Top 12 Best Free PDF Editors in 2023

Elise Williams

2023-09-26 15:52:40 • Filed to: Free PDF Tools • Proven solutions

In the course of trying to manage, view, and edit PDF documents, you may have used a free PDF editor in the past, either online or offline. But have you ever asked yourself the question: "What is the best PDF editor for free?" If you're not a heavy PDF user, you probably won't require a proper PDF editing tool. Nevertheless, we recommend that you find some free PDF editor software online and offline to help get you through the chores of editing documents, filling out forms, applying electronic signatures, and so on. And that's what this article is all about.

If you are in a hurry, just download Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor, an easy-to-use PDF editor that allows you to edit text, images, links, watermarks, comments and more in PDF files. It can also convert, sign, arrange PDF pages, and do any other editing as you like.

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Part 1: When Would You Need to Edit PDFs for Free?

As the world becomes more digitally transformed, it's inevitable that you will come across PDF documents in the course of a normal day - invoices, contracts, eBooks, bank statements, credit card statements, tax forms, insurance forms… these are just some of the examples of the widespread use of PDF. Here are several use cases where you’re not a regular PDF user but still need a robust and free PDF tool to deal with the task at hand:

• Filling out interactive PDF forms
• Signing a document and sharing it online
• Making annotations on a project document to provide feedback
• Marking up a file for corrections
• Adding or deleting texts and images for proofreading.

For the above common PDF usage scenarios, it will be easily realized by using a PDF editor, such as Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor, an all-in-one PDF Solution, making you can edit pdf files with ease. For example, it helps you add, and delete texts, images, watermarks, backgrounds, forms, and so on. It's compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android systems, and you can try it for free. Also, if you want to use an online PDF editor, here are some options for you below. You can choose the right PDF editor based on your needs.

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Part 2: TOP Free PDF Editor for Windows

1. PDFelement - Easy-to-use PDF Editor

PDFelement is an outstanding PDF editor for Windows that tops the list. It is a worthy alternative to Adobe Acrobat, which has been widely regarded as the industry standard when it comes to PDF editing. The good thing is that this wonderful PDF editor has a free trial that comes with basic PDF editing solutions. Meanwhile, the paid version offers good value for the cost, as it is affordable when compared to other PDF editors.

It boasts a lot of incredible features which include annotating, editing, and converting PDFs to other formats, adding signatures, and filling PDF forms. In fact, this best Windows PDF editor gives you a complete solution to edit PDF files like never before. For example, it can help you edit PDF text, add, remove, extract images from PDF, edit and remove watermarks, background, and so on. More importantly, it allows you to enjoy a large cloud storage space (up to 100GB) from Wondershare Document Cloud. Download this simple PDF editor now.

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Free version: The free version of PDFelement can edit, annotate, convert, combine and split PDFs. It can combine and convert up to 3 files for free.

Pros

• PDFelement can do what Adobe can do, making it the editor with the best value for money.
• Users can try it out before they commit to buying it.
• Its simple design provides a user-friendly interface for both beginners and pros.
• It is secured with your documents.
• It has OCR technology, which allows you to edit/extract the PDF files from scanning.
• Moreover, it possesses the Document Cloud service, making you access your cloud documents on any device.
• It allows you to edit, convert, annotate, sign, protect, compress PDF files, and so on.

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Cons

• It has limited features when used as a free PDF editor with the trial version.

Upgrade from the free version:

• The free version offers basic PDF solutions.
• Only costs $79.99 for the PDFelement professional version, which offers a comprehensive PDF solution.

System Support

• Windows System Support: Best PDF reader and editor for Windows Vista/7/8/10/11.
• Mac System Support: Highly compatible with all macOS from 10.14 to the latest macOS 13.

How to Edit PDF with PDFelement

Download PDFelement on your device and click Edit to open a PDF file that needs to be edited.

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Edit text: PDFelement will automatically detect all the editable elements in the file. Navigate to the text that you need to edit and change the existing text. Or click Add Text to add new text.

