Alternatives · PDF Editors
PDFBear alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded PDFBear alternative is PDF24 Tools (3.0 GPA). It's also the best free one.
PDFBear compared with 5 alternatives: Smallpdf, iLovePDF, PDF24 Tools, Sejda and PDF Candy.
PDFBear has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8.33 per month, billed yearly ($13.99 billed monthly). All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a PDFBear sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDFBearThis tool | Free plan · from $8.33/mo | Yes | Web, Browser extension |
| Smallpdf | Free plan | Yes | Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| iLovePDF | Free plan · from $5/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| PDF24 Tools | Free | Free | Web, Windows |
| Sejda | Free plan · from $5 one-time | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| PDF Candy | Free plan · from $4/mo | Yes | Web, Windows |
Price against what you get
PDFBear starts at $8.33 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 1 of the 3 alternatives on this chart scores higher and starts lower: iLovePDF.
PDF24 Tools and PDF Candy start lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
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
How each one differs from PDFBear
Smallpdf
30-plus PDF tools in the browser, with Windows and mobile apps
- Smallpdf also lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Smallpdf does not cover forms, which PDFBear does.
Suits: People who convert or shrink a PDF now and then in the browser
iLovePDF
Online PDF tools with desktop and mobile apps, free for light use
- iLovePDF starts at $5 per user / month, billed annually ($9 billed monthly).
- iLovePDF also lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- iLovePDF lists no browser extension, which PDFBear has.
- iLovePDF also covers workflow automation.
- iLovePDF does not cover forms, which PDFBear does.
Suits: Occasional users who merge or compress a PDF in the browser
PDF24 Tools
Free online PDF tools paid for by ads, plus an offline Windows app
- PDF24 Tools is free.
- PDF24 Tools also lists a Windows app.
- PDF24 Tools lists no browser extension, which PDFBear has.
- PDF24 Tools does not cover forms, which PDFBear does.
Suits: Anyone who needs common PDF jobs done for free with no account
Sejda
Web and desktop PDF tools, free within daily limits or by the week
- Sejda starts at $5 per user for 7 days, paid once, with no renewal.
- Sejda also lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Sejda lists no browser extension, which PDFBear has.
Suits: One-off jobs: a week pass covers a short burst of PDF work
PDF Candy
90-plus online PDF tools and a Windows app, free within limits
- PDF Candy starts at $4 per month, billed yearly.
- PDF Candy also lists a Windows app.
- PDF Candy lists no browser extension, which PDFBear has.
- PDF Candy can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- PDF Candy does not cover forms, which PDFBear does.
Suits: People who convert or merge PDFs now and then without signing up
Limits worth knowing in PDFBear
- It is a browser product only; there is no desktop or mobile app, just browser extensions.
- Guests are limited to 5 single-file conversions per day, and free output carries a PDFBEAR.COM watermark.
- Files go to the vendor's servers and are kept 30 days after last activity on a free account.
- AI tools, larger OCR jobs and 90 MB files need the Premium subscription.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to PDFBear?
The alternatives to PDFBear in this directory are Smallpdf, iLovePDF, PDF24 Tools, Sejda and PDF Candy. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with PDFBear.
Is there a free alternative to PDFBear?
Yes. PDF24 Tools is free to use. Smallpdf, iLovePDF, Sejda and PDF Candy have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which PDFBear alternatives work on Windows?
The PDFBear listing does not include a Windows app. Smallpdf, iLovePDF, PDF24 Tools, Sejda and PDF Candy list one.
Which PDFBear alternatives work on macOS?
The PDFBear listing does not include a macOS app. iLovePDF and Sejda list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 18, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.