When deciding whether you need to purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro, consider the following features compared to the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Depending on how you use Acrobat, Reader may be sufficient for your needs.
| Acrobat Reader (free) | Acrobat Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Open PDFs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Read PDFs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Print PDFs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comment PDFs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Complete Forms | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sign Forms | ✓ | ✓ |
| Edit PDFs | ╳ | ✓ |
| Organize Pages | ╳ | ✓ |
| Combine PDFs | ╳ | ✓ |
| Compare Forms | ╳ | ✓ |
| Protect PDFs | ╳ | ✓ |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Be sure to select "Download Adobe Reader" button to receive the free version. This page may contain offers for McAfee software to be installed with Adobe Acrobat Reader. Review these offers and uncheck the boxes you do not wish to install before clicking on the "Download Adobe Reader" button.
To obtain Adobe Acrobat Pro, visit the Software Center.
Adobe Acrobat Alternatives
There are options to edit PDF files that don't require Acrobat Pro. Each has its limitations and may not work as needed with complex PDF files, but if you seldomly use the advanced features of Acrobat Pro, one of the options below may meet your needs.
NOTE: [U]Tech neither endorses nor supports any of these options. If help is needed, use the software vendor's support services.
- Print to PDF: Convert a file to PDF through the Print function built into Windows and MacOS. Review more on Adobe's website.
- Microsoft Word: Word can convert files to PDFs through the "Save as" function. You can edit a PDF by opening it as a Word document and saving it as a PDF.
- Apple Preview: Mac computer users can use Apple Preview to manipulate PDF files, including filling out forms and signing documents. Learn more on Apple's website.
- Sejda: This program allows for editing and manipulation of PDFs files. Local clients are available for Mac and PC as well as a free version with some limitations. Learn more on Sejda's website.