PDF Candy vs PDF2Go (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PDF2Go grades higher than PDF Candy: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PDF Candy grades higher on value for money. PDF2Go grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
PDF Candy
90-plus online PDF tools and a Windows app, free within limits
PDF2Go
Online PDF editor and converter with a Windows, Mac and Linux app
Which one is for you
Pick PDF Candy if
- Fits if you convert or merge PDFs now and then without signing up
- Works for Windows users who'd rather pay $99 once for an offline app
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need OCR on scanned pages, forms or signing, as none is on record
- Not for you if you're on a Mac or a phone, as the only app is for Windows
- Tight if you expect the $99 license to cover future major versions, as it doesn't
- Watch out: the free plan caps pages, hourly use and file size, with no batch processing
- Pricey if you pay monthly: Web Monthly is $6 and leaves out the desktop app
Pick PDF2Go if
- Fits if you do occasional PDF jobs from a browser
- Works for small teams that want automation through Zapier or Make
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, with limited file processing, ads and a standard queue
- Watch out: the desktop app is Apple Silicon only on Mac and is listed from the Pro plan
- Pricey if you add users at 5 euros each a month
- Watch out: credits reset each cycle and do not roll over
- Watch out: plan cards say one person while the FAQ says plans include 2, 5 and 20 users
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAPDF CandyFair | 2.6GPAPDF2GoGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$4 a month on a yearly plan for web and desktop, among the lowest-priced paid PDF tools. The $99 lifetime license, spread over three years, is low too, but it covers the current desktop version only, not future major ones. | CStarter is $8 a month billed monthly for up to 2 users, close to the $7.99 middle for PDF editors. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree on web and desktop with no account and no ads, but with page and hourly limits, smaller files and no batch processing. Fine for the odd job. | CA free plan with most apps, limited file processing, ads and a standard queue, no account needed. You will hit the caps. |
| Features | CConverts to and from Office and e-book formats, edits, merges, splits, compresses and protects, with AI summaries and chat. But no OCR, form builder or signing is on record, so it's lighter as an editor. | BAbout 50 apps covering editing, conversion, signing, redaction, OCR and AI. The listing names no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. No account needed: pick a tool in the browser and go. | BNo store rating on record. You pick a tool, upload and go, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CThe web, plus a desktop app for Windows only. No phone apps and no integrations on record. | BWeb plus Windows, macOS and Linux desktop apps, with Zapier and Make automation on Pro. No phone apps. |
| Best for | PDF conversions with a $99 one-time license | browser PDF tools with a free tier |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: PDF Candy and PDF2Go. How we grade
Price against what you get
PDF Candy starts at $4 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. PDF2Go starts at $8 a month and scores 3.0.
PDF2Go scores higher, and starts $4 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other PDF editors on the chart, 3 score higher than PDF Candy for less, and 2 score higher than PDF2Go for less.
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
Where they differ
- PDF Candy can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- PDF2Go also covers workflow automation and file compression.
At a glance
| PDF Candy | PDF2Go | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $4 per month, billed yearly | $8 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 19%) |
| Free plan | Free on web and desktop with no account or ads: page and hourly limits, smaller files, no batch processing and a cap on desktop operations. | Access to most PDF2Go apps with limited file processing, no account needed. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | PDF Candy (Icecream Apps) | QaamGo Web GmbH |
| Price read from | pdfcandy.com | pdf2go.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
PDF Candy
- The free plan limits pages, hourly use and file size, with no batch processing.
- The desktop app is for Windows only, and the Web Monthly plan does not include it.
- The lifetime license covers the current desktop version and its minor updates, not future major versions.
- Refunds within 30 days are given if errors keep happening and support cannot fix them.
PDF2Go
- Extra users on a paid plan cost 5 euros each per month, a euro price on a dollar page.
- Subscription credits reset each cycle and do not roll over; add-on packs are bought separately.
- The desktop app is Apple Silicon only on Mac, and is listed from the Pro plan; after a free trial it needs a plan that includes it.
- Plan cards say 'for one person' (Business: per person) while the FAQ says plans include 2, 5 and 20 users.
Key features
PDF Candy
- Convert to and from PDF
- Converts PDFs to and from Office files, images and e-book formats such as MOBI, and between many other formats.
- Edit and organize
- Edit PDFs and their metadata, merge, split, compress, rotate and reorder pages, and add or remove passwords.
- AI tools
- Summarize a PDF, translate it or chat with it from the web tools.
- Offline Windows app
- PDF Candy Desktop brings 35 tools to Windows for editing, converting and organizing files without an internet connection.
- Short file retention
- Uploaded files and results are kept for no longer than 2 hours, and the free plan needs no account.
PDF2Go
- Edit and organize
- Edit, merge, split, rotate, crop, watermark, redact, sign and compare PDFs, and change page layout or create booklets.
- Conversion
- Converts PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, JPG, text, EPUB and PDF/A, and Word, images, EPUB and webpages to PDF.
- OCR and AI apps
- OCR, chat with a PDF, summarize, translate, spellcheck and extract facts; the vendor says it does not train AI on files.
- Credits and batch processing
- Paid plans include monthly shared credits (a standard task is typically 1 credit) and batch processing; add-on credit packs last one year.
- Desktop app
- A desktop app for Windows, Apple Silicon Macs and Linux runs most apps offline; it needs a plan that includes it.
- Automation and sharing
- Zapier and Make automation and document sharing are listed from the Pro plan.
Plans
PDF Candy
Free$0
Most tools on web and desktop with page, hourly, file-size and operation limits.
Desktop + Web Yearly$4
per month, billed yearly
Shown as 75% off a crossed-out $18 a month: web and desktop with no hourly limits, 500MB files, priority processing, plus Video and Image Candy.
Web Monthly$6
per month
PDF Candy Web only, with no hourly limits, 500MB files and priority processing.
Desktop + Web Lifetime$99
one-time purchase
Pay once for PDF Candy Web and a permanent desktop license for the current version, with its minor updates but not major upgrades.
PDF2Go
Free$0
Most apps with limited file processing, standard queue and ads.
Starter$8
per month for up to 2 users, billed monthly
64 GB files, batch processing, priority queue, no ads, all apps, priority support and AI tools.
Pro$29
per month for up to 5 users, billed monthly
Starter plus faster queue, 5x the AI usage, document sharing, Zapier and Make automation, desktop app.
Business$89
per month for up to 20 users, billed monthly
Pro plus skip-the-queue, business apps, centralized billing and 20x the AI usage; the page also labels it per person.
Ways to pay less
PDF Candy
- Lifetime license
Lifetime license for $99
A one-time payment of $99 buys PDF Candy Web and a permanent PDF Candy Desktop license for the current version.
- Education
A free year of online Pro for education
Students and teachers can get a year of PDF Candy's online Pro subscription at no cost.
PDF2Go
- Annual discount
Save 19% with yearly billing
The pricing page has a Monthly and Yearly toggle marked Save 19% on yearly billing; the monthly prices are shown by default.
- Education
Free paid apps for students and teachers
Verified students and educators get the paid apps free for non-commercial educational use, renewable while enrolled or teaching.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PDF Candy or PDF2Go?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PDF Candy is cheaper to start with: $4 a month, against $8 a month for PDF2Go. PDF Candy starts at $4 per month, billed yearly, and PDF2Go starts at $8 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 19%).
Which has a free plan, PDF Candy or PDF2Go?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both PDF Candy and PDF2Go have a free plan.
Which platforms do PDF Candy and PDF2Go run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PDF2Go lists macOS and Linux apps. Both list a web app and a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.