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What is everyone’s favorite Desktop Editor PDF Software in 2023?

I know the main players like Adobe and BlueBeam, but their yearly subscriptions are very expensive.

Any good paid alternatives that don’t cost an arm and a leg but have good functionality?

8 Spice ups
2

For Adobe Acrobat you can still get the perpetual license. There is also the Kofax Power PDF that if a more budget version but works well.

2 Spice ups
3

2020 is the last version to be perpetually licensed, and that goes end-of-support in 2025.

For alternatives, the best we found was Foxit PDF Editor. I tested that, PDF24, PDF-Xchange, and Power PDF. They all worked fine (to different degrees - Foxit being the best of them), but we ran into issues with the usability of the stamp tool. Since that’s a very important tool to our company, we bit the bullet and went with Acrobat. Aside from the stamp too, Foxit exceeded the needs of all users, and many were thrilled with the layout being similar to MS Office. License management and configuration has been a snap compared to previous versions. Part of this is due to the Admin Console just being a much better console than the LWS, which anyone using Adobe’s perpetual VL programs in the past would be familiar with.

If you aren’t able to find a suitable alternative, I 100% recommend buying Acrobat through a reseller only. Adobe had reached out to me when DC 2017 went end-of-support, I had a single meeting with them to go over licensing options, and they were supposed to follow up a month later. I was very clear in stating that I would be evaluating alternative products, as we do each time we renew our Acrobat licensing. They never followed up and ignored my attempts to get in contact with them. Chatting with my Connection rep, this seems to be a problem across the board with Adobe’s reps.

2 Spice ups
4

I’ve been using FoxIT both on the PDF Reader(a few years) and recently installing their editors, works well. Free PDF Reader & Viewer - Online Download | Foxit Software

and you can purchase for reselling from the major distis in Canada.

1 Spice up
5

When it comes to desktop PDF editing software, there are a few options that are popular and offer good functionality without breaking the bank. One such alternative is Foxit PhantomPDF. It provides a range of features for editing, annotating, and managing PDF documents at a more affordable price compared to Adobe and BlueBeam. Another option to consider is Nitro Pro, which offers similar capabilities at a competitive price point. Additionally, for creating eye-catching logos to enhance your PDFs or other materials, you can explore Adobe Express Logo Maker tool. It allows you to design professional logos quickly and easily, adding a touch of visual appeal to your documents. Take a look at these options to find the best fit for your needs and budget.

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We haven’t pulled the trigger yet but it looks like we are going to go the PDFX-Change route.

its very affordable compared to everything else we have looked at and seems to cover the functionality we need