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Home / Software / Best Picks
Updated
BEST FREE PDF EDITORS 2023: OUR TOP PICKS
These tools will let create and modify PDFs without spending a cent.
By Michael Ansaldo
Freelance contributor, PCWorld Aug 22, 2023 9:00 am PDT
Image: Dimitry Miroliubov/Freepik Company
If you work with PDF files regularly then a PDF editor is an indispensable tool.
Whether it’s part of your job, you manage PDF files for your own personal use,
or you just need to complete a one-off editing task, a top editor program is an
essential piece of software. Full-featured editors such as Adobe’s Acrobat Pro
DC might provide all of the bells and whistles, but a free PDF editor can still
offer most of the important tools of a paid service for no additional charge.
Plus, many free PDF editors are browser based, which means that you don’t need
to worry about about platform- or device-compatibility issues.
Of course, free products won’t come with every feature of their premium
counterparts. So, if you find that you need more advanced tools such as password
protection, Bates numbering, or e-signatures, then you’re probably better served
by a premium PDF editor.
PROMOTION
EaseUS PDF Editor – Edit, Convert, Compress & Protect PDFs
EaseUS is a free PDF editor that offers options to read, create, edit and
convert PDFs both in program and online. The streamlined interface allows you to
edit or convert with ease for any formats like doc, excel, ppt, jpg, png or
epub, even merge, split, compress, watermark e-sign or OCR PDF files.
Pricing upgrades – 25% OFF Exclusive Code: PCWORLD25
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Get Advanced Features | 25% off
PDF CANDY – BEST FREE PDF EDITOR OVERALL
Pros
* Many advanced features
* OCR capability
* Very easy to use
Cons
* Lacks a single interface, which some users may not like
* Free version limits you to one task per hour
Price When Reviewed: Free
Best Prices Today: $0 at PDF Candy
PDF Candy is the rare free PDF editor that offers a lot of the features you’d
typically have to pay for. We’re talking scanning, multiple file-conversion
options, and OCR functionality. While the free version has access to the
expansive toolset of the paid version, you’re limited to one PDF task per hour.
For unfettered access, you need to shell out $6 month.
Read our full PDF Candy review
APPLE PREVIEW PDF EDITOR – BEST FREE PDF EDITOR FOR MAC USERS
Pros
* Full set of PDF markup tools
* Supports form filling
* PDFs can be protected with passwords, encryption, and permission controls
Cons
* Limited native sharing options
* Only available to Mac users
Price When Reviewed: Built into macOS
Mac users have an excellent PDF editor built right into their operating system.
Although its ostensibly a photo viewer, macOS’s Preview app is rife with
PDF-editing capabilities including tools for adding text and shapes, redacting
content, making freehand drawings, inserting sticky notes, and capturing your
signature using your trackpad, camera, or iPhone.
Read our full Apple Preview PDF editor review
SEJDA PDF EDITOR – MOST VERSATILE FREE PDF EDITOR
Pros
* Online and desktop versions available
* Performs dozens of PDF tasks
* No frills interface is easy to use
Cons
* There are daily usage limits without a subscription
* Limited font options
Price When Reviewed: Free (Premium $7.50/mo)
Best Prices Today: $0 at Sejda
Offered as both an online tool and a desktop editor, Sejda is capable of
performing dozens of tasks including editing, form creation and filling, Bates
stamping, file encryption, and more. If the daily usage limits are too
restrictive for you, you can upgrade to the affordable paid version.
Read our full Sejda PDF editor review
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A FREE PDF EDITOR
* Content editing: As its name indicates, a PDF editor’s primary function is to
enable you to edit a document. That includes the ability to add and modify
text; insert, resize, and move images; and reorganize pages in the PDF. Most
free PDF editors will let you perform these tasks, though they may impose
daily limits on how many you can perform or how many documents you can edit.
* Create, convert, and export PDFs: A common need for a PDF editor is to create
PDF files from scanned hard copies or by converting digital documents. A good
free PDF editor will be able to convert common file formats such as Word,
JPG, and HTML to a PDF and preserve the original formatting. It should also
be able to export PDFs into other editable formats such as Microsoft Word and
PowerPoint, HTML, or plain text, maintaining the original files hyperlinks,
images, and other elements.
* Review and annotate: Most free PDF editors allow you to add comments and
other annotations to PDF files during review. Typical annotation tools
include sticky notes, shapes, and drawing markup options.
* Signatures: Often all you need a PDF editor for is to sign a document. This
used to be a premium feature only available on paid desktop editors, but more
free PDF editors are allowing users to create and add electronic signatures
to documents.
FAQ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PDF DOCUMENT AND A PDF FORM?
While there are a number of different types of PDF file formats, they all fall
under the umbrella term of PDF documents. A PDF form is a type of PDF document
that has editable form fields a user can fill out. Typically, parts of the
document are static and can’t be changed in a PDF form. These usually include
questions and instructions for those who end up filling out the form later on.
In a PDF form, the content fields a user fills out are typically open to editing
and can offer a list of possible answer options or can be written in freely.
2.
ARE WORD FILES AND PDF DOCUMENTS DIFFERENT?
Yes. They are two entirely different document formats. While you can export from
one file format to another, they are not the same. Word file formats are usually
used for word processing, editing, and making changes to text. PDF documents on
the other hand, are most often utilized for viewing, sharing, and printing
documents. Additionally, Word files can be read and/or written to and contain
some version of the “.doc” file format. Whereas PDF files are typically
read-only and contain the “.pdf” file format.
3.
CAN YOU STOP OTHER PEOPLE FROM EDITING YOUR PDF DOCUMENTS?
Yes. If you have a PDF document that you do not want anyone else to be able to
edit, you can protect the file. You can do this by opening the file in Acrobat,
clicking Tools > Protect. Then you have a few options as to whether you want to
just restrict editing with a password, or if you want to encrypt the file for
further safety. Once you choose how you want to protect the PDF document, you
can set a password and save.
4.
CAN I MERGE PDFS WITH A FREE PDF EDITOR?
Yes, many free PDF editors such as our top pick PDF Candy, allow you to merge
two or more PDFs into one. As most free PDF editors are browser-based, you will
just need to open up the PDF editor application or website in your browser and
click the “Merge” option. It will then ask you to add the files of all PDFs you
wish to merge. Once the files have been added, just make sure that they are in
the correct position and alignment you want before proceeding with the merge.
Afterwards, all of your previously PDF files will be merged together into one
new PDF document.
5.
DOES GOOGLE HAVE A FREE PDF EDITOR?
Yes and no. Google doesn’t provide a designated free PDF editor itself, but
there are third-party Chrome extensions that you can use to help get the job
done. Alternatively, you can make use of Google Drive to edit a PDF document.
Simply upload the document onto your Google Drive and then select the file and
right-click and select Open with > Google Docs. The file will be opened as an
editable Google Docs text document. Then just make your edits and when you’re
finished click File > Download > PDF Document to revert it back to a PDF file.
This method is a quick and easy way to edit a simple PDF document, but be
careful as Google Docs can run into formatting issues if your original document
has complex visual formatting such as tables and graphs. In this case, it’s best
to use a designated free or premium PDF editor.
AUTHOR: MICHAEL ANSALDO, FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR
Michael Ansaldo is veteran consumer and small-business technology journalist. He
contributes regularly to TechHive and PCWorld.
*
RECENT STORIES BY MICHAEL ANSALDO:
* EaseUS PDF Editor review: Complete document control for individuals, teams
* Best password managers 2023: Reviews of the top products
* Swifdoo PDF review: Essential features and easy to use
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