PDF editing on Android has a real problem: most apps either lock every useful feature behind a $10-per-month subscription or offer a stripped-down viewer dressed up as an editor. We tested 8 PDF editor apps for Android, checking what each one can actually do for free, how well annotation and form-filling hold up on a phone screen, and where pricing becomes hard to justify. This list covers the best apps for PDF editing on Android whether you want zero spend, occasional edits, or a full desktop-class workflow on the go.
What to look for in a PDF editor app for Android
Not every PDF task is the same. Reading a contract is different from filling a tax form, which is different from redacting a document or merging files before sending. Before picking an app, check these five things:
- Annotation depth. Highlights and comments are table stakes. You want freehand drawing, stamps, and sticky notes if you review documents regularly.
- Form filling. AcroForm support (type-into fields) is built into most apps. XFA forms (the complex interactive kind) are supported by far fewer — worth checking if your employer uses them.
- Text and page editing. True text editing on a PDF is difficult because PDFs are not word processor files. Apps that offer it usually handle it via an OCR layer or by recomposing the page, which can shift formatting.
- Offline access. Some apps require a cloud connection to open or save files. For sensitive documents, local-first matters.
- Export formats. PDF to Word or Excel conversion is a premium feature almost everywhere. Check what is locked before committing.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xodo PDF Editor | Overall best free editor | Full annotation, forms | Free (no paywall) | Android, iOS, Web, Windows |
| WPS Office | Office suite + PDF | View, annotate, basic edit | Free (ads) / ~$4.99/mo | Android, iOS, Windows, Mac |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Adobe ecosystem users | View, annotate, fill forms | ~$14.99/mo (Acrobat Standard) | Android, iOS, Web, Desktop |
| Foxit PDF Editor | Compact power editor | View, annotate, sign | ~$6.99/mo (Foxit PDF Editor+) | Android, iOS, Web, Desktop |
| PDFelement | All-in-one editing | View, annotate, OCR lite | ~$6.99/mo | Android, iOS, Desktop |
| Microsoft 365 | Word-to-PDF workflows | View only (sign-in required) | ~$6.99/mo (Personal) | Android, iOS, Web, Desktop |
| MuPDF Viewer | Lightweight offline reader | Full viewing, annotation | Free (open source) | Android, iOS, Desktop |
| Google Drive | Quick annotation on the go | View, annotate, comment | Free (Google account) | Android, iOS, Web |
The apps
1. Xodo PDF Editor -- best overall free PDF editor
Xodo PDF Editor has no paywall. Every feature — annotations, freehand drawing, text highlighting, form filling, digital signatures, page reordering, and real-time collaboration — is available without creating an account or paying anything. On a phone screen, the annotation toolbar stays out of the way until you need it, and the app handles large files without slowing down noticeably.
The collaboration mode lets multiple people annotate the same document simultaneously via a shared link, which is genuinely useful for contract review or team feedback. Form filling works on standard AcroForm PDFs reliably.
Where it falls short: Text editing (changing the words already in the PDF) is limited compared to desktop tools. The UI has not changed much in years and looks dated next to newer apps, but it works well.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything. No feature gating, no trial period.
- Paid: None — Xodo is fully free.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Windows
Bottom line: The default recommendation for anyone who does not want to pay. Xodo gives you more for free than most apps give you at $5/month.
2. WPS Office -- best free option with an office suite included
WPS Office bundles a word processor, spreadsheet tool, presentation editor, and PDF reader into one app. For PDF work specifically, it covers annotation, form filling, digital signatures, and basic page management. The free tier shows ads and puts some editing features behind a membership, but the core annotation workflow is accessible without paying.
WPS stands out when your work moves between formats. You can open a Word document, edit it, and export to PDF in the same app. That round-trip is smoother here than in any dedicated PDF tool. The PDF-to-Word conversion is a paid feature, but conversion from Word to PDF is free.
Where it falls short: The free version has ads that appear regularly and can interrupt the workflow. The subscription pricing is reasonable, but the feature split between free and paid is not always obvious until you try to do something and hit a paywall.
Pricing:
- Free: Annotation, form filling, basic page tools, Word/Excel/PPT editing, ads included.
- Paid: WPS Premium from around $4.99/month — removes ads, unlocks PDF conversion, OCR, and cloud sync.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Web
Download: Aptoide
Bottom line: Best pick if you also need to edit Word and Excel files. The PDF tools alone justify the free install; the suite justifies the subscription.
3. Adobe Acrobat Reader -- best for Adobe ecosystem users
Adobe Acrobat Reader is the reference PDF app. It opens every PDF correctly, handles complex forms including XFA forms, and supports password-protected files. The free tier covers viewing, annotation, commenting, filling forms, and signing. Adobe’s cloud sync works well if you already use Creative Cloud or Acrobat on a desktop.
