9 Best Sejda Alternatives in 2023

Productivity Boost

Jackson Kustec

jackson@macro.com

Published: Wed Sep 13 2023

The top 9 Sejda alternatives you must try this year are Macro, PDFsam, Smallpdf, Nitro PDF Pro, PDF Expert, iLovePDF, CoolNew PDF, Lumin PDF, and PDFLiner.

In this article, we will discuss the features, pros, cons, and pricing of these tools. But before we get into it, let's understand why you might need a Sejda alternative in the first place.

Why You Might be Looking for a Sejda Alternative?

Reason #1. Difficulty in Filling out Forms

Filling out PDF forms is an important part of your work life if you’re an HR professional.

Imagine completing a performance review for an employee, and the software you use to fill it in starts acting up.

This is the case with Sejda. Rotating or rearranging PDF pages in Sejda often messes up the PDF's format, costing you your time.

Reason #2. The Free Plan Has Limitations

With Sejda’s free plan, you can only upload PDFs less than 200 pages and not more than 50 MB in size. And you can only perform 3 tasks per hour. Apart from these limitations, Sejda also has tool-specific limits.

Lastly, the free plan doesn’t offer batch processing or optical character recognition to convert PDF into searchable text format.

If you have faced a similar issue when using Sejda, here are some alternatives you could try👇

9 Best Sejda Alternatives

#1. Macro

Macro is an all-in-one Word and PDF editor that everybody can use.

The world's top banks, law firms, investors, and Fortune 500 companies trust Macro to review and edit documents.

This AI-powered software helps you navigate long documents and understand detailed information, so that you can get deals done quicker and make better decisions.

Here are some features that Macro offers and Sejda doesn’t. 👇

Key Feature #1. Compare Multiple PDF Versions All at Once

Tired of searching for the final document version in your email inbox? Macro can help.

The software's state-of-the-art Compare tool revolutionizes how you manage document revisions.

All you need to do is open Macro and upload multiple versions of the same document. View each contributor's changes, marked in distinct colors.

Simply click "Compare," and Macro works its magic. It consolidates all the changes, highlighting deletions, insertions, and text movement.

You can then approve or dismiss each modification and save it as a DOCX or PDF file.

Unfortunately, Sejda has no such functionality for comparing documents.

Key Feature #2. Definition Pop-Ups (aka Document Interlinking)

Imagine you're a researcher, knee-deep in a hefty report. You're continually flipping between tabs, Googling the meaning of terms you don’t know, and manually bookmarking important pages.

Sounds tiring, right? 😫

Macro makes this review process more efficient and manageable.

How?

Click on any specialized term in the document, and Macro instantly shows you its definition. There’s no more disrupting your reading flow to look up terms.

Macro's self-generating bookmarks make it easy to find what you're looking for and save important pages for later reference.

Just a couple of clicks, and you're back on track, saving hours that would otherwise go to waste. With Macro, you can dive into complex documents without drowning in them.

Definition pop-up is a new functionality that not many tools have.

Sejda has some navigability features like adding page numbers or Bates numbering, but there's only so much you can do with it.

Key Feature #3. Sleek, Modern Interface

Switching between Word and PDF to finalize a document can be frustrating and time-consuming. Macro’s document workspace platform comes with powerful and intuitive editing capabilities.

Not only can you add and adjust text, but you can also move images and make detailed annotations or redlines effortlessly.

One of the most unique offerings of Macro is its visual drag-and-drop builder, which lets you easily reorganize pages or even export specific sections of a document.

And when you're finished with your edits, there's no need to worry about compatibility issues. Macro ensures that all your changes sync perfectly with everyday tools like Word and PDF.

Pros and Cons

✅ Macro’s free version has a downloadable desktop app.

✅ Comes with AI capabilities to draft, edit, and review documents.

✅ Web-like navigation speeds up document reviews.

❌ Doesn’t have an online version.

Pricing

Macro has a free-to-use app that you can download for both Mac and Windows PCs.

If you’re not completely happy after using the free version, upgrade to its paid version for $49/user per month . We also offer a customized plan for enterprises, including dedicated support, permissions, and integrations .

#2. PDFsam

PDFsam is a free and open-source PDF editor used to modify, review, sign, and secure PDFs. The software has two products—PDFsam Visual and PDFsam Enhanced.

Out of the two, PDFsam Visual is a great Sejda alternative.

