If you have a lot of repeatable workflow in your business that produces pdf file output, you probably have been dealing with managing all those files. And chances are, if you have been doing it manually, you have been spending a lot of time having to open each file and manually saving it under a new name to consolidate the files. You can probably say a lot of me wasting a lot of time context switching from one task to another repeatedly. This process is actually error-prone because if I forgot to do anything, I wouldn’t have a backup in case I accidentally deleted one of the files. So what better way to avoid this than by automating the process using tools that already exist such as Mac OS X and Terminal (It’s built-
A PDF merger software is simply a utility program, online or offline, that helps to join or combine two or more PDFs into a single PDF file. Mostly, this is done to bring about convenience when sharing or printing multiple PDF files or when you need to store/archive PDFs of related content in a single, manageable document.
Soda PDF
Soda PDF is another all-in-one PDF handling software program with a capable merger tool. What’s particularly nice about this platform is that it’s available both on the web and as desktop software for Windows and Mac.
Both versions of the platform connect to Dropbox and Google Drive so you can quickly access your files in the cloud. This is particularly useful in the era of remote working, where individuals frequently use multiple different devices to manage their files. With Soda PDF’s cloud options, you shouldn’t have to worry about where you’ve saved your PDF documents. You can also email merged PDFs right from the software.
You can use Soda PDF for free, but this version is somewhat limited. You can’t reorder individual pages or convert between file types. Paid subscriptions are available as an annual fee, or as a one-time license fee and comes with customer support.
ILovePDF
ILovePDF is a one-stop shop for working with PDFs and includes a simple tool for merging files. You have to upload your PDFs to the online platform to start the merge process, but this process is made easy thanks to a drag and drop option. You can also connect ILovePDF to your Google Drive or Dropbox accounts.
Among the excellent features on offer, ILovePDF lefts users merge, split, compress, convert, unlock and watermark PDFs with just a few clicks. Once your files are online, you can rotate pages or drag and drop PDFs to rearrange the merge order. The platform displays thumbnails of each page to make working with your files easier. When you’re ready, just click ‘Merge PDF’ and your new document will download automatically.
ILovePDF is free for merging up to 25 PDFs and 100 MB in total. A Premium account is available for a small monthly fee and enables you to merge up to 200 files or up to 1 GB of data. However, the inclusion of ads and a 25-file limit is certainly not bad for a free solution. If you don’t want to pay for your PDF merger, then this is the tool to go for.
PDFSam Basic
PDFSam Basic is a desktop-based PDF merging software for Windows, Mac, and Linux. In contrast to many of its competitors, PDFSam doesn’t impose any limits on how many files you can merge or how often you can use the tool.
Of course, you get what you pay for. This software can merge and split PDFs and enables you to quickly reorder pages, but that’s about it. You cannot connect to your cloud storage or automatically email or share merged PDFs from the tool. It also doesn’t include file conversion, so you’ll need another tool or PDFSam Enhanced if you want to mix and match file types.
Adolix Split and Merge PDF
Adolix Split and Merge PDF is free software that lets you manage your PDF files. You can merge or split PDF files with it easily. You can adjust the order while merging PDF files. You can set the target directory of your choice or the same as the input folder. You can also set a password to encrypt PDF files.
PDF Shaper
PDF Shaper is a free PDF software that lets you do various operations with PDF files. Merging multiple PDFs into one document is one of them. You can merge multiple PDF files to one PDF by using the Merge PDF command from one of the tabs. It also supports password-protected PDFs to work with.
PDF ReDirect
PDF ReDirect is a free and easy-to-use PDF creator. It lets you do various things and merging PDF files is one of them. If you want to merge various PDF files into one file, then it will merge files for you. You can preview your file before merging and can change the order of files.
PDFMerge
PDFMerge is a free software to merge multiple PDF files into a single document. It is small in size and fast in processing. It is efficient and simple to use the software. You can merge PDF documents very easily. Select the files to be merged and set the order and click the merge now button and it will merge a PDF file for you.
TalkHelper PDF Converter
TalkHelper PDF Converter is our pick for the best PDF merger software as it functions as a PDF split and merges tool. Apart from letting you combine whole PDF documents, this PDF converter also offers you the option to extract specific pages or page ranges from different PDFs and merge them into an entirely new PDF document.
This way, you can avoid unnecessarily merging content that is not needed. For every PDF combine task, you undertake, expect the original quality to remain intact to guarantee accurate information dissemination. Besides, this free download PDF merger delivers exceptional processing speeds with satisfactory results.
Pros:
- Allows you to extract specific PDF pages or page ranges
- High-quality output
- Offers to combine an unlimited number of PDFs
- Allows you rearrange the order of the PDFs
- Offers PDF split options
Cons:
- Windows only
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC will not only allow you to split and merge PDF documents but also allows you to organize the same document through various actions like extracting, rotating, arranging, inserting, and replacing pages. This PDF merger promises and delivers professional file structures within the shortest time possible to save you time and effort.
Amazingly, you get to combine/merge any PDF file, native or scanned, without any limitations. Using the nifty drag-and-drop feature, you get to arrange the documents and pages to fit your needs.
Even better, large page thumbnails help you to identify the pages easily. Topping up with batch processing and high-quality output, Adobe Acrobat Pro DC gives you maximum control over the output and largely simplifies the workflow.
Pros:
- Allows you to split and merge PDFs
- Offers options to extract and insert PDF pages
- Allows you to arrange the combined PDFs before assembly
- Offers thumbnails for easy page identification and organization
- Supports batch processing and editing options
- Offers the much-coveted drag-and-drop feature
Cons:
- Pretty expensive
PDFMate Free PDF Merger
PDFMate is a renowned PDF converter software that also goes further to bring you a dedicated PDF split and merge app. You are guaranteed high speeds and undoubted accuracy when merging multiple PDFs. You can always specify the page range for merging and define whether to output 1-in-1, 2-in-1, or 4-in-1 to save paper and time.
Using this program, you can break large PDFs by splitting, remove unwanted pages, rearrange the files, and merge only the essential parts of the PDF files. Besides, you are free to choose your preferred paper size (A5, A4, Letter, etc), orientation (vertical or horizontal), and whether to encrypt the combined PDF to restrict editing, copying, and printing.
Pros:
- Supports merged PDF encryption
- Allows you to define the output layout
- Offers to merge certain page ranges where necessary
- High accuracy levels
- Allows you to batch add and arrange PDFs
Cons:
- No PDF compression when merging
PDF Merge (Android)
PDF Merge works from yPDF Merge (Android)our Android device to help you combine two or more PDFs into a single compact PDF file that is easy to archive and share. You get to arrange the PDFs in any order you like and import the files from multiple sources, including the web. You can pretty much combine any number of PDF documents and the only thing you have to worry about is your storage running out.
Even better, you get to enjoy PDF compression options while keeping the original quality intact, and the output PDF file can be encrypted with a password to restrict access. Other than that, you have a simple and modern user interface at your disposal
Pros:
- Allows you to rearrange PDFs before merging
- Supports document compression
- Offers merged PDF encryption options
- Combine an unlimited number of PDFs
- Simple and easy to use
Cons:
- Ad-laden
Conclusion
PDF files are good for presenting and printing information like a brochure or a manual. But who would like to read a thick file, especially on the computer? On the other hand, you might need the content of those PDF files in pieces; say an article from an eBook or a certain section from a manual.