What is the best completely free .PDF file editor?

GnarlyKnuckles on 05/04/2017 - 23:46

It seems impossible to determine this via Google (etc.) searching, because all of the commercially available products offer 'completely free' trials/versions/etc.

What I would like to know, is what is the best 'open source' PDF editor out there? I'm sure there must be a few… I used a great free PDF editor for a couple of years, but it has now 'gone commercial', which I suppose was always their long-term plan… fair enough I guess, it is actually really good.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm not after 'super-specs', I just want to be able to manipulate pages (delete/change order), and insert text entries of the correct size neatly into text boxes.

Free Software/Websites

Comments

  • kiribatian on 06/04/2017 - 00:10
    +5

    I have used Foxit for years. Completely free. I wish it would rotate the PDFs though.

    • Colombian on 06/04/2017 - 03:48
      +2

      Do you still use it? I stopped when they became heavier. They used to be light and very good.

    • singlemalt72 on 06/04/2017 - 08:41
      +2

      Foxit for sure - does everything I need it to do

    • railspider on 06/04/2017 - 10:21
      +1

      I used to use Foxit but noticed it got laden with ads for their paid products, and it seemed like a few features were stripped out of their free offering.

      It certainly doesn't feel like fully-featured OSS anymore.

  • Findo on 06/04/2017 - 00:19
    -2

    You could uninstall and reinstall Adobe Acrobat DC. It comes with a 30 day trial.

  • [Deactivated] on 06/04/2017 - 07:16
    +1

    I used to use cutePDF, I have the Adobe CC now.

  • noz on 06/04/2017 - 09:27
    +1

    I use PDF Xchange Viewer ( https://www.tracker-software.com/product/pdf-xchange-viewer ) . Its feature set isn't huge, but it has more features than anything else I have found that is free.

  • GnarlyKnuckles on 06/04/2017 - 10:26

    Thank you all very kindly.

  • Baysew on 06/04/2017 - 10:38

    I can recommend - "PDFill PDF Tools are FREE PDF functions to merge, split, reorder, delete, encrypt, decrypt, rotate, crop and reformat PDF pages, to add information, header, footer and watermark, to convert images to PDF, PDF to images or PostScript to PDF, to delete, flatten and list form fields, to scan to pdf, to create transparent image, and more."

    PDFill

    And FoxIt for anything else.

    Both free!

  • GnarlyKnuckles on 06/04/2017 - 10:45

    I need something that allows me to insert text into text boxes… I hope that's what 'PDFill' means by 'to add information'.

    I just went to the Foxit website, and it seems that there is no free version that does that (only a 'free trial' version). Their viewer is free, of course.

    If PDFill can't do it, I will have a look at 'PDF Xchange Viewer', but the name of that one suggests perhaps it won't enable me to insert text… If that is the case I'll check out 'cutePDF'.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 06/04/2017 - 10:51

      'PDFill' looks like a no go… their description of the 'add information' feature is:

      Add information (title, author, subject, keywords, created, creator, producer, version) to PDF documents.

      That doesn't sound like it supports the actual insertion of text into the PDF itself.

      • Baysew on 06/04/2017 - 12:38

        In Free Foxit reader I can add comments on the actual PDF document.

        PDFill to merge PDF files, Rotate, Split

    • moar bargains on 06/04/2017 - 15:38

      Note that Adobe reader (DC) now has some basic editing tools built in. Commenting, highlighting, text boxes, adding signature etc. Not as full featured as some others, but you could check it out and see if it does the job?

  • Baebs on 06/04/2017 - 11:15
    +2

    Foxit is the best i've come across with manipulating PDFs - adding/editing text, deleting background pictures/slides, you'd be surprised with how much you can do with it.

    There are less subtle ways of obtaining it depending on how seriously you need it.

  • GnarlyKnuckles on 06/04/2017 - 11:48

    I'm trying 'PDF Xchange Viewer' at the moment, and its title seems to be a misnomer: it supports the insertion of text (with no silly watermark upon saving), and so far has done a great job of it :)

    Nice one nozza!!!

  • MrHyde on 06/04/2017 - 12:39
    +1

    I use pdfescape.com as an online PDF Editor.

  • number5 on 06/04/2017 - 13:44

    Google Docs import pdf, edit, export or print as pdf.

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