If you’re looking for a PDF editor for your Mac or Windows PC but don’t want to get locked into a subscription, we’ve looked at the best PDF editors with a lifetime license purchase option that work on both platforms.
Many PDF editing software nowadays are subscription based.
Like it or loathe it, subscription based pricing is an increasingly common model used by software developers but we found there are still some excellent PDF editors out there that offer a perpetual license with no limitations.
Quick Navigation
Are There Any Disadvantages of Perpetual Licenses?
The main disadvantage of opting to buy a PDF editor with a lifetime license is that they eventually become outdated and unsupported by the developer.
One of the catches with most one time purchase PDF editing software is that they’re only supported with a limited number of updates after you’ve purchased them.
Some will receive security updates and support updates when new versions of macOS or Windows are released but eventually they will no longer be supported by the developer and become unusable.
Subscription based PDF editors on the other hand are continually updated both with performance fixes and often new features too so you always have the latest version of the product with no end of life to worry about.
If a developer offers both a perpetual license and subscription version of its PDF editor, then you’ll also often find that the subscription version has more features in an attempt to encourage users to go down the subscription route.
With this in mind here are the best PDF editors with a lifetime license available for both Mac and Windows PCs.
1. PDF Expert
PDF Expert is made exclusively for Apple devices so it looks and works great on Mac, iPad and iPhones.
PDF Expert also offers a lifetime license for $139.99 so you can use it for an unlimited time as long as it remains compatible with the latest versions of macOS.
The lifetime license version of PDF Expert offers all the same features as the subscription version, minus mobile access and updates. The lack of update support means that eventually it will stop working with new releases of macOS but you should get many years of use out of it.
PDF Expert has a very clean interface that looks like it was made for macOS and iOS.
PDF Expert can edit PDFs, images and links as well as convert PDF documents to Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
PDF Expert also supports OCR scanning and signing of documents plus text to speech.
You can also read our full PDF Expert review for more.
Pricing: $139.99 lifetime license or $79.99 per year
Pros:
- Made specifically for Apple devices
- Lifetime license plan available
- Clean macOS style interface
- Works seamlessly with iPads and iPhones
Cons:
- Lifetime license version doesn’t support mobile integration
- Not cross platform, macOS and iOS only
2. Adobe Acrobat Classic
Adobe Acrobat Classic is a desktop-only, term-based licensing version of Adobe Acrobat that the company introduced in July 2024.
It’s primarily aimed at users who want to avoid subscriptions but still need access to the essential PDF editing and creation tools offered by Acrobat.
Unlike Adobe’s subscription-based Acrobat offerings, Acrobat Classic does not include ongoing updates, cloud services, or mobile access, making it a more limited option designed for organizations or individuals who need only core features and prefer to avoid subscription fees.
A license for Adobe Acrobat Classic costs $540.00
Key features of Adobe Acrobat Classic:
- One-time term licensing: Unlike the subscription model, Acrobat Classic is purchased for a set time (up to 3 years), and payment is made upfront for the license period.
- No ongoing feature updates: Once you buy the software, you will receive no new features, only security updates and bug fixes for the duration of the license.
- Desktop-only: It works only on the desktop without access to cloud storage, mobile apps, or web-based features that are included in subscription plans.
- No cloud services: It doesn’t include Adobe’s Document Cloud services, so features like online document storage, electronic signatures, and cross-device syncing are unavailable.
Acrobat Classic is the replacement for the perpetual license version of Acrobat Pro 2020, which was discontinued from sale by Adobe on July 15th 2024 with end of support scheduled for November 2025.
If you want to know more, check out the differences between Acrobat Classic vs Pro.
You can also read our Acrobat Classic review for a more detailed look.
Pricing: $540.00 for a 3 year license
Pros:
- Based on Acrobat Pro DC
- Powerful Microsoft Office conversions preserve formatting
- Works on both Mac and Windows
Cons:
- Classic version is not integrated with Adobe Document Cloud
- License is only valid for three years
- No feature updates
3. Foxit PDF Editor
Foxit PDF Editor offers a version of its PDF editor with a perpetual license that works on both Mac and Windows PCs.
However, it’s not exactly clear when you go to the Foxit PDF Editor website that its available unless you click on “View one-time payment plans” at the bottom of the subscription pricing page.
You’ll then see the pricing plans for Foxit PDF Editor Pro ($220.49) and PDF Editor ($188.99) on a one time payment basis.
This makes it one of the most expensive PDF editing software with an unlimited license outside of Adobe Acrobat Classic.
Note also that PDF Editor Pro is Windows only as there is no Mac version.
Foxit PDF Editor can form fill and sign PDFs across desktop, mobile and web.
If you need to create PDF forms for filling in, Foxit uses the more advanced Acroforms and XFA (XML Form Architecture) for form filling.
You can easily collaborate on PDFs with Foxit PDF Reader as well as add images, videos, and file attachments.
You can also protect and sign PDFs in Foxit PDF Reader in your own handwriting or use eSignature to verify the status of digital signatures.
Foxit PDF Reader is suitable for individuals but also offers a powerful enterprise solution to integrate with cloud storage services and popular enterprise CMS software.
Foxit PDF also has some of the strongest security protocols in any PDF editor on the market by using Trust Manager/Safe Mode, ASLR & DEP, Disable JavaScript and Security Warning Dialogs.
