How to choose the best PDF editor for you: what to check before you buy

First: check what you already have

Many computers, phones and web browsers can already open PDFs and fill in forms for free, and some can also add a signature or combine files. If that's all you need, you may not need to buy anything. Write down what your devices can already do, and add it to your comparison as one of the options.

Why the adverts are not enough

PDF editor adverts show the best result a product can reach. The detailed terms often say something different. For example:

• Editing the existing text of a PDF, not just adding text on top, is often only in the paid version.
• A free online editor may upload your documents to the company's computers, which matters for private papers.
• A low monthly price may require a yearly commitment, with a fee to cancel early.

So check the same things for every PDF editor, using its own price and privacy pages, and test it in a free trial with your own documents.

Before you look at any PDF editor

Write down your answers to these four points. They decide which checks in the list matter most to you.

• What you need to do. Fill in forms, sign, add comments, change existing text, combine or split files, turn scans into text, or convert to and from other formats.
• Your documents. Whether they are private, such as contracts, ID or medical papers.
• Your devices. Computer, phone or tablet, and their operating systems (the main software they run).
• How often you need it. Every day, or a few times a year. This decides whether a subscription or a one-time purchase makes sense.

The checklist

The checks are in three groups. Must have means a problem here can make it unusable for your documents or cost more than expected. Nice to have means it makes a real difference for many people. Optional means it only matters to some people. When you open the checklist in NeutralPick, you can move any check to a different group to match your answers above.

• Must have
• Does the edits you needCan it do each edit I listed, including changing existing text, on the plan or version I would buy, without a watermark?Free versions often only let you add text or notes on top. Test editing your own document in the trial.
• Keeps your documents privateDoes it work on my device, or upload my files to the company's computers, and if so, how long are they kept and who can see them?For contracts, ID or medical papers, an editor that works on your device keeps the files with you. Read the privacy policy.
• Works on your devicesDoes it work on every device and operating system I would use it on, and does one purchase cover all of them?Some licences cover one computer only. Phone versions often do less than computer versions.
• A price model you understandIs it a one-time purchase or a subscription, what does it cost per year, is there a minimum term (how long you must keep paying), and how do I cancel?Some monthly prices need a year's commitment, with a fee to cancel early. A one-time purchase may not include future updates. Your rights to cancel depend on where you live.
• Keeps documents looking rightWhen I edit and save, do fonts, layout and form fields stay as they were, and can others open the file normally?Test with one of your own documents. Some editors change fonts or break forms when saving.
• Nice to have
• Signing documentsCan I add a signature, and does it support the type of electronic signature I need for my documents?A drawn signature is fine for many uses. Some documents need a certified digital signature that proves who signed, or ink on paper. Rules depend on your country and the document.
• Turns scans into textCan it turn a scanned page or photo into text I can search and copy (often called OCR), in my language?Only matters if you work with scans. Check the languages it recognises.
• Converts to and from other formatsCan it convert PDFs to and from the formats I use, such as text documents (word-processor files), spreadsheets or images, and keep the layout?Conversions are rarely perfect. Try one of your own documents.
• Combines, splits and reorders pagesCan I combine files, split them, and move, rotate or delete pages easily?One of the most common jobs. Many free tools already do it.
• Password protection and blacking out textCan I protect a PDF with a password needed to open it, and permanently remove (redact) private text, including hidden information, so it can't be recovered?Drawing a black box over text doesn't remove it, and hidden details like the author's name can stay. Proper redaction deletes them. Passwords that only block printing or copying are easy to remove.
• Optional
• Help when you are stuckHow can I get help, and is it included in the price?Matters most for business use.

Claims to look at carefully

Adverts and product pages often describe the points below in vague terms. When you see one, look for the specific information shown here. If you cannot find it, assume the answer is "no" or "only partly".

• "Edit any PDF". Look for whether it changes existing text or only adds text on top, and test it.
• "Free". Look for limits, watermarks on saved files, and whether your files are uploaded.
• "Secure". Look for where your files are processed and stored, and for proper redaction.
• The price. Compare the cost over the years you'll use it: subscription, minimum term, or one-time purchase plus future upgrades.

What to do with what you found

1. Put all the options side by side, including what your devices can already do.
2. Look at the Must have checks first. If one gets a No on one of your must-haves, remove it, however good the rest looks. Look closely at any Partial.
3. Test the ones left with your own documents, in a free trial or free version if there is one.
4. Before you pay, note any minimum term and the date a trial ends.

Why use NeutralPick to compare PDF editors

• The same checks for every PDF editor. You fill in the same checklist for each PDF editor you are considering, so you compare them in the same way.
• Everything in one table. You see every PDF editor side by side, check by check, instead of switching between shop pages and notes.
• Nobody can pay to influence it. There are no adverts, no paid placements and no "featured" products. No maker or shop can pay to be shown to you or placed higher.
• Free, with no account. You don't need to sign up or pay anything.

Start with this checklist See an example comparison