The 8 Best Sejda Alternatives for PDF Editing in 2025

If you work with PDFs regularly, you know that a reliable PDF editor isn’t just a “nice-to-have” tool; it’s a “must-have.” Sejda, an online PDF editing tool, has a free version that can pinch-hit for quick, light tasks, but its editing constraints, daily usage caps, and more limit its usefulness. 

Luckily, you have options. The following eight Sejda alternatives represent the best PDF editing tools available. Plus, if you’re looking to streamline your PDF workflows, keep reading to learn more about Jotform’s suite of PDF tools, all designed to make your life easier. 

What to look for in a Sejda alternative

PDF editors run the gamut. Some offer only bare-minimum features for the most basic use cases while others have advanced functionality to address a wide range of tasks. 

Sejda, which has both online and desktop versions, fits into the former category. Other PDF editing tools have more to offer, including 

• Unlimited file processing: A good PDF editor will allow you to work with as many files as you want, of any size, in the space of a day, week, or month. 

• Offline editing support: It’s best if you don’t need to be connected to the Internet to open, save, and edit PDF files.
• Advanced collaboration tools: Team members working together should be able to do more than just annotate PDFs; they need the ability to have threaded discussions, view and edit simultaneously, track changes, and more for smooth collaboration. 
• Good user interface (UI): The best PDF software makes every job easy with simple, predictable navigation and an intuitive layout. 
• Integration with cloud storage services: A PDF editor should integrate with popular document storage services, like Google Drive and Dropbox, so you can easily upload documents.
• Security and compliance options: Security features, like password protection and encryption, help keep documents private and protected; compliance with global privacy standards, like GDPR, is also a plus. 
• Budget-friendly or freemium plans: Your ideal price point depends on the frequency of your PDF jobs. Freemium offerings are ideal, so you can upgrade only if you need to. 

Ultimately, the best PDF software for you is the one that serves your needs and fits into your workflow. One of the Sejda alternatives below might be the perfect candidate!

Compare Sejda with top PDF editors at a glance

	Adobe Acrobat Pro DC	PDF-XChange Editor	Foxit PDF Editor	PDF Candy	iLovePDF	Smallpdf	PDF Expert	Nitro PDF
Best for …	Professionals, businesses, academic/legal	Power users, offline work	Teams, heavy workflows	Casual users	Mobile users	Students, freelancers	Mac users	Windows-based power users
Key features	Advanced editing • Form creation • OCR • Cloud sync	Annotation • OCR • E-sign • Compare docs	Editing suite • Collaboration • eSign • OCR • AI	95 tools • AI features • OCR (19 languages)	27 tools • Team workspace • Mobile app	20+ tools • AI help • eSign (multi-file types)	Full suite • AI help • Apple Pencil signing	Wide toolset • Integrations (Salesforce, SharePoint) • 24/7 support
Pricing	Free trial • Individual, team, enterprise plans	Free version • One-time license	Free trial • Annual subscription	Free version • Monthly & lifetime plans	Free, premium, business plans	Free version • Pro & Teams plans	Free version • Annual & lifetime plans	Annual or one-time license
G2	4.5	4.6	4.6	4.0	4.6	4.6	4.7	4.3
Sejda comparison summary	More advanced tools • Sejda cheaper & lighter	Faster offline • Sejda easier UI	Better collaboration • Sejda lower cost	More tools • Sejda stronger collaboration	Better mobile app • Sejda more generous free tier	Faster & cleaner UI • Free tiers similar	Best for Mac • Sejda includes free OCR	Strong offline/batch • Sejda is web-based

The 8 best Sejda alternatives in 2025

All the following PDF editors support the core PDF tasks: You can use them to annotate, merge, compress , and convert PDF files, and more. But there are other things to consider as well (user ratings, pros/cons, key features, etc.), and we’ve highlighted all of them for each option.  

1. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (“Document Cloud”)

Best for: Professionals, businesses, and legal or academic users

Developer: Adobe

Limitations: Its hefty system requirements demand the use of a relatively modern computer.  

