We have all heard about Adobe’s editing software but it is not our only decent option. We bring you the 7 best PDF writers for Windows 10/11 that allow you to edit, preview and sign PDF documents.
If you want to edit a PDF, you might see that it is not as easy as it sounds. Many free and cheap ones are available in the market so we are here to review the best ones for you. This includes Adobe Acrobat, Nuance Power, Foxit, Nitro, and many others.
What is PDF used for
PDF stands for Portable Document Format. This is one of the most popular types of document that is used to share as many devices and systems can open it for the recipient to read. It does not matter whether you are using a laptop or phone not which software was used to create it.
Some allow users to annotate or add comments like Free Foxit Reader; at times they need to edit the real one. This is only possible with the tools mentioned below, even if a different program was used to make the file in the first place.
Let’s begin, shall we?
Why are some of them paid and do you need to pay to use them?
You don’t need to pay. It all depends on what you need to do with the file. It could be worth trying a free one if it carries the tools as well as options to make required edits whereas in some cases you would not be able to do what you need to unless you pay for an advanced package.
The ones we have mentioned below allow users to create these from other files including .doc but this also allows them to edit files they do not need to track the source file in its native format.
Moreover, many of them provide advanced features like:
- Form creation.
- Digital signature.
- ID certification.
- Collaborative review and commenting.
These are not offered with free packages.
If you are not required to install any software then you can edit three using Pro for free, and there is also FormSwift PDF Editor Online.
7 of the Best PDF Writers Available for Windows 10/Windows 11 (Free)
Nuance Power PDF 3 (Kofax)
This is intuitive yet easy-to-use software if you are familiar with Microsoft Office. There is little doubt that many users will be able to quickly get up and running with it.
It carries the following comprehensive features:
- It provides a means of annotating.
- Mark text in different ways.
- Draw attention to the part of a document.
- Supports a touch screen.
It is much cheaper than Acrobat and thus makes a lot of sense for use in small businesses.
DekiSoft Rating: 3.9
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Adobe Acrobat – The best in the game
PDF go was invented by Adobe therefore it is right to expect that it carries the best or at least very good editing software. These days it wants users to pay a subscription to access the latest version. DC stands for Document Cloud and hints at the fact that users can store these in the cloud and collaborate on them with others.
If you do not require any editing features then this software is the right pick for you. It is more of a standard version. As it works out at $12.99 per month the Pro version is more expensive at $14.99 per month.
DekiSoft Rating: 3.5
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Nitro Pro – A great alternative
This one is a fully-featured editor that is quite easy to use and represents good value for money. Just other ones; it provides users with facilities like:
- PDF creation and editing.
- Form creation.
- Digital signatures and commenting.
- Integrated optical character recognition (OCR); with this scanned paper documents can be easily turned into truly editable ones.
Version 12 adds different improvements such as accuracy while converting PDF to Excel or PowerPoint. For those who are new, there is a product touch that walks them through all the main features.
We love the integration with Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, and DropBox which makes it quite easy to open as well as save files to those cloud storage services directly.
Now, when it comes to editing them, it makes it a breeze to change text, re-arrange images, and add forms, and much more. The user can change the order of pages in a document by simply dragging and dropping. It is also quite easy to sign one using the QuickSign shortcut.
It costs around $190.80 for an individual version which is not cheap as the user gets many features.
DekiSoft Rating: 4
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PDFelement – Inspired by Microsoft Office Suite
Like many other editors, this one takes a lot of inspiration from Microsoft office. If you are familiar with Office 2007 or later then you shall feel at home with this one.
It carries an intuitive yet clean interface. Tools are quite easy to use and do what the user expects them to. With this:
- Create a PDF from scratch.
- Import Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents.
This worked well except for large-scale Excel sheets as there is no option to select a portion of it that you wish to import: it’s either all or nothing.
On the unprotected documents, users can click the “Edit Text” button and do exactly that. Unlike some, which force users to “Tippex” over text and type over the top, this one allows them to select and modify text as they do it in Word. Moreover, with this selection and move images around at your own will, delete elements, and import new pictures.
It also allows users to:
- Protect documents.
- Create forms.
- Sign documents.
It costs around $69. If you want to convert scanned text docs into editable text then that version shall cost you around $99.
DekiSoft Rating: 4
Able2Extract Pro – Forget online converting tools
This might have an old name but it is a fully-fledged creator and editor. It is able to take a PDF and convert it into different formats such as:
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
When a user is converting to Excel then he can select only the content they want to extract and see a preview of what it shall look like before making an export.
It carries editing functions:
- Highlight and replace text (fonts cannot always be matched).
- Remove pages.
- Redact text.
With other paid-for packages, users can protect it with a password and differing file permissions.
It costs around $149.99, this is one of the expensive options therefore if you do not want all the features save money and get one of the cheaper packages.
DekiSoft Rating: 3.3
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Foxit PhantomPDF
It provides users with the level of functionality that professional users have to expect at a keep price. It carries quite a modern yet easy-to-use interface mainly because it borrows heavily from Microsoft Office. It provides users with no shortage of tutorial videos and easy access to support options to get users to speed to record time.
The best thing about this one is that it carries a business version which comes at a slightly higher price. It provides users with features such as:
- Advanced editing.
- Shared review initiation.
- High-security additional file compression and many more.
Free trials are there for both thus users can try the standard option to see if it can do everything they need it to do before buying.
Now, if the user requires only some basic editing options like annotation, highlighting, and signing PDF’s then it also offers Foxit Reader which comes in totally free.
DekiSoft Rating: 4.1
Tracker PDF XChange Pro
This one costs less as compared to the functions it provides. It is worth giving it a try. There is also a trial option on its website.
It carries a downside that some of the functions you expect to find in the main package are in different utilities but it is only a minor inconvenience that users would face.
DekiSoft Rating: 4.4
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Conclusion: PDF Writer for Windows 10/11
That was all for the best free PDF writers available for Windows 10/11 that you can download. These all have their own perks and disadvantages. However, personally, Adobe Acrobat and Foxit are my go-to editors. Do let me know if you have any alternatives that you want to see in the above list.
