Top 5 PDF converter tools

Our complete, hands-on rankings — each PDF converter scored on the same criteria.

The Top 5 PDF converter tools

Independently researched and scored against the same criteria — so the ranking is consistent and fair.

Reviewed by Daniel Cole, Editor & Lead ReviewerUpdated July 2026How we rank
#1
Editor's Choice

PDF Expert

Premium PDF editor for Mac, iPhone & iPad

4.8

8,640 reviews

The fastest, best-looking PDF editor on Apple devices — edit text, annotate, fill forms, convert, and sign with a beautifully simple interface.

Gorgeous, fast native Apple app
Powerful editing, annotation & forms
Syncs across Mac, iPhone & iPad
E-signatures and document scanning
Apple devices only (no Windows)
#2
Best for Forms

pdfFiller

Edit, fill & e-sign PDFs online

4.5

6,410 reviews

A complete online PDF toolkit — fill and create forms, edit, convert, and add legally-binding e-signatures from any browser.

Powerful form filling & creation
Legally-binding e-signatures
Huge searchable form library
Cloud-based — works on any device
Subscription needed for full use
#3
Best Value

SwifDoo PDF

All-in-one PDF software for Windows

4.4

3,920 reviews

An affordable, all-in-one Windows PDF suite — convert, edit, OCR, compress, merge, split, and annotate in one lightweight app.

Convert, edit, OCR, compress & merge
Affordable yearly and lifetime plans
Lightweight and easy to use
Frequent updates and good support
Windows only
#4
Best All-in-One

Wondershare PDFelement

Full-featured PDF editor + converter

4.6

8,700 reviews

A complete PDF powerhouse — convert, edit, OCR, annotate, and e-sign across desktop, web, and mobile. Far more than a converter when you need to actually work on PDFs.

Full PDF editing, not just conversion
Accurate export to Word, Excel & PowerPoint
Built-in OCR for scanned documents
Desktop, web, and mobile apps
Best features need a paid plan
Free trial / from $79.99/yrGet PDFelementRead full review
#5
Best One-Time License

Adolix PDF Converter PRO

One-time-license PDF creator & toolkit for Windows

4.0

1,200 reviews

A no-subscription Windows tool: 'print' any document to PDF, then merge, split, secure, and compress — paid once, used forever.

One-time purchase — no subscription
Create PDFs from any app via print-to-PDF
Merge, split, rotate & reorder pages
128-bit password encryption & compression
Windows only
Our #1 Pick for 2026

PDF Expert

4.8

The fastest, best-looking PDF editor on Apple devices — edit text, annotate, fill forms, convert, and sign with a beautifully simple interface.

Try PDF Expert