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Best Free Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Pro
Stop paying $19.99/mo. Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: ProductivityVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
PDFgear
FREEBest Overall Free Alternative in 2025
Why we like it
100% free with no watermarks; includes 'PDF Copilot' (GPT-4o) for summarizing and chatting with docs; supports direct text editing and high-quality OCR.
Keep in mind
The most advanced AI features require an internet connection; desktop app is slightly faster than the web version.
Stirling-PDF
FREEBest for Privacy & Self-Hosting
Why we like it
Fully open-source; run it via Docker on your own server or locally; 50+ tools including redact, merge, split, and OCR; zero data ever leaves your hardware.
Keep in mind
Requires basic technical knowledge to self-host (Docker); the web UI is functional but utilitarian compared to Adobe.
PDF24 Creator
FREEBest Offline Swiss Army Knife
Why we like it
Massive collection of tools in a single desktop installer; works 100% offline; excellent for virtual PDF printing and file compression.
Keep in mind
Windows-only for the desktop version; UI feels a bit like a toolbox rather than a unified editor.
LibreOffice Draw
FREEBest for Quick Layout Changes
Why we like it
Completely free; treats PDF elements as editable objects (images, shapes, text); great for changing basic information in a document.
Keep in mind
Can break the formatting of complex, professional-grade PDF layouts; not a dedicated 'PDF suite'.
Nitro PDF Pro
Best Professional Paid Alternative
Why we like it
Very similar UI to Microsoft Office; powerful batch processing and document comparison; excellent e-signature integration.
Keep in mind
Higher upfront cost; the 'Pro' features are separate for Windows and Mac.
Foxit PDF Editor
Best for Large Enterprises
Why we like it
Fast, lightweight engine; robust administrative controls and security; industry-leading 'Smart Redact' AI for sensitive info.
Keep in mind
The interface can be cluttered with 'Upsell' notifications in the cheaper tiers.
Okular
FREEBest Open Source Viewer & Annotator
Why we like it
Extremely fast; supports PDF, EPub, and ODT; unique 'Review' mode for high-end academic annotations.
Keep in mind
Editing existing text is limited; UI follows KDE Linux standards which may feel foreign to Windows/Mac users.
Sejda PDF
FREEBest for One-Off Browser Edits
Why we like it
Cleanest web-based interface; allows editing text directly in the browser; great for quick form filling.
Keep in mind
Free tier is limited to 3 tasks per day and 200-page documents.
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