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Productivity · head to head

Foxit PDF Editor vs iLovePDF

Foxit PDF Editor logo

Foxit PDF Editor

Productivity

The #1 Alternative to Adobe Acrobat

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
iLovePDF logo

iLovePDF

Productivity

Browser toolbox for merging, splitting, compressing and converting PDFs, processed on the vendor's servers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only iLovePDF has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Foxit PDF Editor the $209.99 perpetual licence excludes the AI Assistant, Smart Redact, the Document Management System and all cloud features; iLovePDF processing happens on the vendor's servers, so every file is uploaded to a third party, which rules the tools out for client documents, personal data and anything under a confidentiality obligation no matter how briefly the file is held.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Foxit PDF Editor and iLovePDF actually diverge.

Attributes where Foxit PDF Editor and iLovePDF differ
AttributeFoxit PDF EditoriLovePDF
Starting price$10.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Foxit PDF Editor

Nothing recorded that iLovePDF does not also cover.

Only in iLovePDF

  • Single-purpose tools
  • Format conversion
  • Text recognition conversions
  • File size limits
  • Desktop and mobile applications
  • Digital signatures
  • PDF/A output
  • No account needed

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Foxit PDF Editor

  • Creating, editing and signing PDF documents on Windows, macOS or the webnot iLovePDF
  • Buying a perpetual PDF editor licence instead of a subscriptionnot iLovePDF
  • Sending documents for signature with eSign, at 150 envelopes a year on PDF Editor+not iLovePDF

iLovePDF

  • Combining scanned pages into a single PDF or splitting a large document occasionally, without buying a desktop PDF editor.not Foxit PDF Editor
  • Compressing a PDF that a mail system or an upload form refuses to accept.not Foxit PDF Editor
  • Converting a scanned document into an editable Word or Excel file, which needs the paid text recognition tools.not Foxit PDF Editor
  • A small office needing simple PDF operations across several machines without a per-seat desktop licence.not Foxit PDF Editor

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Foxit PDF Editor

  • The $209.99 perpetual licence excludes the AI Assistant, Smart Redact, the Document Management System and all cloud features
  • Mobile apps for iOS and Android start on PDF Editor+ at $159.99 a year, not on the entry subscription
  • The AI Assistant is capped at 20 free credits per month on the entry plan

iLovePDF

  • Processing happens on the vendor's servers, so every file is uploaded to a third party, which rules the tools out for client documents, personal data and anything under a confidentiality obligation no matter how briefly the file is held.
  • The free tier is bounded by file size per tool rather than by feature, with Office conversions capped at 15 MB, so the large scanned documents most likely to need converting are precisely the ones most likely to be refused.
  • The conversions that require text recognition, meaning scanned PDF to Word or Excel, are held for the paid plan, and those are the conversions people genuinely struggle with, while the free ones mostly handle files that were digital already.
  • It is a per-account consumer subscription with no organisational administration, so a company that comes to depend on it ends up with staff holding personal subscriptions and no control over what is uploaded or by whom.
  • The API is a separate product with its own pricing, so a workflow prototyped by hand on the website cannot simply be automated under the same subscription and has to be costed again.

Pricing, plan by plan

Foxit PDF Editor

$10.99/month
  • PDF Editor$10.99/month
    • $131.88 per year paid in full
    • Document Management System
    • AI Assistant with 20 free credits per month
  • PDF Editor+$159.99/year
    • Everything in PDF Editor
    • iOS and Android apps
    • AI Smart Redact
  • Foxit PDF Editor 14 perpetual$209.99/one-time
    • One time purchase, no subscription
    • Editing, conversion, OCR, forms and security
    • Excludes AI Assistant, Smart Redact, DMS and cloud features

iLovePDF

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Access to essential iLovePDF tools
    • Limited document processing
    • 1 account
  • Premium$7/month
    • Full access to all iLovePDF tools
    • Unlimited document processing
    • 1-25 accounts
  • Premium Annual$48/year
    • Same as Premium plan
    • 42% discount compared to monthly billing
  • Business$null/mo
    • Custom pricing (contact vendor for quote)
    • Scalable solutions for businesses
    • 25+ accounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Foxit PDF Editor if

Nothing in the data separates Foxit PDF Editor from iLovePDF on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Foxit PDF Editor review

Choose iLovePDF if

  • You need single-purpose tools.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want format conversion.
iLovePDF review

Questions people ask

Is Foxit PDF Editor or iLovePDF better?
Neither clearly leads. Foxit PDF Editor starts at $10.99/month and iLovePDF at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Foxit PDF Editor or iLovePDF?
iLovePDF has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10.99/month for Foxit PDF Editor and Free for iLovePDF.
Does Foxit PDF Editor or iLovePDF run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use iLovePDF for free?
Yes. iLovePDF has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Foxit PDF Editor starts at $10.99/month.
What is Foxit PDF Editor best used for?
Foxit PDF Editor is most often used for creating, editing and signing pdf documents on windows, macos or the web, buying a perpetual pdf editor licence instead of a subscription, sending documents for signature with esign, at 150 envelopes a year on pdf editor+. Of those, creating, editing and signing pdf documents on windows, macos or the web and buying a perpetual pdf editor licence instead of a subscription are not what iLovePDF is typically brought in for.
What can Foxit PDF Editor do that iLovePDF cannot?
iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools, Format conversion, Text recognition conversions, File size limits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Foxit PDF Editor: How much does Foxit PDF Editor cost?

Foxit PDF Editor starts at $10.99 per month, or $131.88 per year paid in full. PDF Editor+ is $159.99 per year. A perpetual licence for Foxit PDF Editor 14 is a one time $209.99.

Source
iLovePDF: Do I need an account?

Not for the basic free tools, though they are subject to per-tool size limits and restrictions on batch processing.

Foxit PDF Editor: Can I buy Foxit PDF Editor without a subscription?

Yes. Foxit PDF Editor 14 is sold as a one time perpetual licence at $209.99. It covers editing, conversion, OCR, forms and security, but excludes the AI Assistant, Smart Redact, the Document Management System and cloud features.

Source
iLovePDF: Is it safe for confidential documents?

Files are uploaded to the vendor's servers for processing. For client material, personal data or regulated documents, use a tool that works locally on the machine instead.

Foxit PDF Editor: Is there a free trial of Foxit PDF Editor?

Yes. Foxit offers a 14 day trial of PDF Editor+ with no credit card required.

Source
iLovePDF: What does Premium add?

Access to every tool including text-recognition conversions and PDF/A, much larger files, unlimited processing, desktop and mobile applications, digital signatures, workflows and no adverts.

iLovePDF: Can I use it inside my own application?

Only through the separate developer API, which is priced independently, so plan the automation cost separately from the consumer subscription.

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