10 Best Free PDF Editors of 2026

This list is for people who edit, fill or sign a PDF now and then and want a free tool that will not stop them halfway through. We compared documented features and published prices for 10 PDF tools and ranked them by value first, then features, then ease of use. Value weighs how much the free version allows, including daily task, file size and watermark limits, together with the cost of upgrading. Where a vendor publishes no daily number, we say so. Prices are in USD as shown on each vendor's page on the check date; where a page showed only euros from our location, the price is marked pending.

1. 01Top value

   

   PDFgear

   9.1/10

   A free PDF editor for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, plus online tools, that edits text, converts, runs OCR and signs without an account.

   Price

   Freefree

   Free on desktop, mobile and web; no paid plan listed

   “Read, edit, convert, merge, and sign PDF files across devices, for completely free and without signing up.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   9.7

   Features (35%)

   8.7

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.8

   Best forOccasional users who want desktop-grade editing and conversion at no cost and with no signup.

   PDFgear ranks first because it pairs real editing with a price of zero. Its homepage says you can read, edit, convert, merge and sign PDF files across devices for free and without signing up. The editor treats a PDF much like a Word file: you can change text, images, shapes, links and fillable form fields, and the markup tools cover highlights, strikethrough, notes, stamps and text boxes. Conversion runs between PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TXT and JPG, with a batch mode, and OCR turns scans into editable text in more than 30 languages. Apps exist for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android, plus browser tools and an AI assistant for working with document text. The main gap is documentation: the homepage lists no file size, page or daily caps, and with no paid plan there is no premium support tier. To collect signatures from other people, PDFgear points to its separate eSignGear site. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not install the software.

   • ✓The vendor describes the software as completely free with no signup
   • ✓Edits existing text, which most free readers cannot do
   • ✓Works offline on desktop, so daily web limits do not apply

   • ✕The homepage does not publish file size or page limits, so heavy users cannot plan around them
   • ✕No paid tier means no published support commitment
   • ✕Signing requests to other people go through a separate site, eSignGear

   Price:

   Free, no account needed

   Platforms:

   Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, web

   Daily task limit:

   None published

   OCR:

   30+ languages

   Bottom line: PDFgear gives the most editing for nothing on this list. Choose it if you want to change text in a PDF without a subscription or an account.

   Visit pdfgear.com ↗

2. 02

   

   PDF24 Creator

   8.8/10

   Free Windows software with every PDF24 tool and a virtual PDF printer, working offline so files stay on your PC.

   Price

   Freefree

   Free for private and business use; no paid plan

   “Free Windows software for private and business use with all PDF24 tools and a PDF printer, working offline so files stay on your PC” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   9.7

   Features (35%)

   8.4

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.0

   Best forWindows users who want unlimited offline merging, splitting, compressing and converting, including at work.

   PDF24 Creator is the best pick for Windows users who mostly reorganize, shrink or convert PDFs. PDF24 describes it as free Windows software for private and business use, with all of its tools and a PDF printer, working offline so files stay on your PC, and the download page sums it up as free, no limits and offline. The creator assembles documents by drag and drop: merge or split files, add, remove, extract, rotate and sort pages, and import Word, Excel or image files for automatic conversion. Extra tools cover compression, OCR, watermarks, page numbers, password protection and signatures, and the PDF printer turns any printable file into a PDF. Version 11.33.0 shipped on 2026-11-06, so it is actively maintained. The limits are platform and editing depth: the program does not install on Mac, where you use the browser tools instead, and it is aimed at page and file tasks rather than rewriting text. The download page also carries ads. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not install the software.

   • ✓Free for business use as well as private use
   • ✓Runs offline, so files never leave the PC
   • ✓The download page lists no usage limits

   • ✕The desktop program is Windows only
   • ✕Text editing inside an existing PDF is not its strength; it is built around page and file tasks
   • ✕The download page shows advertising

   Price:

   Free, private and business use

   Platforms:

   Windows; browser tools elsewhere

   Daily task limit:

   None, listed as "No limits"

   Latest version:

   11.33.0, released 2026-11-06

   Bottom line: PDF24 Creator is the safest free choice for office PCs because it is free for business use and works offline. Mac users get the browser tools instead.

