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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Adobe Acrobat

    Score8.8 out of 10
    N/AAdobe Acrobat DC is the current version of the well-established document / PDF management solution, part of the Adobe Document Cloud (the other part being Adobe's eSign services based on technology acquired with EchoSign in 2011).

    $29.99

    per month per seat

    Tungsten Power PDF

    Score9.5 out of 10
    Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
    Tungsten Power PDF (formerly Kofax) is a solution to manage PDFs for businesses and individuals available with a one-time purchase with no subscription fees. It has a built-in eSignature integration with SignDoc and DocuSign for a complete end-to-end document…

    $129

    one-time fee per license

    Pricing
    Adobe AcrobatTungsten Power PDF
    Editions & Modules
    Acrobat Pro for Individuals
    $19.99
    per month
    Acrobat Pro for Teams
    $23.99
    per month per user
    Acrobat Studio for Individuals
    $24.99
    per month
    Power PDF Standard
    $129
    one-time fee per license
    Power PDF for Mac
    $129
    one-time fee per license
    Power PDF Advanced
    $179
    one-time fee per license
    Power PDF Business
    Get a Quote
    per year per seat
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Adobe AcrobatTungsten Power PDF
    Free Trial
    YesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsDesktop licenses are buy once, own forever. No subscription fees. Business server licenses are term-based or perpetual with optional maintenance & support contract. Volume and upgrade discounts available.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Adobe AcrobatTungsten Power PDF
    Considered Both Products
    Adobe
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    I just don't feel as comfortable using other PDF editors. They just don't have the same name and look as Adobe Acrobat and I worry about the security of using other software to work on our company's documents. They may have similar features as Adobe Acrobat but I don't see any …
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    Adobe is well placed against Kofax. Its e-signing is hand-down easier and more robust. That alone gives it the edge. Kofax does some some easier tools to use and we have it as a backup. But Adobe is our go-to solution for PDF creation, processing and document administration. …
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    I prefer the Kofax suite of products with intuitive interfaces, 80-90% of the functionality of Adobe Acrobat, a one-time purchase fee, discounted upgrades and system integration, and no reports of collaborators to open, use, edit or navigate PDFs. Kofax has been my choice for …
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    Acrobat is our choice over Kofax Power PDF. It's just a better solution in our opinion. We use their Paperport application but pairing it up with Acrobat keeps out environment consistent and I think gives us better results.

