Sep 29,2020 • Filed to: PDF Editor

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At Lifehacker’s Australian HQ, we’re huge fans of Nitro PDF Reader, which also lets you easily edit, annotate and work with PDF files, and doesn’t have the bloatware nuisance factor of PDF-XChange.

PDF annotation feature makes it easy for us to highlight and edit important text or ideas within a PDF document. You are also able to write comments on a PDF page without affecting the layout. This article will review 10 PDF annotator software, which enables you to easily annotate PDF files on Mac and Windows. One of the best PDF annotators is PDFelement Pro.

Part 1. Top 10 PDF Annotator for Windows and Mac Users

1. PDFelement Pro (Windows & Mac)

Editor

A top of the line PDF editor also works as an excellent PDF annotator for PDF documents. It has a similar style to Microsoft Word, which makes it even easier for those who are more familiar with Microsoft Office programs. You can annotate your PDFs with a wide range of tools like highlight, underline, strikethrough, wave line, shapes, sticky note, text fields, and hand drawing to leave comments on a PDF to collaborate with your colleagues.

Pros:

  • Annotate PDF files with sticky notes, text boxes, and freehand drawing tools.
  • Add highlights, underline text, or strikethrough text using the vast amount of annotation tools.
  • You can modify PDF text, links, images, and pages.
  • Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, EPUB, images, and vice versa.
  • Supports Password protection to keep the document from unwanted and unauthorized changes.
  • OCR scanned PDFs and combine, split, and compress PDF files.

Cons:

  • Free trial will add watermark to PDF.

2. PDF Annotator(Windows)

A simple yet powerful annotator for PDF documents, PDF annotator allows users to highlight, underline, or make notes and drawings on a PDF page. One great feature of the software is the ability to restore the document to its original page in one click, effectively removing the annotations without damaging the file or its layout.

Pros:

  • Align annotation function available for an easy to view and organized layout.
  • Add stamps including date stamps, customized stamps are also available with virtually limitless options.
  • Add images to an existing PDF file.
  • Group and lock annotation.
  • Take a snapshot of the work you are doing.

Cons:

  • Could not handle large PDF files without sacrificing performance, making it impossible to edit and annotate files with several pages like eBooks.
  • The app is just specialized for annotation purposes.

3. Microsoft OneNote (Windows & Mac)

Microsoft OneNote is a digital notebook, which is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and web. You can use it to annotate PDF files, and it provides flexible and powerful annotate tools, such as sketches, lists, clippings, photos, tables, and more. It is one of the most user-friendly PDF annotator tools in the market.

Pros:

  • Supports voice and video functions.
  • Provides cloud storage services and syncing notes across your devices.
  • Share works on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumbler.
  • Interactive web browser feature.

Cons:

  • No private encryption.
Features
PDFelement Pro
PDF Annotator
Microsoft OneNote
Price
  • USD 69 for the Standard version
  • USD 129 for the Pro version
USD 69.95 for perpetual license
  • Free for 5 GB
  • USD 1.99 for 50 GB per month
Supported Versions
  • Mac OSX 10.12 and Up
  • Windows 7, 8 and 10
  • iOS and Android
Windows 7, 8 and 10
  • Mac OSX 10.10 and Up
  • Windows 7, 8 and 10
  • iOS and Android
Annotation Feature Excellent Excellent Excellent
User Interface Simple and intuitive which is easy for users to familiarize Easy to use Sleek and interactive
Undo Function Present and fully-functional giving users full control with what to delete Present and fully functional Feature is present

4. Xodo PDF Reader (Windows & Mac)

Xodo PDF Reader works as a good PDF annotator for Windows and Mac devices. The free PDF annotator tool lets users take notes, comment, print, manage, and even add bookmarks on a PDF page.

5. PDF Max (Mac)

Annotating and commenting on PDF documents on a mobile device is easy with this PDF annotator Mac. It can help you annotate PDF documents with highlights and handwriting, insert PDF texts and stamps, and more. This PDF annotation software is designed for desktop and mobile users and provides a cross-platform program for synchronizing documents.

