Explore / Work with AI / PDF tools
PDF tools · checked 11 November 2026
Preview on a Mac, and Edge or Word on Windows, do most PDF jobs free; Stirling PDF to edit offline; Acrobat Pro only to change the existing text.
Word opens a PDF as an editable document you save back as a PDF, though complex layouts can shift. Online tools from Adobe and iLovePDF process files on their servers (iLovePDF deletes them within two hours), so keep contracts, bank statements and IDs on your own computer. To hide something, redact it: a black box drawn on top leaves the text underneath.
The picksPrices as each maker's page states them
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1
Microsoft Edge
Windows: read, highlight, add text and save
Free download; Copilot in Edge has a free usage allowance, and a Microsoft 365 subscription adds higher limits and agents Read from microsoft.com on 10 November 2026 Free browser with a free Copilot usage allowance -
2
Stirling PDF
A free editor that keeps files on your machine
Free $0; Team $99 a month for 100 users; Enterprise through sales; PDF Processor 1 cent a credit Read from stirling.com on 10 November 2026 Free for individual use: 60+ PDF tools on web, desktop and self-hosted -
3
Adobe Acrobat
Changing the existing text, with Acrobat Pro
Acrobat Standard ₹477.90 a month, Acrobat Pro ₹638.38 a month, Acrobat Studio ₹797.68 a month, incl. GST, annual plan billed monthly Read from adobe.com on 10 November 2026 Free online tools to sign, edit, merge, split, compress, convert, OCR and password-protect a PDF in the browser -
4
Adobe Acrobat Reader
One free reader app on every device
Free Read from adobe.com on 10 November 2026 Free on desktop and mobile -
5
Sumatra PDF
An old or slow Windows laptop
Free Read from sumatrapdfreader.org on 10 November 2026 Free
Every question on it 7 answers
- Which free tool lets me edit a PDF, including its text and forms? How Founders Use AI
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- Which PDF reader app should I use on a phone or laptop? How Founders Use AI
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The readingMost used across these answers
- Save or convert to PDF in Office desktop apps Read · 4 answers
- iLovePDF security Read · 4 answers
- Fill out and sign PDF forms in Preview on Mac Read · 2 answers
- Convert PDF and photo files to text Read · 2 answers
- Annotate a PDF in Preview on Mac Read
- Combine PDFs in Preview on Mac Read
- Add, delete, or move PDF pages in Preview on Mac Read
- Export PDFs and images in Preview on Mac Read
- Use Live Text with your iPhone camera Read
- Interact with text in a photo using Live Text in Preview on Mac Read
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