Bandizip is a Windows archiver with a clean interface: it creates ZIP, 7Z and TAR and opens RAR, ISO and more. The free Standard edition works but shows ads.
CutePDF Writer installs a virtual printer on Windows: print from any program, such as a spreadsheet or older CAD package, to get a PDF. Free for business use.
Artifex Ghostscript is an open-source PostScript and PDF interpreter behind many tools: compress scanned drawings, convert to PDF/A, render pages and fix files.
qpdf is an open-source command-line tool to repair damaged PDFs, add or remove encryption, merge and split, and inspect structure, without changing content.
PDFtk is a classic PDF toolkit: merge, split, rotate, stamp and fill forms from FDF data on the command line, plus a simple free Windows GUI to merge and split.
Adobe Acrobat Reader shows complex PDFs faithfully and lets you comment, fill and sign free. Premium online tools allow one use per 30 days.
Foxit PDF Reader is a free PDF reader for Windows and macOS: mark up drawings, fill forms, sign and check signatures. Text editing needs the paid Editor.
Sejda PDF edits existing PDF text, fills forms, merges, converts and runs OCR, online and on desktop. Free for 3 tasks an hour online, 3 a day on desktop.
iLovePDF offers online tools to merge, split, compress, convert, OCR, repair and redact. The free plan has per-tool limits; files are deleted within 2 hours.
PDF-XChange Editor is a fast Windows PDF editor whose markup, scaled measuring and form tools are mostly free. Licensed tools still run but add a watermark.
BentoPDF runs over 100 PDF tools inside your browser, processing files on your own computer with no uploads. Open source, no sign-up, no limits.
Stirling-PDF gathers dozens of PDF tools — OCR, redact, compare, convert — as a desktop app or an internal server, so project files stay in the office.