Edit image: Right-click an image in PDF. You can then have the options to delete, rotate, resize, or replace the image. You can also add a new image.

Edit link, watermark, header&footer: You can also add clickable hyperlinks in PDF, watermark confidential files, add page numbers, and more.

2. Acrobat^® Pro DC PDF Editing Software

There is no doubt that the Adobe Acrobat PDF editor sets the pace for PDF editing and is widely regarded as the best PDF editing tool for Windows 10; however, it is considered to be overpriced. It is important to note that PDF editing is not just for large businesses but also for individuals and small businesses, and therefore the price is critical. But Adobe is still a great PDF editor with top-class features that help users convert, edit, and annotate, among other functions.

Free Version: Adobe provides a 7-day free trial of a fully functional version of Acrobat Pro DC. You can edit, convert, and annotate PDFs for free in 7 days.

Pros

• One of the best PDF editors with top-notch features.
• It is easy to use with a decent and friendly user interface.
• OCR technology is available to edit scanned PDFs.

Cons

• It is a more expensive PDF editor when compared to other alternatives.
• It may not be suitable for individuals and small businesses due to the cost.

Upgrade from the free version: It costs $179.88 for one year or $14.99 per month for the subscription.

System Support: This PDF editor can be compatible with all Windows systems.

3. Foxit Phantom PDF Editor Software

This is another PDF text editor capable of editing your PDF files in Windows systems. Apart from the editing feature, Phantom PDF can also perform other functions, including merging and splitting PDFs, annotating and sharing PDF files, creating PDF forms, and converting PDFs to other file formats. What's more, you can also add encryption to PDFs, redact PDFs, and sign PDFs.

Free version: Foxit PDF Editor provides you with a free trial for 14 days. You'll have access to the full functionality of the PDF editor during the 14-day trial.

Pros

• Provides a trial of 14 days to customers to try it out.
• With the OCR function, users can work with scanned PDFs.

Cons

• The trial version has limited features.
• The user interface of this PDF text editor isn't as easy to use.

Upgrade from the free version: It comes in three versions: standard, business, and education. The standard version is $159 in a one-time payment.

System Support: It supports all Windows systems as well.

4. AbleWord Free PDF Editor

This PDF reader and writer may not be as well-known as software, but it still made it on our list of the best free PDF editor tools for Windows. It is also a word processor, which means that you can edit files as easily as you would with a Word document. AbleWord supports reformatting images, adding or editing headers and footers, and tables, among other useful functions. It also includes spell check and other functions.

Free version: This is a completely free PDF editor. Just install and use it.

Pros

• It is easy to use and also free.
• It also supports some Microsoft Word features.

Cons

• It has limited features.
• Its output is not as good as some other top PDF editors.

System Support: It can be used to edit PDFs on Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows XP.

5. Kofax Power PDF Editor Free Download

The Kofax Power PDF editor for Windows can convert, annotate, edit, and add encryption to your PDF documents. As another best PDF editor software, this PDF editor also boasts powerful features such as converting paper documents to interactive PDF fields. This makes it possible to scan paper forms and convert them to fillable forms with OCR.

Free version: Provide a 15-day free trial, which gives you full access to the PDF editing features of Kofax Power PDF without credit card required.

Pros

• Offers the ability to edit, convert and perform many other functions.
• Comes with OCR and Esign functions.

Cons

• More expensive in comparison to other PDF editing alternatives.
• The UI is not user-friendly as some other PDF editors.

Upgrade from the free version: The cost starts at $129.

System Support: It is compatible with Windows and macOS platforms.

Choose the Right PDF Editor for Free Trial

Part 3: Best Free PDF Editor for Mac

Many PDF editors offer both Windows and Mac versions, such as Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor. You can find that PDFelement for Mac has very similar features to its Windows version and allows you to edit PDF text, images, links, and more on Mac.