PDFsam Features

Lets you merge multiple PDFs or images into one. You can also merge pages of two or more PDFs by alternating between them.
Organize PDFs by rearranging, deleting, and adding pages.
Extract individual pages from a PDF by selecting their thumbnails. Generate a new PDF file with the chosen pages.
Select multiple images and convert them into a PDF file.
Extract text from PDFs and import it to a DOCX file.
Compress PDFs to reduce size without compromising image quality.

Pros and Cons

✅ Has a free plan to try out before paying.

✅ Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

✅ Support batch processing.

❌ You don’t get OCR functionality in the PDFsam Visual plan.

Pricing

You can download the free and open-source version of PDFsam and try out the tool.

But if you’re not completely happy with the free version, upgrade to PDFsam Visual at $34.90/user per year . You can also buy its Perpetual plan with a one-time payment of $59 .

#3. Smallpdf

Smallpdf has all the tools you need to increase productivity when working with PDFs.

From compressing a PDF to editing it comprehensively, Smallpdf is a one-stop solution. The platform aims to simplify workflow, allowing you to manage documents effortlessly.

Smallpdf Features

Smallpdf lets you convert PDF into multiple file formats. Whether it's Word, PPT or JPG, the tool handles them all.
The platform offers a feature to compress PDF files without compromising on quality. This is especially useful for sharing large documents via email or cloud storage.
Edit PDF by adding text, shapes, and images, or make freehand annotations to mark text and refer to it later.
Split a single PDF into multiple files or merge several PDFs into one unified document.
Sign PDFs electronically or request signatures from your clients. The e-sign feature of Smallpdf tracks documents for added security.
Has a cloud to store, manage, and share files across devices.

Pros and Cons

✅ Helps you convert PDFs into multiple file formats easily.

✅ Has a cloud-based version along with a desktop app.

❌ The free plan has massive limitations. SmallPDF almost forces you to be on its paid plans to get stuff done.

Pricing

Smallpdf offers a free plan to access all the tools online or on your mobile. If you want the desktop app and premium features, you can choose from the three plans it offers:

Pro: $12 per month
Team: $10 per month
Business: Custom pricing

#4. Nitro PDF Pro

Nitro PDF Pro helps you streamline document workflows. The platform is ideal for businesses, freelancers, and professionals seeking efficient document management.

It offers a centralized solution for all PDF-related tasks online.

Nitro PDF Pro Features

Offers editing features allowing you to modify text, images, and links within PDFs. Also, add or replace images seamlessly.
Comes with optical character recognition (OCR) to recognize text in scanned documents. Leverage the feature to edit and search text within PDFs.
Allows fast and accurate PDF conversion into Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.
Handle complex PDF forms, including those with formulas and calculations.
Rearrange, extract, delete, and rotate pages in PDFs.

Pros and Cons

✅ You can open multiple work windows.

✅ You can drag and drop text and images anywhere in the document.

❌ All Nitro PDF plans have file size limits.

Pricing

Nitro PDF has three plans to choose from:

Platform Plans: $9.99/user per month (billed annually)
eSign Plans: $9.99/user per month (billed annually)
PDF Plans: $143.99/user billed once

#5. PDF Expert

PDF Expert by Readdle is an editor designed specifically for Mac, iPhone, and iPad users. This software allows you to edit, annotate, and organize PDFs efficiently. If you work with PDFs daily, this is a wonderful tool for you.

PDF Expert Features

Comes with advanced editing features to modify PDF text, images, and links.
Highlight text, add notes, stamps, and stickers.
E-sign PDFs or ask for digital signatures from your clients and customers via your iPad or iPhone.
Has page management features to rearrange, merge, and organize document pages.
Utilizes OCR to recognize text in scanned documents and offers an AI-powered “Enhance” feature to improve scan quality.

Pros and Cons

✅ Comes with a mobile version (for iPhone and iPad).

✅ Can convert PDFs to several different file formats.

❌ Slow when working on large PDFs.

Pricing

PDF Expert has two plans to choose from:

Yearly: $6.67 per month, billed yearly
Lifetime: $139.99

#6. iLovePDF

From merging to compressing PDFs, iLovePDF offers a range of tools that are both free and easy to use.

If you want to take things offline, you can download the iLovePDF desktop app for both Mac and Windows PCs.

