PDF24 Tools vs PDF2Go (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PDF24 Tools grades higher than PDF2Go: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PDF24 Tools grades higher on value for money and the free plan. PDF2Go grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
PDF24 Tools
Free online PDF tools paid for by ads, plus an offline Windows app
PDF2Go
Online PDF editor and converter with a Windows, Mac and Linux app
Which one is for you
Pick PDF24 Tools if
- Fits if you need PDFs merged, compressed or OCR'd for free
- Works for offices that want a free PDF printer on every Windows PC
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need to change the text already in a PDF, as PDF24 says to convert to Word for that
- Too light for Mac, Linux or phone users who want an offline app, as Creator is Windows only
- Not for you if ads on the page drive you mad, as that's how it's paid for
- Watch out: the online tools process files on PDF24's servers before removing them; only Creator keeps them local
- Tight if you want it linked to your cloud storage or other apps, as no integrations are on record
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
| 3.0GPAPDF24 ToolsVery good | 2.6GPAPDF2GoGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree for home and business use, with no limits, and ads on the website pay for it. Creator is a program anyone can download. It costs nothing, but it can't rewrite existing text. | 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 | AEverything is free online and in Creator, with no artificial limits and no account. The only cost is the ads on its web pages. | CA free plan with most apps, limited file processing, ads and a standard queue, no account needed. You will hit the caps. |
| Features | CMerges, splits, compresses, converts, OCRs, signs, redacts and compares, plus a virtual PDF printer. But the editor only adds text and shapes on top: changing existing text means converting to Word first, and that's the core job here. | 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. Pick a tool in the browser and go, with no install or account. | BNo store rating on record. You pick a tool, upload and go, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CThe web, plus Creator for Windows. Mac, Linux and phones get the browser only, and there are no integrations on record. | BWeb plus Windows, macOS and Linux desktop apps, with Zapier and Make automation on Pro. No phone apps. |
| Best for | free everyday PDF jobs with no account | 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: PDF24 Tools and PDF2Go. How we grade
Price against what you get
PDF24 Tools has no paid plan 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 $8 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other PDF editors on the chart, none scores higher than PDF24 Tools 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
- PDF2Go also covers workflow automation and file compression.
At a glance
| PDF24 Tools | PDF2Go | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $8 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 19%) |
| Free plan | All tools are free without restrictions or artificial limits, online and in PDF24 Creator, for private and business use; the web pages carry ads. | Access to most PDF2Go apps with limited file processing, no account needed. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Geek Software GmbH | QaamGo Web GmbH |
| Price read from | tools.pdf24.org | pdf2go.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
PDF24 Tools
- The online editor adds text and shapes but cannot change existing text; PDF24 suggests converting to Word for that.
- The offline app, PDF24 Creator, is for Windows only; on Mac, Linux and phones PDF24 works in the browser.
- The free web tools show advertising, which is how PDF24 says it pays for them.
- Online files are processed on PDF24's servers and removed after a short time; Creator keeps them on the computer.
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
PDF24 Tools
- Merge, split and compress
- Combine, split, compress and web-optimize PDFs, and rotate, remove, extract or rearrange pages.
- Convert and OCR
- Converts files and images to and from PDF, saves web pages as PDFs and makes scanned PDFs searchable with OCR.
- Sign, protect and redact
- Sign PDFs, add or remove passwords, black out sensitive content, add watermarks and page numbers and compare two PDFs.
- Annotation-style editor
- Write on pages, insert images, shapes and arrows, draw freehand and add form fields; existing text is edited by converting to Word.
- PDF24 Creator offline
- A Windows app with all the tools working offline, so files stay on the computer, plus virtual PDF printers that turn any printable file into a PDF.
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
PDF24 Tools
PDF24 Tools$0
The online tools and the PDF24 Creator Windows app, free for private and business use, paid for by ads on the website.
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
PDF24 Tools
No public discounts listed.
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, PDF24 Tools or PDF2Go?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PDF24 Tools is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $8 a month for PDF2Go. PDF24 Tools is free, and PDF2Go starts at $8 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 19%).
Which has a free plan, PDF24 Tools or PDF2Go?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both PDF24 Tools and PDF2Go have a free plan.
Which platforms do PDF24 Tools 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.