5 Best PDF Editors of 2023 for All PDF Editing Needs

A PDF is a document that is prepared in a fashion that can be viewed on multiple platforms - Windows & Mac and desktop, tablet or mobile devices. It can be created by any word processor such as Microsoft Word or its alternative like Google Docs or graphics software that can save the document as a PDF.

PDF files are also known to contain a slideshow or interactive features like clickable links, lead generation forms, an audio file or a video file.

PDF editors are used for many different reasons. One of the most common reasons is to make changes to a PDF file. It can open any Portable Document File and allows you to edit it by adding text, removing text, adding images, annotations or links, changing the layout, etc. 

There are many different types of PDF editors available and they all have their own features and benefits that you should consider when looking for one.

This article will cover some of the best PDF editors that you can use to make changes as per your need.

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What is a PDF Editor

Below I have highlighted and compared some of the most popular and best PDF editors that let you perform one or more of the following editing tasks with your PDF documents:

• Edit or add text in the file 
• Add annotations and comments to pages 
• Create new pages in the PDF document 
• Merge PDF documents
• Add images in a PDF file
• Extract images from a PDF file and save them as separate files 
• Convert PDFs into other formats like Word or HTML files
• And more

Below is a screenshot of a free PDF editor by DocFly that I had used to fill up the W-8BEN form. Affiliates must fill this form with correct information like name, tax identification number, address, country, etc., to receive an affiliate commission in their bank account.

If you see the above screenshot carefully, you can see that the tool contains many editing options (text, whiteout, check, cross, image, signature, etc.) to make any changes to your PDF files. Almost all popular PDF editors contain more or less the same editing options as highlighted above.

Thus, the best PDF Editors are those that offer both basic as well as advanced editing features. Below I have compared some of the most used and popular PDF editors you may want to use for your editing purpose.

Let's get started.

5 Best PDF Editors of 2022

1. Adobe Acrobat DC

If you're a Windows user, you may have already use Adobe Acrobat Standard DC, a cheaper version of Adobe Acrobat DC. Adobe Acrobat DC is a professional PDF editor and form-filler tool available with advanced PDF editing features.

With Acrobat Acrobat DC, you can create, convert, edit and sign PDF files. It also enables you to fill out forms quickly and accurately, using intelligent data capture.

This PDF editor offers many features that are beneficial to the user, such as:

• Editing, adding or deleting text in a PDF file
• Add image and annotation
• Convert any file format into a PDF
• Ability to fill forms with data and put signature to it
• Ability to create interactive forms by adding links, images

This software is mainly used to create, view, print, and convert PDFs. You can fill out interactive forms in PDF documents and add comments or digital signatures.

Adobe Acrobat DC is available as a free download for 7 days for Windows and Mac OS. It includes all the features of Acrobat Reader, plus additional features to edit PDFs.

Adobe Acrobat DC is available at the subscription price of $14.99 per month. First time users can sign up for the 7-day free trial to see if it is the right PDF editor for their needs. Sign up using the link given below.

2. PDFLiner

PDFLiner is an online platform for working with PDF documents (creating and editing files, adding electronic signatures, filling out forms) and electronic document management (cloud storage, form catalogs, document sharing, PDF conversions, locking, and unlocking PDFs).

PDF editing features currently supported by PDFLiner are:

• Redact text and images on any PDF
• Electronically sign any PDF files
• Make custom branding
• Protect and manage documents
• Create, fill in, draw, and highlight on any PDF
• Make fillable fields on any PDF
• Convert files and modify PDF documents any way you want
• No software needed; it’s totally online

PDFLiner is available for free for 5 days. It includes all the features to edit PDFs.

PDFLiner offers 3 subscription plans - Basic, Pro, and Premium. The basic plan would cost you $9/month, the Pro would cost $19/month, and the Premium plan would cost $29/month.

Beginners can join the free plan or trial access by PDFLiner to edit PDF files with limited editing features. Sign up for the free plan using the link given below.

3. PDFescape

PDFescape is a web-based PDF editing tool that is accessible through almost all modern-day browsers. Thus, you can access this tool almost anywhere, whether on Windows or Mac OS. You only need a working internet connection to start using PDF escape.

Users who don't like to work online can download the desktop version of PDFescape.

PDF editing features currently supported by PDFescape are:

• Edit text and add images to PDF files
• Add annotation in PDF forms
• Ability to fill up PDF forms
• Ability to merge PDF documents
• Add watermark and page numbers to PDF document

PDFescape is available for free, where it allows basic editing features like creating and filling forms, editing forms, and sharing PDF forms. For more advanced features like adding watermark, compressing PDFs, desktop PDF editing and more, you need to subscribe to the premium plan that starts at $2.99/month.

