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Alternatives · PDF Editors

Adobe Acrobat alternatives

Adobe Acrobat compared with 9 alternatives: Foxit PDF Editor, Nitro PDF Pro, PDFelement, PDF Expert, Smallpdf and 4 more.

Adobe Acrobat has a free plan. Paid plans start at $14.99 per month on an annual plan, billed monthly. 4 of the 9 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 5 more offer a free trial.

9 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 18, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
Adobe AcrobatThis toolFree plan · from $14.99/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Foxit PDF EditorFree trial · from $129.99/yrTrial onlyWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Nitro PDF ProFree trial · from $15/moTrial onlyWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS
PDFelementFree trial · from $11.99Trial onlyWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
PDF ExpertFree plan · from $79.99/yrYesmacOS, iOS
SmallpdfFree planYesWeb, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
pdfFillerFree trial · from $8/moTrial onlyWeb, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Soda PDFFree planYesWeb, Windows
UPDFFree trial · from $49.99/yrTrial onlymacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
XodoFree plan · from $7.99/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

Price against what you get

Adobe Acrobat starts at $14.99 a month and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 7 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.

Foxit PDF Editor, PDFelement, PDF Expert, pdfFiller, UPDF and Xodo start lower without scoring higher.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$2$5$10$20More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessAdobe AcrobatFoxit PDF EditorNitro PDF ProPDFelementPDF ExpertpdfFillerUPDFXodo

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart of PDF editors, and the best at every price

How each one differs from Adobe Acrobat

  1. Foxit PDF Editor

    PDF editor for Windows, Mac and web, yearly or as a one-time license

    • Foxit PDF Editor starts at $129.99 per user / year. Adobe Acrobat starts at $14.99 per month on an annual plan, billed monthly.
    • Adobe Acrobat has a free plan. Foxit PDF Editor does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a browser extension.
    • Foxit PDF Editor can be bought with a one-time purchase.

    Suits: Offices replacing Adobe Acrobat on Windows and Mac machines

    Foxit PDF Editor vs Adobe AcrobatFoxit PDF Editor pricing and details

  2. Nitro PDF Pro

    Desktop PDF editor for Windows and Mac with AI tools, billed yearly

    • Nitro PDF Pro starts at $15 per user / month, billed annually. Adobe Acrobat starts at $14.99 per month on an annual plan, billed monthly.
    • Adobe Acrobat has a free plan. Nitro PDF Pro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists an Android app.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a browser extension.
    • Adobe Acrobat also covers forms.

    Suits: Windows offices that want an Office-style PDF editor

    Nitro PDF Pro vs Adobe AcrobatNitro PDF Pro pricing and details

  3. PDFelement

    Wondershare's PDF editor, by subscription or a one-time license

    • PDFelement starts at $11.99 per quarter for one platform. Adobe Acrobat starts at $14.99 per month on an annual plan, billed monthly.
    • Adobe Acrobat has a free plan. PDFelement does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a browser extension.
    • PDFelement can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • Adobe Acrobat also covers documents.

    Suits: Windows or Mac users who want to pay once for a PDF editor

    PDFelement vs Adobe AcrobatPDFelement pricing and details

  4. PDF Expert

    PDF reader and editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad from Readdle

    • PDF Expert starts at $79.99 per year. Adobe Acrobat starts at $14.99 per month on an annual plan, billed monthly.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a web app.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists Windows and Android apps.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a browser extension.
    • Adobe Acrobat also covers documents.

    Suits: Mac, iPad and iPhone users who want one subscription across all three

    PDF Expert vs Adobe AcrobatPDF Expert pricing and details

  5. Smallpdf

    30-plus PDF tools in the browser, with Windows and mobile apps

    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a macOS app.
    • Adobe Acrobat also covers documents and forms.

    Suits: People who convert or shrink a PDF now and then in the browser

    Smallpdf vs Adobe AcrobatSmallpdf pricing and details

  6. pdfFiller

    Online PDF editor and form filler with templates and e-signatures

    • pdfFiller starts at $8 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly). Adobe Acrobat starts at $14.99 per month on an annual plan, billed monthly.
    • Adobe Acrobat has a free plan. pdfFiller does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists Windows and macOS apps.
    • pdfFiller also covers templates.
    • Adobe Acrobat also covers documents.

    Suits: People who fill in and sign government, tax or legal forms

    pdfFiller vs Adobe AcrobatpdfFiller pricing and details

  7. Soda PDF

    Windows PDF editor with an online version, sold by subscription

    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a browser extension.
    • Adobe Acrobat also covers documents.

    Suits: Windows offices that deploy a PDF editor across many PCs

    Soda PDF vs Adobe AcrobatSoda PDF pricing and details

  8. UPDF

    PDF editor with AI chat, one license across desktop and mobile

    • UPDF starts at $49.99 per year (US App Store). Adobe Acrobat starts at $14.99 per month on an annual plan, billed monthly.
    • Adobe Acrobat has a free plan. UPDF does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a web app.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a browser extension.
    • UPDF can be bought with a one-time purchase.

    Suits: People who work on PDFs across a computer, a phone and a tablet

    UPDF vs Adobe AcrobatUPDF pricing and details

  9. Xodo

    PDF tools on web, desktop and mobile, sold separately or as a suite

    • Xodo starts at $7.99 per month, billed annually ($10.99 billed monthly). Adobe Acrobat starts at $14.99 per month on an annual plan, billed monthly.
    • Only Xodo lists a Linux app.
    • Only Adobe Acrobat lists a browser extension.
    • Xodo can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • Adobe Acrobat also covers documents and forms.

    Suits: Linux users who need a full desktop PDF editor

    Xodo vs Adobe AcrobatXodo pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Adobe Acrobat

  • OCR, redaction, comparing PDFs and bulk e-signatures need Pro; Standard has no free trial.
  • AI Assistant comes with Studio, or as an add-on at $4.99 a month on an annual plan for Reader, Standard and Pro users.
  • Month-to-month billing costs $10 a month more than the annual plan on each individual tier.
  • Adobe no longer sells perpetual licenses; Acrobat Pro 2024 is a one-time purchase for three years of desktop use without online services.
Adobe Acrobat pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Adobe Acrobat?

The alternatives to Adobe Acrobat in this directory are Foxit PDF Editor, Nitro PDF Pro, PDFelement, PDF Expert, Smallpdf, pdfFiller, Soda PDF, UPDF and Xodo. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Adobe Acrobat.

Is there a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat?

Yes. PDF Expert, Smallpdf, Soda PDF and Xodo have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Which Adobe Acrobat alternatives work on Linux?

The Adobe Acrobat listing does not include a Linux app. Xodo lists one.

When were these prices checked?

Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 18, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.