PDF-XChange Editor review
A capable Windows PDF editor with broad free access and a one-time paid upgrade.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
PDF-XChange Editor is a Windows desktop application for creating, viewing, editing, annotating, OCR-processing and digitally signing PDF files. It is aimed at Windows users who need more than basic viewing, including editing existing PDF text, marking up documents, converting files and combining documents into new PDFs. The published feature set also includes conversion between PDF and Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, plain text, PDF/A, PDF/X, image, CSV, RTF and XPS formats. Support for Windows 10 and later makes it a focused desktop choice rather than a cross-platform PDF editor.
Pricing is straightforward. The Free version is unlimited, and more than 70% of features do not require a license. Licensed features used without a license add watermarks. The paid PDF-XChange Editor plan costs $62 USD as a one-time purchase for a single-user perpetual license, with one year of maintenance included. That maintenance covers licensed features and updates during the maintenance period. This structure suits buyers who prefer a desktop license over recurring per-user/month pricing, while the free tier provides a broad way to work with PDFs before committing.
Its strongest fit is document-heavy work that benefits from OCR, conversion and detailed markup. Users can add highlights, strikeouts, underlines, sticky notes, stamps, shapes and freehand annotations, then digitally sign PDF files. The AI Assistant supports analysis and interaction with PDF documents, with integrations listed for OpenAI, Anthropic and Google. The base Editor product does not include fillable-form creation, which makes it less suitable for workflows centered on building PDF forms. Choose PDF-XChange Editor for capable Windows-based PDF editing with extensive free access; choose an alternative if cross-platform support or form creation is central.
PDF-XChange Editor pros and cons
- Where it wins
- More than 70% of features are available without a license
- Includes OCR, PDF conversion, annotations and digital signatures
- AI Assistant integrations include OpenAI, Anthropic and Google
- Where it doesn't
- Supports Windows 10 and later only
- Base Editor does not include fillable-form creation
- Unlicensed licensed features add watermarks when used
PDF-XChange Editor fact sheet, pricing and score →
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