Portable Document Format (PDF) files are universally used for sharing documents across devices and platforms. However, editing PDFs can be tricky without the right tools. Thankfully, many great best free PDF editors are available to help you make changes or annotate PDF files without spending a dime.
Whether you need to fill out forms, add comments, insert images, tweak text, sign documents, or make other basic edits, these top-rated free PDF editors have covered you. I’ve tested and reviewed over a dozen options to compile the best based on features, usability, and convenience. Let’s dive in!
Best Free PDF Editors (February 2024)
1. PDFelement - Best Overall
For powerful PDF editing tools packed into an easy-to-use interface, PDFelement leads the pack. You can add, erase, and edit text, insert images and shapes, redact sensitive data, sign documents, and more with a click.
While PDFelement’s free edition does display watermarks after editing, it allows full use of the impressively robust toolset. And you can get rid of the watermarks by upgrading to a paid plan.
Pros:
- Fully-featured editing tools
- User-friendly interface
- Windows and Mac versions
Cons:
- The free version shows watermarks
- Must create an account to save
Key Features:
- Robust editing toolkit for adding, erasing, and modifying text, graphics, signatures, and more
- User-friendly design that is intuitive to navigate
- Windows and Mac versions are available
- Ability to create PDF forms
2. Sejda PDF Editor - Best for Security
Sejda PDF Editor prioritizes security and privacy. After two hours, it automatically wipes your uploads off its servers, so your data stays safe. This free online PDF editor requires no account creation and allows convenient editing directly in your web browser.
With support for adding hyperlinks and signatures, inserting/deleting pages, and whitening out content, Sejda meets basic editing needs. Be aware of the 3 files per hour and 50MB file size limits unless you upgrade to the paid version.
Pros:
- Automatically deletes uploads after 2 hours
- No account required
- Clean, user-friendly interface
Cons:
- 3 document per hour limit
- 50MB file size restriction
Key Features:
- Automatically deletes your uploaded files off its servers after 2 hours for privacy.
- No account registration is required to use
- Clean and straightforward web interface
3. PDFescape - Best Annotation Tools
If your PDF editing mainly involves leaving comments and marking up documents, PDFescape makes it easy with its array of intuitive web-based tools. It even boosted its free version’s page allowance from 50 to 100 pages.
Aside from annotation abilities like highlighting and underlining text, adding sticky notes, and inserting shapes, PDFescape also enables form-filling, page manipulation, password protection, and basic text/image insertion. With an impressive free feature set, this option caters well to casual users.
Pros:
- Ample annotation features
- Increased 100 page file limit
- Impressive free toolset
Cons:
- Very limited fonts
Key Features:
- Ample annotation tools including highlights, stickies, shapes and more
- Increased free use page allowance from 50 to 100
- Robust toolkit beyond just annotation
4. PDF24 Creator - Best Free Feature Set
Despite its dated looks, PDF24 Creator punches way above its weight class when it comes to free PDF editing tools. This Windows-only program lets you fully create, convert, compress, and edit PDFs with no strings attached and no sneaky upgrade prompts.
Within PDF24’s minimal interface, you’ll find all the editing basics, like adding images, e-signatures, and text. It even handles OCR for converting scanned docs into editable formats. The absence of watermarks and freedom to use everything without paying makes PDF24 Creator hard to beat.
Pros:
- Completely free with no limits
- Lightweight and fast
- Packed with features
Cons:
- Windows-only
- Slightly dated interface
Key Features:
- Completely free without annoying watermarks
- Packed with editing tools, including image/text insertion and redaction
- No forced premium upgrades
- Decent form editing and OCR abilities
5. Smallpdf - Best Cloud-Based Editor
Available as a free web app on all major platforms, Smallpdf makes PDF editing and conversion painless. Thanks to its seamless cloud storage integrations, accessing files to edit with Smallpdf’s straightforward tools takes mere seconds.
In terms of editing, the free version offers the basics like inserting text, images, shapes, and e-signatures. You also get PDF compression, conversion to/from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, along with file merging. Just note the daily 2-file limit unless you pay to upgrade.
Pros:
- Lightweight, cloud-based
- Multi-language support
- Conversion tools available
Cons:
- Restricted to 2 files daily
Key Features:
- Tight integration with Google Drive and Dropbox
- Multi-language interface localized for global users
- Capabilities beyond editing like file compression and conversion
6. Canva PDF Editor - Best for Creatives
Already a popular free graphic design platform, Canva added PDF editing to its capable skill set. Its friendly drag-and-drop interface lets those without design expertise beautify and customize PDFs with fonts, shapes, charts, and photos.
