Looking for the best PDF editors for Windows? Read this list carefully to understand the nuances of each listed software and decide which one will meet your needs.
As you know, PDF files are one of the most widely and commonly used file types. They are so popular because, in paperless organizations, PDF is the best format to be shared and worked on. However, sometimes you need to change the content, add text or images etc OR you need to make changes to a scanned document.
Along with the usual array of editing options, some of the tools below have the OCR feature that allows you to edit scanned documents.
We’ve listed the best PDF editors that would work best in a professional setting.
Best PDF Editors for Professional Use
1) Wondershare PDFelement Standard
Wondershare PDFelement Standard is a great way to speed up the process of digital documentation without any clutter. Whether you want to create, edit, convert, annotate PDFs or secure them with password protection, Wondershare PDFelement Standard leaves you with no repentance at all.
Since it has an interface almost similar to Microsoft word, you will find it more friendly and it doesn’t take much time to get used to.
It runs a spell check and highlights mistakes using an automated spelling error detection tool. You can convert PDFs into other formats like Word, Powerpoint, Excel, HTML, JPEG, among others.
When you first open this software you can either create a new PDF document or edit an existing PDF file. You can split or merge PDFs and convert them in any format you need. If you have multiple file types, you can create a single PDF by merging them all together in no time. There is a quick access option to frequently opened PDF files, a small but useful feature.
Wondershare PDFelement allows you to share your documents via Dropbox and add sticky notes to the PDFs. You can mark them for reviewing, insert stamps like “sign here” and “approved” or customize your own stamps.
Although Wondershare PDFelement Standard is perfect for business as well home users, if you are looking for some more advanced features like OCR, you must try the Pro version of PDFelement 6 which we have mentioned next in the list.
Among all the PDF editors we’ve mentioned in this list, Wondershare PDFelement is the most bang for your buck when it comes to a combination of features and pricing.
Price: $59.95
Check out Wondershare PDFelement Standard
2) Wondershare PDFelement Pro
Wondershare PDFelement Pro is a powerful piece of software and one of the best PDF editors with a clean and simple interface. The interface is inspired by Microsoft Word and that makes the tool more comfortable to use. It allows you to edit texts, move and delete or add new images. It lets you sign and protect your documents on the fly.
It also has the OCR feature (which is absent in the Standard version mentioned above) which allows you to save text from scans and photos and transform it into editable, searchable, and selectable PDFs.
You have an option to password-protect your PDF document with unbreakable 256-bit AES encryption. Sometimes we have PDF forms but we cannot edit them or select any text fields, which is known as a non-interactive PDF form. To help in that case, Wondershare PDFelement Pro recognizes PDF form and make them fillable so that you can extract data from those forms and even create a fillable PDF form on your own.
Another very important and useful feature about Wondershare PDFelement Pro is that you can add Bates Numbers to the PDF files.
Now, what exactly is Bate numbering? Bates numbering is used to organize a large number of documents by giving them a proper identification number. Bates numbers are added to the header or footer of the document which is self-incrementing as the page numbers increases. Each consecutive page will automatically get a larger number than the previous one.
Data Extraction Feature
Have you ever tried to extract data from a PDF file? So, if you tried and couldn’t do it, Wondershare PDFelement Pro will do it all for you. It lets you collect data from a PDF file so that you can rearrange everything as needed. It even has the option to batch process PDF files which can save you a lot of time from working on individual PDF file.
It comes bundled with a premium PDF scanner that allows you to scan a document and save it as PDF file which is editable. You have the option to compress large PDF files, make them smaller to make it easier to share with others.
There is a Redact feature added in the Pro version that allows you to delete, censor, or black out the sensitive and protected PDF content. All-in-all, Wondershare PDFelement Pro is a comprehensive PDF toolset – a must have for any organization that works with PDFs frequently.
Price: $99.95
Check out Wondershare PDFelement Pro
Also, check out the Wondershare PDFelement 8 Review
3) PhantomPDF Standard/Business
PhantomPDF Standard/Business is a well-known PDF editor used widely among professionals. It is a replica of the Word interface in terms of buttons, location and user interface. This PDF editor has a ton of features that include signing documents, editing paragraphs, creating photo albums among others.
It can revolutionize the way you modify and manage your documents. You can change the document layout by inserting text boxes and changing their size as needed.
It supports various professional functionalities like adding stamps, watermarks, headers, footers, etc. It allows you to merge or split PDF documents. You can easily delete, crop, add, swap and rotate PDF pages. It transforms the way you collaborate with your team as it allows you to utilize popular storage sharing products.
You get the option to initiate shared reviews and manage comments too. The editor is worth a try as it fulfills all the requirements in a good PDF editor.
Standard: $129
Business: $159
Get PhantomPDF Standard/Business
4) Nitro Pro 10
Nitro Pro is a nifty software and one of the best PDF editors that can make your editing tasks more fluid than ever before. It is fast and smart and lets you do a variety of things, and adds a ton of features that a conventional PDF editor can’t offer.
