Why you need a good PDF program
The PDF format is used everywhere—for job applications, official documents, manuals, and forms. Yet many users still think you have to pay to edit or merge PDFs.
That’s not true.
Today there are plenty of free PDF programs that can:
- ✏️ Edit text and images in a PDF
- ➕ Merge multiple PDFs into one
- 🔄 Convert PDFs to Word, images, or other formats
- 🔐 Protect or remove passwords
- 🧩 Fill forms and add signatures
Here are our top picks for 2025—for both Windows and browser.
🛠️ Best free PDF programs in 2025
1. PDF-XChange Editor (Windows)
A powerful PDF editor with support for:
- Editing existing text and objects
- Comments, highlights, and notes
- OCR (text recognition in scanned documents)
- Export to images and Word
The program is free for personal use but shows a small watermark with some features (can be avoided).
✅ Desktop app
✅ Fast and lightweight
❌ Watermarks on some features
🔗 Download PDF-XChange Editor here
2. PDFsam Basic (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Perfect for:
- Merging and splitting PDFs
- Rotating pages and changing order
- No ads and 100% open source
The interface is simple yet effective—especially for larger document tasks.
✅ Open source
✅ No watermarks
✅ Stable and ad-free
🔗 Download PDFsam Basic here
3. LibreOffice Draw (Windows, Mac, Linux)
LibreOffice is more than word processing—the Draw module can also:
- Open and edit PDFs directly
- Replace text and images
- Export back to PDF
Works best with simple layouts and is ideal for quick edits.
✅ Free with no limits
✅ No internet required
❌ Less suited to advanced PDFs with complex layouts
🔗 Read our LibreOffice review
4. Smallpdf (Browser)
Smallpdf offers 20+ PDF tools directly in your browser, including:
- Edit, compress, merge, and split
- Convert to Word, Excel, JPG, and more
- Fill forms and e-sign
But the free version limits you to 2 tools per day, and some features require a subscription. That’s why Smallpdf is best for occasional use.
✅ Very user-friendly interface
✅ No installation—works on all platforms
❌ Limited access without a subscription
❌ No batch jobs or offline features
🔗 Visit Smallpdf
💡 Tip: Want unlimited access with no caps? Then consider PDF24 Creator or PDFsam Basic.
5. PDF24 Creator (Windows)
German-developed PDF suite with everything in one place—and a Danish interface by default
- Create and convert PDFs
- Edit and merge documents
- Print to PDF and create from any file type
Runs locally and offline—ideal for businesses.
✅ No internet required
✅ No limitations
✅ Print to PDF from any program
🔗 Download PDF24 Creator
👤 Which PDF program is right for you?
| User type | Recommended software |
|---|---|
| Students | Smallpdf, LibreOffice Draw |
| Businesses | PDF24 Creator, PDF-XChange |
| Open-source fans | PDFsam, LibreOffice |
| Occasional users | Smallpdf, PDF24 Online |
| Technicians / IT | PDF-XChange + PDFsam combo |
❓ FAQ – frequently asked questions
Are free PDF programs safe to use?
Yes, as long as you download from trusted sources. The programs we recommend here are free of adware and malware.
Can I use them for sensitive documents?
Yes—especially desktop apps like PDF24 and PDFsam, since they run offline.
What if I need to convert PDF to Word?
Both Smallpdf and PDF-XChange support it. You can also use Google Docs to open and save as a Word file.
Do these programs work on Windows 11?
Yes—all of the software listed works on Windows 10 and 11.
🚀 Ready to ditch Adobe?
You no longer need to spend money on a PDF editor. With these free programs you can edit, merge, and convert your PDFs in a few clicks—without ads or limits.
🔽 See more free programs on Download.dk
🔍 Comparison of free PDF programs in 2025 - Overview
📄 PDF-XChange Editor
Platforms: Windows
Text editing: Yes
Merge/split: Yes
Conversion: Yes
Limitations: Watermarks on advanced features
📄 PDFsam Basic
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Text editing: No
Merge/split: Yes
Conversion: No
Limitations: Core features only
📄 LibreOffice Draw
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Text editing: Yes (limited and best on simple layouts)
Merge/split: No
Conversion: Yes
Limitations: May struggle with PDFs that have complex layouts
📄 PDF24 Creator
Platforms: Windows
Text editing: Yes
Merge/split: Yes
Conversion: Yes
Limitations: None—100% free and offline
📄 Smallpdf
Platforms: Browser (all devices)
Text editing: Yes
Merge/split: Yes
Conversion: Yes
Limitations: Max 2 tools per day in the free version
