Create PDF：Best 10 Free PDF Creators with Reviews (2024 Updated)

There are multiple tools that you can find online to create PDFs. But finding the best tool in terms of features, ease of use, cost, and compatibility is the real challenge. Moreover, the specific needs and preferences for tools are different, and with too many recommendations, it makes it tough to choose the right tool for you. We will guide you with selecting the real free and best tool to use for creating PDFs. This article contains information about each pdf creator with official references, so stick to it until the end.

Part 1: Best 10 Free PDF Creators

Below are the 10 Free PDF Creators you can download and install on your PC. Some of them are online, so it doesn’t require installation.

1. WPS PDF - Highly Recommended with Free Trial

You can create professional and polished PDF documents effortlessly with WPS Office, the all-in-one office suite designed to meet your needs. Along with other office applications, it has an excellent PDF tool that is free to use. With its PDF tool, you can create, merge, split, edit, compress, and convert PDFs.

Moreover, it also supports batch PDF printing, batch renaming, and OCR features. Unlike its competitors, WPS Office has most tools available for free. Although it has a premium version, its free version is feature-rich enough that caters to the needs of an individual.

Main Features

• Powerful PDF creation from various file formats

• Easy-to-use interface for seamless navigation

• Extensive editing options for customizing PDF documents

• Integrated commenting and annotation features for collaboration

• OCR technology for converting scanned PDFs and images into editable text

• Robust security features, including password protection and permissions settings

• Seamless integration with popular cloud storage services

• Cross-platform compatibility for creating PDFs on different devices and operating systems

Free Version: Available

Premium Price

The subscription fee is $3.99 for one month, $18.99 for 6 months, and $29.99 for 12 months.

Trustpilot Rating: 4.8

Supported Devices

Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android.

Pros

• Feature-rich: OCR, Annotation, Cloud storage

• Compatible with Microsoft Office formats

• Cross-platform support :Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android.

• User-friendly interface.

Cons

• Some Features require a premium subscription.

• Occasional compatibility issues with the complex document formatting.

Ways to free download

• You can download it from the official WPS Office website.

• App Store link:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wps-office-best-ms-alternative/id1491101673

• Google Play link:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.wps.moffice_eng&hl=en&gl=US&pli=1

Reviews

Reviewer: Emily

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WPS Office is my go-to PDF creator because it's easy to use, offers great customization options, and produces high-quality PDFs. I highly recommend it for both personal and professional use.

Reviewer: Michael

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

WPS Office has been a game-changer for me. With its seamless integration with other WPS Office tools, I can create and convert PDFs effortlessly.

2. Adobe Acrobat - The Earliest PDF Software

Adobe Acrobat is the gold standard in PDF creation, providing a comprehensive suite of tools to create, edit, and manage PDF documents with unmatched precision and reliability. Its PDF-creating abilities are so robust that formatting, fonts, and layouts of your original documents are preserved to perfection, ensuring your PDFs look polished and consistent. It comes with an intelligent form filler that automatically detects form fields and populates them accurately, saving you time and eliminating errors.

Main Features

• Reliable and industry-standard PDF creation capabilities

• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for converting scanned documents into editable text

• Collaboration features, including shared reviews and commenting

• Comprehensive security options, such as digital signatures

• Form filling and interactive form features for editing PDF forms

• Integration with cloud storage services

• Cross-platform compatibility for creating PDFs

• Powerful document conversion capabilities

Free Version

Adobe Acrobat offers a free trial.

Premium Price

The standard version costs $12.99/month, while the Pro version costs $19.99/month.

Trustpilot Rating: 1.2

Supported Devices: Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

Pros

• Robust editing capabilities

• Advanced features and reliable performance

• Integration with other Adobe products.

Cons

• The premium version is expensive

• New users may find it hard to use

Ways to free download

• Adobe Acrobat is available for download from its official website.

