PDFViewerBest free PDF editors, compared by what they actually do
The best free PDF editor depends on the job: no single free tool does everything, and several that call themselves free add a watermark or a daily cap. This page sorts the useful ones by task, states each one's limits, and includes this site's browser viewer with its own limits spelled out.
The short list
Eight tools cover nearly every free PDF editing need:
- This viewer (pdfviewer.work): browser-based, no install, no account, no upload. Annotate, sign, OCR, merge, rotate, delete and reorder pages, whiteout, remove permission locks.
- Chrome, Edge and Firefox built-in viewers: view, fill forms, rotate, print, basic drawing and highlighting; compared in detail on Chrome PDF viewer vs this viewer.
- Apple Preview (macOS): markup, sign, forms, merge, compress, true redaction. See Preview vs browser viewer.
- LibreOffice Draw (Windows, Mac, Linux): opens a PDF as editable objects, so you can change existing text; layout can shift.
- PDF24 Creator (Windows, plus web tools): merge, split, compress, OCR, convert, protect; free without watermark.
- PDF-XChange Editor (Windows): strong free annotation and OCR; some advanced functions stamp a watermark when used in the free edition.
- Foxit PDF Reader (Windows, Mac, Linux): comments, fill and sign, with upsells for editing.
- Smallpdf, iLovePDF, Sejda (web): full tool sets including conversion, with uploads and free-task limits.
Comparison table
| Task | This viewer | Chrome / Edge | Preview (Mac) | LibreOffice Draw | PDF24 (Win) | Web tools (Smallpdf, iLovePDF) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Install needed | No | No | No (built in) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Account | No | No | No | No | No | Optional, needed past free quota |
| Free limits / watermark | None | None | None | None | None | Task or size caps |
| Uploads file to server | No | No | No | No | No (desktop) | Yes |
| OCR | Yes, in-browser | No | No | No | Yes | Paid |
| Merge | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Delete / rotate pages | Yes | Rotate view only | Yes | Partly | Yes | Yes |
| Sign | Drawn image | No | Yes | Image | Yes | Yes |
| Redact | Visual only | No | True | No | No | Paid / varies |
| Fill forms | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Edit existing text | No | No | No | Yes | No | Paid / limited |
| Convert | No | Print to PDF only | To images | Export | Yes | Yes |
| Compress | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Entries for third-party tools reflect their generally documented free editions; check the current version if a specific function matters to you.
Best free PDF editor by task
Annotate, highlight, draw, sign: this viewer on any system, Preview on a Mac. Both save marks into the file. Start at annotate PDF.
OCR a scanned PDF for free, without upload: this viewer (tesseract.js in the browser, slow on long scans) or PDF24 on Windows (faster, needs install). Guide: make a scanned PDF searchable.
Edit existing text: LibreOffice Draw is the only fully free desktop option that rewrites text in place; expect fonts to substitute. Microsoft Word opens PDFs and converts them to editable documents if you have it. The viewer can only cover and retype.
Merge, rotate, delete pages: this viewer, Preview, PDF24. All three keep the file local.
Redact: Preview on Mac does true redaction for free. Everything else on this list that is free either does visual cover-up only (this viewer) or nothing.
Convert and compress: PDF24 on Windows, Preview's export on Mac, LibreOffice export, or a web tool if upload is acceptable. See PDF to Word.
Unlock a permissions-locked PDF: this viewer's Remove Restrictions, PDF24, or qpdf on the command line. None of them open a file that needs a password to open.
Watermarks, caps and other fine print
Read the free-tier conditions before you rely on a tool for a deadline. Watermarks appear in some "free" desktop editors when you touch a paid feature, and they are not removable afterwards. Web tools count tasks per day or per hour and throttle file size. A few "free" apps are free trials that expire. The tools in this list that have no such strings are the browser built-ins, Preview, LibreOffice, PDF24 and this viewer.
This viewer's own fine print, so nothing surprises you: no conversion, no compression, no splitting by range (delete pages instead), no editing of original text, no form-field filling, no true redaction, no password opening, and OCR speed depends on your device. Everything it does do is free, local and without a watermark; the online viewer page lists the full toolbar.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free PDF editor?
For markup, signing, OCR and page edits with no install: this viewer. For editing existing text: LibreOffice Draw. For Mac users: Preview. For conversion and compression on Windows: PDF24.
Is there a completely free PDF editor without watermark?
Yes: this viewer, Preview, LibreOffice Draw, PDF24 and the browser built-ins add no watermark. Some other free editions do watermark certain functions.
What is the best free PDF editor for Windows?
PDF24 Creator for merging, OCR, conversion and compression; LibreOffice Draw for text edits; this viewer in Edge or Chrome for annotating and signing without installing anything.
What is the best free PDF editor for Mac?
Preview covers markup, forms, signing, merging, compressing and redaction. Add this viewer for OCR, which Preview lacks.
Can I edit a PDF for free without uploading it?
Yes. This viewer, Preview, LibreOffice and PDF24 all process the file on your own device.
Which free PDF editor can edit existing text?
LibreOffice Draw, and Microsoft Word if you already have it. Most free tools, including this viewer, add new content on top rather than rewriting the original text.