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Free Adobe Acrobat alternatives

Top PDF Editors like Adobe Acrobat

The most popular alternative to Adobe Acrobat is PDFgear, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Adobe Acrobat are PDF Expert, Smallpdf, Sumatra PDF, and Okular.

Most alternatives to Adobe Acrobat are in the PDF Editors category, compared here by price, platform and features.

Adobe Acrobat alternatives
AllFreeOpen source
8 apps

All Adobe Acrobat alternatives

  1. PDFgear

    4.7(8.8K) · App Store

    PDFgear is a free PDF application from Singapore-based PDF Gear Tech for reading, editing, converting, merging, compressing and signing documents. It includes OCR for scanned files and a Copilot assistant that summarises PDFs and carries out edits from chat requests. It is available on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and the web, without watermarks or a required account.

    10 PDFgear alternatives

    Pros

    • Free editing, conversion and signing without watermarks
    • No account required to use the apps
    • Copilot assistant summarises PDFs and applies edits from chat

    Cons

    • Text editing is less precise than in Acrobat or Foxit
    • Younger product with less of a track record than established editors
    Cost / License
    FreeProprietary
    Categories
    PDF Editors
    Platforms
    WebWindowsMaciPhoneAndroid
    Features
    AI assistantElectronic signaturesMerge and split PDFsOCRPDF conversionPDF text editing
    Visit websiteMore about PDFgear

  2. PDF Expert

    4.7(216.1K) · App Store

    PDF Expert is a PDF app from Readdle designed for Apple devices. Reading, annotating, highlighting and filling forms are free, while a subscription unlocks text and image editing, OCR for scanned pages, page management, conversion and signatures. Its native interface is designed to stay responsive with large documents.

    8 PDF Expert alternatives

    Pros

    • Native Apple design that stays fast with large documents
    • Reading, annotation and form filling are free
    • Clean tools for editing text, images and pages

    Cons

    • Editing, OCR and conversion require a subscription
    • Fewer enterprise and automation features than Acrobat
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    PDF Editors
    Platforms
    MaciPhone
    Features
    Electronic signaturesMerge and split PDFsOCRPDF annotationPDF conversionPDF text editing
    Visit websiteMore about PDF Expert

  3. Smallpdf

    4.8(6.9K) · App Store

    Smallpdf is a Swiss PDF platform with simple tools to compress, convert, merge, split, edit and sign PDFs from the browser, plus desktop and mobile apps. It is aimed at individuals and teams with quick, occasional PDF tasks. Free users get a limited number of tasks per day, while the Pro plan removes limits and adds OCR, batch processing and AI tools for summarising documents.

    8 Smallpdf alternatives

    Pros

    • Clean, simple tools for quick PDF tasks in the browser
    • Compress, convert, merge, edit and sign in one place
    • Desktop and mobile apps alongside the web version

    Cons

    • Free users get only a few tasks per day
    • OCR, batch processing and AI tools require Pro
    • Files are processed online, a concern for sensitive documents
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    PDF Editors
    Platforms
    WebWindowsMaciPhoneAndroid
    Features
    AI assistantElectronic signaturesMerge and split PDFsOCRPDF conversionPDF text editing
    Visit websiteMore about Smallpdf

  4. Sumatra PDF

    17.7Kstars

    Sumatra PDF is a small, fast document reader for Windows that opens PDF, EPUB, MOBI, XPS, DjVu and comic book files. It focuses on quick startup and a minimal interface rather than editing, with basic annotation support and a portable version that runs without installation. It is free and open source under the GPLv3.

    6 Sumatra PDF alternatives

    Pros

    • Very fast startup and a minimal interface
    • Opens PDF, EPUB, MOBI, DjVu and comic book files
    • Portable version runs without installation

    Cons

    • Available on Windows only, with no Mac or Linux version
    • No PDF editing and only basic annotations
    Cost / License
    FreeOpen source
    Categories
    PDF Editors
    Platforms
    Windows
    Features
    Ad-freeOffline modePDF annotation
    Visit websiteMore about Sumatra PDF

  5. Okular

    Okular is the document viewer developed by the KDE community, opening PDF, EPUB, DjVu, XPS, comic books and other formats in one application. It supports highlighting, notes and other annotations, form filling and digital signatures for PDFs. Okular is free and open source, is usually installed with the KDE Plasma desktop on Linux and is also available for Windows.

