Top free PDF editors in 2024

PDF, a short form of Portable Document Format, is a widely popular file in today’s times because of its versatility and convenience. PDFs are compatible with a host of different platforms and suit various use cases. They are important for businesses to create invoices, contracts, reports, and more. In the education industry, study material and research papers are shared in PDF formats. Furthermore, PDFs are also crucial in sharing legal documents, identity documents, and forms. 

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Working professionals often need to edit, annotate, and sign PDFs. Some PDF editors let you add text, edit images, add graphics, fill out forms, digital signatures, and more. Unfortunately, not all of them are free. For instance, the most popular Adobe Acrobat is ideal for basic use because the more premium features are locked behind a paywall.

Top free PDF editors in 2024: An office work trick

Finding the right PDF tool can be challenging, but we are here to help. In this post, we have made a list of the best apps for editing PDFs for free.

1. SimplePDF

2. Apple Preview

3. Canva PDF Editor 

4. Sejda 

5. PDF-XChange Editor

1. Simple PDF

Simple PDF is a web-based-only PDF editor. It does not require a user account and the tool is ad-free. Simple PDF is ideal for filling out forms and adding text as well as signatures, checkboxes, and pictures. However, the one downside of this tool is that existing text can’t be edited.

2. Apple Preview

If you’re using a MacBook, the proprietary OS has a powerful and free built-in PDF editor called Apple Preview. It is capable of performing most tasks that one would need to with a PDF. You can view, interact, edit images, search for specific words, and add notes and signatures to the PDF. Apple’s Preview app also offers reordering pages, rotating, and even deleting them.

3. Canva

Canva’s PDF editor is the ideal choice for designers. Being a fully graphic design platform, it lets you edit text, adjust fonts, add shapes and images, and also include charts. You can create visually appealing PDF documents.

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The tool has access to a host of free images, graphics, and font library, as well as real-time collaboration and easy sharing and exporting tools. Canva’s PDF editor is free to use but the file size cannot exceed 100 MB or 300 pages.

4. Sejda

If you’re concerned about security, Sejda is the PDF editor that automatically deletes uploaded files from its servers after two hours. This solves any worries about your data getting leaked or stolen. There is a web version as well as a downloadable app for desktops. Alongside editing the text, the Sejda PDF editor also allows you to add images, shapes, and create forms. You can annotate and sign the PDF as well.

5. PDF-XChange editor

PDF-XChange editor has a host of features and tools. However, some of them are locked behind a paywall. The free version saves the PDF file with a watermark. You can load PDFs from your device or cloud, edit them, add shapes, images, and also QR codes. This tool offers OCR to identify text in the document. PDF-XChange editor is available only on Windows. 

The choice of a free PDF editor will largely depend on your requirements and how often you edit PDFs. Most of them are good for general and semi-regular usage. The aforementioned list of free PDF editors have no forced subscription sign-ups or extra charges unless you need advanced tools and features.