Isn’t it really annoying when you have a PDF file that you need to modify or change? Actually going into the PDF and changing it requires a slew of expensive Adobe software that, quite frankly, very few people can legally afford. I am not a proponent of illegally downloading software – especially Adobe’s expensive software – so I have compiled a list of my five favorite tools that let you openly edit PDF files.
CutePDF has four products, which are CutePDF Writer, CutePDF Professional, CutePDF Converter and CutePDF Editor. It is one of the easiest PDF editors judging by the design and user interface but it also has its numerous limitations.
1. CutePDF Editor
- CutePDF Editor is a cloud-based application that enables the users to edit PDF-type files and generate great quality PDF documents in just a few simple steps. It is made available for free and can be enjoyed by users with the Operating System (OS) of Windows, Mac OS, Android, Linux and Solaris.
- Mac users should consider using Safari which generally performs better with CutePDF Editor than Firefox does. Also, you can add CutePDF Editor Website into the list of Trusted sites or location in the security settings of both Browser and Flash player.
I like this option because all you need is a web browser and the Adobe Flash plugin. The editing is pretty limited and not all PDFs will load, but if the document is relatively plain and all you need are the most basic tools, then this is a great option. It is essentially a page editor. You can delete pages, rearrange their order, insert blank ones, crop, and even resize them. The only editing features are the ability to add your own page headers and footers, such as titles, dates, page numbers, etc.
2. Foxit Reader
Adobe Editor For Mac Downloads
This is a lightweight alternative to Adobe Reader that I actually prefer. It does more than just display PDFs, though, and it has a wide range of powerful tools. You cannot edit the contents, but text can be struck through with a line and replaced by a pop-up note. You can also insert sticky notes, attach files to pages, click anywhere and add text, add text boxes and callouts, draw with a pencil, add rectangles, lines, arrows, polygons and clouds, and add stamps like Approved, Rejected, Draft and so on. This is a great option if you have to comment and annotate PDFs.
3. PDFCool Free Studio
PDFCool Free Studio offers an almost identical set of features to Foxit Reader and it is useful for annotating PDFs in a similar manner. Sometimes it is buggy and can quit with an error message, but when it works, it has some useful features. For example, it can extract the text and images from a PDF, and this would enable you to edit them elsewhere, such as in a Word document. Text can be typed onto the page, and there are also some basic drawing functions like lines, circles and rectangles. It’s not as good as Foxit Reader though.
Cutepdf Writer For Apple Mac
4. PDF to Word
This does exactly what the name says. You select a file on your PC, upload it to the site and it emails you the Word document a minute or two later. The advantage of this is that you can use Word or another word processor to edit the text and resave the document as a PDF (Microsoft Word — and many others — can save in PDF).
5. LibreOffice
This one is worth considering if you want to edit the text in a PDF file. It loads PDFs, and it can cope with very large documents with hundreds of pages. The only snag is that each line of text is a text box, which makes it awkward to edit large amounts of text.
Conclusion
Not all of these programs are perfect, but it is hard to complain when they are free. Try them out for yourself and let us know which ones you prefer!