Adobe Acrobat is widely known as the preferred tool to create, edit and changing PDFs. While it’s extremely powerful, it’s also expensive and often excessive for those who need basic PDF conversions. However, there are a number of cheaper alternatives available offering similar features at low cost. Here, we brought the best 5 alternatives for Adobe Acrobat for PDF conversion.
1. Smallpdf
Smallpdf doesn’t require any introduction as its most widely used online PDF tools. It allows user to transform, compress, merge and edit PDFs easily.
Key Features:
- Convert PDFs into Word, Excel, PowerPoint or images.
- Reduce large PDFs, but not lose quality.
- Join multiple PDFs in one PDF file, or break PDFs into smaller chunks.
- Cloud integration Cloud integration Google Drive and Dropbox.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface.
- Free tier available.
- It works on any device that has an internet browser.
Cons:
- Free version has a limited daily usage.
2. PDF Candy
PDF Candy is another versatile PDF tool, which is suitable for all-day PDF related tasks. It’s available both as desktop and online software.
Key Features:
- Convert PDFs into Word, Excel, JPG or any other format.
- Split, combine or rotate Pages in PDF.
- Modify text and watermarks and control pages numbers.
Pros:
- Free online version available.
- Desktop version can be used offline.
- No registration is required to use the internet.
Cons:
- Certain features that are more advanced require the paid version.
3. iLovePDF
iLovePDF is designed to be simple and speed. It’s ideal for batch conversions of PDF.
Key Features:
- Convert PDFs into Word, PowerPoint, Excel and vice to.
- Split, merge compress, join, and unlock PDF files.
- OCR supports scanning documents.
Pros:
- Mobile apps are available to download for iOS as well as Android.
- Supports multiple uploads of files simultaneously.
- Simple, clean interface.
Cons:
- Free version is limited to the amount of work tasks per day.
4. Foxit PDF Editor
Foxit PDF Editor can be a solid option for personal computers for Adobe Acrobat, offering both the ability to edit and convert.
Key Features:
- Convert PDFs into Microsoft Office formats.
- Comment, annotate and modify PDFs. Comment, add annotations, and make edits.
- Secure PDFs using passwords and authorizations.
Pros:
- Lightweight and quicker and more responsive than Adobe Acrobat.
- Ideal choice for professionals and business use.
- It offers a trial version for free.
Cons:
- Paid version is required to have full capabilities.
- Interfaces are a bit less intuitive as online applications.
5. ImageTextify (Bonus Tool for Image-to-Text PDFs)
If you are in the business of extracting text from images or PDFs, ImageTextify is a modern solution that blends OCR technology and the conversion of PDFs.
Key Features:
- Convert PDF images to editing Word, Excel, or text documents.
- Batch conversion of multiple files at a time.
- Very high OCR accuracy for documents scanned.
Pros:
- Web-based — no installation required.
- Supports various formats.
- Ideal for professionals, students and companies that work with documents that have been scanned.
Cons:
- The free version is limited regarding file size and amount of pages.
How to Choose the Right Alternative
When deciding on an Adobe Acrobat alternative, consider:
- What you need – A simple PDF conversion, or complete editing and OCR assistance.
- Budget-friendly tools can be enough for a few times of usage.
- Types of files – Certain tools are better at handling PDFs scanned than other tools.
- Batch processing: For multiple files, programs like iLovePDF and ImageTextify help you save time.
Conclusion
Even though Adobe Acrobat has a standard in the market, it’s not only the option to convert PDFs. Based on your requirements:
- Smallpdf PDF Candy, and iLovePDF are great for all general PDF-related tasks.
- Foxit PDF Editor can be ideal for desktop-based editing that is professional.
- ImageTextify excels in converting images or PDFs that have been scanned into editable formats.
Making the switch on to these alternative options will save you time, money and effort, while offering powerful conversion capabilities to PDF.