   Visit pdf24.org ↗

3. 03

   

   Foxit PDF Reader

   8.2/10

   A free PDF reader for viewing, annotating, form filling and signing on desktop, mobile and the web, with an upgrade to Foxit PDF Editor.

   Price

   $10.99per user per month

   Reader is free; Foxit PDF Editor from $10.99 per month or $129.99 per user per year

   “with monthly billing available from $10.99” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Free trial

   14 days

   Value (40%)

   8.6

   Features (35%)

   7.6

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.2

   Best forOffice users who want a free reader that IT can deploy, with a clear paid editor upgrade.

   Foxit PDF Reader is a strong free alternative to Acrobat Reader, especially in offices. Foxit describes it as able to view, annotate, form fill and sign PDFs across desktop, mobile and web, and it handles both standard AcroForms and XFA forms. Signing covers your own handwriting and eSignature, and the reader can verify the status of digital signatures. It runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and the web, integrates with cloud storage, and includes an AI assistant based on ChatGPT integration. IT teams get Group Policy settings, an SCUP catalog for Windows updates and an installer customization tool. Like Adobe, Foxit keeps creating and editing for its paid product: Foxit PDF Editor costs $129.99 per user per year, with monthly billing from $10.99, and starts with a 14-day trial. That is a clearly published US price, which helps if you expect to outgrow the free reader. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not install the software.

   • ✓Supports XFA forms, which some government and enterprise forms use
   • ✓Built for managed rollouts in offices
   • ✓Clear USD upgrade price to the full editor

   • ✕Editing and creating PDFs need Foxit PDF Editor
   • ✕The paid editor costs more than the web tools on this list
   • ✕Many features lean toward business deployment rather than casual use

   Price:

   Free reader

   Upgrade:

   PDF Editor $129.99 per user per year, monthly from $10.99

   Platforms:

   Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web

   Editor trial:

   14 days

   Bottom line: Foxit PDF Reader suits workplaces that need form filling, signing and managed deployment for free. The paid editor is there when someone needs to change content.

   Visit foxit.com ↗

4. 04

   

   Adobe Acrobat Reader

   8.1/10

   Adobe's free PDF reader for viewing, commenting, filling forms and signing on desktop, mobile and the web.

   Price

   Free plan

   Reader is free; see vendor pricing for Acrobat Standard and Pro (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   8.4

   Features (35%)

   7.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forPeople who mainly fill in and sign forms and want the most widely used reader.

   Acrobat Reader is the default for good reason: it opens a PDF as intended, with fonts, layouts and embedded content preserved, and its free tools cover what most occasional users need. You can add comments, highlights, sticky notes and free-text annotations, draw freehand, and fill out and sign forms on any device with a drawn, typed or uploaded signature. Reviewers you share a file with can view or comment without logging in. It runs on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, and Adobe also offers a web app. The limit is editing. Adobe says plainly that text and image editing is not available in Reader; that, plus creating, converting, compressing and protecting PDFs, belongs to paid Acrobat plans. Adobe's pricing page showed only euro prices from our location, so we have marked the upgrade price as pending rather than guess a dollar figure. For fill, sign and comment work it is hard to beat. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not install the software.

   • ✓Reliable rendering of fonts, layouts and embedded content
   • ✓Fill and sign works on every device
   • ✓No usage caps for reading, commenting and signing

   • ✕Adobe states that text and image editing is not available in Reader
   • ✕Converting, compressing and securing files need a paid Acrobat plan
   • ✕Adobe's pricing page showed only euros from our location, so the USD upgrade price is pending

   Price:

   Free reader; paid Acrobat plans for editing

   Platforms:

   Windows 10 and 11, macOS 10.15+, iOS 16+, Android 8.0+, web

   Edit existing text:

   No, paid Acrobat only

   Daily task limit:

   None for reading and signing

   Bottom line: Acrobat Reader is the easiest free way to fill and sign forms on any device. Pick another tool if you need to change the text itself.