• App Store link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/adobe-acrobat-reader-edit-pdf/id469337564

• Google Play link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adobe.reader&hl=en&gl=US

Reviews

Reviewer: Jessica

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Adobe Acrobat is a powerful PDF creator with advanced features. From editing to security options, it has everything I need to handle my PDF documents professionally.

Reviewer: David

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Adobe Acrobat is the industry standard for PDF creation. It is a user-friendly interface and comprehensive functionalities make it worth the investment.

3. Foxit - Easy for PDF Beginners

Foxit PDF Editor is a special desktop software designed for professionals and businesses that empowers you to create remarkable PDF documents that make an impact. You can automate certain actions, like batch processing and document organization, to save time and increase productivity. Your PDFs are secured with password encryption, digital signatures, and redaction tools in Foxit. In addition, with its collaboration feature, you can easily add comments, highlights, and markups.  

Main Features

• Efficient and intuitive PDF creation with high-quality results

• Robust editing tools for making precise modifications to PDF documents

• OCR technology for converting scanned documents and images into editable text

• Collaboration features, including commenting, reviewing, and document sharing

• Advanced security options, such as encryption

• Form creation and filling capabilities for interactive PDF forms

• Integration with popular cloud storage services for seamless file management

• Batch processing for efficient handling of multiple files at once

Free Version

It offers a free trial.

Trustpilot Rating: 2.6

Supported Devices： Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

Pros

• Feature-rich

• User-friendly interface

• Extensive collaboration options

• Advanced editing capabilities.

Cons

• The premium version is costly

• Compatibility issues with certain browsers

Ways to free download

• It can be easily downloaded from the official website of Foxit.

• App Store link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/foxit-pdf-editor/id507040546

• Google Play link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.foxit.mobile.pdf.lite&hl=en&gl=US

Reviews

Reviewer: Sarah

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Foxit is a reliable and efficient PDF creator. Its fast conversion speed and excellent output quality make it a go-to tool for creating professional-looking PDFs.

Reviewer: Jason

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Foxit is my preferred PDF creator because of its user-friendly interface and customizable options.

4. PDFFiller - Best for Budget Saver

PDFfiller is a comprehensive software that revolutionizes how you create and manage PDF documents. It simplifies the process of creating PDFs either from scratch or converting from other formats like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. It also comes with a form filler, and you can easily complete interactive forms and efficiently populate repetitive information across multiple forms. It is collaborative in nature and seamlessly integrates with popular cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.

Main Features

• Modify text, images, and pages in PDF documents.

• Easily fill out interactive PDF forms and convert files to and from PDF format.

• Sign PDFs electronically with legally binding digital signatures.

• Access and manage PDFs stored in popular cloud storage services.

• Protect PDFs with password encryption and redaction features.

• Extract text from scanned documents and images for editing and searching.

Free Version

The free version is available on a trial basis.

Premium Price

Its Basic plan costs $8/month, and the Premium costs $15/per month

Trustpilot Rating: 4.5

Supported Devices: Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

Pros

• Easy to use

• Extensive document editing features,

• Robust form-filling capabilities.

Cons

• The free version has limited features

• Requires internet

Ways to free download

• It is a web-based application, and you can use it using its official website.

• App Store link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pdffiller-pdf-document-editor/id571613512

• Google Play link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pdffiller&hl=en&gl=US

Reviews

Reviewer: Emma

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

PDFfiler is a decent PDF creator with basic features. While it gets the job done, it lacks some advanced functionalities compared to other tools in the market.

Reviewer: Ryan

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

PDFfiler is a straightforward PDF creator that delivers what it promises making it suitable for simple PDF conversions.

5. PDFCreator - Full Features for Creating PDFs

PDF Creator is an outstanding tool with exquisite features to take your PDF creation game to another level. Its automated features help to optimize your individual workflow. It supports multiple languages making it easy for people to work together from different ethnicities. It has amazing features to help you save time like it skips all interactions with the application and saves the files with your predefined file name at your preferred location.

