Foxit PDF Editor vs PDF-XChange Editor (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Foxit PDF Editor if

• Fits if you're leaving Acrobat and want the same jobs done for $129.99 a year
• Makes sense if you'd rather pay once, as a $209.99 perpetual license is still sold

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to edit on your phone on the base plan, as mobile needs PDF Editor+ at $159.99 a year
• Watch out: the $10.99 and $13.99 monthly prices are annual plans billed monthly; there's no month-to-month plan
• Tight if you lean on the AI, as 300 credits a month is it before a $49.99-a-year add-on
• Pricey if you send lots of documents to sign: PDF Editor+ has 150 envelopes a year, and unlimited is Foxit eSign, sold separately
• Not for you if you only fix a typo now and then, since free editors here do that

Pick PDF-XChange Editor if

• Fits if you are on Windows and want a one-time purchase
• Works for people who can live with the free edition for markup

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you use a Mac, Linux or a phone, as it is Windows only
• Tight if you need forms or compare, because those need Editor Plus at $79
• Watch out: licensed features add watermarks in the free version
• Watch out: updates cover 1 year, then renewals cost about 25% of the license price a year
• Not for you if you want a refund, as none is given once license keys are released

Foxit PDF Editor

• The iOS and Android apps, AI Smart Redact and the 150 eSign envelopes a year come only with PDF Editor+; PDF Editor covers Windows, macOS and web.
• Both subscriptions are annual; the $10.99 and $13.99 monthly figures are an annual plan billed monthly, not a monthly plan.
• More AI use costs extra: the AI Assistant add-on is $49.99 a year for 2,000 credits a month and access to Foxit Workspace.
• Unlimited e-signature sending needs Foxit eSign, a separate product sold per user by the year.

PDF-XChange Editor

• It runs on Windows 10 and later only; there is no Mac, Linux or browser edition.
• The vendor gives no refunds after license keys are released, so test the free version first.
• Maintenance (updates) covers 1 year; renewals within 30 days of expiry cost about 25% of the license price per year.
• Form creation, document compare and the enhanced OCR need Editor Plus, not the standard license.

Foxit PDF Editor

Editing and page tools

Edit text and images, add, delete and reorder pages, merge and split files, compare two versions, add Bates numbering and reduce file size.

Conversion and OCR

Converts PDFs to and from Word, Excel and PowerPoint, exports images, turns scans into searchable text and checks PDF/A and accessibility.

Forms and signing

Create fillable forms with JavaScript, fill and sign, and add certificate signatures; PDF Editor+ can also send for e-signature through Foxit eSign.

Redaction and protection

Password protection, copy and edit restrictions and manual redaction on both plans, with AI Smart Redact to find personal data on PDF Editor+.

AI Assistant

Summarizes, translates, rewrites and answers questions about documents, with 300 credits a month included in every subscription.

Foxit DMS

Every subscription includes Foxit's document management system with unlimited cloud storage, shared workspaces, check-in and check-out and version history.

PDF-XChange Editor

Editing and markup

Edit text and images and annotate PDFs, with over 400 features in all, 145 of them licensed.

OCR

Built-in OCR makes scanned documents searchable; Editor Plus uses a more accurate engine.

Forms (Plus)

Editor Plus creates and edits fillable forms and can turn non-interactive PDFs into forms with Identify Forms.

Compare documents (Plus)

Editor Plus compares two documents and summarizes insertions, deletions, replacements and style changes.

AI Assistant

Analyzes and answers questions about PDFs using OpenAI, Anthropic or Google models; it needs your own API key.

Signing tools

The FreeSign tool adds signatures and initials, and Plus can add placeholders where signers should sign.

Foxit PDF Editor

• PDF Editor$129.99

  per user / year ($10.99 a month on an annual plan billed monthly)

  Windows, macOS and web apps: editing, conversion, OCR, forms, compare and security, with Foxit DMS and 300 AI credits a month.

• PDF Editor+$159.99

  per user / year ($13.99 a month on an annual plan billed monthly)

  Everything in PDF Editor plus the iOS and Android apps, AI Smart Redact and Foxit eSign Essentials with 150 envelopes a year.

• Foxit PDF Editor 14 (Perpetual)$209.99

  one-time purchase per user

  A perpetual license for version 14 of the editor, paid once instead of a subscription.

• Volume LicensingCustom

  Quoted for 30 or more licenses, subscription or perpetual, with discounts of up to 30% and one renewal date.

PDF-XChange Editor

• Free$0

  Free for private and commercial use; features marked as licensed add watermarks to saved output.

• Editor, single user$62

  one-time purchase per user

  Perpetual license with 1 year of maintenance; 2 or 3 years can be added at purchase.

• Editor Plus, single user$79

  one-time purchase per user

  Adds a more accurate OCR engine, form creation, document compare, Identify Forms and dynamic stamps.

• Editor, 3 user pack$168

  one-time purchase for 3 users

  Perpetual licenses for 3 users; larger packs run up to 1000 users and site licenses.

Foxit PDF Editor

• Other savings

  Volume discounts from 30 licenses

  Foxit's pricing page gives discounts of up to 30% on orders of 30 or more licenses, for subscriptions or perpetual licenses, quoted by its sales team.

PDF-XChange Editor

• Education

  Charity and academic offers

  PDF-XChange lists a page of registered charity and academic offers; the free version may also be used in academic settings.

• Other savings

  Cheaper extended maintenance at purchase

  Adding 2 or 3 years of maintenance when buying costs less than renewing later; the pricing page shows examples.