6. Expert PDF Reader (Windows)

Sticky notes, text highlighting, and strikethroughs are some of the features which are added to this PDF annotator free. This application is thought to be one of the most user-friendly PDF annotators. There are several social media platforms added as well. The PDF bookmarking and comment addition is also very valuable with this program. It also has several tools that can be used to easily create separate sets of PDF annotations. You can easily review annotations before submitting them for the ultimate convenience.

7. PDF-XChange Viewer (Windows)

PDF-XChange Viewer is the best PDF annotator free for users who are used to Microsoft Word. Since the layout is similar to MS Office, the interface is very easy to learn for beginners. There are many annotation tools available in the PDF annotation software. This program includes the following features: highlight tool, strikethrough, note tools, and drawing tools. You will get a pleasant viewing experience with full optimization features.

8. Nitro Reader (Windows & Mac)

Nitro Reader does not have a ton of advanced tools but is still a very useful PDF annotation software. There is a limit of available tools, and it doesn't include more advanced annotation tools. The bookmarks, already added annotations and social media sharing are possible however, and standard annotation can be performed, ensuring that the PDF appears clean and professional. PDF files can also be converted to text and vice versa using this program.

9. Adobe Acrobat Reader (Windows & Mac)

There aren't many PDF annotation software that can match the level of adobe acrobat reader. This is a system based program which is completely free to download and install. There is a wide range of PDF annotation tools that can be used easily. From adding notes to rotating your file, this program has it all. Signatures can be added and modified PDFs can be easily stored in the system. It also allows the users to easily print the documents as well.

10. Foxit Reader (Windows & Mac)

This is another free PDF annotator that has all the functions you need. It includes the typewrite tool, note highlighter, strikethrough, double strikethrough, underline, and pencil. The interface is easy to use and therefore it is rated highly by users. Digital stamps, scales, and area highlighters are some of the other functions available as well. The annotations can easily be printed separately and social media sharing has been embedded.

Thanks to PDF annotators, students and professionals can annotate PDF documents much more easily. Transform your work productivity with handy online tools like the ones mentioned above. With some programs to choose from, it is best to choose the one which is packed with important and useful features that best suit your needs. Collaborate seamlessly with other users with the tools we have outlined above.

PDF or Portable Document Format is a very popular file format for storing and transferring documents online over the internet. This is because PDF files have relatively smaller size, can be embedded with rich texts, images, tables, links, graphics etc. and they are very secure as they cannot be modified or edited easily by anyone.

Lifehacker Pdf Editors

Creating a PDF file can be easy but modifying or editing a PDF file is a relatively a much harder task. You need special PDF tools which are known as called PDF Editors to edit any PDF file. You must also know that almost of these PDF editing tools are paid and you have to pay a good amount of money to use them. So what about the users who do not have the money to buy these expensive PDF tool? Well there is solution to this as there are some good Online PDF Editors available which are free to use and you can edit your PDF files without paying a single penny and without installing a single piece of software on your computer.

Must Read:Best Free Online PDF Compressor Tools

Advantages of using Online PDF Editor Tools

Here are the various advantages of using Online PDF Editing Tools

  • No Software Installation Required on your Computer
  • Edit PDF files On the Fly
  • Easily Fill out PDF Forms Online
  • Fast and Easy to Use
  • Free to Use and some Tools offer Unlimited PDF Editing
  • Add Signature to your PDF files
  • Add Graphics, Images and Annotation to PDF files
  • Save Edited PDF files Online for future and backup

Must Read:

Contents

  • 1 Best online, free PDF Editor Tools to Edit PDF Files

Best online, free PDF Editor Tools to Edit PDF Files

Here are the best online PDF editor tools to edit PDF online.

PDF Buddy

The first Online PDF Editor in our list is PDF Buddy. PDF Buddy is PDF Editor that allows Free PDF editing to a certain usage i.e. you can edit up to 3 PDF files per month for free. For unlimited usage or unlimited PDF editing you have to buy its PRO version which costs around $7.99 per month. There are also credit based plans available that lets you edit PDFs according to the plan price. These plans start from $5.99 for 5 PDFs and go as high as $29.99 for 50 PDFs. There are also corporate monthly plans available which starts from $49.99 for 20 users and goes as high as $149.99 for 100 users.