    6 Okular alternatives

    Pros

    • Opens PDF, EPUB, DjVu, XPS and comics in one viewer
    • Highlights, notes, form filling and digital signatures
    • Free and open source, with no ads

    Cons

    • Cannot edit the text or images of a PDF
    • Works best on KDE Plasma and feels less native elsewhere
    Cost / License
    FreeOpen source
    Categories
    PDF Editors
    Platforms
    WindowsLinux
    Features
    Ad-freeElectronic signaturesOffline modePDF annotation
    Visit websiteMore about Okular

  6. iLovePDF

    4.8(51.9K) · App Store

    iLovePDF is a web-based PDF toolkit from a company based in Barcelona, with single-purpose tools to merge, split, compress, convert, rotate, watermark, OCR and sign PDF files. Desktop and mobile apps cover the same tasks, and a developer API is offered separately. Most tools are free with file-size and usage limits, and a Premium subscription removes them.

    8 iLovePDF alternatives

    Pros

    • Simple single-purpose tools for merging, splitting and compressing
    • Most tools work free in the browser, with nothing to install
    • Developer API for automating PDF tasks

    Cons

    • Free use has file-size and usage limits
    • Uploading files to a web service may not suit sensitive documents
    • Text editing is basic compared with desktop editors
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
    PDF Editors
    Platforms
    WebWindowsMaciPhoneAndroid
    Features
    API accessElectronic signaturesMerge and split PDFsOCRPDF conversionPDF text editing
    Visit websiteMore about iLovePDF

  7. PDF24 Tools

    PDF24 Tools is a free collection of PDF utilities from the German company Geek Software, covering merging, splitting, compressing, converting, OCR, editing, signing and redacting. The tools run in the browser, and the PDF24 Creator app for Windows offers the same features offline along with a virtual PDF printer. There is no paid tier, and the website shows ads.

    10 PDF24 Tools alternatives

    Pros

    • Completely free, with no paid tier
    • Wide range of tools, including OCR, redaction and signing
    • Windows app works offline and adds a virtual PDF printer

    Cons

    • The website shows ads alongside the tools
    • The desktop app is Windows only
    • Interface is functional rather than modern
    Cost / License
    FreeProprietary
    Categories
    PDF Editors
    Platforms
    WebWindows
    Features
    Electronic signaturesMerge and split PDFsOCROffline modePDF conversionPDF text editing
    Visit websiteMore about PDF24 Tools

  8. Stirling-PDF

    94Kstars

    Stirling-PDF is an open-core PDF application you can run on your own server, typically with Docker, so documents never leave your infrastructure. It bundles tools to merge, split, compress, convert, OCR, sign, redact and edit PDFs, plus a REST API and pipelines for automating repetitive jobs. The core is MIT-licensed and free; paid plans add enterprise features such as SSO.

    7 Stirling-PDF alternatives

    Pros

    • Self-hosted, so documents never leave your infrastructure
    • Dozens of tools for merging, OCR, redaction and conversion
    • REST API and pipelines automate repetitive jobs

    Cons

    • Requires running a server, typically with Docker
    • SSO and other enterprise features are paid
    Cost / License
    FreemiumOpen source
    Categories
    PDF Editors
    Platforms
    WebSelf-hosted
    Features
    API accessElectronic signaturesMerge and split PDFsOCRPDF conversionPDF text editing
    Visit websiteMore about Stirling-PDF

Adobe Acrobat vs its alternatives at a glance

Pricing, platforms and the key features of Adobe Acrobat, compared with its most popular alternatives.

Adobe Acrobat vs its alternatives at a glance
AppPricingPlatformsAI assistantElectronic signaturesMerge and split PDFsOCRPDF annotation
Adobe AcrobatFreemiumWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Browser extension
PDFgearFreeWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android
PDF ExpertFreemiumMac, iPhone
SmallpdfFreemiumWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android
Sumatra PDFFreeOpen sourceWindows
OkularFreeOpen sourceWindows, Linux

Adobe Acrobat alternatives: frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Adobe Acrobat?

The most popular alternative to Adobe Acrobat is PDFgear: Free PDF editor with an AI chat assistant, no sign-up required. Other great alternatives are PDF Expert, Smallpdf, Sumatra PDF, and Okular.

Is there a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat?

Yes, 8 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including PDFgear, PDF Expert, Smallpdf, and Sumatra PDF.

Is there an open source alternative to Adobe Acrobat?

Yes, 3 open source alternatives are listed, including Sumatra PDF, Okular, and Stirling-PDF.

Is Adobe Acrobat free?

Adobe Acrobat has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.

Compare Adobe Acrobat with its alternatives

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