PDF files are popularly used for exchanging large documents, presentations and forms over the internet.The are useful and user friendly file format. They help you to organize your files neatly, they are easy to print and share. To get the PDF version of your document or form you need a tool that can convert your document into PDF file format.
In the shadow of a lot of surprises connected with the new technologies and papersless office, there is no doubt that best online pdf tools play an important role in every way. The development of different computer applications has totally changed all aspects of human life and business. There are still many ways to use a computer to make life easier or more efficient. And some software solutions are able to make people’s life better. Although you can find thousands of PDF tools, it is not easy to choose a software that turns out exactly what you need.
With the rising popularity of the PDF file format, more and more information technology (IT) professionals and businesspeople are utilizing it. Packed with the text, charts, tables, and graphics, a PDF file gives you everything you’ll ever need to convey your message to your audience or clients. Another great thing about PDF files is its clarity — because it’s a printable file, it can be saved and printed using any desktop printer. Imagine passing around handouts made from your company’s advanced Powerpoint presentation during a meeting! Of course, in order to create PDF documents from scratch, you’ll need some tools and applications. Fortunately for you, there are numerous best pdf tools free available online that wouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg.
PDF stands for Portable Document Format. A PDF file is created at the time of printing and it is a portable document which can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Nowadays, it is considered as a very good option to use pdf since it provides good security and protection to the data.
Benefits of PDF converter
- Document format is maintained. One of the problems with sharing documents made in Microsoft Word or other word processors is that when you share a file from one computer to the next, the formatting can prove to be very different. This can cause confusion, or make you look bad to your clients or colleagues. You can rest easier with the PDF format, that your document will be presented exactly how you layed it out. It’s also ideal for sending documents that are intended to be printed out.
- The format is ubiquitous. Because it’s so good for what it sets out to do, PDF has been widely adopted all around the world. The format is easy to view and share, so whether you’re sharing a document with someone down the street, or on the other side of the world, PDF is a safe choice to send it in.
- They tend to have a small file size in comparison to other formats. The TIFF file format has many benefits beyond PDF, but the PDF format has the big advantage of compressing high-quality files to a relatively small file size. That’s ideal for saving hard drive space, particularly if you’re working with limited storage resources.
- The files can be protected by password. If you’re a business of any size, it’s possible, or even likely, that you’re handling some of your customers’ sensitive information. PDF files can be password-protected, giving you the ability make sure prying eyes are kept away from your important business documents.
- It works on any operating system. PDF works on all the major operating systems currently in use. So whether the viewer is on a PC or a Mac, or even on a newer mobile operating system like iOS and Android, there’s almost no worry about the receiver being unable to view the document.
- Easily integrate non-text elements (e.g. images, hyperlinks, etc.) PDFs allow you to maintain visually-pleasing layouts, and make use of links that will open up in the viewer’s web browser when viewing the documents on a computer or mobile device.
- It’s not likely to go away. Technology moves quickly, but PDFs are probably here to stay for the long-haul. The format is so widespread and has so much history behind it that it would take a fundamental shift in computing for everyone to adopt a different standard. An investment in PDF software now is sure to stand up in the long run, and give your company an excellent return on investment.
PDFescape
Best PDF-annotation tool
SPECIFICATIONS
Cost: Free; $36/year for premium accountDeveloper: Red SoftwareCompatibility: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, SafariCategory: PDF annotationTODAY’S BEST DEALSVIEW AT PDFESCAPE
REASONS TO BUY
+Web-based annotation tools are easy to understand and use
REASONS TO AVOID
-Extremely limited font options when you add text
PDFescape is a basic, web-based PDF-editing and -annotation program you can use for free to work on PDF documents that are smaller than either 10MB or 100 pages, whichever is greater. (PDFescape used to limit you to 50 pages, so the higher limit is a welcome change.) If you need to edit larger files, you can upgrade to a premium account for $36 a year. There’s also an “ultimate” plan for $72 per year.
Accessible through any modern web browser, PDFescape offers no OCR capabilities like PDF Candy does. But PDFescape’s annotation tools are easy to use. You’ll find a pretty solid set of standard annotation tools that can easily add, highlight and strike through text; insert notes; and otherwise mark up the pages of your PDF file. Using the web app’s insert tools, you can also add new images and text to a document, white-out text, and add web links and form fields.
