Editing30 of 30
Systems9 of 15
Signing and security20 of 20
Price1 of 20
Privacy15 of 15
PDF editor · Nitro Software, Inc.
Nitro PDF
Desktop PDF editor for Windows and Mac, with an iOS app, sold by yearly subscription or as a three-year Windows licence.
Nitro sells the editor as Nitro PDF Standard, Plus and Classic; the Nitro PDF Pro name now appears only in its trademark notice and app links2.
In short
- Nitro PDF Standard costs $15 a user a month, billed yearly ($180), and runs on Windows, Mac and iOS1,2.
- Nitro PDF Classic costs $270 once for a three-year term on Windows; it is not a perpetual licence1,2.
- The editor changes existing text, runs OCR on scans, redacts and compares two PDFs2.
- Sending documents for signature needs Nitro Sign, a separate product from $10 a user a month, billed yearly1,2.
Nitro PDF suits Windows and Mac users who want text editing, OCR, redaction and file comparison in one desktop app2. Standard costs $180 a year, and Classic trades the subscription for a $270 three-year Windows licence1,2. There is no Android app, no free version, and signature requests cost extra through Nitro Sign1,2.
Best for: Windows and Mac users who want a full desktop editor with OCR and redaction.
Where the points come from
Editing 30 of 30 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Edit existing text | YesEdits PDF text and images with full-page paragraph reflow2. | 6 / 6 |
| OCR | YesTurns scanned documents into editable, searchable PDFs2. | 6 / 6 |
| True redaction | YesRedaction permanently removes sensitive visible information in PDFs2. | 6 / 6 |
| Create fillable forms | YesTurns paper or Word documents into fillable PDF forms2. | 6 / 6 |
| Compare two PDFs | YesCompares two versions of a PDF to show all differences2. | 6 / 6 |
Systems 9 of 15 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Apps | Windows, macOS, iOSStandard and Plus run on Windows, Mac and iOS; the browser only views and comments2. | 9 / 15 |
Signing and security 20 of 20 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Request e-signatures | YesThrough Nitro Sign, a separate product from $10 a user a month, billed yearly1,2. | 8 / 8 |
| Password protection | YesCreates password-protected PDFs and prevents copying or editing1. | 6 / 6 |
| Certificate-based signatures | YesAll Nitro PDF plans sign and certify documents with certificate signatures2. | 6 / 6 |
Price 1 of 20 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Free version without watermarks | NoEvery plan on the pricing page is paid; the only free option is a 14-day trial1. | 0 / 8 |
| First-year price for text editing | $180/yrNitro PDF Standard, $15 a user a month billed yearly1. | 1 / 7 |
| One-time licence | NoClassic is a three-year term licence; the other plans are subscriptions1,2. | 0 / 5 |
Privacy 15 of 15 points
The rule behind each line: how we score PDF editors.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitro PDF Standard1 user | $15/user/month, billed yearly1 | $15 | Windows, Mac and iOS |
| Nitro PDF PlusTeams | Quote1 | Quote | Adds single sign-on and Nitro Analytics |
| Nitro PDF Classic1 user | $270 once (three-year term)1 | – | Windows only; core editing tools for three years |
| Nitro Sign Standard1 user | $10/user/month, billed yearly1 | $10 | Separate product for sending documents to sign |
Prices are before tax; volume discounts go through sales1.
Strengths
What Nitro Software, Inc. says
Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.
- Nitro says Nitro PDF offers the same core editing, signing and collaboration features as Adobe Acrobat at a lower price2.
Other PDF editors
- 1
Wondershare PDFelementWindows users who want to buy a PDF editor once90/100$79.99/yrfirst-year price for text editing - 2
Foxit PDF EditorPeople who want a full desktop editor with a one-time licence option88/100$129.99/yrfirst-year price for text editing - 3
iLovePDFBudget buyers who mostly work in the browser85/100$67.12/yrfirst-year price for text editing - 4
PDFgearPeople who want to edit PDF text for free81/100$0first-year price for text editing
Sources
- PDF & eSign Plans & Pricing, Nitro Software. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- PDF Editor & Sign Tool | Nitro PDF, Nitro Software. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Website: www.gonitro.com/pdf-pro · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Nitro Software, Inc..