Best free PDF editors for PC in 2026

Searching for a free PDF editor for PC turns up a mixed bag. Some of the nine Windows apps here edit text and images, some only read and annotate, and a few focus on splitting and merging pages. This list says what each app is built to do.

Install size varies a lot. SumatraPDF is 10.6 MB, while Adobe Acrobat Reader (64-bit) is 761.2 MB. Licences range from GPL-3.0 and AGPL-3.0 to proprietary and freeware. Every app listed here is free.

No app in this group reaches our top tier. Use the entries below to match a tool to your task, whether that is reading, markup, form filling or page management.

Compare at a glance

Comparison table: Best free PDF editors for PC in 2026
App	Price	Size
SumatraPDFOfficial file	Free	10.6 MB
Adobe Acrobat Reader (64-bit)Official file	Free	761 MB
Foxit PDF ReaderOfficial file	Free	351 MB
PDF-XChange EditorOfficial file	Free	384 MB
PDF24 CreatorOfficial file	Free	497 MB
PDFgearOfficial file	Free	132 MB
PDFsam BasicOfficial file	Free	92.3 MB
Xodo PDF ReaderOfficial file	Free	163 MB
Nitro PDF ProOfficial file	Free	410 MB

SumatraPDF: best for a tiny, fast reader

10.6 MB Official file

SumatraPDF is made by Krzysztof Kowalczyk and is released under GPL-3.0. Version 3.6.1 was updated on April 6, 2026, and the download is 10.6 MB.

It opens PDF, EPUB, MOBI, CBZ, CBR, FB2, CHM, XPS and DjVu files. The developer says it starts quickly and keeps the interface simple. It has no editing tools, so treat it as a viewer rather than an editor.

Pros

Only 10.6 MB
Open source under GPL-3.0
Opens many document and ebook formats

Cons

No editing features in the listed data

Open SumatraPDF

Adobe Acrobat Reader (64-bit): best for forms and multimedia PDFs

761 MB Official file

Adobe Acrobat Reader (64-bit) is version 26.003.22075, updated on November 2, 2026. It is proprietary and free, and the installer is 761.2 MB, the largest in this list.

Adobe describes it as the app for viewing, printing, signing, sharing and annotating PDFs. It also says it can interact with all PDF content, including forms and multimedia. It does not offer text or image editing.

Pros

Handles forms and multimedia content, per Adobe
Viewing, signing and annotating are listed

Cons

761.2 MB download
Proprietary licence
No editing tools

Open Adobe Acrobat Reader (64-bit)

Foxit PDF Reader: best for viewing, form fill and signing

351 MB Official file

Foxit PDF Reader comes from Foxit Software Inc. Version 2026.2.1.39815 was updated on December 16, 2025, and it takes 350.9 MB.

You can view, annotate, fill forms and sign PDFs, with support across desktop, mobile and web. That makes it a fit for document review and paperwork. It is not meant for editing existing text.

Pros

Annotation, form filling and signing listed
Desktop, mobile and web coverage

Cons

350.9 MB install
Last update in December 2025, older than most here
Proprietary licence

Open Foxit PDF Reader

PDF-XChange Editor: best for direct text editing and OCR

384 MB Official file

PDF-XChange Editor, from PDF-XChange Co Ltd., is version 11.1.1.0 and was updated on October 21, 2026. It is 383.6 MB.

The listing names direct editing of text and images, annotation tools such as stamps, shapes and handwritten notes, and OCR for turning scans into searchable text. It also lists creating and filling interactive forms. This is the most editing-oriented entry in the group.

Pros

Edits text and images directly
OCR for scanned documents
Form creation and filling

Cons

383.6 MB download
Proprietary licence

Open PDF-XChange Editor

PDF24 Creator: best for a general-purpose free toolkit

497 MB Official file

PDF24 Creator is published by geek software GmbH. Version 11.30.1 was updated on April 21, 2026, and the package is 497.1 MB.

The only feature text in the catalog calls it a free, easy PDF solution with many features. It does not name specific tools, so check the app itself before relying on it for a particular job.

Pros

Free, with a 2026 update
Described as easy to use

Cons

Specific features are not listed
497.1 MB install
Proprietary licence

Open PDF24 Creator

PDFgear: best for reading, converting and merging in one app

132 MB Official file

PDFgear is version 3.0.1, updated on October 22, 2026. The developer is also called PDFgear, and the installer is 132.4 MB.

You can read, edit, convert, merge and sign PDF files for free. That covers more ground than a plain reader while staying smaller than several rivals here.

Pros

Read, edit, convert, merge and sign listed
132.4 MB, mid-sized for this group
Recent update

Cons

Editing depth is not described
Proprietary licence

Open PDFgear

PDFsam Basic: best for splitting and merging pages

92.3 MB Official file

PDFsam Basic comes from Sober Lemur S.r.l. under the AGPL-3.0 licence. Version 6.0.10.0 was updated on November 4, 2026, the latest date in this list. The download is 92.3 MB.

Its job is to split, merge, extract, mix and rotate PDF pages. It is described as open source and multi-platform, and not as a text editor or an annotation tool.

Pros

Open source under AGPL-3.0
Split, merge, extract, mix and rotate pages
Most recent update in the list

Cons

Page tools only, no text editing listed

Open PDFsam Basic

Xodo PDF Reader: best for annotating and signing across systems

163 MB Official file

Xodo PDF Reader, from Apryse Software Corp., is version 2026.3.0 and is distributed as freeware. It was updated on June 30, 2025, and the size is 163 MB.

The listing covers viewing on Windows, macOS and Linux, adding text, comments, notes and highlights, drawing on pages, and completing interactive forms. Digital signing runs through Xodo Sign integration.

Pros

Works on Windows, macOS and Linux
Annotation, drawing and form completion
Signing through Xodo Sign

Cons

Last update June 30, 2025
Freeware, not open source

Open Xodo PDF Reader

Nitro PDF Pro: best for creating and securing PDFs

410 MB Official file

Nitro PDF Pro is published by Nitro. Version 14.43.7.0 was updated on June 9, 2026, and it is 410.3 MB.

It is used to create, edit, sign and secure PDF files and digital documents. It is listed as free.

Pros

Create, edit, sign and secure listed
Updated in 2026

Cons

410.3 MB install
Little feature detail available
Proprietary licence

Open Nitro PDF Pro

How we picked

This list comes from catalog data only: version, update date, file size, licence, price and the feature text in each listing. We did not test these apps by hand, and nothing here reflects hands-on use. Google Play ratings and install counts do not apply to these Windows apps, so they played no part. All nine entries are listed at price 0 and sit in the same tier, so the order follows the catalog and does not rank them.

Questions and answers

Which app here can edit text and images in a PDF?

PDF-XChange Editor offers direct editing of text and images, plus OCR and form creation. PDFgear and Nitro PDF Pro also offer editing, with less detail on how far it goes.

Which options are open source?

SumatraPDF is under GPL-3.0 and PDFsam Basic is under AGPL-3.0. The other seven are proprietary or freeware.

What is the smallest download in this list?

SumatraPDF at 10.6 MB. PDFsam Basic is next at 92.3 MB, while Adobe Acrobat Reader (64-bit) is the largest at 761.2 MB.

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