Planning to work remotely? Download the iLovePDF mobile app and manage all your PDFs on the go.

iLovePDF Features

Combine multiple PDFs into one unified document (merge) or separate a PDF into multiple documents (split) with iLovePDF.
Compress PDFs to reduce their size without compromising image quality within PDFs.
Add text, images, and annotations. Sort and delete unwanted PDF pages.
Add a watermark to your PDFs.
Convert PDF files into Word documents and edit them with high accuracy.

Pros and Cons

✅ The free version has enough features to carry out basic PDF edits.

✅ Can change PDFs into multiple file formats flawlessly.

❌ You can only access the tool's free version online on iLovePDF's website.

❌ The free version has limited document processing capabilities.

Pricing

iLovePDF has a free online version that gives you a lot of functionalities. But if you want to edit PDFs offline—upgrade to the platform’s paid version, download the app, and get premium features.

Premium: $7 per month
Business: Custom pricing

#7. CoolNew PDF

CoolNew PDF is a powerful Sejda alternative that offers a wide range of features. You can edit, convert, create, compress, and secure PDF files.

CoolNew PDF is easy to use and has a user-friendly interface.

CoolNew PDF Features

Edit PDFs as easily as you would in Word documents. Add, delete, or modify text, images, and other objects.
Change the document layout, add annotations, and password-protect your documents.
Convert PDF files to other formats, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, CAD, TXT, and images.
Create new PDFs from scratch or by converting other file formats. Add watermarks, headers, and footers to your documents.
Compress PDF files to reduce their size and make them easier to share and store.
Prevent unauthorized users from opening or modifying your documents by encrypting PDFs.

Pros and Cons

✅ Has a great set of features for editing and managing documents.

✅ Lots of customization options available.

❌ Doesn’t have a monthly subscription plan.

Pricing

CoolNew PDF offers two plans to choose from:

6-month plan: $29.99
Yearly plan: $49.99

#8. Lumin PDF

Lumin PDF is a cloud-based PDF management tool that you can use to edit PDFs and collaborate with your team seamlessly. With a user-friendly interface, it offers a range of features that go beyond simple PDF viewing.

Lumin PDF Features

Offers cloud storage so that you can access PDFs from anywhere. This eliminates the need for physical storage and enhances mobility.
The platform supports real-time editing and commenting. You and your team can work on the same PDF simultaneously.
Lumin PDF employs optical character recognition (OCR), converting scanned documents into editable text.
From text editing to adding images and signatures, Lumin PDF provides a comprehensive set of tools for PDF customization.
Seamlessly integrates with Google Drive, allowing you to open and edit PDFs stored in your Drive.

Pros and Cons

✅ You can e-sign unlimited documents on the free plan.

✅ Lets you sync work on the cloud and resume editing anywhere, anytime.

❌ The desktop app’s interface isn’t user-friendly.

Pricing

Lumin PDF has a free plan where you can onboard unlimited team members, annotate three PDFs monthly, and e-sign as many PDFs as you want.

But if you want more, you can choose from the three paid plans the platform offers:

Starter: $9 per month
Pro: $19 per month
Business: $199 per month

👀 Note: All the plans above are billed yearly.

#9. PDFLiner

PDFLiner is a user-friendly, all-in-one PDF tool. The platform’s e-signature feature helps you save time and reduce paper consumption.

With PDFLiner, legal professionals can streamline the process of drafting legal documents.

PDFLiner Features

Allows you to edit original, scanned, or image-based PDF files online. Save the document to Google Drive afterward.
Has document annotation features to draw shapes and arrows on a PDF.
Has a specialized feature for handling tax forms, including an IRS tax calendar.
Enhance your document security by locking PDFs and restricting editor access.
Allows you to share the PDFLiner subscription with others, making team collaboration easy.

Pros and Cons

✅ Comes with a library of 30 million fillable forms.

✅ You can integrate PDFLiner with CRMs, Google Drive, and other cloud-based platforms.

❌ The free version has extremely limited features.

Pricing

PDFLiner has three paid plans to choose from:

Single Use (1 user): $29 - Billed once per document
Self-Employed (3 users): $19 per month
Company Growth (15 users): $59 per month

Read and Edit PDFs Faster with Macro

Sejda’s online version offers several PDF editing features for free and does an ok job editing documents.

But! Only some people feel secure uploading sensitive documents online.

I feel the limitations related to file size and the number of tasks you can get done in an hour are the biggest reasons you might need a Sejda alternative.

Macro takes care of all these limitations, has a desktop version, and gives you a generous free-to-use plan.

If you feel more secure editing PDFs offline, download

Macro’s free-to-use desktop app

and start immediately.