF workflows. Features include editing, file conversion, protection, organizing, creation, compression, etc. The service is easy to use and there are helpful tutorials on each page to describe the feature and show users how to process files. The premium version is quite affordable considering the broad spectrum of features it covers.

10. Xodo PDF - PDF.online

acrobat pdf editor

Pros:

  • The online editor supports PDF, Word, and Images
  • Fast online processing
  • Complemented by a desktop utility
  • 100% free utility - no in-app purchases or intrusive ads
  • Good conversion quality in terms of format consistency

Cons:

  • No PDF editing in the desktop version
  • Desktop edition is Windows-only

Price:Free

Formerly known as Xodo PDF, PDF.online is a comprehensive tool for online PDF tasks such as document editing, PDF/A creation and validation, conversion to and from PDF, page management, file merging, file splitting, and so on. The desktop version is Windows-exclusive but there are apps for iOS and Android, and Mac users can take advantage of the online editor without installing anything on their computer. Since this utility is essentially free, don’t expect advanced capabilities. This is a basic PDF management tool sans the complex tools for pro users.

The Final Word

MThe Adobe PDF editor may be one of the oldest and most feature-rich applications in its category, but the product and the overall experience leave a lot to be desired. The pricing is a major pain point for a lot of users seeking value for money - the Acrobat PDF editor is certainly solid value for money, but only if you’re going to be using its extensive feature set on a regular basis. If not, you’re better off with an alternative such as HiPDF or PDFelement, both of which support advanced features, offer free usage, and are very affordable to upgrade to a paid plan.

Mavin Hiram

chief Editor

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