Adobe’s brand also matters for business use: when you need to send a signed PDF to a law firm, insurance company, or HR department, an Adobe signature carries more weight than one from a lesser-known app.
Where it falls short: The free version shows prompts to subscribe constantly. True editing (changing text in the PDF body), PDF conversion, OCR, and advanced form creation all require Acrobat Standard or Pro, which starts at around $14.99/month — one of the most expensive options here. For annotation-only workflows, the aggressive upsell is grating.
Pricing:
- Free: View, annotate, fill and sign forms.
- Paid: Acrobat Standard from around $14.99/month — editing, conversion, OCR, advanced e-sign.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Windows, Mac
Download: Aptoide
Bottom line: Free tier is solid for annotation and form-filling. The subscription is expensive for what it delivers on mobile — only worth it if you already use Adobe desktop apps.
4. Foxit PDF Editor -- best compact editor with desktop parity
Foxit PDF Editor is the closest mobile experience to a full desktop PDF editor. The free version allows viewing, annotation, and basic form filling. The paid tier adds text editing directly inside PDF pages, page manipulation (split, merge, reorder), PDF conversion, and document protection.
Foxit’s Android app feels closer to its desktop counterpart than Adobe’s mobile app does. If you use Foxit PDF Editor on Windows or Mac, the mobile version will feel familiar immediately. The subscription is more affordable than Adobe’s, and the feature set at the paid tier is comparable for most document workflows.
Where it falls short: The free version is more restricted than Xodo or WPS Office. Some features that are free elsewhere (like basic page reordering) are behind the paywall here. The app can feel slower to open very large files compared to lighter tools like MuPDF.
Pricing:
- Free: View, annotate, fill forms, digital signatures.
- Paid: Foxit PDF Editor+ from around $6.99/month — text editing, page tools, PDF/Word/Excel conversion, OCR.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Windows, Mac, Linux
Download: Aptoide
Bottom line: Best choice for someone who wants desktop-grade text editing on mobile and is willing to pay a moderate subscription. Outperforms Adobe at a lower price for most practical tasks.
5. PDFelement -- best all-in-one for occasional heavy editing
PDFelement by Wondershare covers the full PDF editing cycle: annotation, form creation, text and image editing, OCR, and conversion. The free version is more generous than Adobe’s, allowing a limited number of OCR pages and some conversion tasks. The app layout on Android organizes features by task (review, edit, organize, convert), which makes it easier to find what you need than apps that dump every tool into one toolbar.
PDFelement integrates with Wondershare’s broader productivity suite including PDFelement Cloud, which syncs documents across devices. For teams using Wondershare products on desktop, the mobile app is a good companion.
Where it falls short: The free tier has caps on OCR and conversion that you hit quickly on real documents. The app is also heavier to install than simpler tools. Some users report occasional crashes on older Android devices.
Pricing:
- Free: Annotation, limited OCR (limited pages per month), basic conversion (limited tasks).
- Paid: PDFelement Pro from around $6.99/month — unlimited OCR, full conversion, advanced editing, e-sign.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac
Download: Aptoide
Bottom line: Good fit for someone who needs occasional OCR or conversion on top of regular annotation. The all-in-one approach saves switching between apps.
6. Microsoft 365 -- best for Word-to-PDF workflows
Microsoft 365 (the mobile app) is not a dedicated PDF editor, but it handles a specific use case very well: editing a Word or Office document and saving it as a PDF. On Android, the app opens PDF files for viewing and basic annotation with a Microsoft 365 account. For Word documents that end up as PDFs, you have full editing before the conversion step.
The app also supports direct PDF annotation with a stylus on devices like Samsung Galaxy Tab with S Pen, which is better than most competitors for handwritten markup.
Where it falls short: PDF editing is not the primary purpose of the app, and it shows. You cannot merge PDFs, reorder pages in a standalone PDF, or do OCR. For anything beyond light annotation and Office-to-PDF export, you need a different tool. The free mobile tier also requires signing in and has feature limits that push toward a Microsoft 365 Personal subscription.
Pricing:
- Free: View PDFs and Office files (sign-in required), limited mobile editing.
- Paid: Microsoft 365 Personal from around $6.99/month — full Office editing, 1 TB OneDrive, advanced PDF tools.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Windows, Mac
Download: Aptoide
Bottom line: Pick this only if your PDF work starts as a Word or Office document. As a standalone PDF editor, it is too limited.
7. MuPDF Viewer -- best lightweight offline reader
MuPDF Viewer is an open-source PDF renderer built on the same engine that powers many other PDF tools behind the scenes. The Android app is around 15 MB, launches in under two seconds, and handles PDFs that choke heavier apps. It supports basic annotation (highlights, notes, freehand drawing), EPUB reading, and full offline use with no account, no ads, and no tracking.
