Best PDF
Editors 2025

A PDF, or Portable Document Format, is one of the most widely used file types for sharing documents. No matter what device you open it on, the text, images, and layout always look exactly the same. Despite keeping all these details, PDFs are usually small in size, so they're easy to email or store without taking up much space. They're also versatile: you can make them interactive by adding links, notes, or images. And if you need extra security, you can protect them with a password to keep sensitive information safe.

A professional PDF editor is much more than just a tool for opening files. It lets you change text and images, add comments and highlights, fill out forms, sign important documents, and even convert PDFs to other formats like Word or Excel. You can also compress large files to make them easier to share, rearrange or remove pages, extract text from images with OCR, and more. Built-in apps usually cover only a few basic tasks, while online tools like PDF Guru and TheBestPDF give you a complete set of options in one place.

Basic free tools, like the built-in apps on your device, usually handle simple tasks such as minor text edits, basic drawings, or limited file format conversions. Paid online tools, on the other hand, offer a much broader range of features. When choosing from these, it's important to consider ease of use, security, price, and what other users say about their experience. With so many options available, picking the right program to edit PDFs can be hard. That's why we've chosen tools that are easy to use and offer many helpful features.

We've already done the hard work of finding the best PDF programs. Our team tests and reviews different tools so you can easily choose the one that fits your personal or professional needs.

Electronic signatures in PDF editors save a lot of time and effort. You can create a document or receive one, sign it right away, and send it back without any printing or scanning. Our pick of the best PDF software makes signing quick and convenient. For example, PDF Guru gives you three easy options: upload an image of your signature, draw it directly on your device, or simply type it in.

Of course, a PDF editing software makes it easy! Convert PDFs into Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or image formats like PNG, TIFF, WebP, and AVIF - and vice versa. But what makes the tools we've picked even more useful is that they go beyond PDF-related conversions. They can also handle everyday file changes like HEIC to JPG or GIF to PNG, which is especially helpful for designers, marketers, and photographers.

• • Cloud-based PDF editors work online so that you can open and edit your files from any device with an internet connection. This means you can access and work on your documents anywhere, anytime without installing software.
• • Desktop tools are installed directly on your device and give you advanced editing features, with the added benefit of working offline. The only thing to remember is that they usually need more effort for installation and occasional updates.

Safe PDF editors clearly explain their security on their website, in blogs, or the FAQ. It’s a good idea to check if they use SSL certificates, server-side encryption, AES encryption, and Google Safe Browsing checks. You can also see what other users say on sites like Trustpilot. Security matters, so we’ve picked the best online PDF editors that people trust.