Best Adobe Acrobat Alternatives in 2026 — Free, Offline, Private
Adobe Acrobat Pro costs $22.99/month. Here are alternatives that handle common PDF tasks — for free, without uploading your files to the cloud.
Why Look for an Adobe Acrobat Alternative?
Where Acrobat Excels
- ✅ Full PDF text editing with text reflow and formatting
- ✅ OCR for scanned documents
- ✅ E-signatures and digital signing
- ✅ PDF creation from any file type
- ✅ Mobile apps and cloud collaboration
What Many Users Actually Need:
- 📎 Merge, split, compress PDFs — without $22.99/month
- 🔒 Password-protect documents for sharing
- 📄 Convert PDF to images or Word occasionally
- 🛡️ Process sensitive documents without cloud uploads
- 💰 Stop paying for features they never use
Top Adobe Acrobat Alternatives
1. Diwadi — Privacy-First Desktop Alternative
Free — Desktop — 18 PDF Tools — 100% Local
PDF Tools Included:
- ✅ Merge PDFs — Combine multiple files into one
- ✅ Split PDF — Separate into pages or ranges
- ✅ Compress PDF — Reduce file size with quality options
- ✅ Protect PDF — Password protection with granular permissions
- ✅ Watermark & Page Numbers — Text, image, customizable
- ✅ Redact Text — Permanently remove sensitive content
- ✅ PDF to Images / Word / Markdown — Multiple conversion options
- ✅ Rotate, Reorder, Extract Pages — Full page manipulation
vs Adobe Acrobat:
Price
Diwadi: Free
Acrobat: $22.99/mo
Privacy
Diwadi: 100% Local
Acrobat: Cloud processing
Limits
Diwadi: Unlimited
Acrobat: Subscription required
Offline
Diwadi: Full offline
Acrobat: Partial (requires activation)
Best For: Privacy-focused professionals who need PDF manipulation (merge, split, compress, protect) without paying for full editing features they don't use.
2. PDF24 Creator — Best Free Windows Option
Free — Windows Desktop — Full featured
Strengths:
- ✅ Completely free (desktop version)
- ✅ 25+ PDF tools
- ✅ OCR and PDF creation included
- ✅ GDPR compliant (German company)
- ✅ No registration required
Limitations:
- ⚠️ Windows-only (no Mac or Linux)
- ⚠️ Web version uploads to cloud
- ⚠️ Interface feels dated
- ⚠️ Ads in free version
Best For: Windows users wanting comprehensive free PDF tools with OCR
vs Adobe Acrobat: Similar feature set to Acrobat for common tasks, completely free, but Windows-only and lacks e-sign.
3. Foxit PDF Editor — Best Paid Alternative
From $109.99/yr or $159.99 one-time — Cross-platform
Strengths:
- ✅ Closest feature parity with Acrobat
- ✅ Perpetual license option ($159.99)
- ✅ Full PDF editing, OCR, e-sign
- ✅ Lighter and faster than Acrobat
Limitations:
- ⚠️ Still requires a paid license
- ⚠️ Some features need cloud connectivity
- ⚠️ Subscription is $109.99/year
- ⚠️ Perpetual license lacks some Pro features
Best For: Users who need Acrobat-level features at a lower price with a one-time purchase option
vs Adobe Acrobat: Most similar to Acrobat in features. Subscription is cheaper ($109.99 vs $275.88/year), plus a perpetual license option Acrobat does not offer.
4. Stirling PDF — Best Open-Source Option
Free — Open Source — Self-hosted
Strengths:
- ✅ 50+ PDF tools
- ✅ Open source (MIT license)
- ✅ Self-hosted (full data control)
- ✅ Docker deployment
Limitations:
- ⚠️ Requires technical setup (Docker)
- ⚠️ Need to host on your own server
- ⚠️ No desktop app
- ⚠️ No PDF editing or e-sign
Best For: Technical users and organizations wanting full control and open-source transparency
vs Adobe Acrobat: Far more PDF manipulation tools than Acrobat, completely free and open source, but requires Docker knowledge and lacks editing features.
Feature Comparison: Diwadi vs. Adobe Acrobat vs. Alternatives
| Feature | Diwadi | PDF24 | Foxit | Adobe Acrobat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | $109.99/yr | $22.99/mo |
| Merge PDF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Split PDF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Compress PDF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Protect/Encrypt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rotate/Reorder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Watermark | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Page Numbers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Redact Text | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| PDF to Images | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PDF to Word | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Full PDF Editing | No | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| OCR | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| e-Sign | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy | 100% local | Desktop local | Mixed | Cloud + Desktop |
| Works Offline | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Best For | Privacy-first PDF manipulation | Free Windows PDF suite | Full editing at lower cost | Full PDF editing & creation |
Privacy: Why It Matters for PDF Tools
Adobe Acrobat uses Document Cloud for many features. When you use cloud-connected features, consider:
- Document Cloud storage — Files stored on Adobe's servers (AWS infrastructure)
- Telemetry data — Adobe collects usage data, document metadata, and feature analytics
- Cloud processing — Many features require server-side processing
- Privacy policy — Adobe may process data for service improvement and personalization
- Compliance considerations — Cloud storage may conflict with data residency requirements for legal, medical, or financial documents
With Diwadi, your files never leave your computer. All 18 PDF tools process locally. No servers, no uploads, no telemetry.
