Editing30 of 30
Systems15 of 15
Signing and security20 of 20
Price10 of 20
Privacy15 of 15
PDF editor · Wondershare
Wondershare PDFelement
Desktop PDF editor for Windows and Mac, with mobile apps, sold yearly or as a one-time licence.
In short
- The Windows-only yearly plan costs $79.99 for the first year and renews automatically1.
- A perpetual licence for PDFelement 13 on Windows costs $129.991.
- There is no free version: the 14-day trial adds a watermark to every saved file1.
- It edits existing text, runs OCR, redacts, builds forms and compares two PDFs2,4,5.
- Wondershare names an ISO 27001 certification1,2.
PDFelement suits people who want a full desktop editor on Windows or Mac at a lower price than the big names. It covers text editing, OCR, redaction, forms, file comparison and tracked signature requests2,3,4,5, and it is still sold as a perpetual licence1. The catch: there is no free version, and the store shows sale prices without saying what the yearly plan renews at1.
Best for: Windows users who want to buy a PDF editor once.
Where the points come from
Editing 30 of 30 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Edit existing text | YesEdits text, images and pages "just like Word" on Windows, Mac and mobile2. | 6 / 6 |
| OCR | YesAI-OCR turns scans into editable PDFs, including batch OCR2. | 6 / 6 |
| True redaction | YesApplying redaction marks removes the content permanently, per the Windows user guide4. | 6 / 6 |
| Create fillable forms | YesAdds fillable fields and designs interactive forms2. | 6 / 6 |
| Compare two PDFs | YesCompare PDFs opens two files side by side and highlights changed, inserted and deleted content5. | 6 / 6 |
Systems 15 of 15 points
Signing and security 20 of 20 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Request e-signatures | YesSends agreements to multiple signers and tracks progress with real-time updates and email reminders3. | 8 / 8 |
| Password protection | YesPasswords can block copying, editing or printing2. | 6 / 6 |
| Certificate-based signatures | YesSigns with a digital certificate (certificate-based signature)1,3. | 6 / 6 |
Price 10 of 20 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Free version without watermarks | NoNo free version; the unregistered and registered trials both add a watermark when you save1. | 0 / 8 |
| First-year price for text editing | $79.99/yrYearly plan for Windows only, $79.99 for the first year1. | 5 / 7 |
| One-time licence | YesA perpetual licence for PDFelement 13 on Windows costs $129.99, one-time fee1. | 5 / 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly (Windows)1 person, Windows | $79.99/year1 | $6.67 | Renews automatically; regular price shown as $129 |
| Yearly (cross-platform)1 person, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and web | $89.99/year1 | $7.50 | Renews automatically |
| 2-Year (Windows)1 person, Windows | $109.99 for 2 years1 | – | Two years of access, renewed by hand |
| Perpetual (Windows)1 person, Windows | $129.99 one-time1 | – | PDFelement 13 |
| Perpetual (cross-platform)1 person, all systems | $139.99 one-time1 | – | Mobile and web access for a limited time |
Store prices are shown against higher regular prices, such as $129 for the Windows yearly plan. The yearly plan renews automatically at a price the store does not state. A 30-day money-back guarantee applies1.
Strengths
- Sold as a perpetual licence ($129.99 for Windows) as well as yearly plans1.
- Apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, plus web access on multi-platform plans2,3.
- Sends PDFs to several signers and tracks signing progress with reminders3.
- Compares two versions side by side and highlights changes5.
- Signs with a digital certificate, not only a drawn signature1,3.
Limits
- No free version; the trial watermarks every saved file1.
- The yearly plan renews automatically, and the store does not state the renewal price; it shows $129 as the regular price1.
- Single-platform plans cover Windows only; Mac, mobile and web need a cross-platform plan1.
- On perpetual licences, mobile and web access is offered for a limited time only1.
What Wondershare says
Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.
- Wondershare says PDFelement was a G2 Grid Leader in spring 20251.
Other PDF editors
- 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 - 5
Adobe AcrobatPeople who want PDF editing and signature requests on every device81/100$179.88/yrfirst-year price for text editing
Wondershare PDFelement vs Foxit PDF Editor · Wondershare PDFelement vs iLovePDF · All 9 PDF editors
Sources
- Shop Wondershare PDFelement for Windows (Individuals Plan), Wondershare. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- PDF features | PDFelement, Wondershare. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- eSign PDFs securely and legally | Wondershare PDFelement, Wondershare. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- How to Redact PDF (PDFelement User Guide for Windows), Wondershare. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- How to Compare Two PDF Files: 4 Accurate Ways to Find Changes, Wondershare. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Website: pdf.wondershare.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Wondershare.