Xodo Sign suits solo users and teams that need online document signing, sending, and tracking.
Free plan Free trial From $10 a month, billed yearly AndroidiPhone & iPadWebWindowsMacAPI
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Best PDF Software 2026
Facts read 20 Sep 2026 – 15 Oct 2026
PDF software helps you view, edit, convert and sign documents. Use the list to compare pricing, editing, conversion, OCR, e-signing, platforms and batch processing.
The standings: top 10
| Name | In a line | Record score | Price from | Try it free | Runs on | Facts read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Xodo Sign | Xodo Sign suits solo users and teams that need online document signing, sending, and tracking. | 6.4 | $10 a month, billed yearly | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 02 PDF Candy | PDF Candy suits people who need PDF editing and conversion tools across desktop and mobile platforms. | 6.2 | $4 a year | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 29 Sep 2026 |
| 03 PDF Agile | PDF Agile suits people who need to edit, convert, mark up, or organize PDFs on Windows, macOS, or the web. | 5.8 | $39 one-time | Free plan | Web, Windows, Mac | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 04 PDF Expert | 5.8 | Free plan | Free plan | iPhone & iPad, Web, Mac | 11 Oct 2026 | |
| 05 Foxit PDF Editor | Foxit PDF Editor suits people who need to edit, convert, sign, or manage PDF documents across desktop, web, and mobile platforms. | 5.7 | — | Free trial | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 27 Sep 2026 |
| 06 PDFgear | PDFgear suits people looking for PDF editing and document utilities across web, desktop, and mobile platforms. | 5.6 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 07 Smallpdf | Smallpdf suits individuals who need PDF tools across devices, including editing, OCR, conversion, and signatures. | 5.6 | $10 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 28 Sep 2026 |
| 08 Soda PDF | 5.3 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 9 Oct 2026 | |
| 09 PDF Studio | PDF Studio suits people who need to create, edit, redact, or process PDFs across Windows, Mac, or Linux. | 5.1 | $149 one-time | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux | 1 Oct 2026 |
| 10 iLovePDF | iLovePDF suits people who need PDF editing, conversion, OCR, or form tools across desktop, mobile, and web. | 5.0 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 27 Sep 2026 |
Check whether a tool offers a free plan or trial, then match its supported platforms to your devices. The list presents maker-published figures for direct comparison.
02
PDF Candy
PDF Candy suits people who need PDF editing and conversion tools across desktop and mobile platforms.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 Record6.2 Visit
03
PDF Agile
PDF Agile suits people who need to edit, convert, mark up, or organize PDFs on Windows, macOS, or the web.
WebWindowsMac Record5.8 Visit
04
PDF Expert
iPhone & iPadWebMac Record5.8 Visit
05
Foxit PDF Editor
Foxit PDF Editor suits people who need to edit, convert, sign, or manage PDF documents across desktop, web, and mobile platforms.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+2 Record5.7 Visit
6
PDFgear
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 Free plan Record5.6 Visit PDFgear suits people looking for PDF editing and document utilities across web, desktop, and mobile platforms.
7
Smallpdf
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+1 $10 a month Record5.6 Visit Smallpdf suits individuals who need PDF tools across devices, including editing, OCR, conversion, and signatures.
9
PDF Studio
WindowsMacLinux $149 one-time Record5.1 Visit PDF Studio suits people who need to create, edit, redact, or process PDFs across Windows, Mac, or Linux.
10
iLovePDF
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+2 Free plan Record5.0 Visit iLovePDF suits people who need PDF editing, conversion, OCR, or form tools across desktop, mobile, and web.
12
Okular
WindowsMacLinux Free plan Record4.8 Visit Okular suits readers who want one viewer for documents, comics, images, or Markdown across Linux, Windows, and macOS.
13
PDF Architect
Windows Free plan Record4.8 Visit It suits Windows users who need PDF editing, conversion, review, forms, or signing tools.
14
PDF Arranger
WindowsMacLinux Free plan Record4.8 Visit PDF Arranger suits desktop users who want to rearrange, combine, split, or edit PDF pages without paying for the listed free plan.
18
UPDF
AndroidiPhone & iPadWindows+1 Free plan Record4.5 Visit UPDF may suit users who need PDF editing, annotation, OCR, conversion, or form creation across desktop and mobile platforms.
22
Tungsten Power PDF
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+2 $179 a month Record4.3 Visit Power PDF suits people who need PDF editing and conversion on desktop or mobile, with browser access also listed.
Before you choose
Compare free plans and trials
Some entries provide a free plan, while others include trial access.
Coherent PDF offers a free tier, with paid access starting at $599. Nitro PDF Pro has a 14-day trial and does not provide a free plan.
Check the PDF work you need
Assess how each product handles PDF text editing, conversion, OCR, e-signing and batch processing. Choose the capabilities that match your document workflow.
Match your devices
Platform coverage varies among tools, including Windows, macOS, the web, iOS, Android and Linux. Check the supported platform for the device where you handle PDFs.
Plan for repeated tasks
Batch processing can help with workflows that handle groups of files. Compare that capability alongside conversion, OCR and text editing before choosing a tool.
Review the access terms
If access to or modification of code matters, inspect the tool's licence. Compare the free plan, trial terms and paid option before committing.
Questions
Are free plans available among PDF tools?
Free plans are listed for tools including Coherent PDF, Okular and PDF24 Creator.
Is a free trial available?
Trial access appears in several entries, and Nitro PDF Pro lists a 14-day trial.
Which platforms can PDF software support?
Tools in the list cover combinations of Windows, macOS, the web, iOS, Android and Linux. Platform support varies by tool.
What PDF features can I compare?
The comparison covers free-plan availability, starting paid prices, PDF text editing, conversion, OCR, e-signing, supported platforms and batch processing.
Does any listed tool have a paid starting price?
Coherent PDF lists paid access from $599. Other pricing details vary by tool.
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