PDFs are one of the most common types of documents in the world today. Whether you are in school or in the office, it is likely that you will be at the very least reading PDFs and probably working with them with an online PDF editor. There are many different applications and websites that can assist you in reading or even editing PDFs, but not all of these are free. The most well-known PDF editor Adobe Acrobat is rather expensive, especially for a private individual. So, what are students and freelancers who need to work with PDFs supposed to do? While Adobe Acrobat and some other expensive PDF editors are great, there are more economical options available, such as open-source PDF viewers and editors.
Open-source free alternatives to Adobe Acrobat provide a service to those who do not wish to pay or otherwise can’t pay for a PDF editor or viewer. There are other online PDF editors that offer more compared to Adobe Acrobat, but some people wish to only use a free service. Since there are free alternatives, some might wonder why don’t people only use open-source editors. There are pros and cons, such as specific tools offered in paid versions, but most options for working with PDFs are also available in open-source PDF viewers and editors. So, what can you do with an open-source PDF editor? If you are simply wanting to read a PDF, then there are simple PDF viewers that can be found online. If you are seeking to create your own PDF or edit a pre-made PDF, then there are also options available to you. With so many options online, there is no reason for someone to be priced out of what is really a necessary tool for most people.
Reading PDFs
Because PDFs are so versatile, they have become one of the most used file types. This is particularly true for business and office work. So even if you do not work directly with PDF files, you will often be required to read them and understand the information. If you are just needing to read a PDF, there is no reason to buy an expensive PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat. This is especially true considering there are free, open-source alternatives to Adobe Acrobat. A quick search will show sites and services with the option to view PDFs online. There are many to choose from, and even large providers like Google Chrome offer some version of a free PDF viewer that costs nothing. With many options available, the next step is finding the right PDF viewer and using it.
It also helps that the process of finding a PDF viewer is very straightforward and simple. The first thing you can do is try a simple Google search, which reveals many options, including Google itself. Google Chrome offers a PDF viewing service that can meet the needs of most people. In addition to Google’s offer, a web search will bring up other options such as LibreOffice and Xournal. Two open-source PDF file managing programs. They offer more than just viewing but they work for this as well. Being able to view PDFs is great, but there are times when we are tasked to create a PDF ourselves, there are options available for this as well. Check out PDF Sign – Sodapdf.
Creating PDFs
If you work in an office, law firm, or in academia, it is common that you might have to create some document for a client, colleague, or student. This is often a PDF document, since they can be made into almost anything. Creating a PDF can be tricky, and you need some sort of PDF creator in order to do it. While many people think of Adobe Acrobat for this, it is not always the best option for two reasons. Firstly, the price, as stated before, Adobe Acrobat is an expensive option when it comes to working with PDFs. This is especially true when one considers how many open-source PDF creators there are. Another reason to find an alternative to Adobe Acrobat is that it is not the easiest to use. There is something of a learning curve with Adobe Acrobat, which can be frustrating for people who are not used to creating PDFs or who are new to it.
If you decide to create a PDF with an open-source PDF creator, there are many options available to you. Similarly, to reading a PDF, a simple Google search will give you many options to choose from when creating a PDF. An open-source PDF creator will largely give you the same tools as any other online PDF editor or creator without the major cost. The drawbacks are usually limited to graphics, which for many people is an afterthought. Also, if this option isn’t for you, you can create your document in another format such as Microsoft Word and then convert the file. To do this, simply create your PDF then find an open-source PDF converter to convert it to a PDF. These converters are very common and generally free.
Editing PDFs
The most common interaction with a PDF is editing. We often need to edit PDFs for many reasons. This could be office work, signing a contract virtually through e-signing, or even just filling out a fillable PDF document. For people who do not wish to pay a large amount for Adobe Acrobat, there are open-source options for them. As with open-source PDF creators, open-source PDF editors are easily found online and can be used to input your data to a PDF or fill it in as you like. This is great especially if you are in a hurry and do not have time to sign up for some paid service.
Someone should never be priced out of an essential tool. PDFs are ubiquitous in almost every working area, and it is important for people to have access to the means to work with them. Adobe Acrobat is a good PDF editor and manager, but it does come with a cost and some difficulties, this is why having open-source alternatives is great.
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