Adobe Acrobat vs Foxit PDF Editor
Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe's full PDF editor for editing, converting, OCR, redaction and sending documents for signature.
Foxit PDF Editor
A full Acrobat-style PDF editor for Windows, Mac and web, with subscription or perpetual licences.
The short answer
Adobe Acrobat and Foxit PDF Editor cover nearly the same ground: editing, OCR, conversion, redaction, forms and signature requests. Acrobat is the reference for compatibility and has the deepest Pro toolset, but it is sold only by subscription. Foxit is the usual like-for-like replacement for businesses, with an Office-style interface and, unusually, a perpetual licence option alongside monthly and annual plans.
Adobe Acrobat or Foxit PDF Editor: our take
Both are full desktop PDF editors rather than quick online toolkits. Acrobat comes from the company that created the format, and Adobe lists more than 70 PDF tools in Pro, including batch automation through the Action Wizard, preflight and accessibility checks. That depth is why people who exchange files with lawyers, printers and government agencies tend to stay with it. Foxit's feature set is very close to Acrobat Pro: text and image editing, OCR, conversion to Office formats, redaction, forms, document comparison and signing through its own eSign service. Its ribbon interface looks like Microsoft Office, which makes rolling it out to a large team with little retraining easier.
The biggest practical difference is how you pay. Acrobat is subscription only, with a 7-day free trial, and its AI Assistant is a separate paid add-on. Foxit sells annual, monthly or perpetual licences, includes a document management system with subscriptions, and bundles 300 free AI credits a month. On the other hand, Foxit has many editions and add-ons that make its plans confusing, and its Mac version has historically lagged the Windows one. Neither offers a free tier for editing, though Foxit has a separate free PDF Reader and Adobe has the free Acrobat Reader.
Both run on Windows, macOS, the web, iOS and Android. Acrobat syncs documents through Adobe's cloud, which suits people already in Creative Cloud.
Pick Acrobat if you handle complex forms and files from many outside parties every day, need its preflight and accessibility tooling, or work in an organisation already standardised on Adobe. Pick Foxit if you are equipping many seats, want an Acrobat-level editor with more predictable costs, or prefer to buy a licence once rather than subscribe indefinitely. Mac-heavy teams should trial Foxit on their own machines before committing.
Which should you pick?
Choose Adobe Acrobat if…
- Professionals who exchange complex PDFs daily and need the most compatible, complete editor
- The most complete PDF feature set, including redaction, OCR and preflight
- Best compatibility with forms and files made elsewhere
Choose Foxit PDF Editor if…
- Businesses replacing Acrobat across many seats without retraining staff
- Feature set very close to Acrobat Pro
- Perpetual licence available as well as subscriptions
About each app
What is Adobe Acrobat?
Acrobat is the PDF editor from the company that created the format, and it remains the reference that every other tool is measured against. The Standard and Pro editions cover editing text and images inside PDFs, converting to and from Word, Excel and PowerPoint, OCR for scans, comparing versions, permanent redaction, form building and requesting e-signatures. Pro adds batch automation through the Action Wizard and more advanced preflight and accessibility checks. Adobe now also sells an AI Assistant add-on and a higher Acrobat Studio tier that bundles AI and creative tools. It is sold only as a subscription, with a short free trial, and prices vary by country and whether you commit to a year. It runs on Windows and Mac, in the browser and on iOS and Android, with documents synced through Adobe's cloud. Teams that live in PDFs all day or exchange files with lawyers, printers and government agencies often stick with it for compatibility, while lighter users usually find it more than they need.
What is Foxit PDF Editor?
Foxit has been making PDF software for two decades and is the most common like-for-like replacement for Acrobat in businesses. PDF Editor covers editing text and images, OCR, conversion to Office formats, redaction, forms, comparing documents and requesting signatures through Foxit's own eSign service. The ribbon interface will feel familiar to anyone who uses Microsoft Office, which makes the switch easy for large teams. Foxit includes a document management system with subscriptions and bundles AI assistant credits for summarising and chatting with documents. Pricing is per user, with monthly and annual subscriptions and, unusually today, a perpetual licence option. The editor runs on Windows and macOS and in the browser, with mobile apps for iOS and Android. Foxit also offers a free PDF Reader for people who only need to view and annotate. It is a strong pick for organisations that want Acrobat-level features with more predictable costs.
