Online PDF Editors That Are Free and Easy-to-Use
PDF editing software is essential to working with PDF files as they let users make important changes to their various files. The most basic PDF readers only allow users to view documents. They do not offer users the ability to make changes like adding or removing text, inserting graphics or images, or creating new PDFs with stylized formatting. PDF editors with a full suite of features can also allow users to annotate texts, merge or split them into different sizes, and make them fillable so they can be shared with other users. While the software necessary to perform such functions is widely available online it is not always free to use. These programs, however, offer a wide range of PDF editing functions and are mostly free to use to edit PDF files.
Lumin PDF
Lumin PDF is an easy-to-use PDF program designed for beginners as well as professionals. The software is available for use through the Lumin browser extension, but also through a downloadable desktop version as well as a mobile application compatible with both iOS and Android. There are basic features on the Lumin browser extension like viewing, editing but also adding and removing text, as well as page rotation and numbering.
Lumin PDF requires users to create a free account to access the most basic features, but they also offer premium plans for a monthly or annual fee. There are plans for professionals and businesses as well as for individuals who use PDF files regularly. Among the more advanced features included in premium plans are OCR (optical character recognition), as well as the ability to create fillable PDF forms.
Premium users also have access to a wealth of ready-made PDF templates for different purposes from contracts to reports and proposals. There are varying storage space increases as well with each plan with the most expensive plan offering unlimited storage space. Lumin PDF can integrate with other cloud-based storage platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox, while it also has cross-compatibility with several document-sharing programs like Google Classroom.
Sejda PDF
Sejda PDF is an online-based PDF editor that lets users upload their PDF files directly to the Sejda browser to perform several different editing functions. Users can avail themselves of the free section of the site that lets them either edit and view files, as well as add certain elements like shapes, fillable sections as well as digital signatures.
Sejda also has premium plans that can vary from as short as a single week to an entire year. These premium plans let users take advantage of the entire Sejda PDF editing and creating suite that includes things like unlimited file conversions from a whole host of different file formats, as well as compression of many different file sizes.
The functioning of the site is also intuitive, as users can perform many functions with simple drag-and-drop movements, as well as uploading files from their local hard drive or other storage platforms. The variety of payment plans, including the free version, make Sejda an ideal platform for both casual PDF users and professionals who use PDFs regularly.
SmallPDF
SmallPDF is a popular web and app-based PDF editor that allows users several different interactive PDF tools at no or very little cost. The site has registered over 500+ million users and touts many different international corporations as regular users. The platform is largely free, but, like many other programs on this list, it charges a premium for advanced features like file conversion, file compression, storage, and security features.
SmallPDF is also bolstered by its easy-to-use features that let users upload their files directly from other hard drives as well as offering a drag-and-drop function for many other features like the PDF viewer. The brand offers a downloadable app for several platforms and operating systems like Windows, Android, and iOS. The app lets users integrate their apps from other file formats into one simple and workable reader and editor.
PDFescape
PDFescape is a web-based and desktop-based PDF file manager that incorporates many different PDF tools in an easy-to-navigate site designed for both casual and professional use. One of the oldest PDF editing tools apart from the Adobe Acrobat suite of tools, PDFescape has expanded its features from the standard fare like reading and viewing tools.
The platform lets users easily upload documents to the browser and provides a wealth of free tools from editing, annotating PDF creation, and fillable form creation. The browser-based extension also lets users create new PDF files without any branding or watermarks. Users can also opt to download the desktop-based application that expands on the free, browser-based tools but it comes at a price.
There are several subscription plans that PDFescape offers that are well-priced for the professional or organizational user. The premium features include unlimited storage space as well as compression and scanning features that let users manage and edit several different PDF files at a time.