    Not saying the Kofax PDF is a bad product, but I …
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    Kofax does just about everything Adobe does, but Adobe is more widely used so using Adobe helps with staying compatable with our customers. adobe also does the software functionality features a little better in our opinion.
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    For sure Adobe is one of the top products you can use but it is very pricey compared to other vendors. If it is not required by the company and you need basic functions such as comments or converting, then you can probably choose other vendors.
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    Power PDF is very complicated and not intuitive.
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    This software has fewer features and is harder to use. The editing, redacting, combining, and organizing tools are much less powerful. It causes much more work and less efficiency when I have to use something other than Adobe to work with PDFs. This software also does not do …
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    Based on my experience, I like Kofax Power PDF better. I find it easier to use. I think that it does a much better job at converting documents into fillable PDFs. The price point is much more reasonable.
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    Acrobat and Kofax Power PDF are largely very similar, though I do have a preference for Kofax when creating forms. Kofax is also much cheaper than Acrobat. From a cost perspective, I certainly recommend Kofax over Acrobat. However, I prefer the user interface of Acrobat as I …
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    I like Acrobat because it feels like the company pays attention to it and improves it regularly without affecting core functionality. Kofax Power PDF was more difficult to use, and it felt neglected, only getting an update maybe once every year or so.
    Incentivized
    Chose Adobe Acrobat
    Adobe Acrobat excel at its e-signature capabilities. This beats both Foxit and Power PDF. However, it lacks native integration with accounting-specific tools like TaxFolder. TaxFolder allow one-click from tax software itself to send out signature request. Way more …
    Incentivized
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Tungsten Power PDF is easier to use and more user friendly than Adobe Acrobat. Most versions of Adobe Acrobat either do not have all of the features that Tungsten Power PDF has, or charge a fee/premium for licensing. Tungsten Power PDF integrates all of these features into …
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Adobe Acrobat and Nuance Power PDF, which is the core of Kofax Power PDF. Kofax Power PDF generally performs as well Acrobat, without the high price.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Kofax Power PDF is cheaper than Adobe Acrobat and has better functionality when it comes to editing PDF documents
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    I have used (and still use) Adobe Acrobat (also named Acrobat DC) with customer computer. The use is fairly identical in function and use. Based on price model I prefer to pay a one time fee for Kofax Power PDF over monthly payment for Adobe.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Cute PDF, Free Adobe Acrobat. Cute PDF does not have all the features of Kofax. Adobe is all online, which in our countryside environment is slow. Having all the processing locally is much faster in our situation.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Adobe Acrobat and Kofax Power PDF are similar enough to make transitioning back and forth easy. When I have had to use Foxit PDF Editor on someone else's computer, it has been disappointing in comparison. Online free PDF apps I see other people using tend to want you to …
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    I think Adobe Acrobat is very slow and does not perform well with large documents. I often have documents that are thousands of pages long and with Adobe it's very difficult to open and load the document, let alone make changes. Kofax Power PDF, on the other hand, responds and …
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    PDF exchange is much better because it includes more professional features needed for engineers And professionals. It also has a lot of features that makes the interface much more easy to use such as the ability to copy the file directly into your clipboard from the PDF …
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    More cost- effective.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    My CFO mandated Tungsten due to cost. I prefer Adobe, but no longer have access to it.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Just as powerful and easier to use, not bloated with features that are of no use.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Much easier to use. TBH I bought Nuance based on reviews and price point. A risk that proved worth taking.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Just as good if not better than the Adobe product line with less cost. We needed a PDF writer and editor. Tungsten Power PDF allowed us the same functionality at a fraction of the cost. We thought it was worth trying and it was definitely a great choice for our business …
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Adobe is overly expensive.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Similar functionality, easier to use, less expensive.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Low cost with similar function
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Ease of use, dependability, local access without the need for an online connection or subscription, and general familiarity of the software after years of use. Nitro is difficult to use, never works right, and jumbles files where it is hard to find what you are working on. …
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    ease of use, cost savings, intuitive interface
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    We have had instances where we've used the other two products. Adobe did not offer a one time payment at the time so we did not go with that one. Most users currently use Foxit. I would not say that Foxit nor Kofax really beat each other out, some prefer one or the other based …
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Acrobat, however the cost was prohibitive.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    Adobe - but too long ago to compare it to anything Adobe does today.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    I think Kofax Power PDF is easier to learn.
    Incentivized
    Chose Tungsten Power PDF
    In my experience, noticeably more intuitive
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    98%
    Would buy again
    487 Answers
    97%
    Would buy again
    571 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    95%
    Delivers good value for the price
    423 Answers
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    562 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    98%
    Happy with the feature set
    486 Answers
    97%
    Happy with the feature set
    569 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    98%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    341 Answers
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    514 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    99%
    Implementation went as expected
    372 Answers
    97%
    Implementation went as expected
    542 Answers
    Features
    Adobe AcrobatTungsten Power PDF
    PDF Editors
    Comparison of PDF Editors features of Adobe Acrobat and Tungsten Power PDF
    Feature
    Adobe Acrobat
    -
    Ratings
    Tungsten Power PDF
    7.8
    15 Ratings
    7% below category average
    Edit Text and Images00 Ratings7.614 Ratings
    Merge or Split PDFs00 Ratings8.815 Ratings
    Add Annotations00 Ratings7.814 Ratings
    Text Recognition (OCR)00 Ratings6.512 Ratings
    Page Management00 Ratings8.115 Ratings
    Form Creation and Editing00 Ratings6.511 Ratings
    Secure PDFs00 Ratings7.911 Ratings
    Convert to Different Formats00 Ratings8.314 Ratings
    Comment and Review Tools00 Ratings8.113 Ratings
