Unofficial guide
  • Early alpha
  • Free and open source
  • New builds every few days
  • Checked Oct 15, 2026

Download PdfCraft, the free ArtCraft PDF editor

PdfCraft is the Acrobat replacement in the open-source ArtCraft suite. Free, no account, and it runs on your computer. Pick your system:

Get it for your computer

Download only from getartcraft.com or ArtCraft's GitHub. Every release has a SHA256SUMS.txt file with a checksum for each download. How to check yours ↓

Want the newest build or another format? GitHub's latest release has every file, including FreeBSD and a WebAssembly build you host yourself.

On a phone, or can't install apps?

PdfCraft has no phone app yet. To sign, fill in, merge or compress a PDF right now, use LensUp in your browser. Your file never leaves your device.

Edit a PDF in your browser

No upload · No account · Works on phones

See PdfCraft before you install it

Official screenshots from the PdfCraft project. Click one to see it full size.

PdfCraft with a PDF open, the All tools panel on the left and comments on the right
All tools, the page and comments. The left panel lists Fill & Sign, Organize pages, Scan & OCR, Redact, Compress and more.
Organize pages view with page thumbnails
Organize pages
An interactive form with highlighted fields
Fill in a form
The find bar highlighting matches in a page
Find text
PdfCraft in the dark theme
Dark theme

Screenshots: PdfCraft contributors, from its GitHub README (MIT or Apache-2.0).

PdfCraft vs Acrobat: what it can do today

Based on PdfCraft's own status notes on GitHub and Adobe's Acrobat Pro pages, checked Oct 15, 2026. PdfCraft changes every few days, so check its latest release for news.

Its developers' own estimate (October 2026): about 55% of the way to replacing Acrobat for everyday work, and 66% for someone who only needs the essentials.

What you need PdfCraftfree, alpha Acrobat Propaid Free in your browser nowLensUp
Read and search PDFs Yes Yes —
Rotate, delete and reorder pages Yes Yes —
Merge and split PDFs Yes Yes —
Open password-protected PDFs Yes Yes —
Fill in a form Yes Yes —
Highlight, comment and draw Yes Yes —
Sign a PDF Basic basic digital signatures Yes —
Change text already in the PDF Not reliable yet Yes Not in LensUp either
Copy text out of a scan (OCR) Basic Latin script, no accents yet Yes —
Word and Office files to and from PDF Not yet Yes —
Compress a PDF Yes Reduce File Size Yes Compress to a size you pick → e.g. under 200 KB; pages become images
Scan paper with a phone camera No phone app Yes, with the Adobe Scan app Camera scanner →
Use it on a phone No phone app Yes, mobile app Works in a phone browser →
Price Free, open source Paid Free, no sign-up

PdfCraft column: the “Where it stands” notes in its GitHub README and its feature-parity docs. Acrobat Pro column: Adobe's Acrobat Pro and plan comparison pages. LensUp is made by the team behind this guide; its tools run in your browser and your files are never uploaded.

Install PdfCraft safely

A popular free app attracts fake download sites. Three steps keep you on the real thing.

  1. Download from the official page

    Use getartcraft.com or ArtCraft's GitHub releases. The official page also offers the ArtCraft Launcher, which installs PdfCraft and keeps it up to date.

    Open the official download page

  2. Check the SHA-256

    Run the command for your system, then find your file in SHA256SUMS.txt from the same release. The two values must match. If they don't, delete the file.

    Mac (Terminal)

    shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/[file name]

    Windows (PowerShell)

    Get-FileHash $HOME\Downloads\[file name]

    Linux

    sha256sum ~/Downloads/[file name]

    The installers are also code-signed: on Windows by Learning Machines Inc, and on Mac by Learning Machines LLC, notarized by Apple.

  3. Try it on copies first

    PdfCraft is an early alpha. Keep your originals safe and open copies until you trust it with your files.

Which PdfCraft is this?

Search for “pdfcraft” and you'll find five different products. This guide covers only the first one.

PdfCraft by ArtCraft

This guide

A desktop PDF editor written in Rust, part of the ArtCraft suite of open-source Adobe alternatives. Mac, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD. Free.

getartcraft.com

  • PDFCraft by PDFCraftTool

    A separate free toolkit of 90+ PDF tools that runs in your browser.

    Not related to ArtCraft

  • PDFcraft Pro by Modenbyte

    A Windows app in the Microsoft Store for reading and editing PDFs.

    Not related to ArtCraft

  • PDFCraft on Google Play

    An Android app that merges, splits and compresses PDFs offline.

    Not related to ArtCraft

  • pdf-craft by oomol-lab

    A Python library that pulls text, chapters and tables out of scanned books and papers.

    Not related to ArtCraft

Watch PdfCraft in action

Walkthroughs by YouTube creators. A video loads only when you press play.

Install and first steps

  • FREE Adobe Acrobat Alternative — Meet ArtCraft PDFCraft (2026)

    StepByClick

  • How To Install PdfCraft on Windows

    Dexter Tutorials

  • Try PdfCraft: The Open Source Adobe Acrobat Alternative for Linux!

    LinuxHowTo

  • How Edit PDF Text Using PdfCraft (Free Adobe Acrobat Alternative)

    wpguide

Reviews

  • FREE Adobe Acrobat Alternative? Meet ArtCraft PDFCraft!

    GetConnected Media

  • PdfCraft Review 2026 – Free PDF Editor? (Install + Import Guide)

    Tech Storm

  • I Tried ArtCraft’s Free Adobe Alternatives

    The Average Tech Dad

  • ArtCraft: Free Adobe Alternative, But Can You Trust It?

    Glyn Dewis

PdfCraft FAQ

Answers checked on Oct 15, 2026.

Is PdfCraft free?

Yes. It's free and open source under the MIT or Apache-2.0 license, with no account, no telemetry and no cloud.

Is PdfCraft made by Adobe?

No. PdfCraft is made by ArtCraft, a project founded by developer Brandon Thomas. Its README says it is independent and not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Adobe.

Can PdfCraft replace Acrobat?

Not fully yet. Its developers estimate it is about 55% of the way there for everyday work and 66% for someone who only needs the essentials. Converting to and from Word and other Office files is the weakest area.

Is it safe to download?

Get it only from getartcraft.com or ArtCraft's GitHub, and check the SHA-256 as shown above. The installers are code-signed, and the Mac app is notarized by Apple. It's an early alpha, so try it on copies of your files first.

Is there a PdfCraft app for iPhone or Android?

Not yet. There are builds for Mac, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, plus a web build you have to host yourself. The “PDFCraft” app on Google Play is a different product. To work on a PDF on your phone now, use a browser tool such as LensUp's PDF editor.

Can PdfCraft change the text already in a PDF?

Not reliably yet, especially in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and right-to-left scripts; its developers list it as a gap they plan to fix. LensUp's PDF editor can't change existing text either, but it can add new text, signatures and pictures.

Does PdfCraft have OCR?

Yes, for Latin-script text without accents: its Scan & OCR tool comes with the release builds. Accented letters and other scripts aren't supported yet.

Can I draw on a PDF in PdfCraft?

Yes. Its comment tools include highlights, shapes, ink and text boxes. On a phone, LensUp's PDF editor lets you add shapes, highlights and marks in your browser.

Does PdfCraft upload my files?

No. Its README says documents never leave your machine: there's no account, no telemetry and no cloud processing.

Looking for the other ArtCraft apps?

See which app replaces Photoshop, Premiere and more