But now let us talk about the free plan of PDF Buddy. As I have said earlier also that PDF Buddy allows you to edit 3 PDFs per month and offers 1GB storage for PDF files. For free usage you have to sign up for the account. Editing PDF in PDF Buddy is very simple and the User Interface (UI) is very simple as the editing tools are laid out very cleanly. The various PDF editing tools include transform, text, pen, whiteout (eraser), highlight, image and signature. There are also some shapes and symbols available as extra editing tools. PDF Buddy also allows you to sign your PDF files online with your signature which you can upload on its server. After editing PDF you can download the edited PDF to your computer. The saved PDF will also remain on the PDF Buddy servers unless you want to delete it.

If you do not edit PDF files too often then the free version is good for you but if you edit PDF files regularly then you have to move to its paid plans.

DocHub

DocHub is also a very good Online PDF Editor tool to edit your PDF files online. It is also a free PDF Editor but like PDF Buddy it is also free to a certain extent. DocHub allows you to edit 5 PDF files per month and if you want to edit unlimited PDF files then you have to move to its Pro plan which costs $6.99 per month if paid monthly or $4.99 per month if paid annually.

DocHub is also very easy to use and it also allows you upload PDF from DropBox and Google Drive directly. There are some extra tools available here such as Comment Tool and Stamp Tool. There is also a print button available to print your edited PDF directly to the printer. In all a nice PDF Editor tool that is easy to use and has something more than PDF Buddy.

PDFzorro

PDFzorro is free PDF Online Editor that has no limits. That means here you can edit unlimited number of PDF files for free. But having said that this PDF Editor Tool is not as fast as the others mentioned here and the UI is also not that good. There are also distracting ads that you can see in the background which can irritate some of the users.

Also there is no Signature tool available here. This is just a basic free PDF editor that does the job nicely if you have basic needs. So if want just basic editing of PDF files with no limits on usage then this free PDF editor tool is you should check out.

PDFescape

PDFescape is a very popular online PDF editing tool that some of you might heard earlier also. It was featured on top websites that includes Mashable, cnet, lifehacker and PCWorld. This PDF Editor tool has great sets of features and options. The User Interface is quite good but it might be a bit tough for novice users. It has extra tools and features like link insert, underline, strikeout etc.

PDFescape is labeled as the Original online, free PDF Editor & Form Filler. PDFescape is free to use and you can edit unlimited number of PDF files without paying a single penny. But it also comes with paid versions which are Premium and Ultimate. The extra features in Premium version includes Ad Free PDF editing, share PDF documents and you will get more storage space to store PDF files. The price of premium version id $2.99 per month if billed annually. The Ultimate version comes with all the features of Premium version but it also lets you Publish PDF Forms which is great. The Ultimate version cost you $5.99 per month if billed yearly.

Overall it is the Best online, free PDF Editor as it offers you unlimited usage and has tons of features and options. Highly Recommended by me.

PDF Pro

PDF Pro is one of the best PDF Editors that you can find online. PDF Pro is a feature rich and fast online PDF editor that has limit on free usage. It allows editing of only 3 PDF files monthly in the free version. For unlimited editing of PDF files you have to move to its paid version which costs at $3.99 per month if paid annually.

PDF Pro also comes with PDF to Word feature that allows you to convert your PDF file to Word format.

Lifehacker Pdf Editor Download

PDF Pro has very simple and easy to use UI. There are basic tools available to edit PDF online. Also there is dynamic help available on how to use a tool and whenever you click on any of the tools then the help will pop out. Overall it is a nice PDF Editor that is fast and easy to use.

Final Words about Online PDF Editor Tools

Lifehacker Best Pdf Editor

At last I would like to say that all the Online PDF Editors that are discussed above are good and does their job nicely. Some of them have restrictions on usage which is a bit of problem for users who have more PDF files to edit. So if you have large number of PDF files to edit and don’t want to spend any money in their premium plans then the Best Free Online PDF Editor for unlimited usage is PDFescape. If you have any questions regarding these PDF Editing Tools or want to know on How to edit PDF files then you can ask me by leaving a comment below.

Lifehacker Pdf Editor Free

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