PDFescape does have some major limitations in adding new text. Because there are no OCR capabilities, you can’t make changes to existing text; you’re limited to adding new text to an existing document. Additionally, the app has very limited font options, as it doesn’t use any of your computer’s fonts. So you’re limited to Arial, Courier New, Times New Roman, Verdana and a Signature font for signing documents.
Preview
Built-in PDF annotation for macOS
SPECIFICATIONS
Cost: Free with macOSDeveloper: AppleCompatibility: macOSCategory: PDF annotationTODAY’S BEST DEALSVIEW AT APPLE
REASONS TO BUY
+Excellent annotation tools+Easy-to-use signature capture+Markup features are often available in other apps
REASONS TO AVOID
-Locating annotation tools not obvious
Apple’s Preview app is built-in to the macOS and offers a minimalist but valuable set of tools for marking up any PDF file. You won’t find full-on PDF editing here. But if you need a basic set of tools for highlighting or redacting text, making notes, or adding comments to a document, you won’t likely need much more than what’s already available on your Mac.
Preview’s markup tools are hidden when you first open a PDF document. To see them, you’ll have to look for the small pencil icon that appears near the Spotlight search bar at the top of your PDF document’s toolbar. Clicking this reveals a small set of tools you can use to select text and add objects, text or notes to your document.
The app’s standout feature is a signature tool you can use to store a signature you create using your trackpad or scan using your Mac’s iSight camera. You can then easily add that signature to a document by clicking Preview’s Signature tool. Simple and easy to use once you set it up, Preview’s signing feature will prove its usefulness every time a digital document requires your John Hancock.
You can access all of Preview’s editing tools without opening Preview, as long as you’re running macOS 10.14 Mojave or later. Just use QuickLook to view a PDF, then turn to the Markup button in that mode.
PDF Expert
PDF editor with the cleanest interface
SPECIFICATIONS
Cost: $80 one-time license purchaseDeveloper: ReaddleCompatibility: macOSCategory: PDF editorTODAY’S BEST DEALSPDF ExpertUS$75PDF Expert£54.99VISIT SITEat PDF Expert
REASONS TO BUY
+Clean, easy-to-use interface+Editing tools appear when you need them and hide when you don’t
REASONS TO AVOID
-Couldn’t handle large files-Mac-only
Readdle’s macOS-only PDF Expert is a popular PDF-editing tool that allows you to make changes to text in existing PDF documents, including by removing and replacing images, updating text, and adding text of your own. PDF Expert lacks OCR capabilities, so if you want to edit text in scanned documents, you’ll need to look beyond this program.
Of all the apps I tested, PDF Expert has the cleanest interface and therefore was the most pleasant to use. Two tabs appear at the top of the screen: Annotate and Edit. Clicking one of them gives you an appropriate selection of tools to perform either annotation or editing tasks.
PDF Expert’s editing tools are flawless. Click text in your PDF, and tools for editing text will slide out so you can make changes. Select an image, and tools for changing the image appear. You can move selected text anywhere on the page you want or remove it altogether.
PDF Expert struggles with large documents; otherwise, this would have been my top pick for both macOS and Windows. But every time I attempted to open my nearly 450-page test file, PDF Expert hung. Until this program behaves more dependably, look elsewhere if you tend to work with larger documents.
HiPDF – Simple Online PDF Editor
Developed by Wondershare Technology as a free online PDF editor, HiPDF gives you all the tools you need to stay on top of any PDF workflow. For editing PDF files, it allows you to add texts, images, and shapes. Moreover, it includes a massive collection of PDF utilities for file conversions, encryption, PDF compression, file and page management, OCR, API, and much more. It’s a one-stop online shop for all things PDF. Each function has a dedicated web page where you can upload your PDFs and other documents, process the task, and then download the file with no watermarks or other restrictions.