   Visit adobe.com ↗

5. 05

   

   iLovePDF

   8.1/10

   Browser-based PDF tools for merging, splitting, compressing, converting and signing, with a free Basic plan and Premium for unlimited use.

   Price

   Free plan

   Free Basic plan; see vendor pricing for Premium (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   8.0

   Features (35%)

   7.8

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.8

   Best forPeople who need quick one-off merges and compressions in a browser and can live with per-task caps.

   iLovePDF is the browser toolbox many people already know, and its pricing page is unusually specific about where the free plan stops. The free Basic plan gives access to core tools for light use and a limited number of documents. The comparison table then sets caps per tool: Merge PDF takes 25 files per task, Image to PDF and Rotate 20, Organize 5, Sign PDF 3, Compress 2, and most other tools, including Split, Word to PDF and OCR, 1. File size limits also vary by tool, from 15 MB for Office to PDF up to 200 MB for Compress and 400 MB for Redact and Compare. Premium removes those limits and adds web, mobile and desktop access, digital signatures, workflows and an ad-free experience. iLovePDF does not publish a daily number of free tasks, so heavy users should expect to hit an unstated limit. Its pricing page showed only euros from our location, so the dollar price is pending. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run the tools.

   • ✓Publishes its free per-tool caps in a comparison table
   • ✓Simple one-tool-per-page layout
   • ✓Merge accepts up to 25 files at once for free

   • ✕Most free tools process 1 file per task, and Sign PDF allows 3
   • ✕The free plan is described only as a limited number of documents, with no daily number
   • ✕Pricing showed only euros from our location, so the USD price is pending

   Free plan:

   Basic, limited document processing

   Free files per task:

   Merge 25, Compress 2, Sign 3, most tools 1

   Free file size per task:

   Merge 100 MB, Compress 200 MB, Office to PDF 15 MB

   Premium:

   Unlimited processing, ad-free

   Bottom line: iLovePDF is quick for one-off browser tasks and documents its per-tool caps clearly. Regular users will find Premium or a desktop tool more practical.

   Visit ilovepdf.com ↗

6. 06

   

   Sejda

   8.1/10

   Online and desktop PDF tools, including an editor that changes existing text, free within daily and hourly limits.

   Price

   Free plan

   Free with limits; see vendor pricing for Week Pass and annual plans (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   7.6

   Features (35%)

   8.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.6

   Best forOccasional users who want to edit existing text in the browser a few times a day.

   Sejda is the best browser option on this list for changing words inside a PDF. Its editor lets you edit existing PDF text and add text, links, images and shapes, and the site also offers fill and sign, a form creator and the usual merge, split, compress and convert tools. The free tier needs no signup but is metered. On the web, the pricing page lists page and hourly limits, limited file uploads and tool-specific limits. The desktop app is more precise: it is free to use with daily limits of 3 tasks per day, documents up to 50 MB and 200 pages, compression up to 100 MB and OCR up to 10 pages. Paid plans remove page and hourly limits, allow OCR on up to 100 pages and uploads up to 500 MB, and include a one-time Week Pass that does not renew. Sejda's pricing page showed only euros from our location, so we mark the dollar price as pending. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run the tools.

   • ✓Publishes exact free daily limits for its desktop app
   • ✓Edits existing text in a browser without signup
   • ✓A one-time Week Pass suits a single busy week

   • ✕Free desktop use stops at 3 tasks per day
   • ✕The web tier lists page and hourly limits without exact numbers on the pricing page
   • ✕Prices showed only in euros from our location, so the USD price is pending

   Free web tier:

   Page and hourly limits, no signup

   Free desktop tier:

   3 tasks per day, 50 MB and 200 pages per document

   Free OCR:

   Up to 10 pages (desktop)

   Paid limits:

   Unlimited documents, 500 MB files

   Bottom line: Sejda is the easiest way to edit existing text in a browser for free, a few tasks at a time. The Week Pass helps when you have a short burst of work.

