1. Best overall
2. Best for mobile
3. Best for business
4. Best for Windows
5. Best for signatures
6. Best for security
7. Best online
8. Best easy editor
9. Best for Mac
10. Best for basics
11. Best for minor edits
12. Best for signatures
FAQs
How to choose
How we test
The best PDF editors are tailored for creating and modifying documents that keep everyone on the same page - whatever device they use.
It might seem odd to be affectionate towards a filetype, but there's something we love about the PDF. Maybe it's the improved digital security, the smaller data storage space they take up, and the way it improves workflows between colleagues and clients. With layouts locked, the PDF files look the same whatever device or platform they’re viewed on.
PDF apps come in all sorts, from the best free PDF editors for rapid changes to the best free PDF readers for seamlessly viewing documents. But for total control over file creation, only the best PDF editors will do. That's why our expert team of reviewers have gone hands on with the top-rated apps from Acrobat to the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives.
As part of our review process, we’ve compared the user interface and experience. After hours spent with each app, we've analyzed editing performance, and tools for annotation, form-filling, digital signatures, and PDF conversion. We've also explored pricing and platform availability across desktop, mobile, and online.
Today's best PDF editor deals
Best PDF editor overall
If you work with PDF files professionally, then you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better tool than Adobe Acrobat DC - our top pick for best PDF editor.
Acrobat Standard DC lets you create PDFs and export to Word, Excel and PowerPoint, edit text and images, reorder and delta pages in a PDF, password-protect PDF files and more. In our experience, we found this incredibly straightforward (Adobe did invent the PDF, after all). Everything makes sense, finding the right tools and using them is very simple.
Acrobat Pro DC includes all of the features above and also lets you compare two versions of a PDF to review the differences, turn scanned documents into PDFs, redact sensitive information in PDFs and it even includes OCR functionality.
Working on the go is also possible as Adobe Acrobat DC lets you edit, create, export, organize and combine PDF files right from your smartphone or tablet with Acrobat Reader. There's no dedicated mobile app for true PDF editing, which we did feel is a shame. However, unlike some of the other top PDF editors, Adobe Acrobat DC is available through an Adobe Document Cloud subscription as opposed to a one-off fee.
Read our full Adobe Acrobat DC review
Best PDF editor for mobile
pdfFiller from airSlate is an end-to-end document management software suite - and a great way to transform static PDFs into interactive files and templates from a library of 25 million documents for taxes, legal purposes, business and more.
The tool is web-based, with more limited PDF editor apps for Android and iOS, so you can edit PDFs online, import, convert, fill out, and export files right from your browser. You can also build fillable forms that connect to a payment gateway for your business.
Beyond essential online collaboration tools, pdfFiller also allows you to send files via text, by fax and through the mail with the option to have them notarized online right from your account.
The tool has three subscription plans, Basic, Plus, and Premium, but only the latter lets you create reusable templates, collect payments with PDF invoices, and supports electronic signature workflows.
Read our full pdfFiller review
Best PDF editor for business
Nitro PDF Pro is a clean and simple PDF editor for Windows and Mac (Mac users can choose between PDF Pro and the less feature-filled PDF Pro Essentials).
The ribbon-style UI makes navigation will be instantly familiar to anyone who uses Microsoft’s Office software - and it’s here where you’ll find tools including editing, combining, signing and converting PDFs.
With ease-of-use at the forefront of design, it's suitable for beginners and experienced PDF editors. The ribbon-style UI makes navigation will be instantly familiar to anyone who uses Microsoft’s Office software - and it’s here where you’ll find tools including editing, combining, signing and converting PDFs. It's absolutely rich with advanced features like OCR, primarily geared towards commercial use. When we tested the PDF editor software, we found it suitable for minor edits and big projects.
Nitro PDF Pro is only available with an annual subscription. However, there are discounts for those who purchase more than one license at a time - ideal for organizations that require access for multiple users.
Read our full Nitro PDF Pro review
Best PDF editor for Windows only
The PC-only EaseUS PDF Editor lets you edit and manipulate PDF files. Other ‘as standard’ tools include the ability to merge, split, and convert PDFs to other formats.
