In many industries, working with PDF files is common. But it's not only the people who are part of the workforce that work with these files. Students also often need to view, create, and edit PDFs. The gist is that no matter who you are, you highly likely need a PDF editor. PDFescape is one of your options.
But don't blindly buy PDFescape. You must first know how good it is and what its limitations are. Should you decide it's not for you, look for something else. Let us help you with that. Here's a PDFescape review and its best alternative.
PDFescape Pros & Cons
Here are the pros and cons of PDFescape to help you decide if it's worth it.
Pros
The Premium and Ultimate versions are quite affordable
An online version is available, and it is free.
Offers all the basic and some advanced features.
Offers online storage for your PDF files.
Easy to use.
Cons
The free version does not give you access to the desktop app. It also has limited capabilities.
The free version has an ad-plagued workspace.
Not available on macOS.
PDFescape is a safe PDF editor that can be feature-rich if you're willing to pay. That said, it's recommended that you get the budget-friendly Premium or Ultimate editions of the product.
PDFescape Online VS. PDFescape for Desktop
Should you subscribe to PDFescape to get the desktop version, or is the online version enough? Here is a quick comparison.
PDFescape online allows you to annotate and markup PDF files, fill and save PDF forms, and create basic PDF forms. It also lets you share PDF files and print to PDF from other applications. But that's about it.
On the other hand, PDFescape gives you access to more tools. For instance, it lets you edit text and images in PDF documents. The desktop version also unlocks the combining, compressing, and scanning features.
Another difference is the workspace. The desktop version is ad-free, while the online version is not.
There are also differences with online storage. The free version can only store 10 files for 7 days. Meanwhile, the desktop version can store 100 files for 30 days without expiration. Last, you can only upload up to 10 MB in the online version, while the desktop version lets you upload up to 40 MB each.
Reasons To Look for PDFescape Alternatives
PDFescape is an excellent PDF tool. However, it has glaring limitations. For one, PDFescape's free version is an online tool. You can only use it when you have an internet connection. On top of that, it has a limit of 10 MB per file.
The good thing is that it is more affordable than others. You'll get the desktop software if you pay for the Premium or Ultimate versions. The bad thing is that it lacks some frequently used features. PDFescape does not have an OCR feature. So it can't convert scanned documents to editable PDFs.
Furthermore, PDFescape does not let you share PDFs through links. In the business world, you'll often look for this capability.
And to top it all off, PDFescape is not available on Mac.
With all these said, you may want PDFescape alternatives. You want to find tools with all of PDFescape's capabilities, plus the essential features it is missing.
Frequently Asked Question
Here are some FAQs about PDFescape. After what you have read, you're probably asking these same questions.
1. Is There a Suitable Alternative to PDFescape Editor?
Yes. PDFescape has a very excellent alternative. You can try Wondershare PDFelement. It's a multiplatform PDF tool with more useful features than you can count on your hands. Since it is not an online tool, it's always available as long as you have your device where PDFelement is installed.
2. Is There a Way To Edit PDFs for Free?
Yes. You can use many programs to edit PDF documents for free. The abovementioned Wondershare PDFelement is one of those tools. However, please note that PDFelement adds a watermark to your document after you edit and save it. So, it's best for editing PDFs for personal purposes.
You can also try HiPDF. The latest addition to this free online tool is the editing feature.
3. How Can I Edit a PDF Without Adobe?
Adobe is the creator of the PDF file format. But you don't need their programs to edit PDF files. There are plenty of PDF editors out there. PDFescape is one example, and so are HiPDF and PDFelement. You can use these tools as an alternative to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
Why Is PDFelement More Promising Than PDFescape
Here are some reasons why you should pick PDFelement as your PDF editor.
PDFelement Is More Stable
Free or not, Wondershare PDFelement is a desktop app. Thus, you can always use it, even without an internet connection. That makes it more stable. On top of that, because it is not an online tool, you don't need to upload files, and there are no file size limits.
PDFelement Has OCR and Translation Functions
PDFelement also has the tools the other PDF software does not offer. For instance, it has an OCR feature. PDFelement recognizes over 20 languages and can convert image text into searchable or editable text.
On the topic of languages, PDFelement also has a translation feature. It will help you understand documents written in languages you need to learn.
PDFelement Lets You Share PDFs Via Links
Document sharing is common in offices, business partnerships, and studies. An easy way to accomplish that is by using shareable links. Wondershare PDFelement allows you to generate these for your PDF file. Then, you can send those links to the people you want to access the document.
PDFelement Is Easy To Use
Whether new to working with PDF files or not, you can use PDFelement easily. It has an intuitive design that makes navigating it a breeze. Screen tips also pop up when you hover your cursor over buttons, telling you what they do. The best thing about PDFelement is that it makes your skill level irrelevant.
PDFelement Vs. PDFescape
Wondershare PDFelement |
PDFescape |
|
Supported OS | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows |
Price |
● $29.99 per quarter ● $79.99 per year ● $129.99 for the Perpetual plan |
● The Premium version costs $2.99 per month ● The Ultimate version costs $5.99 per month |
Offers OCR | Yes | No |
Online Document Storage | ● Free 1GB cloud document storage |
● The free version allows you to store 10 files for 7 days ● The Premium version allows you to store 100 files for 30 days ● PDFescape Ultimate allows you to store 100 files forever |
Requires Internet connection? | No | The free version requires an internet connection. |
How To Edit PDFs Using PDFelement: PDFescape's Alternative
Here are simple guides on how to use some of PDFelement's features.
Creating New PDFs
To create new PDFs using PDFelement, follow these steps:
1. Open PDFelement.
2. Click Create PDF.
3. Click Blank PDF if you want to start from scratch or PDF Template to browse PDFelement's selection of PDF templates for easy document creation.

Convert Files to PDF
To convert images and Office files into PDF, follow these steps:
1. Open PDFelement.
2. Click Convert.
3. Click From File.
4. Select and open the file you want to convert. PDFelement will convert it into PDF automatically.

5. Save the new file.
Convert PDF to Other Formats
Here's how to convert PDF files to other formats.
1. Open PDFelement.
2. Click Convert.
3. Select the PDF that you want to convert to another format.
4. Choose your target format under the Output Format

5. Click OK.
Edit PDFs
To edit existing PDFs using PDFelement, follow these steps:
1. Open PDFelement.
2. Click Edit.
3. Open the PDF file that you want to edit.
4. Select from the features on the toolbar of the Edit tab to edit the PDF's contents.

Annotate PDFs
1. Open PDFelement.
2. Click Edit.
3. Open the PDF file that you want to edit.
4. Click Comments.
5. Select from the toolbar the annotation tools that you'd like to use.

Conclusion
PDFescape is a great, budget-friendly PDF tool. However, because of its low price, it's unsurprising that it lacks some features. If you want a more feature-rich PDF software and you are okay with spending a little more, choose PDFelement. It is an easy-to-use and powerful PDF editor boasting many features. No matter what you need to do with PDFs, PDFelement can help you. Thus, it is PDFescape's best alternative.