Crandi

8 Best Free Pdf Editors In 2025 Beebom

Leo Migdal
-
8 best free pdf editors in 2025 beebom

While PDF (Portable Document Format) is a great document format for file sharing across various platforms, it is equally frustrating and expensive to edit PDF files. Adobe’s Acrobat PDF editor and many third-party services offer advanced features but at a steep cost. Thus, to help you find entirely free tools that bring a variety of PDF editing features, I tried a bunch of software and curated a list of the best free PDF editors. I have also included some popular free online PDF editors here. First and foremost, you should look for a free PDF editor that allows you to edit texts, not just annotation. There are many PDF editors that offer basic annotation, but don’t support text editing.

Next, you should pick a PDF editor that runs offline on your computer. While there are many online PDF editors with strong privacy protections, it’s your discretion to decide whether you want to upload your private documents to the cloud. Apart from that, pick a PDF editor that lets you organize pages, split them, merge multiple PDFs, convert PDFs to DOCX, PPT, JPG/PNG, and more. On top of that, if the PDF editor supports OCR extraction, it would be icing on the cake. Finally, choose a PDF editor that offers unlimited processing without any restrictions. In my search for a true Adobe Acrobat alternative that’s entirely free and offers advanced features, I have spent countless hours on the internet to find the best free PDF editor.

I finally found PDFgear, which checks all the boxes. It runs offline, has tons of PDF editing features, and is completely free to use. 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... 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... Plus, many free PDF editors are browser based, which means 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. Why you should trust PCWorld for PDF editor reviews and buying advice: At PCWorld, we’ve been testing PC hardware and software for decades. Our evaluation process is thorough, always hands-on and focused on real-world usage needs. We won’t ever recommend something we wouldn’t be comfortable using ourselves. EaseUS Black Friday Offer: EaseUS PDF Editor – Edit, Convert, Compress & Protect PDFs

Many users whose work is related to working with digital documents have had to deal with finding reliable software or a website for PDF editing. Of course, the vast majority would want a capable free PDF editor to be able to work with files in this format without the high cost associated with it. Unlike a simple text document, it is not so easy to make changes to a PDF. Editing PDFs requires a program that accurately recognizes text and graphic objects. This article provides the top 12 of the most popular free PDF editing apps and services that you can count on. Read our editorial review below.

To determine the best free PDF editors, we tested multiple desktop programs and online tools. For this article, we selected the top 10 based on the following criteria: See the below table for a quick overview and read the full article to learn in detail about each one of the PDF editors mentioned. If you’ve ever tried to edit a PDF and hit a paywall, you know how frustrating it can be. Whether you’re updating a contract, rearranging pages, adding your signature, or converting files, a good free PDF editor can make a world of difference. After testing countless options, I finally found the best solutions that truly deliver on features and ease of use.

We’ve rounded up the top 5 PDF editor apps available for free in 2025, including a powerful newcomer — Indigo PDF — that’s quickly gaining popularity for its professional-grade tools. All of these apps are completely free to use, with no hidden charges or subscriptions, and offer versatile features for both casual and professional users. Modern workflows demand flexibility, and the best free pdf editors make it easy to edit and manage pdfs across all your devices. Whether you’re working from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, having access to your favorite pdf editing tools is essential. Many free pdf editors now offer browser-based platforms, so you can edit pdfs directly from your web browser—no downloads required. This is perfect for quick edits on the go, whether you’re using an Android phone, iPhone, or any other mobile device.

For more advanced tools and features, desktop versions like Adobe Acrobat provide a comprehensive suite of pdf editing options, from detailed annotations to batch processing. With mobile support and seamless syncing, you can start editing a document on your computer and finish it on your phone, ensuring you never miss a beat. No matter where you are, today’s free pdf editors give you the power to handle editing tasks efficiently and securely, right from your browser or device of choice. These are our top free picks for editing documents When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

We tested out the best free PDF editors for designing and modifying documents completely free of charge. These apps and software have no subscriptions, no licenses, no one-off fees, but come with all the tools you need to create, edit, sign, and share documents. After exploring the offerings for each tool, PDF24 Creator is easily the best free option around right now. Having tested out all the best PDF editors, this Windows app comes with all the same tools and serves as one of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives you can get without paying anything. Alternatives here also include the browser-based PDF Candy, SmallPDF, which is ideal for use on mobile devices, and the business-focused DocHub. PDFs are used all the time for sharing documents because their ubiquity makes them easy, but editing can be expensive and clunky.

