8 Best Adobe Acrobat Alternatives In 2024 [Updated List]

Review the best and affordable Adobe Acrobat Alternatives along with comparisons to guide you in selecting the best alternative to Adobe Acrobat: 

When it comes to creativity, Adobe has been a number one application for a long time. And if you can afford its creative cloud, you get the industry’s leading tools at your fingertips.

Adobe Acrobat is one of the most used tools of Adobe that allows you to do a lot with PDF files. You can create, open, edit, and print PDF files, among many other functions.

Adobe Acrobat Alternatives Review

Let us first review Adobe Acrobat:

• Adobe Acrobat is one of the safest tools you can use for PDF.
• It allows you to create a PDF and apply custom actions to them.
• You can redact information on PDF and e-sign the document easily and securely.
• It allows you to password-protect your file and remove encryption as well.
• You can use Adobe Acrobat Pro for comparing two documents.
• It lets you create ISO standards-compliant PDF files like PDF/A (long-term archiving), PDF/X (data exchange with printers), and PDF/E (interactive exchange of technical documents).

Why Look for Adobe Acrobat Alternatives

No one can deny the fact that Adobe is amazing, but not everyone can afford it. Although it is full of amazing features, it is expensive. If you are not proficient in PDF and just dabble in editing now and then, Acrobat is not the tool for you.

If you don’t create, edit, or need to do other things with PDF, look for a simpler and less expensive alternative to Adobe Acrobat.

List of the Top Adobe Acrobat Alternatives

Below is the list of impressive alternatives to Adobe Acrobat:

1. Xodo
2. pdfFiller
3. UPDF Editor
4. Nitro
5. DocHub
6. Wise PDF Editor
7. Foxit
8. PDFelement
9. Sejda PDF Editor
10. PDF Architect
11. PDF Reader Pro
12. Qoppa PDF Studio
13. PDF-Xchange Editor
14. PDFLiner

Comparing Top Adobe Acrobat Alternatives

Let us review the alternatives to Acrobat pro:

#1) Xodo

Best for securely processing PDF and other digital documents on every platform.

Xodo is the only suite of tools you will ever need to securely process your PDF, MS Office, and various image files. You can use it to convert, create, edit, organize, archive, secure, and sign your documents in your browser, and on Windows, iOS, and Android apps.

Bulk document processing, its robust set of PDF editing tools, and integration with Dropbox and Google Drive along with its own Xodo Drive storage are what set Xodo apart and make it an exceptional choice for those seeking a powerful yet accessible alternative to Adobe’s offering.

Features:

• Unique PDF editor allows you to intuitively edit text, add annotations, redact sensitive data, sign and compress documents, create and fill out PDF forms, and more.
• Organize PDF files with tools to split, merge, and delete pages.
• Word editor to modify DOCX online without MS Word.
• Convert PDF to and from Word, Excel, HTML, Text, JPG, and PNG.
• Convert to and validate PDF/A files for long-term archiving.
• Export HEIC images to JPG, PNG, and PDF.
• OCR converter for processing scanned image-based PDF files.

Verdict: Xodo is one of the most cost-effective and feature-rich Adobe Acrobat alternatives with 30+ advanced PDF tools packed in a secure, simple, and easy-to-use platform.

Price:

• 7-day free trial available
• Monthly subscription: $12 per month
• Yearly subscription: $108 per year ($9 per month)

#2) pdfFiller

Best for Full-featured PDF Editing with ready-made templates.

pdfFiller provides you with a single web-based platform for all your PDF processing needs. You can use this platform to create your PDF files from scratch using tons of ready-made templates available at your disposal. You can then add text and other elements to the created file to bring it to life.

You will especially love the way you can create fillable PDF forms using this platform. The platform boasts a library of over 25 million fillable form templates, which you can use to create various fillable forms to incite action from your prospects online.

Features:

• PDF Conversion
• Merge and split PDF files
• Add watermark
• Add and remove text from files.

Verdict: Adobe is often considered the gold standard for PDF document management. However, pdfFiller comes very close to matching Adobe’s proficiency with an easy-to-use cloud-based platform that is studded with features and ready-made templates.

