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Top 12 LightPDF Alternatives for Mac, Compared (2026)

Explore 12 alternatives to LightPDF — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

12 LightPDF alternatives, ranked at a glance

Quick answer

The most popular pdf editor software alternatives to LightPDF are Smallpdf, Foxit PhantomPDF and Sejda. Smallpdf tops the ranking with a SpotScore of -1 and 4.87★ from users. Compare all 12 on score, rating, and pricing below.

Choosing the right LightPDF alternative comes down to fit, and these 12 pdf editor software alternatives cover a wide range of needs. We rank them by SpotScore, which blends verified satisfaction with market presence, then ratings and pricing. Each tool is editor-checked. Use the table to compare, then read each breakdown.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
SmallpdfEffortlessly convert any document to PDF.—★★★★★ 4.87(938)Freefrom $7 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Foxit PhantomPDFRevolutionizing PDF editing for businesses.—★★★★★ 4.6(289)from $8.25/moteams of all sizes
SejdaSmart and Secure PDF Editing and Management Made Simple—Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
AinonStreamline redaction tasks with AI-powered efficiency and precision.—Not yet ratedOne-time license · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
SearchPlusRevolutionize your PDF document searches with advanced AI technology.—Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Quotation Based · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
GoPDFElevate your PDF management experience with GoPDF.—Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
PDFWindEffortlessly convert and edit PDFs – anytime, anywhere.—Not yet ratedOpen-sourcesmall & mid-size businesses
PDFMonkeyTransform your PDF generation process with ease and precision.—Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
PDFPeerMaximize your PDF potential with AI efficiency.—Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · One-time license · Quotation Based · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
DocalysisStreamline document analysis with cutting-edge AI technology.—Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Quotation Based · Subscriptionmid-size & enterprise teams
XodoUnleash the power of PDF.—Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Quotation Based · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
AvePDFEffortless PDF management at your fingertips.—Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
Smallpdf - Document Creation Software

Smallpdf

Effortlessly convert any document to PDF.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.9

938 verified reviews

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What is Smallpdf?

Smallpdf is a software to create PDF documents on the fly. With this software anyone can easily create PDF documents from any printable document like doc, xls, ppt. Its very easy to use and have fast conversion speed. Small pdf is a very useful solution for those who regularly need to generate ...

Read more about Smallpdf
Free TrialTry Free →·

Smallpdf offers custom pricing plan

Foxit PhantomPDF - PDF Editor Software

Foxit PhantomPDF

Revolutionizing PDF editing for businesses.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Get Pricing Details

4.6

289 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Foxit PhantomPDF?

Foxit PhantomPDF is a comprehensive PDF editor that caters to the diverse needs of businesses. With its powerful editing tools, this online software allows users to create, protect, manage, review, and share documents seamlessly. Its intuitive interface works like a word processor, making ...

Read more about Foxit PhantomPDF

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Sejda - Logo

Sejda

Smart and Secure PDF Editing and Management Made Simple

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Sejda?

Sejda is a versatile PDF management platform designed to help individuals, teams, and businesses handle all their document needs efficiently. Built for professionals such as educators, legal teams, corporate staff, and creative agencies, it streamlines PDF editing, conversion, and security ...

Read more about Sejda
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $5free when monthly, also offers free forever plan

Ainon

Ainon

Streamline redaction tasks with AI-powered efficiency and precision.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Get Pricing Details

Add to compare

What is Ainon?

Ainon is an AI-powered PDF redaction tool for professionals handling confidential documents. Users upload PDFs and the platform automatically identifies and redacts sensitive information within seconds, including variations of targeted words or phrases. It also supports anonymization and ...

Read more about Ainon
SearchPlus

SearchPlus

Revolutionize your PDF document searches with advanced AI technology.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is SearchPlus?

Introducing SearchPlus, an innovative product that revolutionizes the way you engage with PDF documents. With the tagline "PDF Documents: Conversations Made Easy," SearchPlus offers a seamless and efficient solution that simplifies the process of extracting information from PDFs. By harnessing ...

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SearchPlus offers custom pricing plan

GoPDF

GoPDF

Elevate your PDF management experience with GoPDF.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is GoPDF?

GoPDF is a PDF management tool for creating, editing, converting, and eSigning documents on any device. It converts PDFs to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats, supports digital signatures for contracts, and provides editing tools for annotating and adjusting document content.

Read more about GoPDF
PDFWind

PDFWind

Effortlessly convert and edit PDFs – anytime, anywhere.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Get Pricing Details

Add to compare

What is PDFWind?

PDFWind is a browser-based PDF tool that converts, edits, annotates, merges, and encrypts files through a drag-and-drop interface. It supports conversion from and to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and image formats while preserving layout, formatting, and image resolution.