Adobe Acrobat Pricing vs. Alternatives
Acrobat Reader
Free
View & annotate only
Acrobat Standard
$12.99/mo
Basic editing & e-sign
$155.88/year
3-year cost: $467.64
Acrobat Pro
$22.99/mo
Full editing, OCR, advanced features
$275.88/year
3-year cost: $827.64
Compare with alternatives:
Diwadi
Free
18 PDF tools, 100% offline
PDF24 Creator
Free
Windows desktop, 25+ tools
Foxit PDF Editor
From $109.99/yr
Or $159.99 one-time purchase
Stirling PDF
Free
Open source, self-hosted
Which Alternative Should You Choose?
Choose Diwadi If:
- ✅ Privacy is non-negotiable — You handle sensitive documents (legal, medical, financial)
- ✅ You want to stop paying subscriptions — Save $155-275/year
- ✅ You mostly merge, split, compress, and protect PDFs — These are the most common tasks
- ✅ You need offline processing — Travel, secure environments, unreliable internet
- ✅ You're on Mac or Windows — Desktop app, no browser needed
Choose PDF24 If:
- ✅ You're on Windows only
- ✅ You need OCR for scanned documents
- ✅ You want PDF creation from other file types
- ✅ You need a virtual PDF printer
Choose Foxit If:
- ✅ You need full PDF text editing (text reflow)
- ✅ You want e-sign and OCR
- ✅ You prefer a one-time purchase over subscription
- ✅ You need Acrobat-level features at a lower price
Choose Stirling PDF If:
- ✅ You're technically inclined (Docker knowledge)
- ✅ You want to self-host on your own server
- ✅ You need organizational control over PDF processing
- ✅ You want open source with 50+ tools
Stay with Adobe Acrobat If You Need:
- ❌ Full PDF text editing with text reflow and formatting
- ❌ OCR for scanned documents
- ❌ E-signatures and digital signing workflows
- ❌ PDF creation from any file type
- ❌ Mobile apps (iOS/Android) and cloud collaboration
Explore Diwadi PDF Tools
18 PDF tools, all running 100% locally on your device.
Try the Free Adobe Acrobat Alternative
18 PDF tools, 100% local processing. No subscription, no cloud uploads, no account required.
Is there a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. Diwadi offers 18 PDF tools (merge, split, compress, protect, watermark, redact, convert, and more) completely free. PDF24 Creator is another free option for Windows. However, free alternatives typically don't include full PDF text editing, OCR, or e-sign — features that require Acrobat Pro or Foxit PDF Editor.
Can I edit PDFs without Adobe Acrobat?
It depends on what you mean by 'edit.' For PDF manipulation — merging, splitting, compressing, protecting, adding watermarks, redacting text, reordering pages — Diwadi handles all of this for free. For full text editing (changing words, reflowing paragraphs), you need Acrobat, Foxit, or a similar paid editor.
Is Adobe Acrobat worth the price?
If you regularly need full PDF text editing, OCR, e-signatures, or PDF creation from scratch, Acrobat Pro ($22.99/mo) is the industry standard. If you mainly merge, split, compress, and protect PDFs, free alternatives like Diwadi handle those tasks without the subscription cost.
What is the best free PDF editor for Mac?
For PDF manipulation on Mac, Diwadi offers 18 PDF tools with 100% local processing. macOS Preview handles basic annotations. For full PDF text editing on Mac, Foxit PDF Editor and PDF Expert are paid options. PDF24 Creator is free but Windows-only.
Do my PDF files get uploaded when using Diwadi?
Never. Diwadi processes everything locally on your computer. Your files never leave your device — no cloud servers, no uploads, no data collection. This makes it suitable for sensitive legal, medical, and financial documents.
Can I merge and split PDFs without Acrobat?
Yes. Diwadi, PDF24, and Stirling PDF all offer merge and split functionality for free. Diwadi processes files locally on your device, PDF24 works on Windows desktop, and Stirling PDF runs as a self-hosted web app.
Is Adobe Acrobat Reader the same as Acrobat Pro?
No. Acrobat Reader is free but only views and annotates PDFs. Acrobat Standard ($12.99/mo) adds basic editing and e-sign. Acrobat Pro ($22.99/mo) adds full editing, OCR, advanced tools, and all features. Most alternatives compete with the paid versions.
What can Adobe Acrobat do that Diwadi cannot?
Adobe Acrobat Pro offers full PDF text editing with text reflow, OCR for scanned documents, electronic signatures, PDF creation from any file type, mobile apps (iOS/Android), browser extension, cloud collaboration, and Adobe Document Cloud storage. Diwadi focuses on PDF manipulation (merge, split, compress, protect, watermark, redact, convert) with privacy as the priority.
Does Diwadi work offline?
Yes, Diwadi works 100% offline after installation. No internet connection is required for any PDF operation. Adobe Acrobat requires internet for activation, cloud features, and some processing tasks.
Is Diwadi safe for sensitive documents?
Yes. Because all processing happens locally on your device, Diwadi is suitable for confidential business documents, legal contracts, medical records, and financial files. No data leaves your computer, making it compatible with GDPR and HIPAA data handling requirements.