For anyone who wants a PDF app that stays out of the way and never phones home, MuPDF is the answer. It is not flashy and the interface is sparse, but it renders PDFs accurately and handles large, graphics-heavy documents without complaining.
Where it falls short: There is no form filling, no digital signature, and no document conversion. Text editing is not available. This is a viewer and annotator, not an editor in the full sense. If you need to modify PDF content rather than mark it up, look elsewhere.
Pricing:
- Free: Full feature set — the app is open source (AGPL) and free on Google Play and F-Droid.
- Paid: None for the viewer. Artifex licenses the MuPDF library commercially for OEM use, but the consumer app has no paywall.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux
Download: Aptoide
Bottom line: The right pick if you want an open-source, no-account, fast PDF viewer for reading and light markup. Skip it if you need form filling or content editing.
8. Google Drive -- best for quick annotation without installing anything new
Google Drive is already on most Android phones, and its built-in PDF viewer covers more ground than people realize. You can open any PDF, highlight text, add comments, draw freehand with the stylus, and fill in basic form fields — all from the Drive app, with no separate install. Annotated PDFs save back to Drive automatically, making sharing straightforward.
This is not a replacement for a dedicated editor, but it removes friction for the most common mobile PDF task: reviewing a shared document and leaving feedback. Because Drive is pre-installed on most Android devices, there is no setup step.
Where it falls short: No page editing, no conversion, no signatures, no merging or splitting PDFs. Annotation tools are basic compared to every other app on this list. The app requires a Google account and a connection to open files (offline availability must be toggled manually per file).
Pricing:
- Free: Full PDF annotation with a Google account. 15 GB storage included.
- Paid: Google One from $2.99/month for additional storage — not required for PDF features.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web
Download: Aptoide
Bottom line: Best for users who just need to review and annotate shared PDFs quickly and are already in the Google ecosystem. Not a substitute for any app above when real editing is needed.
How to pick the right PDF editor for Android
If you want the best free option with no compromises, use Xodo. It covers annotation, form filling, digital signatures, and collaboration without any paywall. There is no real reason to pay for a PDF editor on Android for most people.
If you also edit Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files, install WPS Office instead of Xodo. The PDF tools are nearly as good, and you get an entire office suite alongside them. The ads in the free version are the main reason to consider upgrading.
If you need to change the actual text inside a PDF (not just annotate on top of it), the choice narrows to Foxit PDF Editor or PDFelement at around $6.99 per month. Foxit is better if you use the desktop app too; PDFelement is better if OCR is a priority.
If you are already paying for Adobe Creative Cloud, the Acrobat Reader app is free to add. If you are not, the $14.99/month subscription is hard to justify when Foxit offers similar editing at less than half the price.
If you want zero tracking and zero accounts, MuPDF Viewer handles reading and markup in under 15 MB. Pair it with Xodo for the tasks MuPDF does not cover.
If all you need is to review and comment on PDFs sent via Google Drive, you likely do not need to install anything new.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free PDF editor for Android?
Xodo PDF Editor is the best free option. It has no paywall or trial limits — annotation, form filling, digital signatures, and real-time collaboration are all available without paying or creating an account. Most other apps restrict useful features to paid plans.
Can I edit text in a PDF on Android?
Yes, but it requires a paid app. Foxit PDF Editor and PDFelement both offer text editing in their paid tiers (around $6.99/month). Xodo and WPS Office do not provide full text editing in their free versions. Keep in mind that text editing in PDFs can shift formatting, since PDFs are not designed for live editing the way Word documents are.
Is Adobe Acrobat Reader free on Android?
The Reader app is free to download and covers viewing, annotation, and form filling at no cost. However, features like editing text in a PDF, converting PDF to Word, and OCR require an Adobe Acrobat subscription starting at around $14.99/month.
What PDF app do most Android users use?
Adobe Acrobat Reader has the largest install base by name recognition, but Xodo and WPS Office have strong adoption among users who want free alternatives. WPS Office is particularly popular in markets where the full office suite is useful alongside PDF tools.
Which PDF editor works offline on Android?
Xodo, Foxit, MuPDF, and PDFelement all work fully offline. Adobe Acrobat Reader works offline for local files, but syncing to Adobe Document Cloud requires a connection. Google Drive requires a manual “make available offline” toggle per file.
Is there a good open-source PDF editor for Android?
MuPDF Viewer is the strongest open-source option. It is available on F-Droid and covers reading plus basic annotation with no account, no ads, and no telemetry. For heavier editing tasks, there is no fully open-source Android app that matches Xodo or Foxit in features.