Price: Basic plan: $8 per month, Plus Plan: $12 per month, Premium Plan: $15 per month. All plans are billed annually. A 30-day free trial is also available.

#3) UPDF Editor

Best for user-friendly and full-featured PDF management with AI integration.

UPDF delivers a full suite of PDF editing solutions that cost only 12% of Adobe Acrobat. With UPDF you get a comprehensive set of tools to create, edit, annotate, convert, organize, redact, protect, eSign, fill PDF forms, and the list goes on. 

What makes UPDF so attractive is its AI integration that provides in-depth and accurate results when prompted. You can summarize intricate documents, translate PDFs to and from any language, and explain complex terminologies and paragraphs in seconds.

Besides this, UPDF AI lets you write cover letters, professional emails, and all kinds of content you need. You can also use its large Cloud storage to sync your PDF workflow across all devices even those with different OS.

Features:

• Create and fill interactive and non-interactive PDF forms
• Authentic documents with digital and electronic signatures
• Password-protect files and set printing and download permissions.
• Redact sensitive information.
• OCR-based conversions of scanned documents
• Convert to MS Office files, image files, RTF, HTML, XML, and PDF/A formats.
• Synch PDF workflow across all platforms with Cloud storage.
• Built-in AI assistance to understand PDFs better.

Verdict: user-friendly, full-featured, and cost-effective are the three things we will use to describe UPDF as an alternative to Adobe Acrobat. Apart from delivering all the features Adobe Acrobat offers, UPDF comes with a powerful AI assistant to handle intricate documents more productively.

Price:

• UPDF Pro Yearly Plan: $29.99 billed annually
• UPDF Pro Perpetual Plan: $49.99 one-time fee

#4) Nitro

Best for converting PDF to Excel and Powerpoint and sharing documents via the cloud.

Nitro is a comprehensive tool for creating and editing PDF. It is a reliable and efficient Acrobat pro alternative that comes with many functions. You can use it both professionally and personally on Windows. You can create, annotate, convert, combine, edit, and do a lot more with your PDF files.

Most document printing is solely done for signing the documents. To prevent the waste of paper and other resources, you can use its e-signing feature. You can integrate it into your workspace from top cloud options like Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc. You can also use its Microsoft Office plugin to use it directly on any MS platform.

Features:

• Fast conversion of PDF to Excel, Powerpoint, and other office formats.
• Quick and secure sharing of documents via the cloud.
• Quick file accessing and sharing.
• Easy PDF e-signing.
• Modify PDF files easily.
• Verify digital signatures easily.

Verdict: Nitro is one of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives for Windows. Its only drawback is that it is not available for any other platform\ apart from Mac as PDFpen.

Price: $143.99

#5) DocHub

Best for Web-based PDF Editing.

DocHub is an online platform that makes the task of PDF editing very simple. The platform provides you with all the tools you need to perform simple edits, add text, comments, or e-sign a document. You can use the software to create PDF files from scratch or merge documents with ease. 

The software’s also great when it comes to sharing and collaboration. You get to set roles and permissions. This sets up rules on who can view or edit a document. Plus, you can also use to software to secure a PDF file with password. 

Features:

• Edit PDF
• Create PDF
• Sign PSF
• Merge Documents
• Password protect PDF File

Verdict: DocHub is an easy to use and feature-rich PDF editor that can easily go toe-to-toe with Adobe Acrobat. Its ability to e-sign documents and assure compliance with every relevant regulatory body is what earns it a spot on this list. 

Price: The software is free to use. The pro version costs $14/month. You also get a 30 day free trial.

#6) Wise PDF Editor

Best for All-in-One PDF Processing.

Wise PDF Editor does just about everything you’d expect from a relatively popular PDF processor like Adobe Acrobat. You can use Wise PDF Editor to create a PDF file from scratch in just a couple of simple steps. You are armed with all the tools you need to edit a PDF file just the way you prefer. You can add or delete text, highlight content, add images, and more to a PDF file. 

You can also use the software to modify the theme or background of your PDF file. Besides editing, you can use the software to convert a PDF file into various other file formats like TXT or Doc. The software also lets you merge or split PDF files very easily. File compression is another area where the software shines. 

