PDF24 Tools / PDF24 Creator review
by geek software GmbH · in PDF Converters, PDF Editors, OCR Software
Ad-supported free PDF toolbox online, plus a free offline Windows app
Prices verified October 30, 2026 on the vendor's site
Overview
PDF24 is a free PDF suite from geek software GmbH, a Berlin company founded in 2006. It comes in two forms. PDF24 Online Tools runs in any browser, with a long catalog covering merge, split, compression, editing, annotation, form filling and creation, OCR, redaction, comparison, PDF/A and broad conversion to and from Office, OpenDocument, images, EPUB and Markdown. It also includes niche tools for e-invoices and PDF signature verification. PDF24 Creator is a free Windows 10/11 app that bundles the same tools offline along with a virtual PDF printer, reader and scanner import. It is free for commercial use and offers an MSI installer for corporate rollout. There are no paid tiers, and the vendor says it pays for the service with ads on the website. The trade-offs: the desktop app has no Mac or Linux version, and no mobile app or AI features are listed.
Who it's for
Budget-conscious individuals, schools and businesses that need everyday PDF conversion, OCR and page work at no cost. Windows offices that want an offline, deployable tool for data-protection reasons are an especially good fit. Mac and Linux users are limited to the browser tools.
PDF24 Tools / PDF24 Creator pricing
| Plan | Price | Billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF24 Online Tools | $0 | free | All online tools free without restrictions; funded by advertising on the web pages |
| PDF24 Creator (Windows desktop) | $0 | free | Free for private and commercial use; works offline; EXE and MSI installers, also via Microsoft Store |
Source: tools.pdf24.org pricing page, checked October 30, 2026. Prices are in USD, before tax, as shown to US visitors; vendors change them often, so confirm before buying.
Features
- Convert to/from Office: yes
- E-signatures: yes
- OCR (scan to text): yes
- Redaction: yes
- Fillable forms: yes
- Compare documents: yes
- Works offline (desktop app): yes
Not confirmed on the vendor's site (so not credited in the score): Edit text & images, Batch processing.
Platforms
- Web
- Windows
Good to know
- pdf24.org is a project of geek software GmbH, a Berlin-based German company founded in 2006 source
- All PDF24 online tools are free without restrictions, financed by advertising on the web pages source
- PDF24 Creator is free for private and commercial use and runs offline so files stay on the PC source
- PDF24 Creator installs only on Windows (Windows 11, Windows 10); Linux and Mac are not supported source
- Creator latest version listed as 11.31.1 dated 2026-10-08; MSI available for corporate distribution and Citrix supported source
- Tool catalog includes e-invoice creation and validation, PDF/A conversion and checking, redaction, comparison and PDF signature verification source
- Uploaded files are transferred encrypted and removed from PDF24 servers after a short time source
Pros and cons
What we like
- Completely free, including commercial use of the desktop app
- Offline Windows app keeps files on the local PC
- Very wide converter list, including OpenDocument, EPUB and Markdown
- MSI installer and Citrix support for corporate deployment
Watch out for
- PDF24 Creator is Windows-only
- Website is ad-supported
- No AI assistant, team admin or support tiers listed
- Online tools require uploading files to PDF24 servers
How we scored PDF24 Tools / PDF24 Creator
Features: 4 of 6 key pdf converters features confirmed. Overall 3.9/5. Same formula for every product — read the methodology.
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