Read more about PDFWind
PDFMonkey

PDFMonkey

Transform your PDF generation process with ease and precision.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is PDFMonkey?

Revolutionize your PDF generation process with PDFMonkey - the cutting-edge solution to streamline your document creation effortlessly. Introducing PDFMonkey - the ultimate companion for professionals seeking a seamless, reliable, and budget-friendly approach to PDF generation tasks. ...

Read more about PDFMonkey
PDFPeer

PDFPeer

Maximize your PDF potential with AI efficiency.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is PDFPeer?

Introducing PDFPeer, the innovative solution that lets you communicate with any PDF instantly. Tired of being overwhelmed by countless PDF files? PDFPeer is here to revolutionize the way you work. By transforming your PDFs into AI, PDFPeer simplifies your search for information, helping you ...

Read more about PDFPeer

PDFPeer offers custom pricing plan

Docalysis

Docalysis

Streamline document analysis with cutting-edge AI technology.

Best for: Mid-market

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is Docalysis?

Docalysis is an AI-powered document analysis tool that lets users upload PDF, TXT, CSV, and DOCX files and ask questions in a conversational format. It is used by financial analysts, lawyers, accountants, and scientists who need to extract insights from large document sets quickly.

Read more about Docalysis

Docalysis offers custom pricing plan

Xodo

Xodo

Unleash the power of PDF.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Xodo?

Experience the power of Xodo, a revolutionary PDF software that offers a seamless and user-friendly document management solution. With the tagline "Easy-to-use PDF tools," Xodo is designed to provide professionals with a comprehensive platform for securely viewing, annotating, and collaborating ...

Read more about Xodo
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $9.99/month when Billed Yearly

AvePDF

AvePDF

Effortless PDF management at your fingertips.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is AvePDF?

AvePDF is an online PDF tool for creating, editing, and securing documents. Features include hyper-compression to reduce file sizes, OCR to make scanned documents text-searchable, redaction, PDF/A conversion, scanner document capture, and electronic signature support.

Read more about AvePDF

Why each tool made the shortlist

SmallpdfBest for teams of all sizes

Fast PDF creation

Watch for: Limited editing features

Foxit PhantomPDFBest for teams of all sizes

User-friendly interface and feature-rich functionality, comparable to more expensive PDF readers.

Watch for: Learning curve for first-time users due to extensive feature set, complexity in adjusting settings for specific needs, and overwhelming toolbar in some cases.

SejdaBest for teams of all sizes

Sejda offers an intuitive and clean design, making it easy for both beginners and professionals to edit, convert, and manage PDF documents without a steep learning curve.

Watch for: The free version of Sejda has restrictions on the number of tasks and file size limits, which may not be sufficient for heavy users.

AinonBest for teams of all sizes
SearchPlusBest for teams of all sizes
GoPDFBest for teams of all sizes
PDFWindBest for small & mid-size businesses
PDFMonkeyBest for teams of all sizes
PDFPeerBest for teams of all sizes
DocalysisBest for mid-size & enterprise teams
XodoBest for teams of all sizes

Provides extensive features for free, including PDF management, compression, and conversion.

Watch for: Occasional issues with file uploading that may impact user experience.

AvePDFBest for teams of all sizes

Why teams look for a LightPDF alternative

The push to replace LightPDF tends to come down to a few recurring frustrations:

  • Limited functionality and advanced features in the free version, requiring a paid subscription for full access.
  • Occasional slower upload and processing times, especially with large files, affecting overall efficiency.
  • Advertisements on the website may be distracting, impacting the user experience.
  • Inconsistencies in file upload limits and communication about new regulations, leading to user confusion and frustration.

What to look at before switching from LightPDF

Comparing the 12 alternatives on the figures that matter: 9 offer a free tier; paid plans run $7–$8.25, with Smallpdf the cheapest entry point; and Smallpdf is the highest rated at 4.87★ across 938 reviews.

Behind the order.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to LightPDF are Smallpdf (4.9★), Foxit PhantomPDF (4.6★), Sejda. Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to LightPDF, prioritize: PDF Conversion, File Type Conversion, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Annotation and Markup Tools, Digital Signature, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply LightPDF is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

Choosing the best LightPDF alternative for your goals

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Smallpdf, Sejda and SearchPlus let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Smallpdf has the strongest star rating (4.87★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Smallpdf has the highest Spotsaas Score (-1) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

The switch from LightPDF

A low-stress switch from LightPDF starts with exporting your data and confirming the new tool imports it. Check feature parity for your real workflows, run a short pilot, and keep LightPDF active until the move is finished. The free tiers above let you trial first.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].