Best PDF Editors in 2026
Updated
In short: ONLYOFFICE PDF Editor is ranked #1 of 100 as of 1 October 2026, ahead of LightPDF and iLovePDF. The best-ranked option with a free plan is LightPDF. The lowest first paid tier on this page is PDF Candy at $0.33/mo.
PDF editors support a range of document tasks, from changing text to annotating pages, creating forms, and converting files. Compare those capabilities with OCR and supported platforms to find options that match the documents you handle and where you work. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing can help clarify access to the tools you need. The first entries include ONLYOFFICE PDF Editor, LightPDF, and iLovePDF, followed by Foxit PDF Editor and Smallpdf. Consider which edits are essential, whether searchable text or forms matter, and which platforms you need before comparing the options further.
100 PDF editors ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Text editing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ONLYOFFICE PDF Editor | 8.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 2 | LightPDF | 8.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $1.33/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 3 | iLovePDF | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | $283/user/mo | Yes | View |
| 4 |  Foxit PDF Editor | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $4.17/mo | No | $10.99/user/mo | Yes | View |
| 5 | Smallpdf | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $10/mo | Yes | $7/user/mo | Yes | View |
| 6 | pdfFiller | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $8/mo | No | $8/user/mo | — | View |
| 7 | HiPDF | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $3.33/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 8 |  WPS PDF Editor | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 9 | PDFgear | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 10 | UPDF | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 11 |  Stirling PDF | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $99/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 12 | PDF Reader Pro | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 13 |  PDF Editor Offline | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 14 | PDF-XChange Editor | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $62/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 15 | Soda PDF | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 16 |  PickPDF | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 17 |  PDFApps | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 18 | Sejda PDF Editor | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 19 | KDAN PDF | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $5/mo | Yes | $59.99/user/mo | Yes | View |
| 20 | PDF Candy | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $0.33/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 21 |  PDF Viewer Editor | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 22 |  Drawboard PDF | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 23 |  Aurora PDF | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 24 | MobiPDF | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $6.67/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 25 |  SwifDoo PDF | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $5.75/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which PDF editor is ranked first on Inferse?
ONLYOFFICE PDF Editor is ranked #1 of 100 with a score of 8.8. LightPDF is second and iLovePDF third.
How many of these have a free plan?
14 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, PDF Candy has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.33/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.