PDF Annotator vs Xodo (2026): which should you pick?

Pick PDF Annotator if

• Fits if you mark up and sign PDFs by pen on Windows
• Works for people who measure on plans in PDFs

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you use a Mac or phone, as it is Windows only
• Not for you if you need to edit existing text, which the pages read do not list
• Watch out: the license covers version 10, and a later major version needs an upgrade or Upgrade Assurance at $39.94
• Watch out: prices exclude VAT and volume pricing needs a quote

Pick Xodo if

• Fits if you're on Linux and need a desktop PDF editor
• Works for people who only need browser tools, at $7.99 a month on a yearly plan

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want web, desktop and phone without paying $14.99 a month for the full Suite
• Not for you if you want a refund safety net, as Xodo doesn't give them
• Tight if you're on the free plan, at 1 action a day, and the 3-day trial needs a payment method
• Watch out: the $240 perpetual license covers two devices and only 12 months of version upgrades
• Too light for building forms, as no form builder is on record, and the only integration is Xodo Sign

PDF Annotator

• It runs on Windows only; there is no Mac, mobile or browser version.
• The license covers version 10; a later major version needs an upgrade purchase or Upgrade Assurance.
• Prices exclude VAT, and volume pricing needs a quote for purchase orders.
• It is built for marking up and organizing pages, and the pages read do not list editing of existing text.

Xodo

• Each product is sold separately: the Web plan has no desktop app, and only the Document Suite covers web, desktop and mobile.
• The free plan allows only 1 action a day, and the free trial needs a payment method.
• Xodo does not give refunds; a cancelled plan runs to the end of the paid period.
• The perpetual license includes only 12 months of version upgrades and covers two devices.

PDF Annotator

Pen, text and highlighter

Write by hand or type comments directly on a PDF, and mark passages with a text marker.

Shapes, stamps and images

Arrows, lines, rectangles and circles, more than 330 predefined stamps, date and signature stamps, and inserted images.

Measuring tools

Dimension distances and areas and measure angles on PDF plans or technical drawings.

Formula editor

Creates and edits scientific formulas, with LaTeX support.

Create and combine PDFs

A virtual PDF printer creates PDFs from other applications, and pages can be inserted, merged and reordered.

Full-screen presentation

Presents PDFs full screen, with annotation tools available while presenting.

Xodo

Edit, redact and organize

Edit, compress, annotate and redact PDFs, merge, split and reorder pages, and add passwords or strip hidden data.

Convert and OCR

Converts to and from PDF and between image formats, runs OCR on scans, and validates PDF/A on the web.

Compare and edit DOCX

Shows two PDFs side by side to compare them, and edits Word files without Microsoft Word.

AskPDF AI

Summarizes PDFs and answers questions about them, as one of the web tools on paid plans.

Offline desktop editor

PDF Studio runs on Windows, macOS and Linux without an internet connection and automates repetitive PDF tasks.

Mobile apps

iOS and Android apps for editing, annotating, signing and sharing documents, included in the Document Suite.

PDF Annotator

• License$79.95

  one-time per user, for 1 to 4 users

  Perpetual license for version 10 with free updates within that version; volume prices fall to $23.95 per user at 1,000 or more.

• Upgrade Assurance$39.94

  for 2 years per user, one-time

  Optional add-on covering 2 years of all updates, including major ones, and priority support tickets.

Xodo

• Free$0

  One action a day on the web tools, no premium tools and 1GB of Xodo Drive.

• Xodo Web$7.99

  per month, billed annually ($10.99 billed monthly)

  40+ online tools with unlimited use and downloads, including AskPDF AI, strong compression and PDF/A; no desktop app.

• Xodo PDF Studio Desktop$9.99

  per month, billed annually ($19.99 billed monthly)

  Offline desktop editor for Windows, macOS and Linux with 60+ tools.

• Xodo Document Suite$14.99

  per month, billed annually ($24.99 billed monthly)

  Web, desktop and mobile in one subscription with priority support; $8.99 a month for new annual subscriptions through Dec 31, 2026.

• PDF Studio Perpetual License$240

  one-time purchase per user

  PDF Studio Desktop without a subscription, on up to two devices, with 12 months of free version upgrades.

PDF Annotator

• Education

  Student and faculty licenses

  The shop page has separate Student Licenses and Faculty Licenses tabs; prices are shown there.

Xodo

• Other savings

  40% off Document Suite for life, until Dec 31, 2026

  New annual Document Suite subscriptions started by Dec 31, 2026 cost $8.99 a month ($107.93 a year), a discount that stays on every renewal while the plan is active.

• Annual discount

  Lower price with yearly billing

  Xodo lists Web at $7.99 a month billed yearly against $10.99 monthly, PDF Studio at $9.99 against $19.99, and the Suite at $14.99 against $24.99.

• Other savings

  Volume discounts for teams

  Xodo discounts team licenses by seat count, starting at 2 seats for the Web and Document Suite plans and growing with volume for PDF Studio.