Features:

• Compress PDF Files
• Convert PDF Files
• Edit PDF Files
• Merge or Split PDF Files
• Annotate PDF

Verdict: Wise PDF Editor, with an intuitive interface and comprehensive set of features, can easily go toe-to-toe with a powerful solution like Adobe Acrobat. Light and fast, this PDF processing solution is one of the best you’ll find in the market today. 

Price: Wise PDF Editor is free to use with limited capabilities. The monthly paid plan will cost you $19. Its annual plan will cost you $8.25/month. On the other hand, the perpetual license can be bought for $149.25.

#7) Foxit

Best for creating PDF/A/E/X across all Operating Systems, including Android.

Foxit is a powerful alternative to Adobe Acrobat. It is available for all Operating Systems including iOS and Android mobiles. It allows you to edit a PDF, along with sharing it and commenting on it. There are many other features that you can use that make it a worthy alternative.

Features:

• Allows you to manage access permissions and keep a track of document modification history and who has made the changes.
• Allows you to share information about any project using the cloud.
• Advanced OCR feature.
• Makes a document accessible.
• Easy user interface.

Verdict: This is one of the best Adobe Acrobat Pro alternatives you will ever come across and is loaded with features you can use at an affordable cost.

Price: Foxit PDF Editor Pro- $139 (one time) or $69.15/Year

#8) PDFelement

Best for redacting sensitive information from PDF.

PDFelement is one of the premium Adobe Acrobat alternatives. It is a simple platform with multiple features that allows you to do a lot with a PDF file, like annotating, signing, redacting, etc.

You can also use it for creating and converting PDF and use OCR for scanned documents. And you can even extract data from the file. PDFelement is a multi-platform app that you can use on Windows, macOS, and iOS.

Features:

• Conversion of PDF to HTML, image formats, office documents.
• Create and combine multiple PDF files into one.
• Editing PDF files without changing original fonts and formatting.
• Conversion of non-fillable PDF to editable file.
• Password protection.
• E-signing PDF documents.

Verdict: PDFelements is one of the best alternatives that you can across various platforms.

Price:

• For Windows: $79.99/Year
• For Windows and iOS: $99.99/Year

#9) Sejda PDF Editor

Best for editing a PDF file and converting to various other formats.

If you want a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat, you can opt for Sejda. Although its free version has a limit of three tasks a day and a file size of 50 MB or 200 pages, it is sufficient if you are not a professional. And even if you want to remove the restrictions, you will only have to pay a nominal price.

Its free version also comes with quite an adequate range of free tools. You can also use its desktop version if you are not a fan of cloud applications. And it is not as expensive as other available options.

Features:

• Merging multiple files into one PDF.
• Split one PDF into multiple files.
• Easy conversion of PDF to Office and image formats.
• Compress PDF and keep the images and other resources optimized.
• Add, move, edit the text in your PDF.
• Apply PDF password and editing restrictions.

Verdict: If you want a free Adobe Acrobat Pro alternative for personal use, you can rely on Sejda for fulfilling your basic needs and much more.

Price: $63/Year

#10) PDF Architect

Best for optimizing and editing scanned PDF files with its OCR feature

Unlike any other Adobe Acrobat alternative, PDF Architect offers four different versions that you can pay for and use according to your convenience. If you only need to use basic functions like creating a PDF, editing PDF pages, and merging multiple PDF files, you can use its free version.

If you want to edit the text in PDF files and convert the file to other formats, you will need its Standard version. For doing more, like converting a PDF to a fillable form, commenting, and securing the file, opt for its Professional plan, and to use OCR, go for its Professional plus OCR plan.

Features:

• Free basic functions.
• Flexible pricing.
• Advanced OCR feature.
• Password protection.
• Editing PDF files.
• Converting non-fillable PDFs to fillable forms.
• E-signature.
• Adding review and comments to a PDF file.

Verdict: PDF Architect is the best alternative for Adobe Acrobat if you don’t want to spend a fortune in buying features you will not use. Its various plans allow you to pick one that suits your need.