Adobe Acrobat comes with many features but will not suit everyone. Luckily, free tools give you great PDF editing powers for free. Below, we have created a list of the best free PDF editors to meet your document editing needs. Over 30 PDF editing tools are available on Smallpdf – all for free. Limited daily processing for free users. Platforms: Web, Windows, Android, and iOS.Pricing: Free; premium plans start at $12/month.

PDFgear is the one true Adobe Acrobat alternative with advanced features without any hidden charges. PDF editors are essential tools used across all professions, academic levels, and diverse backgrounds. In 2025, several free PDF editors stand out due to their powerful features and user-friendly interfaces. Businesses in various sectors rely on PDFs for contracts, e-books, and invoices. Choosing the right PDF editor can significantly improve how users interact with digital documents, as these files constitute 80% of their business documentation. The importance of free PDF editors has surpassed their basic origins.

In 2025, free PDF editors will present text editing, e-signature functions, and collaborative editing capacities previously reserved only for paid editions. These best free PDF tools provide free solutions without sacrificing efficiency or maintaining the highest quality standards. Reviews worldwide unanimously commend PDF-XChange Editor because its advanced capabilities teach users how to modify PDF content and add commentary and annotations to their files. Its lightweight design enables this tool to achieve speed rates superior to its competitors. A staggering 70% of its user base identifies the OCR feature as their favorite tool because it turns scanned pages into editable content, whereas standard free solutions provide limited editing features. This browser-based PDF editing software dominates the free software market.

People who need to merge, split, or minimize PDF files should choose Smallpdf. New users and experienced editors find the system interface easy to use since it provides accessibility at all proficiency levels. The tool's major advantage lies in its ability to work seamlessly with cloud storage solutions, thus enabling users to store files automatically for desired retrieval. Sejda presents users with PDF editing features that sustain simplicity and potent functionality. Users can access fundamental features such as document text editing and digital authorization services through its restricted free usage plan. Sejda has gained popularity since 2024 through its one-off project success despite usage restrictions, with 10 million satisfied users in 2024.

There are over 100 PDF editors in the world. The question is: How do you know which PDF editors are worth checking out? I tested more than 30 PDF tools and spent +200 hours to find the best PDF editors in 2025. And I will not lie; it was overwhelming sometimes to go through all the features, pricing, and information available on the internet one by one. But my list of the best PDF editors is finally completed. In this article, I guide you through the best PDF editors you can find currently on the market.

By sharing this list of the best PDF editors, I hope I can help you save time and money as well. When putting together my best PDF editors list, I considered features, versatility, my experience, and user interface. While I can not summarize all my findings in this table, this will help you get an overview of the key information for each PDF editor. Here are the top 9 PDF editors that stood out the most to me in 2025:

People Also Search

While PDF (Portable Document Format) Is A Great Document Format

While PDF (Portable Document Format) is a great document format for file sharing across various platforms, it is equally frustrating and expensive to edit PDF files. Adobe’s Acrobat PDF editor and many third-party services offer advanced features but at a steep cost. Thus, to help you find entirely free tools that bring a variety of PDF editing features, I tried a bunch of software and curated a l...

Next, You Should Pick A PDF Editor That Runs Offline

Next, you should pick a PDF editor that runs offline on your computer. While there are many online PDF editors with strong privacy protections, it’s your discretion to decide whether you want to upload your private documents to the cloud. Apart from that, pick a PDF editor that lets you organize pages, split them, merge multiple PDFs, convert PDFs to DOCX, PPT, JPG/PNG, and more. On top of that, i...

I Finally Found PDFgear, Which Checks All The Boxes. It

I finally found PDFgear, which checks all the boxes. It runs offline, has tons of PDF editing features, and is completely free to use. 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... Ful...

Of Course, Free Products Won’t Come With Every Feature Of

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. Why you should trust PCWorld for PDF editor reviews and buying advice: At PCWorld, we’ve been testing PC hardware and software for decades. O...

Many Users Whose Work Is Related To Working With Digital

Many users whose work is related to working with digital documents have had to deal with finding reliable software or a website for PDF editing. Of course, the vast majority would want a capable free PDF editor to be able to work with files in this format without the high cost associated with it. Unlike a simple text document, it is not so easy to make changes to a PDF. Editing PDFs requires a pro...