The best PDF editors in 2025 include PDF.net, PDF Expert, Foxit PDF Editor, and PDF Pro. These programs are all quite simple and easy to use while offering a comprehensive suite of features that can be helpful in both professional and personal settings.
A reliable PDF editor allows you to make edits and adjustments to your document in a few clicks, which can be useful for creating presentations, presenting contracts, or preparing other files. So, in today’s article, we’ll round up the best PDF editors in 2025 and provide an overview of their pros and cons to help you decide.
Let’s see which tools made the list!
10 Best PDF Editors in 2025
From their convenience to their wide range of features, the best PDF editors in 2025 should make it easy for you to edit, rotate, annotate, and merge PDF files.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the 10 best PDF editors for the year:
#1. PDF.net
First on the list is PDF.net, one of the best PDF editors known for its efficiency and ease of use. This online PDF editor allows you to rotate, sign, annotate, merge, and split PDF files in seconds, making it an extremely convenient tool.
Moreover, PDF.net allows for instant file conversions and PDF compressions without affecting their original formatting or quality, so you can confidently edit your documents and not worry about a blurry outcome. The tool is also protected by advanced HTTPS encryption that keeps your files safe while in use.
With its intuitive and user-friendly design, PDF.net is the best document editing software for beginners and professionals looking for a comprehensive tool that can do it all. While this tool isn’t free, you are paying a premium for its quality and security.
Visit our website today to learn more about our paid plans and discover all the features you can access.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Accessible on any device | No free version available |
| Wide range of editing features | |
| Supports multiple file formats |
#2. Smallpdf
If you need the best PDF editor for basic editing and conversions, then Smallpdf is the right tool for you. As a cloud-based program, Smallpdf allows you to edit your files on any device with an internet connection.
This online software has a range of features, including merging, rotating, extracting, and deleting PDF pages that you can sample with their limited free trial. For more comprehensive access to their tools, however, you would need to subscribe to Smallpdf Pro.
Smallpdf offers two paid plans:
- Pro. $12/month
- Pro for teams. $10/month per seat
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Simple, user-friendly interface | Free version has limited features |
| Cloud-based access | Editing capabilities are not as comprehensive as others on this list |
#3. Ilovepdf
Ilovepdf is a popular web-based PDF editor known for its straightforward approach to PDF management. With its simple drag-and-drop functionality and collaborative interface, Ilovepdf is a must-have for users looking for a quick and hassle-free solution to most PDF-related tasks.
While Ilovepdf is mainly cloud-based, it also offers a downloadable desktop app that allows you to work offline and integrate it with other PDF tools. This versatility makes it one of the best PDF editors for Windows.
Ilovepdf has two paid subscriptions:
- Premium. $9/month
- Business. Custom pricing depending on your needs
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive interface | Offline access only available on the paid version |
| Wide range of features | Free version includes ads |
#4. PDF Expert
PDF Expert is arguably one of the best PDF editors for Macs, iPhones, and iPads, as it’s specifically designed for Apple users. This premium PDF editor boasts a range of features that allow you to annotate documents, edit text, and convert PDFs to other formats in seconds.
While PDF Expert has a free version, most of its excellent features, like Optical Character Recognition and Artificial Intelligence, are only available on their premium plan. However, their pricing is on the lower end among the other tools on this list.
PDF Expert has two paid plans:
- Yearly. $79.99/year
- Lifetime. $139.99 one-time payment
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Seamless syncing across Apple devices | Only available offline |
| Comprehensive editing tools | Premium plans billed annually |
#5. Foxit PDF Editor
Foxit PDF Editor, one of the best PDF editors, utilizes artificial intelligence to elevate its editing features. This means that in addition to the usual annotation, merging, and signing capabilities, this AI PDF editor can also help you improve file quality, summarize content, and enhance the text.
That said, because of its robust features, Foxit PDF Editor can be quite overwhelming for beginners, and its pricing plans may not be ideal for all users.
