Acrobat Alternatives

Acrobat Alternatives (Thanks to SmartComputing Magazine)

There are a number of free programs that let you create PDF documents. CutePDF Writer (free; www.cutepdf.com), PrimoPDF (free; www.primopdf.com), and PDF ReDirect (free; www.exp-systems.com) are just a few. All three of these programs let you create a PDF document from any program that can print. They do this by setting themselves up as a printer on your computer. Instead of producing a hard copy document, these programs create a PDF file of your document.

If you want the ability to create and edit PDF documents and PDF forms without the high cost of Adobe Acrobat Professional, consider one of these alternatives. ScanSoft PDF Converter Professional 3 ($99.99; www.nuance.com) lets you edit a PDF file by converting it to an editable format such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). In addition, this program also lets you create PDF forms and add watermarks and stamps to your PDF documents. In comparison, the ability to add watermarks to a document is available with Acrobat Standard, but the ability to create PDF forms is only available with the Professional version of Acrobat.

Nitro PDF Professional ($99; www.nitropdf.com) is another alternative. For $350 less than Acrobat Professional, Nitro PDF Professional offers some of the same functionality, including the ability to create PDF forms and generate bookmarks and hyperlinks automatically.

PDF Converter Professional 3, Nitro PDF Professional, Acrobat Standard, and Acrobat Professional share common ground in regard to their editing functions.

All three programs let users add feedback to PDF files using commenting tools that include the ability to highlight, underline, and cross out text. With these programs, users can also add comments in the form of sticky notes and modify some of the document’s properties such as text color, author, and subject.

If you’re looking for the ability to edit existing PDFs in Microsoft Word or Excel or want to convert PDF files into HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) files and don’t need the additional functionality that some of the other PDF-editing programs provide, ABBYY PDF Transformer ($49.99; www.abbyy.com) might be a good option. Although PDF Transformer does not offer extensive editing options and format conversion options, it makes up for it with its lower price.