Comparison · prices verified October 30, 2026
Adobe Acrobat vs Foxit PDF Editor
These are the two full desktop PDF suites most offices shortlist first. Both edit, convert, OCR, redact and handle forms on Windows and Mac, and both now sell AI features. The real differences are in how you pay and what the base plan includes.
Our verdict
Acrobat is sold as an annual commitment billed monthly, from $14.99 a month for Standard; OCR, redaction and document comparison need Acrobat Pro at $19.99, and the AI Assistant comes bundled in the Studio tier. Foxit PDF Editor is priced per year ($129.99) and adds mobile apps, AI redaction and an e-sign allowance in Editor+. Foxit is also one of the few vendors still selling a perpetual licence.
On features alone there is little to separate them for everyday office work. For a single user who wants the lowest cost over several years, Foxit's yearly or perpetual pricing is easier on the budget. For teams already standardised on Adobe tools, or who want Acrobat's web and AI bundle in one subscription, Acrobat is the simpler choice.
- you want OCR, redaction and comparison in one well-known Pro plan
- your organisation already uses other Adobe apps
- you prefer monthly billing over a single yearly payment
- you would rather pay once — Foxit still sells a perpetual licence
- you need iOS and Android apps in the same plan (Editor+)
- you want a lower yearly cost for a full desktop editor
Side-by-side
| Adobe Acrobat | Foxit PDF Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | 3.8 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Starting price | From $14.99/mo | From $10.83/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | 7 days | 14 days |
| Categories | PDF Editors, OCR Software, AI PDF Assistants | PDF Editors, OCR Software, PDF Converters |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | — | — |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
| iOS | — | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Edit text & images | ✓ | ✓ |
| Convert to/from Office | ✓ | ✓ |
| E-signatures | ✓ | ✓ |
| OCR (scan to text) | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI assistant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chat with PDF | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI summaries | ✓ | ✓ |
| Redaction | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fillable forms | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compare documents | ✓ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✓ | Not confirmed |
| Cloud storage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Version history | Not confirmed | ✓ |
| Team admin console | Not confirmed | ✓ |
| Works offline (desktop app) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features score | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Value for money score | 2.5 | 2.8 |
| Ease of use score | 4.0 | 4.1 |
| Platform coverage score | 3.4 | 5.0 |
| Pricing transparency score | 5.0 | 4.4 |
| Prices verified | October 30, 2026 | October 30, 2026 |
Plans and prices
Adobe Acrobat
- Acrobat Standard (individual)US$14.99 per month, annual commitment, billed monthly
- Acrobat Pro (individual)US$19.99 per month, annual commitment, billed monthly
- Acrobat Studio (individual)US$24.99 per month, annual commitment, billed monthly
- Acrobat Standard for teamsUS$16.99 per license/month, annual commitment, billed monthly
- Acrobat Pro for teamsUS$23.99 per license/month, annual commitment, billed monthly
- Acrobat Studio for teamsUS$29.99 per license/month, annual commitment, billed monthly
Foxit PDF Editor
- PDF Editor$129.99 per user/year
- PDF Editor+$159.99 per user/year
- PDF Editor 14 (perpetual)$209.99 per user, one-time
- Volume Licensing— 30 or more licenses
- AI Assistant (add-on)$49.99 per year
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Written by Daniel Reyes. Product facts come only from each vendor's own website; see the source links in the table.