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PDFelement alternatives · PDF Editors

Open-source alternatives to PDFelement

PDFelement is not described as open source on its own site. 4 of the 45 other PDF editors in this directory are open source, according to their own sites.

PDFelement is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $11.99 per quarter for one platform. All of them are free or have a free plan.

4 tools · Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from

How each one differs from PDFelement

  1. PDFsam

    Split and merge PDFs offline, with paid Visual and Enhanced editions

    • PDFsam starts at $34.90 per user / year (PDFsam Visual); PDFsam Basic is free. PDFelement starts at $11.99 per quarter for one platform.
    • PDFsam has a free plan. PDFelement does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only PDFsam lists a Linux app.
    • Only PDFelement lists a web app.
    PDFsam pricing and details

  2. Stirling PDF

    Open-source PDF editor you can run on your own machine or server

    • Stirling PDF starts at $99 per month for 100 users (Team). PDFelement starts at $11.99 per quarter for one platform.
    • Stirling PDF has a free plan. PDFelement does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Stirling PDF lists a Linux app.
    • Only PDFelement lists iOS and Android apps.
    Stirling PDF pricing and details

  3. Skim

    Free PDF reader and note-taker for Mac, built for papers

    • Skim is free. PDFelement starts at $11.99 per quarter for one platform.
    • Skim has a free plan. PDFelement does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only PDFelement lists a web app.
    • Only PDFelement lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
    Skim pricing and details

  4. SumatraPDF

    Small, free PDF, eBook and comic reader for Windows

    • SumatraPDF is free. PDFelement starts at $11.99 per quarter for one platform.
    • SumatraPDF has a free plan. PDFelement does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only PDFelement lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
    • SumatraPDF is open source, according to its own site.
    SumatraPDF pricing and details

Common questions

Is there an open-source alternative to PDFelement?

Yes. PDFsam, Stirling PDF, Skim and SumatraPDF are open source, according to their own sites.

Is PDFelement open source?

PDFelement is not described as open source on its own site. The listing was checked on Nov 9, 2026 against the pages it cites.

When was this checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Nov 9, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to PDFelement: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.