What is the best software for editing and signing PDFs?

The “best” PDF software depends on what you mean by editing and signing, but here are the top choices:

Best overall

Adobe Acrobat Pro

• Best for serious PDF editing, form filling, OCR, and signing
• Excellent compatibility and industry standard
• Best if you need advanced features
• Downside: expensive subscription

Best for value

Foxit PDF Editor

• Strong editing and signing tools
• Usually cheaper than Adobe
• Good for business use

Best for simple signing

DocuSign

• Excellent for legally binding e-signatures and workflows
• Great if signing is the main need
• Not really a full PDF editor

Best free/basic option

Adobe Acrobat Reader

• Free for viewing and signing PDFs
• Limited editing
• Good if you only need signatures and comments

Best for Mac users

PDF Expert

• Clean interface, fast, easy to use
• Great for editing and annotating on Mac
• Signing support is solid

Best open-source/free editor

LibreOffice Draw

• Can open and edit some PDFs
• Not ideal for complex PDFs
• Better for occasional, lightweight use

My recommendation

• If you want the best all-around tool: Adobe Acrobat Pro
• If you want cheaper but powerful: Foxit PDF Editor
• If you mainly need to sign: DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Reader

If you want, I can also recommend the best option based on your device (Windows/Mac/iPhone/Android) and budget.