# PdfCraft: free Acrobat alternative, tested

> PdfCraft is a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat, also for business use. What it can do, what is missing and how mature it is.

Source: https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/pdfcraft/

PdfCraft is a free PDF tool for everyday office work. It combines files, extracts pages, rotates and reorders them. Everything happens on your computer, with no account and no cloud.

[PdfCraft at the vendor](https://getartcraft.com/apps/pdfcraft)
[All freeware recommendations](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/)

PdfCraft Freeware

- **Type:** PDF tool
- **Cost:** free, also for business
- **Licence:** Apache 2.0
- **Systems:** Windows, macOS, Linux, in the browser
- **Version:** 0.13.0 of 23 Oct 2026

Maturity Alpha

Development Alpha Beta Stable

## How it helps day to day

- Invoice and delivery note should be one file: You combine both PDFs; bookmarks and links are kept. The documents never leave your computer.
- You need two pages from a long contract: PdfCraft extracts the pages and saves them as a separate file, leaving the original unchanged.
- Scanned pages are sideways and out of order: Rotate pages and drag them into the right order; every step can be undone.

## What is inside PdfCraft

PDF.

- **Edit pages:** Rotate, delete, insert and reorder pages, with undo.
- **Combine and split:** Combine files, extract or split pages; links, form fields and bookmarks are kept.
- **Search and read:** Instant search, text selection in reading order, two-page view.
- **Save safely:** Autosave and crash recovery. Opens encrypted PDFs from RC4 to AES-256 and respects the author’s permissions.

## PdfCraft compared with Adobe Acrobat

PdfCraft focuses on everyday PDF work: reading, reordering, combining, splitting, securing. Acrobat also offers prepress and the full range for forms and signatures. PdfCraft’s advantage: everything stays on your computer, without an account.

As of 25 Oct 2026, according to the vendors

| | PdfCraft | Adobe Acrobat |
| Cost | free, also for business | Acrobat Standard €17.99, Acrobat Pro €23.79 a month (annual plan billed monthly, incl. VAT) [Source](https://www.adobe.com/de/acrobat/pricing.html) |
| Licence | open source (Apache 2.0) | commercial software |
| Systems | Windows, macOS, Linux, in the browser | see vendor |
| Shared files | PDF, including encrypted (RC4 to AES-256) |
| Maturity | early alpha, version 0.13.0 | on the market for years |

### What independent tests say

- XDA Developers, 16.10.2026: In everyday testing PdfCraft worked “surprisingly well”. [Read the article](https://www.xda-developers.com/tried-replacing-photoshop-premiere-pro-lightroom-with-free-vibe-coded-alternatives/)

Acrobat is a trademark of Adobe Inc.. It is named for orientation only; there is no connection between Adobe Inc. and the maker of PdfCraft.

## Our assessment

Free PDF websites require you to upload your documents. PdfCraft handles the most common tasks on your own computer and is clearly scoped even as an alpha. It is worth testing for combining and reordering.

### Already useful for

- Combining and splitting PDFs
- Rotating, deleting and reordering pages
- Documents with customer data that do not belong on a PDF website

### Better wait for now

- Filling in and signing PDF forms
- Editing text in PDFs
- Making scans searchable

## Frequently asked questions

### Do we have to upload documents?

No. According to the vendor, PdfCraft works on your computer with no account, no telemetry and no cloud. That is the main difference from many free PDF websites.

### Can PdfCraft replace Acrobat?

Free PDF websites require you to upload your documents. PdfCraft handles the most common tasks on your own computer and is clearly scoped even as an alpha. It is worth testing for combining and reordering.

### May I use PdfCraft commercially?

Yes. The Apache 2.0 licence allows business use without a licence fee. It does not require you to publish your own files or data. Licence notices only apply if you redistribute or modify the program itself.

### What does PdfCraft cost?

Nothing. PdfCraft is open source under the Apache 2.0 licence and may also be used in a business free of charge.

### How do I install it?

The vendor’s page offers installers for Windows, macOS and Linux. If you use several Craft apps, the ArtCraft Launcher installs them and keeps them up to date. In businesses with several workstations, new programs should be approved centrally; we can help with that.

## Related

[WordCraft Word processing](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/wordcraft/)
[GridCraft Spreadsheets](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/gridcraft/)
[DeckCraft Presentations](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/deckcraft/)
[All freeware recommendations Programs at a glance](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/)

Sources: [vendor page](https://getartcraft.com/apps/pdfcraft) and [source code on GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/pdfcraft), accessed 25 Oct 2026. We have tested the program ourselves and rated it worth a look. We have no business relationship with the vendor.

## Introducing new software in your business

Want to use a free program and not sure whether it fits your workflows and files? We will look at it with you.

[0173 644 22 17](tel:+491736442217)

[Request an initial consultation](https://1x1it.de/en/kontakt/#anfrage)