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You can also find some free PDF editors dedicated to Mac. The built-in tool Preview allows you to annotate and convert PDFs for free, however, you can't edit text with it. Learn more free PDF editors for Mac

1. PDFelement for Mac

PDFelement for Mac is a powerful PDF editing software for Mac, which allows you to edit text, images, and links in PDF files, create & convert PDF, add annotations to PDF documents and more. It also provides an OCR tool for you to convert scanned PDFs to editable and searchable version.

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Pros

• A powerful PDF editor for Mac. Comes with the ability to edit, convert, sign, protect PDFs.
• Intuitive interface.

Cons

• The free version adds a watermark to the documents.

Upgrade from the free version: The cost starts at $79.99/per year. It provides a lifetime version at $129.99

System Support: macOS 10.14 - macOS 13.

2. Preview - Free PDF Editor on Mac

Preview is a built-in free PDF editor for macOS. It allows you to add text, strike out text, highlight text, add comments to PDF files. You can also convert PDF to other formats(JPG, PNG, etc.) for free on Mac with Preview. It is the best free PDF editor you can find for Mac.

Pros

• Free PDF editing software without a watermark.

Cons

• Unable to change texts, images in PDF files.
• Unable to add images to PDF.

Part 4: TOP Free PDF Editor Online

There are a ton of options out there when it comes to using a PDF file editor free of charge, but many free versions come with watermarks or require you to register yourself as a user before you can enjoy the full functionality of the platform. Such applications, whether online or installable, can hardly be counted among the best free PDF editors. So, which are the true best PDF editors for free? Let’s have a look.

1. HiPDF - Simple Online PDF Editor

Developed by Wondershare Technology as a free online PDF editor, HiPDF gives you all the tools you need to stay on top of any PDF workflow. For editing PDF files, it allows you to add texts, images, and shapes. Moreover, it includes a massive collection of PDF utilities for file conversions, encryption, PDF compression, file and page management, OCR, API, and much more. It’s a one-stop online shop for all things PDF. Each function has a dedicated web page where you can upload your PDFs and other documents, process the task, and then download the file with no watermarks or other restrictions.

Pros

• Completely free, no strings attached; paid Pro option with richer features
• A comprehensive range of utilities comprising a free PDF editor, converter, compressor, OCR, and other tools

Cons

• Documents are uploaded to the web, where they may be at risk while in transit
• You will need a stable and fast Internet connection when working with large files or complex processes such as OCR

Upgrade from the free version: $6 per month.

2. Smallpdf - Complete PDF Editor Online

Smallpdf is another well-known online PDF solutions platform. It offers an array of PDF tools such as a free PDF editor, file compression, file conversion, etc. but the free version has a lot of important features locked behind the paywall. It's a great service to use when you're in an unfamiliar location and you need to access a PDF tool on a computer different from your own.

Pros

• Excellent file compression tool
• Comprehensive PDF tools for conversion, editing, security, signing, etc.

Cons

• Users cannot set the name of a processed file when saving it
• Doesn't do well with large PDF files

Upgrade from the free version: $12 per month.

3. iLovePDF - Free PDF Editor

This online PDF service comprises a collection of useful tools for editing, conversion, compression, file and page management, and even PDF repair. While not as popular as SmallPDF or HiPDF, ILovePDF offers a matching array of capabilities to help users handle relatively light document workflows.

Pros

• Limited "Convert to PDF" options
• No advanced tools, such as OCR

Cons

• Users cannot set the name of a processed file when saving it
• Doesn't do well with large PDF files

Upgrade from the free version: $4 per month.

4. pdfFiller - Online Free PDF Editing Tool

The tools in pdfFiller are laid out very differently from most other online PDF editors, and the focus is clearly on providing the right tools to the right type of user. As such, the company has various custom solutions for industries across healthcare, finance, legal, and so on. The online platform offers several important PDF tools required by business users from these and other industries.

Pros

• Solution-specific PDF tools
• API and third-party integrations

Cons

• The online platform is sometimes slow or unresponsive
• Limited advanced features such as OCR and API

Upgrade from the free version: $12 per month.