Key features: 

• Advanced PDF editing, form creation, and redaction  
• Industry-leading OCR
• Cloud storage integration 

Pros:

• Users love how easy it is to edit, rearrange text, and write on PDFs.
• It has strong security and privacy controls. 
• It can handle nearly any PDF-related task. 

Cons:

• Large files sometimes cause the software to lag. 
• Many users say it takes time to learn and discover all the various features.
• Its subscription pricing is relatively expensive. 

Plans/Pricing: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC has different subscription plans and pricing for individuals, businesses, and educational institutions. Businesses can purchase either a Teams subscription for $23.99 per month, per license, or an Enterprise plan (call for pricing). Both options support the same advanced PDF functionality; the only differences are related to security, account management, and support. 

G2 Ratings: 4.5/5

Sejda vs Adobe Acrobat Pro DC:

• Adobe has far more advanced editing features.
• Sejda has a lower cost and fewer system requirements.

2. PDF-XChange Editor

Best for: Power users who want a fast, offline tool

Developer: PDF-XChange Co Ltd.

Limitations: It is a Windows-only platform. 

Key features: 

• Annotation, markup, OCR, and form filling 
• Visual and digital signatures
• Document comparisons 

Pros:

• Users consistently say it works quickly, even for large jobs. 
• Its broad menu of editing tools rivals those of competitors.
• It is reasonably priced for the value. 

Cons:

• It has a cluttered UI that sometimes makes navigating difficult. 
• It lacks collaboration features, like simultaneous editing, live feedback, and version control.
• For perpetual license holders, upgrading requires an additional purchase. 

Plans/Pricing: Offerings include PDF-XChange Editor and PDF-XChange Editor Plus, with Editor Plus adding enhanced OCR, fillable form creation, dynamic stamps, and document comparison. A free version is available for each product, which may add watermarks to documents when certain features are used. There is a one-time fee for the upgraded versions, starting at $62 (Editor) and $79 (Editor Plus) for a single user, increasing according to user count. 

G2 Ratings: 4.6/5

Sejda vs PDF-XChange Editor:

• PDF-XChange Editor offers a better offline performance.
• Sejda has a more intuitive UI than PDF-XChange Editor.

3. Foxit PDF Editor

Best for: Small-to-mid-sized teams, document-heavy workflows

Developer: Foxit Software

Limitations: Its PDF to Word conversion tool isn’t always accurate and may require additional manual work. 

Key features: 

• Full suite of editing tools, collaboration, eSign, and OCR
• Integrations with Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, SharePoint, and more 
• AI assistant 

Pros:

• Users like the security features it offers, such as digital signatures, password protection, encryption, and redaction tools. 
• It is available across all platforms. 
• It is fast and responsive. 

Cons:

• Users don’t like having to log in to gain access to certain features. 
• Some reviewers say the editing tool is a bit cumbersome. 
• Its compression tool doesn’t always reduce PDF sizes well.

Plans/Pricing: Foxit PDF Editor offers two paid versions: $129.99 per year for PDF Editor and $159.99 per year for PDF Editor+. (A free trial is available for Editor+.) Beyond the basic editing tools, Editor+ includes the ability to create, edit, and convert PDFs on your mobile device; eSign capabilities; and AI smart redact. 

G2 Ratings: 4.6/5

Sejda vs Foxit PDF Editor:

• Foxit PDF Editor is better for team collaboration.
• Sejda has a lower price point.

4. PDF Candy

Best for: Casual users or small businesses who work with PDFs occasionally 

Developer: Icecream Apps

Limitations: Its free version limits users to one task per hour and has a file-size limit. 

Key features: 

• 95 PDF tools available  
• AI-powered features
• OCR tool that supports 19 languages

Pros:

• All of its tools are accessible for free (once per hour).
• Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to use. 
• It offers the option to encrypt and password-protect your files. 

Cons:

• The desktop version (for working offline) is limited to Windows OS only.
• It doesn’t allow teams to collaborate on PDFs simultaneously in real time.  
• Some users say customer service is unresponsive. 

