Finding a free PDF converter in 2020 is as daunting a task as it was last year… and the year before! Although there are several free, free-trial, and free-forever-trial versions of PDF converters both online and offline, it’s not always possible to test out every option before starting to use it. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive overview article on the best free 7 PDF converters for the year 2020, what they offer, and each of their pluses and minuses.

1.    PDFelement

This PDF utility is one of the leading free PDF converter applications available to today’s businesses. Being a strong rival to Adobe Acrobat DC and Nitro PDF is a tough job, but PDFelement does it with aplomb, while at the same time catering to the needs of the free user base with its PDF editing, PDF conversion, and other tools.

Key Features

 – Several types of conversion tools available:
 – Convert PDF to MS Office and other document and spreadsheet formats
 – Convert to PDF/A for archiving purposes (ISO standard)
 – Convert files in batches instead of one by one
 – Convert scanned PDF files into editable and searchable PDF
 – Modify conversion settings such as resolution (dpi)
 – Convert PDF to image
 – Additional tools for editing, annotations, organizing (merge/split), form creation and form filling, eSigning, PDF security, etc.
 – Available for Windows and Mac, as well as mobile OS platforms like Android and iOS.

Pros

 – Faster conversion rates than most premium PDF conversion tools
 – Robust suite of editing and other features
 – Advanced tools for professional users who want to upgrade
 – A high degree of fidelity when converting complex mixed-media content
 – Integrated with cloud storage providers for easy collaboration
 – The user-friendly interface helps first-time users learn very quickly
 – Conversions are accurate in terms of reproduction quality, content layout, etc.

Cons

 – PDFelement branding visible with the free conversion tool
 – OCR only available as a premium plugin (Here is the comparison between Pro and Standard)

2.    Smallpdf

Smallpdf offers a free online PDF converter that works really well for PDF to Office formats like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as image files. The company has collaborated with Solid Documents to use its PDF conversion framework, and this makes for a reliable conversion every time. The conversion speed is fast but dependent on your Internet connection, obviously, and you can other online PDF services like editing, merging, and compressing – all online.

Key Features

 – Multiple conversion formats available
 – Medium to high accuracy for PDFs that aren’t too complex
 – Convert to major MS Office formats

Pros

 – Great accuracy for simpler documents
 – No download required

Cons

 – No conversion to other formats like HTML and EPUB
 – Limited to one conversion per session

3.    SimplyPDF

This is the original online service powered by the Solid Documents framework for PDF conversion. It’s a web application that does conversions from PDF to Word and other MS Office formats. The accuracy is impressive and it can convert just the pages you specify. That means, if you have a large document and you only want bits and pieces of it for reference, this is the ideal tool.

Key Features

 – Powered by Solid Documents and Solid Framework
 – Drag and drop web interface
 – Ability to open documents with passwords

Pros

 – Powerful conversion engine
 – Select a specific page range to convert – saves time
 – Advanced tools for table and list detection, text rotation, OCR, etc.

Cons

 – Only three conversion output formats available
 – Acts as a gateway to the Solid Converter premium conversion utility

4.    Total PDF Converter

This free utility from CoolUtils offers a fairly impressive range of output file types. One feature that stands out is that it does batch conversions but isn’t as confusing as some of the other open-source PDF converters that are out there.

Key Features

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 – Batch conversion available
 – Multiple format options including PDF/A
 – As a registered user, you will have access to the command line interface

Pros

 – Extensive choice of output file types
 – Split PDF using blank pages or bookmarks
 – Combine multiple PDF to TIFF
 – Add watermarks when converting

Cons

 – Outdated interface
 – No regular updates

5.    Soda PDF Online

The name can get a little confusing here because Soda PDF also has a product called Soda PDF Anywhere that is very similar to this free service. In reality, they both piggyback on the same backend resources so there’s not much of a difference. With Soda, you get a free trial for the online version, after which you need to purchase a license in order to be able to save converted files.

Key Features

 – Fully loaded online PDF conversion tool
 – Standard conversion format offerings, including PDF/A and batch conversion
 – Additional suite of tools for editing, annotating, form creation, OCR, etc. are available on the same page

Pros

 – Convenient, no download required
 – Use it on any device on the go
 – Full functionality during the 14-day trial period – no account required

Cons

 – No perpetual free version; very limited features in Soda PDF Free
 – Uploading online exposes you to security risks

6.    EasePDF

This is a free-forever online PDF converter that brings a lot of other functionality to the table. The conversion quality is great, especially if you have a PDF with a relatively simple mix of text and visual elements. The conversion utility is split into several modules, one for each output type. The formats available are MS Office, JPG, and HTML.

Key Features

 – Online tool powered by Solid Documents
 – 10 standard conversion output formats
 – Separate modules for each conversion format

Pros

 – Free forever
 – Fairly accurate conversion
 – Most standard MS Office and image formats supported
 – Convert multiple files in one batch

Cons

 – Some issues with conversion layout when PDFs are compressed
 – No PDF/A or other formats like EPUB

7.    Adobe Acrobat DC (Document Cloud)

Are you surprised you’re seeing Adobe feature in a list of free software? That’s because the product comes with a 7-day free trial for both the standard and pro versions. If you’re doing a one-off conversion and you’re curious about the most widely used PDF editor in the world, this is your chance to try it out. Unfortunately, you only have a week before it turns into a useless piece of bloatware on your computer. Nevertheless, it’s not an opportunity you should pass up because it’s a highly accurate tool for converting PDF into a myriad of other formats.

Key Features

 – 7-day free trial, no obligation to continue with the paid upgrade if you cancel
 – Comprehensive suite of conversion tools to multiple formats as well as ISO PDF/A
 – Convert quickly and accurately
 – Batch conversion available in Pro version

Pros

 – World’s most popular PDF software
 – Support for a wide selection of output formats
 – Conversion accuracy is high
 – 7 days of zero-restriction access to all PDF tools

Cons

 – Doesn’t revert to being a PDF reader after the free trial period
 – Expensive to upgrade
 – Preset batch conversion is a little complicated to set up