5. Sejda PDF Editor - Free PDF Editor

Sejda is a free PDF editor on our list, and this is due to its impressive features. It allows you to edit your PDF files easily. Apart from editing PDFs, it can also add signatures on PDF files, add comments and links on PDFs, create fillable PDF forms, and edit the content in PDF documents.

Pros

• You can edit an unlimited number of documents.
• There is no page or hourly limit.

Cons

• It is not as secure as other PDF editors.
• There is no OCR included in this online PDF editor.
• The user interface is not user-friendly.

Upgrade from the free version: $7.5 per month.

6. PDF Buddy - Handy PDF Editor Online

This is another one of the best free PDF editors in 2021. You do not need to download and install it on your PC to edit PDFs for free. It is a free PDF editor for Windows that allows you to edit PDFs files online easily. There's no need to download a PDF editor, as everything is done online.

Pros

• Uploading files and editing them is easy.
• The instructions are clear, and you can complete tasks quickly.
• Signing up takes just a few minutes.
• It is a free PDF editor for Windows.

Cons

• The features are limited, so there are many things you might not be able to do with this editor. For example, you cannot merge PDF files using this tool, and you can't use it to create a PDF file.
• The security and privacy of your documents are a concern with this editor because all edits are done over the Internet.

Upgrade from the free version: $7.99 per month.

Part 5: Online PDF Editor VS PDF Editor Offline

The differences between the online PDF editor and the ones that you install on your PC are vast. Since desktop applications can use your local resources in a more efficient way, they're able to perform complex tasks such as OCR or handling large PDF files. Here’s a quick look at the main differences:

Part 6: Which Type of Free PDF Editor is Best for You?

Choosing a PDF editor is definitely not a job for the faint-hearted, and it's because there are so many online and offline tools available for PDFs that it's impossible to try them all. In general, HiPDF is one of the top recommendations for a free PDF editor online, but its sister product from Wondershare is an equally powerful contender in the desktop PDF editor category. If you want to narrow it down for a more robust user experience, then a free PDF editor for desktops is the category you want to pursue, and Wondershare PDFelement Pro is exactly what you're looking for.

The Best PDF Editor for Windows - PDFelement

As one of the top-rated PDF applications available today for Mac and Windows, PDFelement is an award-winning product from one of the most prolific software development companies in the realm of productivity and creativity tools. The current version of PDFelement Pro is the result of several years of experience with earlier iterations and continual development through research, customer feedback, and other important channels. Here are some of the things that set it apart from the crowd of PDF editors on the market today.

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• Attractive and intuitive interface that brings minimalistic design to a whole new level
• Clear and crisp labeling, iconography, page layouts, etc.
• Easy navigation despite being feature-rich
• Features include file conversion, editing, annotations, e-signatures, password security, forms management, OCR, page and file organizing, file size optimization, viewing, printing, sharing, batch processes, etc.
• Fast app launch and document open times
• Handles heavy workflows like a breeze
• Hundreds of free templates (Windows PDFelement Pro users)
• Integrated with Wondershare Document Cloud for PDF storage and bulk e-signature service

What types of content in PDF you can edit using PDFelement?

• Text - add, edit, and delete text, change the text font, color, align, line space, etc.
• Image - rotate, extract, replace, overturn the image, and change its position and size.
• Link - add, edit, or remove the hyperlink and its appearances, such as color, type, highlight style, line style, and line thickness.
• Watermark - add a watermark, edit its position, the proportion of pages, color, opacity, etc., or remove the watermark.
• Background - add and edit the background color and image or remove the background.
• Header and Footer - add or delete the page number, header, and footer, edit their font,c color, position, style, page range, and so on.
• Bates numbering - add, edit, and delete text, change the text font, color, align, line space, etc. add and edit bates numbering, including the font, size, style, position, etc.

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When you're on the go, HiPDF can help you no matter which computer you're using, and for your home and office computers, PDFelement Pro comes highly recommended by users and professional reviewers alike.

Part 7: FAQs about Free PDF Editors

Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!

Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!

Buy PDFelement right now!

Buy PDFelement right now!

Elise Williams

chief Editor

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