   Visit sejda.com ↗

7. 07

   

   PDF-XChange Editor

   8.0/10

   A Windows PDF editor whose free version unlocks about 70 percent of its features, with a perpetual license for the rest.

   Price

   $62one-time license

   Free version; perpetual license from $62 for Editor, $79 for Editor Plus

   “Prices start at USD $62.00 for Editor and USD $79.00 for Editor Plus” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   8.0

   Features (35%)

   8.6

   Ease of use (25%)

   7.0

   Best forWindows power users who want deep annotation tools for free and a one-time license instead of a subscription.

   PDF-XChange Editor packs the most features into a free Windows download. The vendor says the free version leaves 70 percent of features unrestricted, and its feature list counts 257 free features out of 402. Free use covers a wide range of annotation tools, a FreeSign tool for signatures and initials, and an AI assistant that only runs if you supply your own AI provider API key. The free, evaluation version is free for private and commercial use. The catch is how it handles the rest: licensed features are marked in the menus and still work, but they put watermarks on the output, and PDF-XChange says those watermarks cannot be removed without a license. That makes it important to know which tools are free before you save. A perpetual license starts at USD $62 for Editor and $79 for Editor Plus, with optional maintenance for updates, which is cheaper over time than most subscriptions here. It runs on Windows 10 and later only. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not install the software.

   • ✓Free for private and commercial use
   • ✓Most features work without a license
   • ✓One-time price instead of a subscription

   • ✕Licensed features still run in the free version but add watermarks to output
   • ✕Windows 10 and later only
   • ✕Dense interface with hundreds of options

   Free version:

   257 of 402 features unrestricted

   Licensed features when free:

   Usable, but output is watermarked

   Platforms:

   Windows 10 and later

   Paid:

   From USD $62 one-time

   Bottom line: PDF-XChange Editor gives Windows users the deepest free toolset, as long as they avoid watermarked licensed features. Its $62 one-time license is a good buy for regular users.

   Visit pdf-xchange.com ↗

8. 08

   

   Smallpdf

   7.9/10

   A Swiss suite of 30+ online PDF tools with a free plan that limits downloads, and a Pro plan with a 7-day free trial.

   Price

   Free plan

   Free plan with limited downloads; see vendor pricing for Pro (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   Yes

   Free trial

   7 days

   Value (40%)

   7.0

   Features (35%)

   8.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forPeople who want a polished browser and mobile tool and expect to pay once their use grows.

   Smallpdf is one of the most polished online PDF suites, but its free plan is the most restrictive in this list for regular work. The pricing page lists 30+ document management tools on the free plan, with limited document downloads, limited mobile app access and a Sign.com free account limited to 2 documents a month. It does not state the free download limit as a number, so occasional users should expect to hit a cap without warning. Pro removes those limits with unlimited access to all tools and downloads, adds text editing, OCR, strong compression and AI tools, and bundles a Sign.com Premium subscription. A Team plan covers 2 to 19 seats. You can try Pro for 7 days and Smallpdf says you will not be charged if you cancel during the trial. The company is built in Switzerland and encrypts documents in transit with TLS. Its pricing page showed only euros from our location, so the dollar price is pending. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run the tools.

   • ✓Clean interface across web and mobile
   • ✓7-day free trial of Pro, cancellable before charge
   • ✓Built in Switzerland with TLS encryption

   • ✕Free plan has limited document downloads and limited mobile app access
   • ✕Smallpdf's pricing page does not state the free download limit as a number
   • ✕Text editing and OCR are Pro features

   Free plan:

   30+ tools, limited document downloads

   Free signing:

   Sign.com free account limited to 2 documents a month

   Pro trial:

   7 days

   Team plan:

   2 to 19 seats

   Bottom line: Smallpdf is pleasant to use but its free plan is better treated as a trial. Pick it if you expect to pay for Pro and want signing bundled.