Pros
- Completely free, no strings attached; paid Pro option with richer features
- A comprehensive range of utilities comprising a free PDF editor, converter, compressor, OCR, and other tools
Cons
- Documents are uploaded to the web, where they may be at risk while in transit
- You will need a stable and fast Internet connection when working with large files or complex processes such as OCR
Smallpdf – Complete PDF Editor Online
Smallpdf is another well-known online PDF solutions platform. It offers an array of PDF tools such as a free PDF editor, file compression, file conversion, etc. but the free version has a lot of important features locked behind the paywall. It’s a great service to use when you’re in an unfamiliar location and you need to access a PDF tool on a computer different from your own.
Pros
- Excellent file compression tool
- Comprehensive PDF tools for conversion, editing, security, signing, etc.
Cons
- Users cannot set the name of a processed file when saving it
- Doesn’t do well with large PDF files
iLovePDF – Free PDF Editor
This online PDF service comprises a collection of useful tools for editing, conversion, compression, file and page management, and even PDF repair. While not as popular as SmallPDF or HiPDF, ILovePDF offers a matching array of capabilities to help users handle relatively light document workflows.
Pros
- Limited “Convert to PDF” options
- No advanced tools such as OCR
Cons
- Users cannot set the name of a processed file when saving it
- Doesn’t do well with large PDF files
Microsoft Word
If you use Microsoft Office, then you already have access to a versatile PDF document editor.
In the past, versions of Microsoft Word were limited to saving a document in or out of the PDF format, and that was about it. However, the more recent 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365 versions allow you to open a PDF and then make specific edits to the piece as a Word document. When finished, you can save it as a PDF again (although according to Microsoft, saving it as a PDF is not supported in Word 2013). This is especially useful because many people are already most comfortable editing documents in the Microsoft Word format.
It’s a simple tool, and formatting doesn’t always line up correctly based on the PDF, but it’s an excellent alternative if you need to dip into a PDF fast for a bit of basic editing or text changes. Plus, Word is a straightforward editing tool for employees and students who are already familiar with Word and don’t want to learn a new program.
While there are limited ways you can use Microsoft Word for free, it is generally software that you have to pay to use, either via a subscription or a hefty one-time payment.
PDF Architect 8
German company Pdfforge has a unique purchase model for its PDF Architect program. It’s available as a free download or as part of three separate packages (Standard, Professional, and Pro+OCR). Each package includes a set of modules for the program, which dictate its editing power. The Standard package includes the Edit, Convert, and Page modules. Professional features all the modules from the Standard package and adds the Review/Comment, Secure, and Forms modules. Finally, Pro+OCR has everything from the Professional package and the OCR Advanced module. Full descriptions of each module can be found on the Pdfforge website.
Even the Pro+OCR package is available at a reasonable price, and the full suite of editing tools makes up one of the most complete, inclusive PDF editors out there. The latest version of PDF Architect is PDF Architect 8, and premium subscriptions to it include features such as editing text, the ability to convert PDFs into other file formats, support for comments/annotations, and password protection of your PDFs.
There is a (limited) free version of PDF Architect 8. It lets you convert Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents into PDFs, rotate PDFs, or even merge PDFs and delete pages.
When Would You Need to Edit PDFs for Free?
As the world becomes more digitally transformed, it’s inevitable that you will come across PDF documents in the course of a normal day – invoices, contracts, eBooks, bank statements, credit card statements, tax forms, insurance forms… these are just some of the examples of the widespread use of PDF. Here are several use cases where you’re not a regular PDF user but still need a robust and free PDF tool to deal with the task at hand:
- Filling out interactive PDF forms
- Signing a document and sharing it online
- Making annotations on a project document to provide feedback
- Marking up a file for corrections
- Adding or deleting texts and images for proofreading.
For the above common PDF usage scenarios, it will be easily realized by using a PDF editor, such as Wondershare PDFelement – PDF Editor, an all-in-one PDF Solution, making you can edit pdf files with ease. For example, it helps you add, delete texts, images, watermarks, background, forms, and so on. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android systems, and you can try it for free.
Conclusion
A pdf is a Portable Document Format, which stands for the opposite of fixed and inflexible. A pdf file can be read anywhere, on any device. But how to create it? You may find yourself in trouble because you computer is not equipped with such a program. Do not worry, there are plenty of options for pdf tools free.
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