Alternatives · PDF Editors
Stirling PDF alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Stirling PDF alternative for most people is PDFgear (3.4 GPA), first in our ranking of PDF editors. It's also the best free one.
Stirling PDF compared with 5 alternatives: PDFsam, Sejda, PDF24 Tools, PDFgear and PDF-XChange Editor.
Stirling PDF has a free plan. Paid plans start at $99 per month for 100 users (Team). All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Stirling PDF sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stirling PDFThis tool | Free plan · from $99/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| PDFsam | Free plan · from $34.90/yr | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Sejda | Free plan · from $5 one-time | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| PDF24 Tools | Free | Free | Web, Windows |
| PDFgear | Free | Free | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| PDF-XChange Editor | Free plan · from $62 one-time | Yes | Windows |
Price against what you get
Stirling PDF starts at $99 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: PDFgear.
PDFsam and PDF24 Tools 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 Stirling PDF
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.
- PDFsam lists no web app, which Stirling PDF has.
- PDFsam can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- PDFsam does not cover workflow automation, which Stirling PDF does.
Suits: People who only need to split or merge PDFs and want it free
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 covers forms.
- Sejda does not cover workflow automation, which Stirling PDF does.
Suits: One-off jobs: a week pass covers a short burst of PDF work
PDF24 Tools
Free online PDF tools paid for by ads, plus an offline Windows app
- PDF24 Tools is free.
- PDF24 Tools lists no macOS and Linux apps, which Stirling PDF has.
- PDF24 Tools does not cover workflow automation, which Stirling PDF does.
Suits: Anyone who needs common PDF jobs done for free with no account
PDFgear
Free PDF editor for desktop, mobile and web with an AI copilot
- PDFgear is free.
- PDFgear also lists iOS and Android apps and a browser extension.
- PDFgear lists no Linux app, which Stirling PDF has.
- PDFgear also covers forms.
- PDFgear does not cover workflow automation, which Stirling PDF does.
Suits: Anyone who wants a full PDF editor without paying or signing up
PDF-XChange Editor
Windows PDF editor with a free edition and perpetual licenses
- PDF-XChange Editor starts at $62 per user, one-time purchase.
- PDF-XChange Editor lists no web app and macOS and Linux apps, which Stirling PDF has.
- PDF-XChange Editor can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- PDF-XChange Editor does not cover workflow automation, which Stirling PDF does.
Suits: Windows users who want to pay once rather than subscribe
Limits worth knowing in Stirling PDF
- The Team plan is $99 a month for 100 users; SSO and the team workspace are not on the free plan.
- Air-gapped deployment, SCIM, data residency and audit logs need the sales-only Enterprise plan.
- Automation through the PDF Processor uses credits: 1,000 free each month, then 1 cent per credit, prepaid or as used.
- The Linux desktop download is a .jar file that you run manually.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Stirling PDF?
The alternatives to Stirling PDF in this directory are PDFsam, Sejda, PDF24 Tools, PDFgear and PDF-XChange Editor. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Stirling PDF.
Is there a free alternative to Stirling PDF?
Yes. PDF24 Tools and PDFgear are free to use. PDFsam, Sejda and PDF-XChange Editor have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Stirling PDF alternatives work on Android?
The Stirling PDF listing does not include an Android app. PDFgear lists one.
Which Stirling PDF alternatives work on iOS?
The Stirling PDF listing does not include an iOS app. PDFgear lists one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 18, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.