Side by side
| Attribute | Adobe Acrobat | Foxit PDF Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android |
| Best for | Professionals who exchange complex PDFs daily and need the most compatible, complete editor | Businesses replacing Acrobat across many seats without retraining staff |
| Status | Active | Active |
Verified facts, compared
Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.
| Fact | Adobe Acrobat | Foxit PDF Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Desktop, web and mobile | Windows, macOS, web |
Adobe Acrobat vs Foxit PDF Editor pricing
Foxit PDF Editor: paid
We couldn't verify Foxit PDF Editor's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Foxit PDF Editor pricing pagePlatforms
| Platform | Adobe Acrobat | Foxit PDF Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Adobe Acrobat facts
4 of 4 verified- Free trial
- 7 days
- Checked Oct 25, 2026adobe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Work smarter with a 7-day free trial.”
- Tools in Pro
- 70+ PDF tools
- Checked Oct 25, 2026adobe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Acrobat Pro Acrobat Pro 70+ PDF tools”
- Platforms
- Desktop, web and mobile
- Checked Oct 25, 2026adobe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Premium features available on desktop , web , and mobile”
- Batch automation
- Action Wizard (Pro)
- Checked Oct 25, 2026adobe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Action Wizard (in Acrobat Pro): Create and run custom sequences of tasks”
Foxit PDF Editor facts
4 of 4 verified- Licensing
- Annual, monthly or perpetual
- Checked Oct 25, 2026foxit.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Flexible licensing (annual, monthly, or perpetual) fits your budget cycle, not the vendor's.”
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, web
- Checked Oct 25, 2026foxit.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Professional PDF editing for Windows, macOS, and Web”
- Document management
- Included with subscriptions
- Checked Oct 25, 2026foxit.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Foxit DMS is included free with every PDF Editor and PDF Editor+ subscription.”
- AI credits
- 300 free credits/month
- Checked Oct 25, 2026foxit.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “AI Assistant with 300 free credits/month”
Pros and cons of Adobe Acrobat
- The most complete PDF feature set, including redaction, OCR and preflight
- Best compatibility with forms and files made elsewhere
- Signing, conversion and editing in one subscription
- Subscription only, and among the most expensive options
- Interface is crowded for occasional users
- AI features are a separate paid add-on
Pros and cons of Foxit PDF Editor
- Feature set very close to Acrobat Pro
- Perpetual licence available as well as subscriptions
- Familiar Office-style ribbon interface
- Mac version has historically lagged the Windows one
- Many add-ons and editions make plans confusing
- No free tier for editing, only a trial
Other apps to consider
Nitro PDFInstead of Adobe Acrobat
A business-focused editor that covers most daily Acrobat tasks and includes signing.
PDFelementInstead of Adobe Acrobat
Cheaper all-round editor on Windows, Mac and mobile, with OCR and form tools.
PDF ExpertInstead of Adobe Acrobat
A faster, friendlier editor for people working mainly on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
PDF-XChange EditorInstead of Foxit PDF Editor
A cheaper one-time-licence Windows editor with a very deep feature set.
Tungsten Power PDFInstead of Foxit PDF Editor
Pay-once desktop editor for Windows and Mac with a similar Office feel.
Adobe Acrobat vs Foxit PDF Editor: common questions
Is Adobe Acrobat better than Foxit PDF Editor?
Adobe Acrobat and Foxit PDF Editor cover nearly the same ground: editing, OCR, conversion, redaction, forms and signature requests. Acrobat is the reference for compatibility and has the deepest Pro toolset, but it is sold only by subscription. Foxit is the usual like-for-like replacement for businesses, with an Office-style interface and, unusually, a perpetual licence option alongside monthly and annual plans.
Is Adobe Acrobat free?
No. Adobe Acrobat is paid, though it may offer a trial.
Is Foxit PDF Editor free?
No. Foxit PDF Editor is paid, though it may offer a trial.
Is Adobe Acrobat or Foxit PDF Editor open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Adobe Acrobat and Foxit PDF Editor support?
Adobe Acrobat: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Foxit PDF Editor: Windows, macOS, Web, iOS and Android.