Foxit PDF Editor has two paid subscriptions:
- PDF Editor. $10.99/month billed annually
- PDF Editor+. $13.99/month billed annually
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Powerful editing features | Interface can be overwhelming |
| Multi-platform compatibility | AI features cost extra |
| AI integration |
#6. PDF Pro
PDF Pro is an offline PDF editor that allows you to effortlessly create, edit, and convert PDFs to your preferred format. This tool boasts a clean and simple interface that makes it ideal for beginners and a range of features for annotating, watermarking, and signing documents.
While PDF Pro is paid software, it also has a free version that can help you experience its full set of features. That said, the free version often displays ads, and its premium plan can be quite expensive.
PDF Pro offers three paid plans:
- Monthly. $15/month
- Annual. $5/month
- Perpetual license. $192 one-time payment
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cloud storage integration | Offline access only |
| Intuitive interface | Limited features in the free version |
#7. EaseUS PDF Editor
Need to convert files or remove PDF restrictions? Then, consider using EaseUS PDF Editor, an all-in-one PDF maker and editor. This offline PDF editor boasts powerful editing features in a simple and easy-to-navigate program, making it a great choice for both professional and personal users.
That said, EaseUS PDF Editor is a desktop application and not an online tool, so its use is limited to PC only. Plus, its free version only has limited capabilities, so you would need to subscribe to its premium tiers.
EaseUS PDF Editor has four paid plans:
- 1-Month. $19.47/month
- 1-Year. $49.95/year
- Lifetime Upgrades. $79.95 one-time payment
- Business. Custom pricing depending on your needs
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Built-in OCR capabilities | Offline access only |
| Straightforward interface | Free version can be limited |
| Full set of editing features | Only available on Windows |
#8. pdfFiller
For users handling administrative tasks, pdfFiller is one of the best PDF editors you can use. Its features allow you to seamlessly edit, collaborate, and e-sign documents so you can approve contracts and agreements with ease. As a web-based tool, pdfFiller also supports integration with cloud-based storage services like Google Drive to streamline collaboration.
That said, pdfFiller may lack some of the advanced editing capabilities of the other PDF editors on this list. Moreover, its premium plan can be quite expensive for users who only need basic features.
When it comes to paid plans, pdfFiller offers three for individual users and two premium subscriptions for businesses:
- Basic. $20/month for straightforward editing capabilities and customer support
- Plus. $30/month for all Basic features, plus premium tools like reusable templates, smart document tags, and faster customer service
- Premium. $40/month for everything in Plus and access to the US Legal Forms Library, custom branding tools, and instant customer support
- Basic for Enterprise. $8/month per user. Requires a minimum of 20 users
- Premium for Enterprise. $15/month per user. Requires a minimum of 10 users
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive interface | Steep learning curve |
| Advanced security options | Limited editing features |
#9. Nitro PDF Pro
Nitro PDF Pro is a versatile PDF editor that features a simple OCR engine and conversion capabilities. It allows you to annotate PDFs, make edits to your documents, and sign files in a few clicks. This offline software also features a simple interface and is compatible with both Mac and Windows, enhancing its ease of use.
With its selection of tools and premium-price subscription plans, Nitro PDF Pro is one of the best PDF editors you can get. That said, it may not be ideal for casual users and is instead better suited for professionals and businesses.
Nitro PDF Pro has two paid subscriptions for individuals:
- Nitro Pro. $14.99/month per user
- Nitro PDF Pro. $250 one-time payment
And three paid plans for businesses:
- Nitro Pro. Custom pricing depending on your needs
- Nitro Pro Businesses. Custom pricing depending on your needs
- Nitro Sign Premium. Custom pricing depending on your needs
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Seamless collaboration tools | Pricing plans can be more expensive than others |
| Wide range of features |
#10. DocHub
DocHub is a convenient online PDF editor that allows users to instantly annotate, edit, and sign PDF files without installing any software. This tool also supports integration with cloud storage platforms like Google Drive, making it a great choice for users who need quick edits on their documents.