Main Features

• PDF creation from any printable document or file format

• Customizable PDF settings for quality, compression, and security

• Merge multiple documents into a single PDF

• Password protect and encrypt PDFs

• Add watermarks, headers, and footers to PDF pages

• Convert images or scanned documents into searchable PDFs using OCR

• Automate PDF creation with the use of profiles and scripting

• Digital signatures for authenticating and validating documents

Free Version: Available

Premium Price

It is available for free.

Trustpilot Rating: 4.5

Supported Devices: Windows

Pros

• Merge multiple files

• Enhanced security

• Wide range of Output formats

Con

• The free version has ads

• Compromised quality in the conversion

Ways to free download

Download it from PDFForge.

Software: PDFCreator

Reviewer: Olivia

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

PDFCreator is a reliable PDF creator that offers a range of customizable options. It's a great tool for converting various file formats to PDF effortlessly.

Review 2:

Software: PDFCreator

Reviewer: Ethan

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

PDFCreator gets the job done, but it lacks some advanced features compared to other PDF creators. It's a decent option for basic PDF conversions.

6. SmallPDF - Free for Online PDF Makers

If you are looking for an easy, lightweight, and free application, SmallPDF is the best choice. It lets you generate high-quality PDFs with ease and efficiency. It has impressive features that make your workflow more smooth, like merging multiple documents into a single, cohesive PDF, eliminating the need for manual organization.

Main Features

• Convert different file formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) to PDF

• Merge multiple PDFs into a single document

• Split large PDF files into smaller, more manageable files

• Compress PDFs to reduce file size while maintaining quality

• Edit PDFs by adding text, images, or shapes

• Remove and rearrange pages within a PDF document

• Secure PDFs with password protection and encryption

• Convert scanned documents or images into searchable PDFs using OCR

Free Version

It offers a free trial giving you access to 21 different tools.

Premium Price

Its Pro version costs $9/month.

Trustpilot Rating: 2.7

Supported Devices：Windows, macOS, Linux-based devices, iOS, and Android

Pros

• Wide range of PDF Tools

• Cloud-based application

• Cross-platform compatibility

• Safe and secure

Cons

• Dependent on Internet

• File Size limitations in the free version

Ways to free download

• Download it from the SmallPDF website.

• App Store link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/smallpdf-pdf-scanner-editor/id1485259500

• Google Play link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smallpdf.app.android&hl=en&gl=US

Reviews

Reviewer: Lily

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perfect for quick conversions, SmallPDF is a convenient online PDF creator that's easy to use and produces high-quality PDFs.

Reviewer: Daniel

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

SmallPDF is a lifesaver when it comes to PDF creation. Its simplicity, fast processing, and integration with cloud storage make it my favorite.

7. PDF Expert - Full-featured Editor for Apple

PDF Expert is an amazing PDF creation software available for macOS and iOS that empowers professionals to produce exceptional PDF documents with unrivaled precision and efficiency. It can convert different formats to PDF like Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. It allows you to effortlessly modify text, images, and layouts to achieve pixel-perfect precision. This application seamlessly integrates with cloud storage services for easy access and synchronization across devices. It offers security by using digital signatures for authentication and maintaining the integrity of your files.

Main Features

• Advanced editing tools for precise modifications to PDF documents

• Annotate and mark up PDFs with highlighting, underlining, and other tools

• Fill out interactive forms and sign documents electronically

• Merge multiple PDFs into a single document

• Split PDFs into separate pages or extract specific pages as needed

• Secure PDFs with password protection

• Seamless integration with cloud storage services

Free Version: Available

Premium Price

You can either buy it for $6.67/month or $139.99 for a lifetime.

Trustpilot Rating: 4.5

Supported Devices：macOS and iOS.

Pros

• Annotation and Markup tools

• Seamless document synchronization

• Cloud storage integration

• Advance PDF form filling

Cons

• Paid application

• Not available for Android users

Ways to free download

• Download it from PDFExpert.

