PDF-XChange Editor review

PDF-XChange Editor is a long-running Windows editor sold on a perpetual license. Editor costs $62 and Editor Plus $79 for one user, each with a year of maintenance; renewing within 30 days of expiry costs about 25 percent of the original price per year, and the software keeps working if you skip it. A free version can be downloaded with about 70 percent of features unrestricted, which makes it easy to test. Editor Plus adds an enhanced OCR engine, tools to create and edit fillable forms, dynamic JavaScript stamps, a document compare tool, automatic detection of form fields and a placeholder tool for signature and initial locations. The vendor offers user packs from 3 seats up to corporate site licenses and provides portable, MSI and ARM64 installers for IT teams. The interface is dense and there are no Mac or mobile apps, but few editors offer this much for a one-time $62.

Who it is for

Windows users who want a cheap perpetual license and a deep toolset over a polished interface.

Price

Editor from $62 one time; Editor Plus from $79; optional maintenance renewal about 25% of the price per year.

Prices start at USD $62.00 for Editor and USD $79.00 for Editor Plus
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Perpetual license with one year of maintenance included
• Free version with about 70 percent of features unrestricted
• Editor Plus adds an enhanced OCR engine, fillable form creation and dynamic stamps
• Editor Plus adds document compare and automatic form field detection
• Portable and MSI installers, including ARM64 builds

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Lowest published one-time price for a full editor on this list
• Strength: Free version is usable for many tasks
• Strength: Volume packs from 3 users to site licenses
• Weakness: Windows only
• Weakness: Dense interface with many toolbars
• Weakness: Updates after the first year need a maintenance renewal

Key facts

• Editor license: $62 one time, 1 year of maintenance
• Editor Plus license: $79 one time
• Platform: Windows 10 and later

Where it ranks

PDF-XChange Editor is No. 7 in our Best PDF Editors verdict.