Unlike more advanced editors, Canva focuses less on intensive PDF modification. Instead, it empowers easy visual enhancements. You can tweak existing text, rearrange layouts, and incorporate graphics/branding with simplicity. If you handle design-forward docs like presentations, Canva fits perfectly.
Pros:
- Edit existing text with ease
- Customizable elements
- Built-in graphics/images
Cons:
- Lacks advanced tools like eSign & OCR
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop interface ideal for beginners
- Custom fonts, layouts, images, and illustrations are available
- Straightforward control over existing text styling
7. LibreOffice Draw - Best Open Source PDF Editor
Don’t let its dated looks turn you off. As part of the open-source LibreOffice suite, Draw provides considerable PDF editing abilities for free. It performs better than some paid apps with the tools to modify text, rearrange pages, insert objects, and alter graphics.
My only real gripes are Draw’s clunky interface and the obligation to install the massive LibreOffice suite when you likely just want its PDF features. But for capable free, open-source PDF editing, Draw is hard to fault.
Pros:
- Powerful open-source software
- Edit PDF text and graphics
- Available on Windows, Mac & Linux
Cons:
- Clunky interface
- Large suite download for just PDF needs
Key Features:
- Open-source toolkit avoids all software licensing costs
- Allows modifying both text and graphics within PDFs
- Windows, Mac, and Linux support
8. PDF BOB - Friendliest Editor
Living up to its friendly name, PDF BOB makes editing PDFs a breeze for all users. With an interface even the least tech-savvy could grasp, it instantly familiarizes you with its straightforward tools for inserting text/images, highlighting, and annotating.
Despite being unable to manipulate a PDF’s existing content, PDF BOB satisfies basic editing needs around signing documents, merging files, or adding supplemental content. And you won’t find any obtrusive ads or surprise fees waiting to ambush you.
Pros:
- Super simple to operate
- Zero ads or watermarks
- Multi-language support
Cons:
- Can’t edit existing text
- Scant font choices
Key Features:
- Super simple interface that anyone can instantly grasp
- No watermarks or annoying ads
- Multi-language reach to global users
9. DocHub PDF Editor - Best for Signing
While DocHub focuses more on document management, I value its competent eSignature toolkit for signing PDFs and other files. It makes signatures quick whether you scribble on a touchpad, type text, or upload an image.
Sharing and collaborating on files is also painless with DocHub. The free version limits you to 2K docs, 5 signatures, and 3 share requests daily, among its generous features. But springing for an upgrade removes all caps if you need enhanced tools.
Pros:
- Robust eSignature capabilities
- Easy file sharing and collaboration
- Broad file type support
Cons:
- Potential user-reported glitches
- Limited to basic editing
Key Features:
- Robust signature implementation
- Smooth file sharing and team collaborating abilities
- Broad file type support beyond PDF
10. I Love PDF - Best Basic Online PDF Editor Free
I Love PDF’s name fittingly captures its accessibility and ease of use. As an online PDF editing tool, anyone can operate it with little or no instruction. It excludes advanced capabilities that enable actually changing text, instead focusing on annotations.
Using I Love PDF, you embed notes, highlight passages, insert shapes/lines, apply signatures, extract portions, and redact areas. You’ll need to pay if you have more complex needs like OCR conversion or offline access. But for straightforward PDF annotations, it delivers.
Pros:
- User-friendly web interface
- Good basic annotation tools
- Works on all platforms
Cons:
- Can’t directly edit text
- Must upgrade for some features
Key Features:
- User-friendly web interface
- Helpful basic markup tools
- Cross-platform accessibility
11. Inkscape - Best Open Source Graphics PDF Editor
Marking up simple documents with highlights and text boxes is no issue for Inkscape. However, its main advantage is the ability to thoroughly edit graphics within PDFs using its premium vector design tools.
As free, open-source software, Inkscape provides an immense toolset that takes commitment to fully harness. Most users likely won’t need its advanced graphic capabilities and would be better served by options with simpler interfaces. But having its strength available for free is remarkable.
