A free Adobe Acrobat alternative for editing PDFs
Change the words already in your PDF, not just add text boxes. Drop your PDF in the box below: edit text in its own font, fix a scan, fill in fields and sign.
- Free to use
- Works on any device
- Nothing to install
- Type straight onto the page
- Images, shapes and signatures
- Pages added or removed
- Saves a real PDF
Drag & drop file here
or choose a file from your device
Upload your PDF to start editing
PDF files only
Deleted after processing. Up to 200 pages and 50 MB per file.
On your computer? Get the Windows appOn your phone? Get the phone app
What Adobe Acrobat's editor says about itself
Prices checked: October 2026
Adobe's free online editor adds text boxes, sticky notes, highlights and drawings, after you sign in.
Changing the text already in a PDF is listed as an Acrobat Pro feature, with a 7-day free trial.
Adobe says online editing works on desktop and web, not on mobile.
Our editor on real files, checked after download
The same tests as on our editing guides: three real PDFs edited on this page, downloaded, and opened again in a separate reader. Measured on October 21, 2026.
| Test file | Change | Result in the downloaded file |
|---|---|---|
| Letter from a word processor, Carlito 11 pt | Changed “residents” to “neighbors” | New word in Carlito 11 pt; old word gone from the text |
| Invoice, Liberation Sans 10 pt | Changed a due date | New date in Liberation Sans 10 pt; old date gone |
| 300 DPI scan with no text in it | Changed one word on the scan | Word replaced on the page; the whole page now searchable |
Typing a letter the document never used puts that one line in a standard font, and the save screen says so. Details are on Edit PDF text in the same font.
KovaPDF vs Adobe Acrobat for editing PDFs
| Feature |  KovaPDFPDF Editor | Adobe AcrobatFree web editor |
|---|---|---|
| Editing | ||
| Change the text already in the PDF | KovaPDFYes: Yes, in the line's own font | Adobe AcrobatPartly: Acrobat Pro |
| Add text boxes, highlights and drawings | KovaPDFYes: Yes | Adobe AcrobatYes: Yes, free after signing in |
| Edit the words on a scanned page | KovaPDFYes: Yes, read with OCR on open | Adobe AcrobatPartly: Free OCR makes it searchable; editing is in Acrobat |
| Fill in form fields | KovaPDFYes: Yes, the file stays a fillable form | Adobe AcrobatYes: Yes |
| Sign | KovaPDFYes: Draw, type or upload a signature | Adobe AcrobatYes: Yes |
| Getting started | ||
| Account to download | KovaPDFYes: Not needed within the free allowance | Adobe AcrobatPartly: Free Adobe account |
| Edit on a phone | KovaPDFYes: Yes, in the phone's browser | Adobe AcrobatNo: Desktop and web only |
| To get more | KovaPDFYes: A free account raises the limit; Pro removes it | Adobe AcrobatPartly: An Acrobat plan |
Prices and limits change. We read Adobe Acrobat's pages; check their site before you pay for a plan.
Which editor should you use?
Choose KovaPDF if…
- You need to change a word, not cover it. Existing text is editable here without a paid plan, and the new words keep the line's own font.
- You do not want another account. Open, edit and download within the free allowance without signing up.
- You are on a phone. The editor works in a phone browser, with a layout made for it.
- Your PDF is a scan. The pages are read as they open, so you can retype a line in place.
Choose Adobe Acrobat if…
- You already pay for Acrobat. Acrobat Pro adds desktop editing, comparing versions, and the rest of Adobe's document tools in one place.
- You edit long documents offline. Acrobat's desktop app runs on Windows and Mac without a connection. Our desktop app is Windows only.
- Your team works in Adobe already. Shared Adobe Document Cloud storage and review fit teams that live in Adobe's apps.
Tools that go with editing
Each one opens in your browser. Drop your file in and download the result.
Adobe Acrobat PDF editor alternative: common questions
Is there a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat for editing PDFs?
Yes. The KovaPDF editor on this page changes the existing text of a PDF, adds text, images and links, fills in forms and adds your signature. Within the free allowance you do not need an account; a free account raises it.
Can I edit existing text in a PDF without Acrobat Pro?
Yes. Click the line here and type. In our tests the new words were saved in the PDF's own font and size, and the old words were removed from the file.
What can Adobe's free online editor do?
Adobe's page says the free online editor adds text boxes, sticky notes, highlights and drawings after you sign in, and that changing existing text needs Acrobat Pro (read on adobe.com on 21 October 2026).
Can I edit a scanned PDF without Acrobat?
Yes. Open it here and the scanned pages are read with OCR, so each line can be retyped in place. See Edit a scanned PDF for what our test scan looked like after download.
Does it work on a phone or a Chromebook?
Yes. It runs in the browser, so any device with a modern browser can open it.
What happens to my file?
The editor saves your changes on our server and deletes the uploaded file as soon as the edited PDF is ready.
Adobe Acrobat is a trademark of its owner. KovaPDF is not connected with, or endorsed by, Adobe Acrobat. The facts above come from Adobe Acrobat's own public pages.