While DocHub has a clean and simple interface, it lacks some of the more advanced editing features of the other software on this list.
DocHub offers two paid plans:
- Basic. $11/month
- Pro. $16/month
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive interface | Limited free plan |
| Cloud-based access |
7 Key Features to Look for in a PDF Editor
Now that you know the best PDF editors in 2025, you may be wondering how you can decide which tool to use.
Here are seven key features to look for in a PDF editor:
- Text and image editing. Seamless text and image editing is just one of the basic features that the best PDF editor should have. Whether you are updating a report or creating a presentation, being able to change fonts and insert images with one tool will help you save time.
- File merging, splitting, and compression. Handling large PDF files can be challenging, so having a reliable PDF editor that you can use to merge, split, or compress files with ease is a must.
- Annotation and collaboration tools. The best PDF editors should also allow you to annotate PDFs and reflect edits in real-time so you can collaborate with a team and streamline workplace processes.
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) capabilities. Look for OCR PDF tools that allow you to digitize physical copies of your documents and convert them into editable text. This will make it easier for you to deal with scanned documents and different file formats.
- Cross-platform compatibility. Having the ability to access and edit your documents across multiple platforms is a must-have feature for the best PDF editor so you can make last-minute edits to documents.
- User-friendly interface. A user-friendly interface removes the learning curve and allows you to edit files, convert PDF to Word, or rearrange pages effortlessly.
- Advanced security. Since PDFs and other documents can sometimes have sensitive or private information, your choice of the best PDF editor should have advanced security measures in place to keep your files safe.
Free vs. Paid PDF Editors
When choosing between free vs. paid PDF editors, the latter may seem like the obvious choice. However, paid PDF editors provide access to more comprehensive editing features that allow you to do more with your documents.
So, should you choose free or paid tools?
When to Choose Free PDF Editors
The main advantage of free PDF editing tools like PDF24 Creator is that there are zero costs involved. While these lack the advanced features of paid PDF editors, they are often ideal for individuals who need basic capabilities like text editing or file compression.
When to Invest in Paid PDF Tools
Alternatively, if you need features like OCR, cross-platform compatibility, or more robust security measures, then you would need to invest in a paid PDF tool. While this option is often best for professionals and businesses that need comprehensive editing capabilities, it can also be worthwhile for individuals who process a large number of documents on a daily basis.
Discover the Best Online PDF Editor—PDF.net
With our PDF editing software comparison list, it should be easier for you to find a tool that meets your needs. However, if you are still undecided and simply want the best PDF editor for secure PDF editing, quality file conversions, and lossless compressions, then look no further than PDF.net.
Best PDF Editors FAQ
#1. Can I edit PDFs online without downloading software?
Yes, you can edit PDFs online without downloading software by using an online PDF tool like PDF.net. As a cloud-based program, you can easily use our PDF editor without having to install anything.
#2. What features should I prioritize in a PDF editor?
Some features you should prioritize in a PDF editor include multi-platform compatibility, advanced security, several editing features, and an intuitive, user-friendly interface. These features will make it easier and more convenient for you to use PDF editors for all your document management needs.
#3. Are free PDF editors secure?
Free PDF editors can be secure, but it’s important to be selective about the tools you choose, especially when dealing with sensitive files. Unlike PDF.net, not all PDF editors use advanced end-to-end encryption to protect your files while using the tool.
#4. What is the difference between online and desktop PDF editors?
The difference between online and desktop PDF editors is that the former can be used on any device without having to download any software, while the latter involves installation and setup. Online PDF editors also require a stable internet connection for continued use, while installed editors allow offline access.
#5. Which PDF editor is best for team collaboration?
The best PDF editor for team collaboration is Adobe Acrobat, with several users noting its excellent file-sharing and commenting capabilities that allow for seamless participation among multiple users.