5 free programs to work with PDF

For convenience, we select four types of programs: viewers (for reading and annotating), editors (for editing text and other content), managers (for staking out, compressing and other manipulating files) and converters (for converting PDF to other formats).

Most applications can be attributed directly to several types.

1. Sejda PDF

• A type: viewer, editor, converter, manager.
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.

Very intuitive and convenient program with an impressive number of functions. By running Sejda PDF, you will immediately see all the tools grouped by category. Choose the right one, drag the desired file into the program window and proceed with the manipulations. Most PDF actions in this application can be performed in a few seconds, even if you are using it for the first time.

What can you do in Sejda PDF:

• Add annotations and highlight text;
• edit text, add images and shapes;
• convert PDF to Excel, JPG (and vice versa), Word (and vice versa);
• Combine and split files into pages, compress their size;
• protect documents with a password;
• add watermarks;
• discolor documents;
• crop the page area;
• sign documents.

There are restrictions in the free version of the program. For example, files should not have more than 200 pages and exceed 50 MB. In addition, you can not perform more than three operations with documents within 24 hours. The cost of the full version of Sejda PDF is $ 5.25 per month.

Sejda PDF →

2. PDFsam

• A type: manager, converter, editor.
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.

PDFsam can not boast a polished to perfection, user-friendly interface. In addition, the program does not allow you to convert PDF and edit the contents of documents for free. But it has several useful managerial functions, available to all without payment and no restrictions.

What can I do in PDFsam:

• Combine PDF in several modes (glue in parts or mix pagination);
• split PDF on pages, bookmarks (in places with specified words) and size for individual documents;
• turn pages (if some of them were scanned upside down);
• retrieve pages with the specified numbers;
• convert Excel, Word, PowerPoint formats to PDF;
• Convert PDF to Excel, Word and PowerPoint ($ 10);
• edit the text and other contents of the files ($ 30).

PDFsam →

3. PDF-XChange Editor

• A type: viewer, manager, converter, editor.
• Platforms: Windows.

Very functional program with a classic interface in the style of Microsoft office applications. PDF-XChange Editor is not very friendly to beginners. To master all the features of the program, you need to spend some time. Fortunately, all internal descriptions and clues are translated into Russian.

What can I do in PDF-XChange Editor:

• Add annotations and highlight text;
• edit text and other content;
• recognize text using OCR;
• extract pages from documents;
• encrypt documents (paid);
• convert PDF to Word, Excel and PowerPoint and vice versa (paid);
• compress files (fee);
• sort the pages in any order (requiring payment).

This is not all the functions that you can find in the PDF-XChange Editor. The program is available in several variants with a different number of possibilities. The cost of paid versions starts at $ 43.5.

PDF-XChange Editor →

4. Adobe Acrobat Reader

• A type: viewer, manager, converter, editor.
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS.

A popular universal program for working with PDF from Adobe. The free version is a very convenient document viewer, other functions are available by subscription at a price of 149 rubles per month.

What can I do in Adobe Acrobat Reader:

• view documents, highlight and comment on the text, search for words and phrases;
• sign documents (paid);
• edit text and other content (paid);
• merge documents into one file (requiring payment);
• compress files (fee);
• Convert PDF to Word, Excel and PowerPoint (paid);
• convert image formats JPG, JPEG, TIF and BMP to PDF (paid).

All these and other functions are available in desktop versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Mobile versions of the program allow only to view and annotate documents, and – after registration of the subscription – to convert them into different formats.

Adobe Acrobat Reader →