When you compare PDFescape to Adobe Acrobat DC in terms of pricing, it looks like the best alternative to Adobe.

PDFescape offers two premium plans - Premium and Ultimate. Premium plan would cost you $2.99/month and Ultimate plan would cost $5.99/month. Beginners can join the free plan by PDFescape to edit PDF files with limited editing features. Sign up for the free plan using the link given below.

4. Sejda

Sejda is another very popular PDF editor that works online and is a perfect alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC as it is 50% cheaper and has almost all the necessary editing features.

If you prefer to work offline, Sejda also offers a Desktop app that you can download to your computer for offline PDF editing.

Using Sejda PDF editor, you can perform the following editing task with your PDF:

• Edit and add your signature to PDF files
• Fill out PDF forms
• Edit existing text in the PDF - add, delete or change text
• Create or edit hyperlinks in PDF
• Add shapes, whiteout, form fields to the PDF files
• Add annotation to your PDF
• And more

To make any changes to your PDF files with Sejda, you need to upload the file and make changes using its in-built PDF editor. All the files that you upload stay private and are automatically deleted after 2-hours.

Subscription to paid plans gives you access to create and edit unlimited PDF documents with no page or hourly limits.

Sejda monthly plans starts at only $7.5/month and allows you to edit your PDF files in online mode only. If prefer to use Sejda offline, you need to subscribe to the plan - Desktop Web Annual at only $63/year. Under this plan you get access to both Sejda Web (online mode) and Sejda Desktop (offline mode).

If you want to try Sejda before committing to the paid plans, you can sign up for the forever free plan that gives you limited editing features. Sign up for the free plan using the link given below.

5. PDF Reader Pro

PDF Reader Pro is well received by more than 90 million people in over 200 countries. With a clean and easy-to-use interface, it is one of the best PDF Reader & Editor.

It boosts your productivity to work with everything you need to read, annotate and manage PDF files. It can expertly process your PDFs, making them readable, editable, convertible, and form fillable.

PDF Reader Pro provides various tools for users:

1. Read

Reading modes that supports multi-tab viewing, full-screen, page-fit, horizontal or vertical orientation and auto flow. Create, Edit and Search outlines to easily navigate through the whole file.

2. Annotate

Classic tools that helps you to annotate your PDF with highlight, underline, strikethrough, note, freehand, text box, anchored note, rectangle, circle, line etc. Sign feature allows you to create multiple signatures for any situation with trackpad, keyboard or images.

3. Fill Forms

Create & Edit Forms features can help you create fillable PDF Forms from interactive field objects, such as buttons, check boxes and more. 

4. Convert 

Easily convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PPT, Text, JPG, PNG and HTML, etc.

5. Edit Pages

Merge and split documents into multiple documents or combine multiple pages into a new one. You can also extract, rotate, delete, replace, and crop pages.

6. Secure Files

Add password to PDFs for protection. Redact PDF feature to remove or black out private and sensitive information permanently.

7. OCR

Convert scanned PDF forms, files, or pictures into editable and searchable PDFs or TXT files.

PDF Reader Pro for Mac/Windows provides a 7-day free trial for you. The pricing plans are as follows - Premium ($59.99) and Permanent License ($39.99).

I would recommend you to go with the Permanent License as you get both Premium + PDF to Office Pack with your purchase.

How to Select the Best PDF Editors

Below I have mentioned some of the important features a PDF editor must offer to its users. This may help as a checklist to guide you in selecting the best PDF editor for your needs.

1. Edit PDF files to add, edit or delete text and images
2. Add page number and annotate PDF documents
3. Highlight, blackout, or whiteout in your PDF file
4. View PDF files
5. Fill out PDF documents and add signature to it
6. Rearrange, Add or Delete Pages on Your PDF
7. Password protect PDF files
8. Share PDF documents online
9. Add watermark to PDF
10. Can be accessed on multiple devices - Desktop, Mobile, Tablet
11. Can be accessed on multiple platforms - Windows or Mac
12. Store documents in a secure cloud-based storage

A PDF editor may or may not offer all the above features. You need to select the one that offers maximum features from the list I have mentioned above.

Wrapping Up

Editing PDFs has never been easier. You can edit text, add or resize images, add or remove pages, add links, annotations, watermarks and more.

Above I have tried to cover only the best PDF editors that offer helpful editing features and are affordable to your pocket.

Adobe Acrobat DC is definitely the most recommended PDF editing tool but if you're looking for more affordable and budget-friendly tools, then I would recommend you to try PDFescape.

Which PDF editing tool do you like the most? Please share your experience in the comment section below.

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