12 Best PDF Tools in 2026
PDF tools let people view, edit, merge, and convert PDF documents, used by office workers, students, and anyone handling paperwork digitally.
Top pdf tools
| Tool | Best for | License | Price | Reviews | Likes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Acrobat | teams and individuals who need pixel-perfect PDF editing plus legally binding e-signatures in one subscription, especially those already using other Adobe products | Freemium | Free tier · paid from $14.99/mo | 0 | |
| Foxit PDF Editor | individuals and enterprise teams who want desktop, web, and mobile PDF editing with built-in e-signature and AI redaction at a lower list price than Adobe Acrobat | Paid | Custom pricing | 0 | |
| Nitro PDF | mid-size and enterprise teams that need centralized admin controls, SSO, and AI-assisted redaction across Windows, macOS, and web, not just individual PDF editing | Paid | Custom pricing | 0 | |
| PDF Expert | Mac and iOS users who want a native, non-Adobe PDF editor for signing contracts and editing documents across their Apple devices | Paid | From $79.99/yr | 0 | |
| PDFescape | individuals who need occasional, quick PDF edits, annotation, or form filling in a browser without installing software or creating an account | Freemium | Free tier · paid from $2.99/mo | 0 | |
| PDFgear | individuals who want a completely free PDF editor with AI features and no account requirement | Free | Free | 0 | |
| Sejda | individuals, students, and small businesses who need occasional PDF editing, conversion, and batch processing without an Adobe Acrobat subscription | Freemium | Free tier · paid from $5 one-time | 0 | |
| Smallpdf | individuals and small teams who need quick browser-based PDF conversion, compression, e-signing, and editing without installing desktop software | Freemium | Free tier · paid from $9/mo | 0 | |
| Stirling PDF | teams and regulated organizations that need to edit, OCR, or redact PDFs without sending files to a third-party cloud service | Open core | Free tier · paid from $99/mo | 0 | |
| Wondershare PDFelement | individuals and small teams who want an Adobe Acrobat-level PDF editor at a lower price, with the option to buy a perpetual license instead of a subscription | Paid | From $21.99/mo | 0 | |
| Xodo | AEC and business services teams that need cross-platform PDF editing, annotation, and e-signing across web, desktop, and mobile without a full Adobe Acrobat subscription | Freemium | Free tier · paid from $7.99/mo | 0 | |
| iLovePDF | individuals and small teams who need occasional-to-frequent PDF merging, converting, and compressing without Adobe Acrobat's higher price | Freemium | Free tier · paid from $5/mo | 0 |
Adobe Acrobat
Foxit PDF Editor
Nitro PDF
PDF Expert
PDFescape
PDFgear
Sejda
Smallpdf
Stirling PDF
Wondershare PDFelement
Xodo
iLovePDF3 of 3 sponsor slots open
Reach people actively switching tools — your card on every page, from $10/day.
Book a sponsor slotFind alternatives to a specific tool
Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat6Alternatives to Foxit PDF Editor5Alternatives to Nitro PDF4Alternatives to PDF Expert5Alternatives to PDFescape5Alternatives to PDFgear5Alternatives to Sejda5Alternatives to Smallpdf4Alternatives to Stirling PDF4Alternatives to Wondershare PDFelement5Alternatives to Xodo5Alternatives to iLovePDF4
Frequently asked questions
What is the best pdf tool tool right now?
- Adobe Acrobat leads this list by user signals — it is best for teams and individuals who need pixel-perfect pdf editing plus legally binding e-signatures in one subscription, especially those already using other adobe products. Foxit PDF Editor is the strongest runner-up.
Which pdf tools are free?
- 8 of the 12 tools here have a usable free tier or are fully free: Adobe Acrobat, PDFescape, PDFgear, Sejda, Smallpdf and 3 more.
Are there open-source pdf tools?
- Yes — Stirling PDF is open source.