Free, open-source alternatives to Adobe Acrobat
Edit, convert and sign PDFs. 3 apps you can run yourself instead of Adobe Acrobat, sorted by how well they replace it. Each one is open source, so your data stays with you.
Stirling-PDFBest match
Local hosted web application that allows you to perform various operations on PDF files, such as merging, splitting, file conversions and OCR.
BentoPDF
Powerful, privacy-first, client-side PDF toolkit that allows you to manipulate, edit, merge, and process PDF files directly in your browser.
PdfDing
PDF manager, viewer and editor offering a seamless user experience on multiple devices. It's designed to be minimal, fast, and easy to set up using Docker.
Side by side
| App | Stars | License | Activity | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stirling-PDF | 94,085 | Apache-2.0 | Docker, Java | |
| BentoPDF | 16,002 | AGPL-3.0 | Node.js, Docker | |
| PdfDing | - | AGPL-3.0 | Docker, Kubernetes |
Why replace Adobe Acrobat?
Adobe Acrobat works, but your data lives in someone else's account, the price can change at any time, and features can disappear. An open-source app you run yourself is yours: you choose where it runs, who can see the data, and when to update.
Questions
What is the best free alternative to Adobe Acrobat?
Stirling-PDF is the closest open-source replacement for Adobe Acrobat in our list. BentoPDF and PdfDing are worth a look too, depending on what you need.
Can I self-host an alternative to Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. All 3 apps on this page are open source and can run on your own server, usually with Docker, or on a managed host that installs them for you.