Price:

• Basic- Free
• Standard- $69/Year
• Professional- $89/Year
• Professional+OCR- $129/Year

#11) PDF Reader Pro

Best for reading, editing, annotating, converting, and signing PDFs.

PDF Reader Pro is an alternative to Acrobat Pro that is designed to read, edit, and manage PDF files across all devices. You can use it to annotate PDF files, fill PDF forms, and encrypt PDF documents.

This application has an impressive set of tools that you can also use for digitally signing the document, combining multiple PDF files, converting files, and watermarking the PDF documents. You can do a lot more with this tool.

Features:

• Allows watermarking and digitally signing PDF files.
• File encryption and annotation.
• OCR option.
• Lightweight.
• Constant updates.

Verdict: If you are looking for an inexpensive PDF reader that you can rely on, PDF Reader Pro is a great option.

Price: Windows $ Android- Free, Mac- $59.99/license, iOS- $19.99/license

#12) Qoppa PDF Studio

Best for editing PDF documents with a comprehensive range of review and markup tools.

Qoppa PDF Studio Pro has come a long way. Its features can give Adobe Acrobat a run for the money. It will not be wrong to say this is one of the best adobe acrobat alternatives. It has everything you will need to manage your PDFs.

You can use its comprehensive set of tools to protect your PDF files with passwords, encryption, digital and electronic signatures, and permissions. Its editing tools are intuitively organized in its task-based tabs for a streamlined workflow.

Features:

• Drag and drop for file import and export.
• Supports almost all Operating Systems.
• Intuitively organized editing tools.
• Lightweight.
• Text and image editing directly on the page.

Verdict: Qoppa PDF Studio Pro is one of the best alternatives, if not as good. If you want an Adobe Acrobat Pro alternative that will work across all platforms, this is a good option.

Price:

• Standard- $89
• Pro- $129

#13) PDF-Xchange Editor

Best for easily editing PDF documents at an affordable price.

PDF-Xchange Editor is one of the most inexpensive alternatives to Acrobat Pro. It has all the tools necessary for creating, editing, and annotating PDF files and also has OCR and tools for digitally signing the documents. It also allows you to export PDF files to MS Office formats.

You can create fillable forms with its Plus version and most of its tools are available for free. You can use all paid features in the free version as well, but they will bear the watermark. This Adobe Acrobat alternative is way more affordable in comparison to Acrobat and other PDF editors.

Features:

• Affordable as compared to Adobe Acrobat.
• The toolbar can be customized.
• OCR function available.
• Allows you to create clickable links, Stamps, and colored QR codes.
• Reads marked text aloud.

Verdict: PDF-Xchange Editor is the best tool if you don’t want to spend much and yet enjoy similar facilities as Adobe Acrobat.

Price:

• PDF-XChange Editor- $46.50
• PDF-XChange Editor Plus- $59.50

#14) PDFLiner

Best for PDF Processing in Minutes.

There are a lot of things that make PDFLiner a worthy alternative to Adobe. However, it is ultimately its online editing interface that we find truly excellent. This interface is what makes the software so simple and fun to use. Anyone can start editing a PDF document with PDFLiner by simply uploading a file onto its website.

The editing interface itself is immaculate and easy to navigate. Besides editing, you can count on PDFLiner to perform a number of other crucial functions like PDF conversion, splitting, and Password protecting a file.

Features:

• Online PDF Editing
• Convert PDF File to JPG and PNG Format
• Add digital signature to a PDF File
• Redact or highlight content on a PDF File
• PDF Splitting.

Verdict: While not as intuitive and polished as Adobe, PDFLiner can still give Adobe a run for its money with a cleaner editing interface and quick PDF processing capabilities. Plus, it is really affordable.

Price:

• Free 5 days Trial
• Basic plan costs $9/month
• Pro plan costs $19/month
• Premium plan costs $29/month

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Adobe Acrobat is a full-fledged application if you want to do anything with your PDFs. However, not everyone can afford it. Also, you might not need all the features it offers. And that’s why having a few alternatives is always a good option.

All the alternatives we have mentioned above are extremely good and worth considering, but Foxit and PDFelements are worth trying.