   Visit smallpdf.com ↗

9. 09

   

   Microsoft Edge

   7.8/10

   The Microsoft Edge browser includes a PDF reader that highlights, marks up, adds text and summarizes with Copilot.

   Price

   Freefree

   Free browser; PDF reader built in

   “Make Microsoft Edge your default PDF reader and get built‑in tools to help you do more with every file.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   8.8

   Features (35%)

   5.6

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.2

   Best forWindows and Mac users who only need to read, highlight or type into a PDF without installing anything new.

   Microsoft Edge is the simplest answer if all you need is to read a PDF, mark it up or type into a blank field. Microsoft's PDF reader page says you can make Edge your default PDF reader and highlight, mark up, add text and save your changes. To fill a blank area you select Add text from the PDF toolbar, click where you want it and type, and you can move the box or change the font afterward. Copilot in Edge can summarize a PDF and surface key points, and selected text can be translated in a side pane without leaving the tab. Long files get a search tool and a table of contents. Edge is available for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. The trade-off is scope: Edge does not merge, split, convert or compress files, and its PDF page does not describe a signature tool, so it is a reader with markup rather than an editor. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run the software.

   • ✓Nothing extra to install on most Windows PCs
   • ✓No account or task limits for reading and markup
   • ✓Built-in translation and Copilot summaries

   • ✕No page editing, merging, conversion or compression
   • ✕The PDF reader page does not describe a signing tool
   • ✕Features depend on the browser version you run

   Price:

   Free browser

   Platforms:

   Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

   Daily task limit:

   None

   Edit existing text:

   No, add text only

   Bottom line: Edge covers reading, highlighting and typing into forms with nothing to install on most PCs. Use one of the tools above for anything beyond markup.

   Visit microsoft.com ↗

10. 10

    

    Xodo

    7.5/10

    Web, desktop and mobile PDF tools from Apryse, with free online tools capped by daily use and paid plans from $7.99 a month.

    Price

    $7.99per month

    Free online tools with a daily cap; Xodo Web $7.99 per month billed $95.88 annually

    “$7.99 / month Billed $95.88 annually” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.

    Free plan

    Yes

    Free trial

    3 days

    Value (40%)

    7.0

    Features (35%)

    7.8

    Ease of use (25%)

    8.0

    Best forPeople who want a low-cost subscription covering web tools, a desktop editor and mobile apps.

    Xodo, from document software maker Apryse, sells a family of PDF products: Xodo Web in the browser, the Xodo PDF Studio desktop editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and the Xodo Sign e-signature service. Its free online tools cover annotating, redacting, compressing, organizing, filling and converting PDFs, but use is metered: the site shows a daily free use reached notice once you pass the allowance, and it does not state the allowance as a number. Paid plans are clearly priced in dollars. Xodo Web costs $7.99 a month billed $95.88 annually and includes 40+ online tools with unlimited document downloads. PDF Studio costs $9.99 a month billed $119.88 annually, or you can buy a perpetual license, and the Document Suite lists at $14.99 a month with a promotional discount shown at the time of our check. Web and desktop plans start with a 3-day free trial. For truly occasional use, the free tools on this list with no cap go further. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run the tools.

    • ✓Clear USD prices for every plan
    • ✓Desktop editor runs on Linux as well as Windows and macOS
    • ✓3-day free trial on Web and Desktop plans

    • ✕Free online use is capped daily, and the cap is not stated as a number
    • ✕Free use is mostly a route into paid plans
    • ✕The full suite costs $14.99 a month before promotions

    Free use:

    Online tools with a daily free use limit

    Xodo Web:

    $7.99 per month billed $95.88 annually

    Xodo PDF Studio:

    $9.99 per month billed $119.88 annually, or perpetual

    Trial:

    3 days

    Bottom line: Xodo is better value as a cheap paid plan than as a free tool. Choose Xodo Web at $7.99 a month if you want unlimited browser editing in dollars you can predict.

    Visit xodo.com ↗

Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.