After testing out the software, we found it powerful and packed with all the basics you need, alongside advanced features like OCR and online collaboration tools. Editing capabilities are quite impressive. Everything on the page is split up into various boxes that can be moved around and resized. You can also edit the content, changing the font, color, and of course the text body.
EaseUS PDF Editor has a free version with limited functionality - and be warned, it will add a watermark to PDFs. But it’s good enough to give you a feel for what to expect. Monthly and yearly subscriptions unlock all features, or you can pay a one-off fee which lets you download all future upgrades for life.
Read our full EaseUS PDF editor review
Best PDF editor for signatures
DocHub is worth your consideration if you’re looking for a PDF editor with an emphasis on getting documents signed. Because that’s what this intuitive and easy-to-use document management system really excels at.
A limited free plan is available, while the pro plan is priced at $10 per user per month, letting you sign and send unlimited documents. After testing out the software, we came away feeling it was “When we went hands-on with the software, we described it as “a true gem, delivering comprehensive functionality without burdening users with unnecessary expenses.”
All the baseline features are present and correct, including a fully loaded page manager, letting you rearrange, label, rotate, add, and delete pages. The field creation, too, has plenty of options, including the ability to add text boxes, time-stamps, and legally binding signatures. And we found the sharing and collaboration tools were plentiful, ideal for creating PDFs and making sure they get signed by those you send them to.
It’s not as feature-rich as advanced PDF editors like Acrobat. But for making sure documents get signed, it’s ideal.
Read our full DocHub review
Best PDF editor for data security
Foxit PDF Editor is great for PDF power-users. It transforms documents into editable text boxes to be repositioned, resized before altering the content. And it does it all so very well.
Tools like merging and splitting documents, and rearranging pages are de rigueur for such software, and well-implemented. You’ll also find very good OCR capabilities and annotation tools.
But the redaction tools are truly excellent. If you’re a data-conscious organization, this is a serious stand-out feature. For protecting sensitive data for legal and compliance reasons, this is the tool for the job, as it doesn’t simply mask data with a colored box - where restricted text remains accessible in the right hands.
The PDF editor is available for a monthly or annual subscription or a perpetual license. Foxit also offers the upgraded PDF Editor Pro and PDF Editor Pro+ (yearly subscription only) for more advanced tools.
Read our full Foxit PDF Editor review
Best PDF editor online
Soda PDF is one of the best PDF editors online, with PDF editor apps for Android, Windows, macOS, and iOS.
The interface is easy to use and responsive. When we tried out the software, we were delighted to find a well-designed, online PDF editor. The interface is easy to use and responsive. The tools are useful. And it’s a cinch to modify content from fixing typos to effectively building a PDF document from scratch.
Soda PDF is a subscription-only service which comes in two tiers: Standard and Pro.
Standard gets you the basic tools, such as View, Convert, Edit, and Page. But the most interesting tools are kept for Pro, and these include OCR searching, digital signatures, annotations, and creating forms.
A free trial is on offer so you can give it a spin. It’s also completely compatible with Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader, if you’re already locked in the Adobe ecosystem.
Read our full Soda PDF review
Best easy PDF editor
No-hassle PDF editing and manipulation tools is what WinZip PDF Pro offers.
When we tested WinZip PDF Pro, we found it offers the tools to achieve pretty much everything you’d want to do to a PDF on a desktop PC.
The software serves up a clean, simple interface, with similarly easy-to-use tools - from reading documents to manipulating content, and collaborating on files. You also have the option to fill in forms, password protect documents, and add page numbers.
It’s not perfect. The PDF editor software is built for Windows, meaning Apple users will want to look elsewhere. And we stumbled across a couple of annoying glitches that mar the overall positive user experience.
Despite that, it remains one of the best in its category, and worth checking out, especially since it has a free seven-day trial. If you decide to use it full time, you’ll need to buy a subscription - no lifetime license for you.
Read our full WinZip PDF Pro review
Best PDF editor for Mac