Plans/Pricing: Aside from the free tool, which has usage frequency and file-size limits, PDF Candy has three price plans: Its annual Desktop and Web package for $4 per month has no hourly limits, a file size limit of 500 MB, and access to Video Candy Web and Image Candy Web (video and image editors). Web Monthly costs $6 per month, and the lifetime plan for Desktop and Web is a $99 one-time payment. 

G2 Ratings: 4.0/5 

Sejda vs PDF Candy:

• Sejda offers more collaboration features than PDF Candy.
• PDF Candy offers more PDF tools than Sejda. 

5. iLovePDF

Best for: Mobile users and small businesses who don’t need advanced editing capability 

Developer: iLovePDF

Limitations: It is less effective at handling complex PDFs that contain images and tables. 

Key features: 

• 27 PDF-related tools
• Collaborative workspace: iLovePDF Teams
• Mobile app editing

Pros:

• People of all skill levels can use it thanks to its simple interface.
• It is available as a web app, desktop app (for both Windows and Mac OS), and mobile app.
• Users give high marks to the customer support team. 

Cons:

• It lacks the granular editing capabilities found in other, more powerful enterprise solutions. 
• Some users have experienced formatting issues when converting from PDF to Excel.
• Many of the best features require a paid plan.

Plans/Pricing: iLovePDF’s free plan provides access to most of its tools, with the notable exceptions of PDF to Excel and PDF to Word converters, and places limitations on file sizes. Its Premium plan costs $60 annually and adds unlimited batch processing and file sizes, as well as access to the desktop and mobile versions. The Business plan (price quoted by sales) includes unlimited access to all its offerings and dedicated support. 

G2 Ratings: 4.6/5

Sejda vs iLovePDF:

• iLovePDF offers better mobile app support.
• Sejda has a more generous free plan.

6. Smallpdf

Best for: Students, freelancers, and remote professionals with occasional PDF jobs

Developer: Smallpdf

Limitations: The cost is higher than many competitors, without much additional value. 

Key features: 

• More than 20 PDF-related tools
• AI assistance
• eSign for any type of document (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or image files)

Pros:

• It integrates with multiple cloud services, including Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox. 
• Users love the simple navigation and easy-to-use conversion tools.
• It prioritizes security, offering advanced transport layer security encryption during file transfers and password protection; it is also compliant with all the major global privacy standards. 

Cons:

• The free version has daily tool download and AI usage limits. 
• Some users note issues while editing or converting large, complex documents.
• The number of file types it can convert to and from is limited. 

Plans/Pricing: Smallpdf has three versions. The free version has download limitations on all tools and does not provide access to some core tools, such as PDF editing; it also limits AI usage. The Pro plan costs $15 per month and includes access to all tools and the mobile app, as well as unlimited document downloads. Pro for Teams costs $12 per month, per user and offers priority customer support, centralized billing, and member access management.    

G2 Ratings: 4.6/5

Sejda vs Smallpdf:

• Smallpdf offers a better UI and faster performance.
• Both Sejda and Smallpdf have similar free version limitations.

7. PDF Expert

Best for: Mac users

Developer: Readdle

Limitations: It is exclusively for Macs and iOS devices.  

Key features: 

• Full suite of PDF tools 
• AI-powered assistant
• Attractive digital signatures with Apple Pencil 

Pros:

• Its powerful editing features rival those of Adobe Acrobat. 
• Its interface is clean and easy to navigate. 
• It is optimized for Apple ecosystems, allowing for seamless workflows across devices. 

Cons:

• There are no Windows or online versions available.
• The Lifetime plan does not include an iPhone or iPad version, and you need to pay to access new features. 
• Some users note occasional bugs with fillable PDFs. 

Plans/Pricing: PDF Expert can be downloaded for free but its usage is limited to annotating PDFs and filling out forms. It also offers a yearly premium plan billed at $79.99 that includes access to all features, as well as the iPhone and iPad versions. You can also choose the Lifetime plan for a one-time payment of $139.99. 

G2 Ratings: 4.7/5

Sejda vs PDF Expert:

• PDF Expert is a superior product for Mac users.
• Sejda includes OCR with its free version; PDF Expert does not.