• App Store link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pdf-expert-editor-reader/id743974925

Reviews

Reviewer: Sophia

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

PDF Expert is an outstanding PDF creator and Its annotation and editing features are top-notch.

Reviewer: Ava

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

PDF Expert is my go-to PDF creation and editing tool. From annotating and editing to securely signing documents, PDF Expert delivers top-notch performance and exceeds my expectations.

8. PDFelement - Easy for Creating PDFs

PDFelement allows you to convert a wide range of file formats, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, into dazzling PDFs that captivate your audience. It has a powerful editor where you can edit text, images, and pages effortlessly and achieve pixel-perfect precision. With collaboration, you can keep track of real-time comments and markups.

Main Features

• OCR technology for converting scanned documents and images into text

• Annotate and mark up PDFs with comments, highlighting, and drawing tools

• Fill out interactive forms and create custom forms

• Combine multiple files into a single PDF document

• Split PDFs into separate pages or extract specific pages as needed

• Secure PDFs with passwords, permissions, and digital signatures

• Batch processes multiple files for efficient PDF creation

Free Version: Available

Premium Price

You can either buy the annual plan for $79.99 or a lifetime plan for $129.99

Trustpilot Rating: 4.0

Supported Devices: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Pros

• Batch Processing

• Form creation and filling

• Annotation and markup

Cons

• Difficult to use for beginners

• Limited features in the free version

Ways to free download

• You can download it from the WonderShare website.

• App Store link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pdfelement-pdf-editor-scanner/id1516765045

• Google Play link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wondershare.pdfelement&hl=en&gl=US

Reviews:

Reviewer: Emily

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

PDFelement is my go-to PDF creator. It offers a comprehensive set of features, including editing, conversion, and form filling.

Reviewer: Michael

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

PDFelement is a versatile and user-friendly PDF creator. With its customizable options and robust functionalities, I can easily create professional-looking PDFs.

9. PDF Candy -  Fastest for Online PDF Makers

PDF Candy is an all-in-one online platform that empowers you to create professional-grade PDF documents effortlessly. With its extensive range of features and intuitive interface, PDF Candy is the ultimate tool for generating high-quality PDFs tailored to your specific needs. It comes with a user-friendly interface that beginners feel comfortable using for the first time. In addition, you can access it anywhere on any device just by connecting to the internet.

Main Features

• Create PDFs from different file formats, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and images.

• Convert web pages and URLs into PDF documents

• Merge multiple PDFs into a single file

• Split PDFs into separate pages or extract specific pages

• Compress PDFs to reduce file size without compromising quality

• Add watermarks, page numbers, and other elements to PDFs

• Protect PDFs with passwords and set permissions

• Rotate and rearrange pages within a PDF documents

Free Version: Available

Premium Price

The basic version of PDF Candy costs $6.99/month.

Trustpilot Rating: 4.3

Supported Devices： Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android

Pros

• Batch Processing

• Multiple File Format Support

• Cloud-based application

• Variety of tools

Cons

• It requires internet

File size limitation in the free version

Google Play link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pdf.pdfcandy&hl=en&gl=US

Reviews

Reviewer: Jessica

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Candy PDF is a simple and straightforward PDF creator. It's suitable for basic PDF conversions but lacks some advanced features compared to other tools.

Reviewer: David

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Candy PDF is an easy-to-use PDF creator that gets the job done efficiently. It's a reliable tool for converting documents to PDF format.

10. PDF24 Creator - Professional for Creating PDFs

PDF24 is another powerful software for creating PDFs on your PC. It lets you convert a wide range of file formats, including images and documents, into high-quality PDFs with just a few clicks. Moreover, you can add annotations, merge or split pages, and extract specific content. Its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and exceptional performance make it a great choice.