It has an elegant user interface that can help in boosting your productivity. With Nitro Pro, you are assured of security and corporate sustainability. You can create PDF files compatible with Adobe Acrobat that anyone can view without any PDF reader on any device with this software.
It also works as a converter where you can convert PDF files into Excel, Word, Outlook, and Powerpoint compatible formats. You can manipulate text, change fonts, set layouts, etc. It has the OCR feature where you can turn scanned documents into editable PDFs.
You can also fill, sign, secure and certify PDF documents that maintains your privacy and keeps everything confidential. It’s definitely a worthy PDF editor to try because of its pro features and reasonable price tag.
Personal Version: $159.99
Get Nitro Pro
5) Swifdoo PDF Editor
SwifDoo PDF Editor is a simple to use software that can help with any modifications that you want to do to your PDF files. Be it simple typo corrections or adding images, adding links or changing the PDF design, Swifdoo PDF Editor can help you do that.
The software makes it really easy to edit your PDF files to change the text, font size and color. You can also convert your PDF to Word, Image or even a PowerPoint file format, and compress your PDF files before exporting.
If you have to work with PDF files regularly, the merge and split features of the software can help you manage your files efficiently. Swifdoo PDF Editor is available for free download for Windows systems.
Pricing: $41 USD/year
6) PDF Architect 5
PDF Architect 5 is another great tool in our list of best PDF Editors for Windows with some useful and unique features. This PDF editor can convert, insert, edit, review, sign and secure documents. The tool is fully customizable where you can rotate, view, merge, and move your PDF files.
Its OCR feature makes your task easier when it comes to working with scanned documents. PDF Architect is a flexible, light and easy-to-use tool that provides you with everything you need to customize, secure, and collaborate on your PDF documents.
Pro Package: $69
PRO+OCR Package: $99
Get PDF Architect 5
7) Nuance Power PDF
Nuance Power PDF editor has three versions:
1) Power PDF Standard: $99
You can create, convert, combine, edit, assemble, fill forms and share PDF files with this version. You can also convert regular documents into PDF using scanning or OCR feature.
It comes with a 15-day free trial.
The interface is perfect for office use where you find it easy to handle your tasks and speed up your work while processing documents.
2) Power PDF Advanced: $149
This version includes all the features of Power PDF standard. It has additional features to support business collaboration, connectivity, security, and redaction.
It comes with a one-time license and maintenance model with a lower overall cost compared to the standard subscription pricing.
This version comes with a 30-day free trial.
3) Power PDF Advanced: Volume Licensing
This version of Nuance Power is cost effective and comes with an enterprise deployment package with a single license to manage. You can save on software licensing without the risk of license audits.
8) Adobe Acrobat DC
The software that started it all. Adobe Acrobat DC is one of the most robust PDF editors used widely to create and edit PDFs. You can create PDFs from any source like MS Office files, text files, images, web pages, etc. You can add, delete and modify text and images within the PDF files.
Not only this, it allows you to insert, delete, crop, rotate, extract, replace, and rearrange pages in a PDF. As it is Cloud-based PDF editor, you can access your documents anytime anywhere and collaborate with others wherever required.
You can annotate PDFs by highlighting things, comment box, freehand drawing and much more.
To transfer files faster or to save space, you can compress the PDF files as per your necessity of size. It allows you to print PDF with the original formatting and split a PDF into multiple files. It also helps you e-Sign documents on multiple devices.
All things considered, its a reliable and fantastic PDF document manager – the only issue being the pricing.
Price for the full version: $299
Get Adobe Acrobat DC
9) Qoppa PDF Studio
Qoppa PDF Studio is not as popular as the other PDF editors on this list, but it holds its ground with the kind of features it provides.
Qoppa PDF Studio comes in two versions:
1) PDF Studio Standard: $89
You can create PDFs, scan to PDF, annotate and markup, fill and save PDF forms. It allows you to secure your documents by applying watermarks, headers, and footers. You can create bookmarks and a table of contents for easy access. The tool is pretty great to use with lots of interesting features.
2) PDF Studio Pro: $129
The Pro version includes all the features of the standard version, and in addition, it comes with an interactive form designer. It has the OCR feature to convert scanned documents into editable ones. You can edit the content and permanently redact sensitive data. You can digitally sign documents. It’s a worthy tool to try with some amazing features that make it a complete PDF editor.
Get Qoppa
Conclusion
This list of best PDF editors for windows will make it easier for you to choose between the best available commercial PDF editors which are required in most professional settings. Paid PDF editors have features that help make your workflow smooth and efficient, and especially beneficial to professionals.
There are many options for PDF editors on the internet, and we have compiled a list of the top and best PDF editors available. If you think we missed out on something, your suggestions are welcome.
(Article updated on October 25, 2021)