8. Nitro PDF

Best for: Windows-based power users, especially those replacing Adobe

Developer: Nitro Software

Limitations: Its relatively high cost may put it out of some organizations’ reach. 

Key features: 

• Wide range of PDF tools
• Numerous integrations with Salesforce, SharePoint, Dropbox, and more
• Personalized customer agent support, available 24-7 (for licenses with more than two users) 

Pros:

• Nitro PDF can be combined with Nitro Sign and Nitro Identity for smooth, secure PDF workflows.
• It has top-notch security features and a strong compliance program.  
• It gets high marks for simplicity and its editing capabilities. 

Cons:

• Some users report encountering bugs and technical glitches. 
• Some users say the OCR functionality isn’t reliable. 
• It can be slow in processing large PDFs, particularly when images are involved.

Plans/Pricing: Nitro PDF offers two subscription options and a three-year access plan. Nitro PDF Standard costs $180 per year, per user and includes all PDF editing functionality, AI tools, support, and integrations. The Plus plan (contact sales for pricing) adds enterprise-grade security features and PDF software usage analytics.  The three-year access plan is a one-time payment of $270 per license and is for Windows desktop use only. 

G2 Ratings: 4.3/5

Sejda vs Nitro PDF:

• Nitro PDF has strong offline and batch capabilities.
• Unlike Nitro PDF, Sejda is browser-based.

Optimize your PDF workflows with Jotform

If you or your team frequently needs to turn form data into PDFs, here’s another good option for you: Jotform PDF Editor.

Rather than copying and pasting form data into documents, this free online PDF Editor makes the process automatic. It allows you to quickly and easily create polished-looking PDFs from all types of form responses. 

For example, do you use forms to gather payment information? Use Jotform PDF Editor to automatically generate a PDF invoice from each submission. All you have to do is design your form and PDF as you like (or use one of our templates), set up the automated process with just a few clicks, and start receiving PDFs with the first form submission. 

The use cases are endless: Automatically turn event registration forms into organized lists. Convert survey responses into informative reports. Change legal forms into contracts. These are just a few of the many ways you can ease your company’s workload and impress your customers. 

Jotform PDF Editor is among the best PDF software products thanks to its flexibility and simplicity. You can customize any of our templates to match your company’s branding. You can also create workflows around your PDF jobs, automating the process of sending PDF documents to users or storing them for your records. Plus, Jotform AI Agents can assist in automating form responses and data-driven document generation.

Here are some other Jotform PDF tools to help you run your business more efficiently:

• Split PDF turns large PDF files into smaller, more manageable documents in seconds.
• Merge PDF combines multiple PDFs into a single file.
• Flatten PDF merges document layers for more consistent formatting.
• Compress PDF reduces PDF file sizes for more efficient storing and sharing.
• Chat with PDF lets you interact with Jotform’s AI-powered chat to quickly learn about your documents.
• PDF Summarizer automatically provides concise summaries of PDFs.
• Smart PDF Forms turns PDF forms into powerful online forms.

Best of all, Jotform’s PDF tools are free. Give it a try. Generate your first PDF now!

Which Sejda alternative is right for you? 

Researching PDF editing tools is easier when you can identify the limitation(s) of Sejda that pose the biggest obstacles for you. Does it lack some of the PDF tools you need? Would you prefer more collaboration features? Whatever the issue, look for a solution that specifically addresses your company’s needs. 

Here’s our take on the options we covered above: 

• For enterprises that need advanced editing capabilities, give Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (for enterprises) or Nitro PDF a try. 
• For small-to-medium-sized businesses that want collaboration features, consider Foxit PDF Editor or Smallpdf. 
• For individuals looking for free PDF alternatives, check out PDF Candy or iLovePDF. 
• For Mac users, consider PDF Expert; for Windows users, PDF-XChange Editor. 
• For mobile devices, try PDF Expert or iLovePDF.

And if you’re looking for ways to simplify your form-to-PDF workflow, try Jotform! It’s never been easier to convert your data into custom PDF documents that make an impression.