Main Features

• Free software for creating PDF documents

• Convert various file formats, including images and documents, to PDF

• Comprehensive editing options, such as adding annotations, merging, or splitting

• Batch processing capabilities for creating multiple PDFs simultaneously

• Supports Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for recognizing text

• Encryption and security features and digital signatures

• Integrated virtual printer for creating PDFs from any printable document

Free Version: Available

Premium Price:

It is free to use.

Trustpilot Rating: 3.3

Supported Devices： Windows only

Pros

• Supports OCR

• Versatile Editing options

• Encryption for security

• Supports batch processing

Cons

• The free version Contains Ads

• Only available for Windows

Ways to free download

Download it from the Official website of PDF24 Creator.

Reviews

Reviewer: Sarah

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

PDF24 Creator is a reliable PDF creator with a range of useful features. It offers customizable options and delivers high-quality output.

Reviewer: Jason

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

PDF24 Creator is a decent PDF creator that provides the essential features for converting files to PDF format. While it may lack some advanced functionalities, it's suitable for basic PDF conversions.

Part 2: How to Choose the Best PDF Creator?

How to Choose the Best PDF Creator?

Keeping in view the details of different PDF Creators, it is evident that WPS Office is the best choice because it is free and it is a hybrid software available online and offline Moreover, it ensures that the converted PDFs faithfully retain the formatting, layout, and quality of the original documents.

This attention to detail guarantees that text, images, tables, and other elements are accurately represented in the PDFs. Its standout customization excels in adjusting settings such as page size, orientation, margins, compression levels, and security options.  

How to Choose the Best PDF Creator for Windows?

Being a Windows user, you may be thinking of the best PDF Creator for Windows. Below are the most prominent aspects of PDF creator if you can find in any tool, they are good to use with Windows.

Compatibility with Windows OS

Before installing or buying a PDF creator, make sure to confirm that it is fully compatible with the version of Windows you are using, such as Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7. Moreover, it is wise to check the system requirements for smooth installation and optimal performance.

Supported File Formats

For the best PDF Creator for Windows, it must support a variety of file formats it should be capable of converting a range of file types, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, image files (JPEG, PNG), HTML, and more. This ensures flexibility and the ability to convert various document formats into PDFs.

Customizations and Settings

While looking for a suitable PDF Creator for Windows, must check for the customization option that it is offering. It should allow you to adjust settings such as page size, orientation, image compression, font embedding, metadata, and security options like password protection, and permissions.

FAQs

Q1: What is the Difference Between a PDF Creator and a PDF Editor?

A PDF creator is a software or tool that allows you to generate PDF files from various sources such as documents, images, or web pages. While A PDF editor is a software or tool that enables you to modify, manipulate, and enhance existing PDF files. Unlike a PDF creator, a PDF editor allows you to change the content, structure, and appearance of a PDF document.

Q2: How do you create a fillable PDF?

You can create a fillable PDF using software or online tools like Adobe Acrobat by clicking on Tools and then clicking create form. Then choose the file that you want to convert into a fillable PDF and the software will automatically detect form fields in your document.

Q3: How to create a PDF from a Word document？

You can create a PDF from a Word document using different methods like Save As or Export as PDF in Microsoft Word, Print to PDF method, or online conversion tools like WPS PDF tool.  Using a high-quality tool will save your formatting and minimize the effort.

Summary

Finding the best tool to create a PDF document is a challenge, especially when you have dozens of tools available. Almost all of these tools have identical features, some of which are available for multiple operating systems, while others are restricted to only specific ones. It is recommended to use free software, which is available both online and offline and has exciting features.

WPS Office is the best software for this purpose because It is an all-in-one Office Software with Writer, Spreadsheets, Presentations, and a PDF Toolkit. WPS PDF tools allow you to convert PDF files to and from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and image files online for free. The major benefits of using the WPS PDF tool for PDF creation are the high-quality output that maintains original formatting and layouts, and its unmatched customization options including adjusting settings such as page size, orientation, margins, compression levels, and security options.  . Try WPS Office for PDF creation, and its features will amaze you.