Pros:
- Powerful, open-source vector graphic design/editing abilities
- Available on Windows, Mac & Linux
Cons:
- Geared more for designers than casual users
- Steep learning curve
Key Features:
- Premium vector editing abilities comparable to paid suites
- Avoiding software costs via an open-source model
- Windows, Mac, and Linux versions
12. Nitro Pro PDF Reader - Best Large File Support
The free Nitro Reader app itself excludes editing abilities. But I’m including it as an honorary entrant for its outstanding support of enormous PDF files exceeding 100+ MB that choke typical free editors.
Nitro Reader previews these massive documents without disruption for industries like engineering, architecture, and manufacturing, which deal with colossal plans and blueprints as PDFs. After upgrading, most desktop PDF programs would only crash when opening such large files.
If you actually want great PDF editing tools from Nitro, be ready to pay up. But using the free Reader strictly for easily peeking at humongous PDFs makes it inducted here.
Pros:
- No file size restrictions
- Quickly preview big PDF drawings/plans
Cons:
- Read-only (no editing features)
- Mostly business-focused paid plans
Key Features:
- Virtually no file size restrictions hinder performance
- Quickly previews engineering and architectural files
- Available on all platforms
13. Adobe Acrobat Reader - Most Popular PDF Previewer
Like Nitro Reader, the free ubiquitous Adobe Acrobat Reader app excludes native editing capabilities. Yet since it’s installed globally on devices galore, I determined Reader merits at least an honorable mention.
Within Reader, you can enable the Acrobat Web PDF Editor plug-in to make basic text/image touch-ups and fill out/sign forms in your browser. Adobe still wants you to upgrade to its premium Acrobat Pro software for unrestricted editing and tool power. But the built-in browser editor qualifies Reader here.
Pros:
- PDF industry standard
- Integrates PDF editor browser plug-in
Cons:
- No standalone editing features
- Pushes paid Acrobat Pro app
Key Features:
- PDF industry-standard previewer
- Optional browser plug-in enabling text and image edits
- Recognized interface for global users
14. PDF-XChange Editor - Lightweight Windows PDF Editor
PDF-XChange Editor stands as a favorite premium PDF app. But in free form, it still bestows you with helpful basics like full-text editing without forcing watermarks until applying certain tools.
For Windows devotees, it’s a superb lightweight editor packing lots of upgradable tools like encryption and Bates numbering. Even if the free edition omits some perks to entice buy the PRO version, I appreciate the generous scope given at no cost.
Pros:
- Identifies form fields for fast document filling
- Portable version available
- Regularly improved and updated
Cons:
- Windows exclusive
- Free tools limited to avoid watermarks
Key Features:
- Identifies form fields instantly when filling out documents
- A lightweight downloadable version is available
- No forced upgrades or signups
15. Preview on Mac - Best Free Native Mac PDF Editor
Standard on every Mac, Preview often goes underutilized despite possessing reliable PDF superpowers that rival paid apps. Without needing any external software downloaded, it lets Mac users reorganize, delete, rotate, excerpt, and annotate PDFs conveniently using native tools.
My only gripes with Preview are the editing functions buried under Menu options rather than openly layout and the inability to directly alter PDF text visually like its Mac counterpart, Pages. But considering Apple packs this PDF editor free with each Mac, it earns praise as a workhorse utility.
Pros:
- Pre-installed free on every Mac
- Robust annotation abilities
- Decent image editing built-in
Cons:
- Mac exclusive
- Markup tools hard to locate
Key Features:
- Robust annotation capabilities
- Surprisingly robust graphics modification options
- Total avoidance of extra software costs
What To Look for in a Free PDF Editor
When selecting among the top-rated best free PDF editors, optimize your search by determining the specialized capabilities you expect integrated. Carefully compare your must-have features against the exclusive strengths each listed editor showcases to pinpoint the best match.
Any free option above should suffice if you only require basic text/graphics editing and form signing. But for needs like collaborative work on large files, investigate which free editor boasts particular advantages in those areas to maximize productivity. Choosing free PDF software needn’t mean compromising on premium specialty tools.
Why We Recommend These Free PDF Editors
My team assessed and evaluated over a dozen PDF apps to uncover the best-performing free editing solutions available in 2024. Testing involved hands-on practical use cases around signing forms, inserting images/text, extracting pages, and converting scanned documents.
We made sure to represent downloadable and fully online PDF editors accessible universally across devices and platforms. Parameters weighed heavily included the simplicity of navigation interfaces and the scope of base editing tools that are operational without upgrades.