You can check out our full Foxit PDF Editor review for more on what it can do.
Pricing: Foxit PDF Editor $188.99 or Pro $220.49
Pros:
- Powerful security and redaction tools
- Enterprise version integrated with CMS software
- Easy to use
- Works on both Mac and Windows
- Slick interface
Cons:
- Pro version is Windows only
- Price
4. Nitro PDF Pro
Nitro PDF Pro is a powerful PDF editor which offers two versions for Mac and Windows with a perpetual license alongside its subscription versions.
Nitro PDF Pro has a familiar Microsoft Office style ribbon style interface and can edit, combine and convert documents to PDF including from Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
Nitro PDF Pro also has an excellent integrated OCR scanner which can turn any document into a searchable PDF file in minutes.
You can also eSign documents in Nitro PDF Pro although this costs extra and requires a subscription compared to the main product which you can purchase for a one off fee.
For Mac users, Nitro PDF is available in two versions from the Mac App Store.
Nitro PDF Pro For Mac offers all PDF editing features for a one off payment of $139.99.
Confusingly however, Nitro PDF Pro For Mac and Windows is $179.99 if you purchase directly from the Nitro website.
There’s also Nitro PDF Essentials which is available exclusively for Mac for a slightly lower one off payment of $119.99 but which doesn’t include form building, OCR or PDF conversion tools. Again, this costs slightly more on the Nitro website at $129.99.
Neither of these two products include e-signing however.
For e-signing you need a Nitro PDF cloud plan which are subscription only but include e-signing and can be used in any browser.
You can read our full review of Nitro PDF Pro here.
Pricing: Nitro PDF Pro $139.99 one off payment / Nitro PDF Essentials $119.99 one off payment or Nitro PDF and eSign subscriptions starting at $14.99/month.
Pros:
- Microsoft Office style interface
- Converts PDFs to other formats
- Easy to use
- Works on both Mac and Windows
- Perpetual license available
Cons:
- eSigning costs extra and requires subscription
- Confusing pricing structure across products
5. Kofax Power PDF
Kofax Power PDF is available as a one off purchase for both Mac and Windows starting at $129 for a perpetual license.
Kofax Power PDF is an easy to use low cost PDF editor with an interface similar to Microsoft Office products.
Kofax Power PDF doesn’t allow you to manipulate and edit PDFs as much as Adobe Acrobat Pro does but it’s enough for annotating pages, reordering and deleting pages and convert PDFs to other formats.
The interface of Kofax Power PDF has been optimized for the latest version of macOS Ventura and Windows 11 and looks great on both platforms.
Kofax Power PDF also uses some pretty robust security measures such as encrypted passwords and permissions as well as the ability to redact sensitive data.
Kofax Power PDF also supports e-signing of documents although for legally binding signature tracking you need to add SignDoc which is sold separately.
Kofax PDF also has a free mobile editing app which allows you to do basic editing of PDFs on the go and sign documents.
Pricing: $129 perpetual license
Pros:
- Works on both Windows and Mac
- Easy to use
- Simple, clean interface
Cons:
- Lacks advanced PDF editing tools
- Mac version lacks some of Windows features
6. PDFelement
PDFelement is a cross platform PDF editor that offers a perpetual license for just $139.99.
The lifetime license of PDFelement is exactly the same as the subscription version including integration with the mobile version.
It even gives you 20GB of free Cloud storage which is the same as the subscription version.
Unlike some PDF editors, the perpetual license version is clearly visible on the purchase page with a feature breakdown to show that it’s the same as the subscription model.
PDFelement is easy to use and apart from all the standard PDF editing tools you’d expect, there are also tools to convert Word, Excel, PNG and JPG files to PDF including batch conversions.
You can also compress the size of PDFs and OCR scan documents with it.
Pricing: $139.99
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Works across all platforms
- One time version is the same as subscription version
- Free Cloud storage
Cons:
- Can be slow to use
- Lacks advanced PDF editing tools
Comparison Table
| PDF Editor | Price | Editing Tools | Annotation and Markup | Conversion Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF Expert | $139.99 perpetual license (Mac only) | Extensive editing tools for text, images, and pages. | Extensive annotation and markup tools, including comments, highlights, and drawing tools. | Convert to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image formats, OCR |
| Adobe Acrobat Classic | $540 for a 3 year license | Comprehensive editing tools including text editing, image manipulation, and page management. | Extensive annotation and markup tools, including comments, highlights, and drawing tools. | Advanced conversion to various formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), OCR |
| Foxit PDF Editor | Foxit PDF Editor $188.99 or Pro $220.49 | Extensive editing tools for text, images, and pages. | Extensive annotation and markup tools, including comments, highlights, and drawing tools. | Convert to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image formats |
| Nitro PDF Pro | Nitro PDF Pro $139.99 | Comprehensive editing tools including text editing, image manipulation, and page management. | Extensive annotation and markup tools, including comments, highlights, and drawing tools. | Advanced conversion to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image formats, OCR |
| Kofax Power PDF | $129 perpetual license | Comprehensive editing tools for text, images, and pages. | Comprehensive annotation and markup tools, including comments, highlights, and drawing tools. | Convert to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image formats |
| PDFelement | $139.99 perpetual license | Extensive editing tools for text, images, and pages. | Extensive annotation and markup tools, including comments, highlights, and drawing tools. | Convert to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image formats, OCR |
Discover more from MacHow2
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
