Adobe Acrobat has a subscription. Foxit has a lot of installer. Preview on macOS quietly does the job right up until you try to reorder pages across two files. The best tiny free PDF editors for desktop in 2026 skip all three problems: they install fast, they open fast, they edit the file, and they get out of the way. Every pick below is under 100 MB installed, none require an account, and all seven are free.
We tested seven picks on Windows, macOS, and Linux across the tasks most people actually do to a PDF: merge, split, sign, redact, annotate, fill a form, and reorder pages. Three cover editing text in an existing PDF (the hard one). Four are stronger for structural edits and annotation.
What to look for
The “tiny and free” bar rules out the big players. What’s left needs:
- Installer under 100 MB. Anything larger is not the pick when you want a portable tool.
- No account, no cloud, no phone-home. A local file, edited locally.
- Merge, split, rotate, reorder built-in, not paywalled.
- Fill and sign for the common case of returning a signed contract without printing.
- Direct text editing for the harder case of fixing a typo in an existing PDF.
- OCR on scanned PDFs, at least optionally. Not required for the “tiny” tier.
- Actually cross-platform, or clearly stated when it’s Windows-only.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDFsam Basic | Merge, split, extract pages | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | Free | AGPL |
| PDFgear | Edit text in existing PDFs | Windows, macOS | Yes | Free | Proprietary |
| Xournal++ | Handwritten PDF annotation | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | Free | GPL v2 |
| Foxit Reader | Fast reading and annotation | Windows, macOS | Yes | Free with upsell | Proprietary |
| Sumatra PDF | The lightest reader (with markup) | Windows | Yes | Free | GPLv3 |
| Okular | KDE-native full editor | Linux, Windows, macOS | Yes | Free | GPL |
| PDF24 Creator | Multi-tool with 25 utilities | Windows | Yes | Free | Proprietary |
1. PDFsam Basic – Best for merge, split, extract pages
PDFsam Basic has been free and open-source since 2006 and is the gold standard for structural PDF work. Merge several files, split by bookmark or page count, extract selected chapters, rotate pages. All of it happens offline, with no file-size limits, no watermarks, no registration, and no cloud uploads.
Where it falls short: Cannot edit text or images in an existing PDF. That’s what PDFgear and Xournal++ are for.
Pricing:
- Free: PDFsam Basic (open-source).
- Paid: PDFsam Enhanced and PDFsam Visual add annotation and text editing at $109 one-time.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: pdfsam.org
Bottom line: The single best pick for structural edits, and the default answer to “how do I combine these two PDFs” on any desktop.
2. PDFgear – Best for editing text in existing PDFs
PDFgear is a genuinely free desktop PDF editor that handles the hard case: click a paragraph in an existing PDF and start typing. It also merges, splits, converts, signs, annotates, and OCRs, all in one 90 MB app with no ads and no account.
Where it falls short: Windows and macOS only, no Linux. Some AI features push you toward a cloud tier that isn’t the point of a tiny editor.
Pricing:
- Free: Yes.
- Paid: None for the desktop editor.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: pdfgear.com
Bottom line: The strongest all-round free PDF editor when you actually need to change words in a document.
3. Xournal++ – Best for handwritten PDF annotation
Xournal++ is the open-source rewrite of the original Xournal notebook app, and it’s the pick when annotation is the job. Draw with a pen tablet, take handwritten notes, add typed comments, and export the result as an annotated PDF. Cross-platform and free.
Where it falls short: Not a text editor. Not a merge tool. Purpose-built for annotation.
Pricing:
- Free: Yes.
- Paid: None.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: github.com/xournalpp/xournalpp
Bottom line: The pen-tablet annotation tool. Works on any Wacom without extra setup.
4. Foxit Reader – Best for fast reading and annotation
Foxit Reader is fast for reading and annotating but can’t edit existing text or images, and it lacks OCR in the free tier. Its installer has crept above 50 MB but its runtime footprint stays low. Solid choice when the job is “read PDFs and mark them up.”
Where it falls short: Free tier upsells the paid PhantomPDF suite. No OCR in the free version.
Pricing:
- Free: Reader with annotation tools.
- Paid: PhantomPDF for full editing, from $19 monthly.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: foxit.com
Bottom line: Pick this if reading and marking up is 95% of what you do with PDFs.
5. Sumatra PDF – Best for the lightest reader (with markup)
Sumatra PDF is the lightest of the lot: a portable single-executable on Windows that opens instantly. It reads PDF, ePub, MOBI, DjVu, and comic-book archives, and its 2024+ builds added basic annotation with pen and highlight.
Where it falls short: Windows only. Editing text in PDFs is not the goal.
Pricing:
- Free: Yes.
- Paid: None.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: sumatrapdfreader.org
Bottom line: The Windows pick when speed is everything.
6. Okular – Best for KDE-native full editor
Okular is KDE’s document viewer and it handles PDF annotation, form filling, digital signatures, and page reordering out of the box. It’s the default on many Linux distributions, and Windows and macOS builds exist through KDE’s release pipeline.
Where it falls short: No text-in-PDF editing (still). Windows and macOS builds are second-class citizens compared to the Linux version.
Pricing:
- Free: Yes.
- Paid: None.
Platforms: Linux (native), Windows, macOS.
Download: okular.kde.org
Bottom line: The Linux default for annotation. Best pick on any KDE-based distro.
7. PDF24 Creator – Best for a multi-tool with 25 utilities
PDF24 Creator is a Windows-only bundle that gives you 25 discrete PDF tools in one app: merge, split, compress, protect, unlock, extract text, images, watermark, sign, and 15 more. Each tool has a focused single-purpose window.
Where it falls short: Windows only. Interface is not the prettiest. Bundles a virtual printer that some users find intrusive.
Pricing:
- Free: Yes.
- Paid: None for the desktop version.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: tools.pdf24.org
Bottom line: Best pick for a Windows user who wants one app that does 25 discrete jobs on PDFs.
How to pick the right one
- If you need to merge, split, or reorder a PDF: PDFsam Basic.
- If you need to change words in an existing PDF: PDFgear.
- If you’re annotating with a Wacom pen tablet: Xournal++.
- If you’re reading and marking up on Windows and want speed: Sumatra PDF.
- If you’re on Linux and want annotation and forms: Okular.
- If you want a Windows Swiss-army-knife bundle: PDF24 Creator.
- If you want a fast reader with annotation and don’t need editing: Foxit Reader.
FAQ
What is the best free PDF editor for Windows in 2026?
For structural edits: PDFsam Basic. For editing text inside a PDF: PDFgear. Both are fully free with no account required.
Is there a free PDF editor for Mac?
PDFsam Basic, PDFgear, Xournal++, Foxit Reader, and Okular all run on macOS. Preview also handles basic edits, but for anything beyond page reordering, one of the above is better.
What’s the smallest PDF editor on Windows?
Sumatra PDF’s portable build is under 15 MB and opens files instantly. For actual editing, PDFsam Basic is around 90 MB and PDFgear is around 100 MB.
Can I edit an existing PDF’s text for free?
Yes. PDFgear does this on Windows and macOS in its free tier. LibreOffice Draw can also import a PDF and let you edit text on Linux.
Do any of these do OCR on a scanned PDF?
PDFgear includes OCR in the free desktop tier. PDF24 Creator can OCR through its bundled OCR module. Foxit Reader does not include OCR in the free version.
