Cloud PDF vs Adobe Acrobat
Acrobat is the best-known PDF editor, and it's a subscription. Cloud PDF does the everyday work, and many of the tools Acrobat keeps for its Pro plan, for free. Here's an honest comparison, including where Acrobat is ahead.
Cloud PDF runs in Chrome or Edge, or on Windows and Mac. Needs a free account.
Side by side
Acrobat's prices and plans as Adobe lists them for individuals in the US, October 2026.
| Cloud PDF | Acrobat Standard | Acrobat Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | US$14.99/mo on an annual plan, or US$24.99 month to month | US$19.99/mo on an annual plan, or US$29.99 month to month |
| Edit text and images | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fill and sign forms | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Password protection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Redact sensitive information | Yes | No | Yes |
| Compare two versions | Yes | No | Yes |
| Turn scans into editable text (OCR) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Certificate-based digital signatures | Yes, with timestamps and long-term validation | Yes | Yes |
| Word document editor included | Yes, Cloud Docs | No | No |
| Windows and Mac | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| In the browser | Chrome or Edge | Yes | Yes |
| Phone and tablet apps | Not yet | Yes | Yes |
| Send for others to e-sign, and track it | No | Yes | Yes |
| Where your files are kept | Your computer, or MyCloudSuites with Plus | Your computer, or Adobe's cloud storage | Your computer, or Adobe's cloud storage |
Acrobat details are from Adobe's pricing page; Adobe may change them, and prices vary by country and tax. Acrobat Reader, Adobe's free app, opens and views PDFs. Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Inc. MyCloudSuites isn't affiliated with Adobe.
Why people switch to Cloud PDF
- It's free, with no subscription. Every feature is in the free app; MyCloudSuites Plus only adds optional cloud storage.
- Redaction, compare and OCR are included, not kept for a higher plan.
- Your documents stay on your computer. Nothing is uploaded to MyCloudSuites unless you choose to save it there (MyCloudSuites Plus).
- It writes and edits Word documents too, in Cloud Docs.
- The files it saves open correctly in Acrobat, so you can share with Acrobat users.
When Acrobat is the better fit
- You edit PDFs on a phone or tablet.
- You send contracts for other people to e-sign and want to track them.
- You want your files stored and shared through a cloud service.
- You need Acrobat's browser version in Safari or Firefox; Cloud PDF online needs Chrome or Edge.
Questions
Is Cloud PDF a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. Cloud PDF edits, signs, comments on, organizes, redacts, compares and converts PDFs, and it's free on Windows, Mac and in Chrome or Edge.
Will Acrobat users be able to open my files?
Yes. Cloud PDF is built from the PDF standard, ISO 32000-2, and what it saves opens correctly in Adobe Acrobat, Apple Preview, Chrome and Firefox.
Can Cloud PDF open the PDFs I made in Acrobat?
Yes, including forms, comments, password-protected files and signed documents, whose signatures it can check.
What does Cloud PDF not do that Acrobat does?
It has no phone or tablet apps yet, and no service for sending documents to other people to e-sign and tracking them.
More free PDF tools
Try the free alternative.
Open Cloud PDF in your browser, or download it for Windows and Mac.