PDF documents are the most preferred document format which is widely used in business affairs as it is meant to behave and appear the same way on any platform and device. Apart from that security is more important than anything else especially when the businesses share the information over the internet or intranet.
The PDF format provides solid security with the password feature. Businesses need nor worry about unauthorized persons accessing the information as they are properly protected. As it is the most preferred document format for most of the businesses, the PDF editor is essential. It’s not easy to edit PDF documents without a dedicated PDF editing tool.
There are tons of PDF editor software with their own set of features. You can create tax forms, legal documents, brochures, contracts, presentations, etc with the help of a PDF editor. If you are a startup or a freelancer you need not shell out hundreds of dollars to purchase an advanced PDF editor software. T
here are a few really good free PDF editors which serve the purpose especially if you are a freelancer or a startup where each and every penny counts. We’ve compiled a list of 7 best PDF editors for 2019. Let’s jump in!
Contents
7 Best Free PDF Editors for 2019
1. PDFelement 6
PDFelement is an efficient PDF editor with which you can create, edit, secure and organize the documents. It is an enterprise-level PDF editing software which you is easy to use and affordable. It’s super intuitive and you need not spend hours on it to understand it. It has got tons of features and works on both Mac and Windows platforms. Even some Fortune 500 companies use PDFElement 6 for its powerful features and intuitive interface. The best thing is it has got a trial version which you can download for free!
- Great editing features like split, replace, insert and extract PDF pages.
- It’s easy to annotate PDFs and collaborate with PDFelement.
- Sign the contracts and fill forms easily
- It is available in 9 languages
- It works on both Mac OS and Windows.
- Convert scanned PDFs to editable text using OCR.
Cons
- There are limitations on the trial version.
2. Sejda PDF Editor
The problem with the free PDF editors is they put an ugly watermark on your documents. The cool thing about Sejda PDF Editor is it will not add any watermark on your PDF files. You can edit the pre-existing text in PDF documents using this editor. It has some awesome features like a signature tool, loading the PDFs from other websites, shapes in the PDFs, etc.
Pros
- No registration or software installation is needed. You can work right in your browser.
- It offers Bates numbering.
- It’s easy to learn.
Cons
- It has got limited capabilities. It does not offer full-fledged PDF solutions.
3. PDFescape
The web application version of PDFescape is available for free. The trial version of the premium software can be downloaded from its official website. The online editor allows you to add geometric shapes, text boxes, etc. However, you cannot edit the preexisting text. So, the PDFescape web application is not a full-fledged PDF Editor. But you can still use it for some minor editing purposes.
Pros
- It is easy to use.
- It is available online and you can use it on all the popular browsers.
Cons
- The free version has got very limited features.
- Displays ads in the sidebar.
4. FormSwift
It is a cloud-based PDF Editor software which is available for free. It allows the users to edit the PDF files online and upload them to the cloud. You can also add images, signatures, text, checkmarks, etc in the web application. It provides a few cool templates which make it easy to create new brochures, legal documents, presentations within minutes.
Pros
- It is super quick to edit PDF files.
- There are over 500 free templates.
Cons
- It doesn’t support Bates numbering
- It cannot create Batch PDFs.
- No OCR mode
5. Inkscape
It is one of the popular image editing tools. But it can also be used as a PDF editor tool as it has got some really good functions dedicated to PDF editing purposes. It works with macOS, Windows and Linux. With Inkscape, you can edit the text and images in PDF documents. You can also add shapes and forms in the PDF files. It is open-source software and the interface is a bit complicated.
Pros
- It can add forms and shapes to PDF files.
- It works on Mac OS, Windows, and Linux.
Cons
- Its user interface is complicated.
- It does not have many functions which we expect from a PDF editor.
6. AbleWord
AbleWord is not just a good word processor, it’s an efficient PDF editor with which you can edit the PDF files easily just like your edit the word documents. You can reformat the images, edit or add the footers, headers, tables in the PDF documents using the AbleWord software. It supports some of MS Word features which is really useful.
Pros
- It’s easy to edit text.
- The user interface is simple.
Cons
- It doesn’t support password-protected PDF files.
- No OCR mode.
7. PDF-XChange Editor
PDF-XChange Editor has got a great set of tools. But the free version of the software does not include all those awesome features. However, you can do the basic PDF editing with the free version. Most of the cool features are locked and the interface may seem overwhelming as there are tons of functions on the dashboard. Be prepared for the watermarks on the PDF documents if you are using the free version.
Pros
- Adding annotations and comments is easy.
- Great OCR functions.
- Plug-ins for Firefox and Internet Explorer.
- Save Adobe forms to your hard drive easily.
Cons
- The interface is a bit clumsy.
Wrapping up
Each PDF editor software comes with its own set of pros and cons. If you are looking out for a PDF editor with basic editing functions, you can just download any of the above PDF editors for free! We hope that this article introduced you to some of the best free PDF software out there. Please let us know if we miss anything on this list.