In today’s digital age, Portable Document Format (PDF) has become an integral part of our lives, serving as a universal medium for sharing and presenting documents across various platforms. Whether you’re a student, professional, or just someone who deals with documents regularly, having access to a reliable PDF editor is essential. While there are numerous PDF editing tools available, opting for open-source software not only saves costs but also offers transparency, flexibility, and a community-driven approach to development.
This article delves into the realm of open-source PDF editors, showcasing the top 10 options tailored for both Windows and Mac operating systems. These editors empower users with a plethora of features, ranging from basic annotation and text editing to advanced functionalities like form creation, digital signatures, and encryption. Whether you’re looking to make minor adjustments to a document or engage in more intricate editing tasks, these free open-source PDF editors provide a versatile and accessible solution.
Join us as we explore the landscape of open-source PDF editing software, highlighting their key features, user interfaces, and compatibility with different operating systems. Whether you’re a seasoned PDF editor or a newcomer seeking the right tool for your needs, this comprehensive guide aims to equip you with the knowledge necessary to make an informed decision and enhance your document editing experience.
Sejda PDF Editor
I know that everyone wants to edit PDF files without wasting time downloading software. Sejda PDF Editor is the best fit for you because it runs entirely on web browsers. You can edit any PDF file in web browsers, whether you are on Windows or Mac.
Sejda PDF Editor is one of the best PDF editors for us as it can offer more editing options. You can add your signatures to it, and you can upload PDF files from a direct URL using their web integration feature. It can also provide some cool features for free like you can edit pdf without any watermark.
Formulate Pro – Best PDF Editor for Mac
Formulate Pro is second on the list, but it is the best PDF editing program available for the Mac Operating System. And the best thing is it works perfectly fine with Mac’s elegant looks.
The software provides a fantastic user interface that helps new users easily edit PDF documents even if they are using the program for the first time. You must give this one a try.
Inkscape – Open Source PDF Editor
Inkscape is another good PDF editing program. It is open-source and free to use. After installing it in your operating system, you are ready to edit any PDF document you can find on the web.
The main feature of this software is its user interface. You will find excellent options in this program; this option will help you edit and decorate the PDF output however you want.
LibreOffice Draw
LibreOffice Draw is one of my favorite and fantastic PDF reading and editing programs, which helps the normal user to understand a complex PDF document and breaks this document into simpler, smaller parts.
The best thing about LibreOffice Draw is its open-source code. That means you can go to its source code page and help maintain and upgrade the software. So, anyone can edit and decorate the document as they want.
PDFescape
Last but not least, PDFescape is another big fish in the market for PDF editing software. You can go to the website and start editing any PDF document. I have used this one personally, and I can say that the platform needs to update its user interface. Otherwise, it is perfect in their services.
PDF.io
One of the fastest-growing websites where you can split, merge, compress and convert PDF files easily. This site is owned by 123Apps, which owns various web tools. Using PDF.io, you can convert any PDF to Word and vice versa with just one click. There is no need to buy memberships and all.
This website offers special services such as converting PDF to Word, JPEG, HTML, Protected File, PNG, etc. On their homepage, you can select services and choose the PDF file you want to convert, and then you’re all done.
7. PDFSam
PDFSam is another open-source PDF editor that also offers a full office suite. It even has a commercial-based PDF editing system designed for enterprises. You can easily see all the PDF documents in the form of pages.
You can edit, move, rotate, cut, highlight, and delete pages. It is effortless to use and ideal for quick annotations or quick edits. Its ability to merge two PDFs is outstanding.
Apache Open Office Draw
Apache Open Office Draw is slowly gaining popularity due to its graphics-based open-source PDF editor. This editor allows you to draw diagrams, shapes, graphs, and other PDF file images.
It comes in handy when creating pie charts or completing a hectic school assignment. It also works on cross-platform computers and has automatic spell-checking.
PDF Architect
PDF Architect is an open-source PDF editor designed by PDF Forge. It’s an advanced PDF editing software. This is the best option if you’re looking for a fully functional PDF editor for your document needs. You can edit any text, image, or diagram on a PDF file. It’s a great open-source PDF editor to have on your list.
PDFedit
PDFedit is a widely used tool when it comes to PDF editing. It’s completely free and open-source, so many renowned developers back it. The best part of PDFedit is that it can be used as a minimalistic PDF viewer. Users can select which part or sections to edit and can edit accordingly. It also supports deleting specific text, images, or charts from PDFs.
In conclusion, the availability of free and open-source PDF editors for both Windows and Mac platforms provides users with a range of powerful tools to manipulate PDF documents without the constraints of proprietary software. These top 10 selections offer a variety of features, from basic editing functionalities to more advanced options like annotation, form filling, and encryption. Whether you’re a student, professional, or casual user, these tools empower you to efficiently manage and modify your PDF files while promoting accessibility and collaboration. Embracing open-source solutions not only saves costs but also fosters a community-driven approach to software development, ensuring continual improvement and innovation in the realm of PDF editing.
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