    Undo and Redo Actions00 Ratings8.214 Ratings
    User Ratings
    Adobe AcrobatTungsten Power PDF
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.1
    (481 ratings)
    8.7
    (587 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.7
    (26 ratings)
    10.0
    (111 ratings)
    Usability
    9.3
    (237 ratings)
    9.8
    (46 ratings)
    Availability
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (13 ratings)
    Performance
    8.1
    (8 ratings)
    9.1
    (13 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.8
    (56 ratings)
    9.5
    (428 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    3.6
    (1 ratings)
    Online Training
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    9.6
    (9 ratings)
    9.1
    (33 ratings)
    Configurability
    8.5
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (9 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    6.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    9.0
    (8 ratings)
    9.1
    (10 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (12 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    4.0
    (3 ratings)
    9.1
    (7 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    5.5
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (7 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Adobe AcrobatTungsten Power PDF
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Adobe
    The 12 primary users represent our core Human Resources, Payroll, and Finance operations teams. Within this group, HR managers use the platform to oversee employee lifecycle events, handle benefits administration, and process new-hire onboarding. The payroll specialists and finance staff manage bi-weekly payroll runs, direct deposits, tax compliance, and general ledger reporting. Additionally, a couple of operational team leads use administrative access to approve timesheets, track attendance, and monitor departmental PTO accruals.
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    GREAT for combining documents into a single PDF. Great for working with a PDF. Not so great converting PDF to Word format. Would like to see more effort put into that development. Would like to see more effective testing of updates prior to pushing them out as well. Otherwise it is awesome.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Adobe
    • For the business account, the Adobe Acrobat rep assigned to your account will actively look for ways to save you money.
    • We have found that our rep from Adobe Acrobat Business Account reviews our usage and related apps and has offered helpful tips on better ways to complete tasks we historically undertake with their software. They have saved us a great deal of time and money. They make us efficient.
    • The apps they offer that combine with the primary program are relevant to the tasks our business performs, and they function at a high level and never fail. It's really quite remarkable.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    • Typewriter functionality is great, although can take some time to load. This allows you to fill in text wherever applicable without turning the rest of the pdf into editable text.
    • Fast load times
    • Has autogenerated text feature so anything in the pdf can become editable
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Adobe
    • Fonts can default (but not always) if the designer doesn't perform due diligence before generating PDFs.
    • The one area Adobe Acrobat is not good at: generating PDFs straight from a website. The results are touch-and-go.
    • The basic nav controls take a little getting used to. What I initially expected to be in one spot could only be found elsewhere.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    • I find that quickly editing text within a document or adding a line of text is clunky and can snowball into things popping out of place. I prefer to export text, and then work on it elsewhere.
    • Sometimes it seems that text recognition is trying too hard and throws me paper punches as "O"s and wrinkles as shapes, so I have to get rid of those artifacts.
    • The "Update Available" popup which is usually not an actual update announcement but rather an offer to sell me something is annoying.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Adobe
    Option 1: Cross-Departmental MixThe 12 Adobe Acrobat users in our organization represent several key business functions across operations:Legal & Compliance (3 users): Redact confidential information, review terms, and handle legally binding e-signatures for contracts.Finance (3 users): Consolidate financial statements, convert spreadsheets into secure PDFs, and process vendor invoices.Human Resources (2 users): Manage fillable onboarding paperwork, store confidential employee records, and distribute company policies.Sales (2 users): Send out client proposals, track service agreements, and capture executive signatures.Marketing (2 users): Review collateral proofs, combine media packages, and optimize PDF sizes for web distribution.
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    Tungsten Power PDF is easy to use, the staff all like it, and there are no issues with it on any level. It is a more cost-effective solution to our PDF needs than other products currently available on the market. This product works as intended and it fits our business needs perfectly.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Adobe
    The features on the desktop version are all toolbar based, which makes it a little more cumbersome on a smaller device (and much simpler on a large screen). The web forms adjust well to different screen size so work well on mobile, tablet and computer
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    It is fast and easy to get the hang of. It really didn't take a lot of effort to learn how to use this program and I appreciated that it was pretty "plug and play" and there wasn't a long learning curve.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Adobe
    We have not had availability issues with Adobe Acrobat, or at least none that I am personally aware of. Some may encounter crashes of the software during outages of electricity in their city or neighborhood, which no one can plan for, but with generators in our organization, we have been lucky not to have outages
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    Other that a PDF partially disappearing if left up for a long period of time - no issues. (If you close it and reopen it, it is all there. We have some PDFs that are 400-600 pages long.)
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    Adobe
    One of the best features of Adobe Acrobat is its speed and stability. When dealing with massive multi-page files, having to reload a crashed program over and over again would slow down progress unnecessarily. And expanding on that, having the table of contents generated allows me to skip to different pages with ease, a necessary feature with exceptionally long files. word searches are even more helpful with text recognition.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    Pages nearly always load at the expected rapid speed. Some documents that print quickly from Adobe Reader print much more slowly from Power PDF. I have never generated a report - that's a feature I didn't know existed until now and do not know what it's for
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Adobe
    For a while, Acrobat DC crashed pretty frequently. I contacted Adobe Acrobat support about the problem. At first support was unable to provide a solution. After about a month Adobe's software engineers provided a fix. I just wish it had taken less than a month to solve the problem.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    I have used it for 15 years and have only needed support once: a simple update that allowed me to use the software as intended. The support team was attentive and responsive, and I was on my way very quickly.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    Adobe
    No answers on this topic
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    I got an overview of the product from my predecessor who was about to retire from the job I now hold. He did not go into very many of the features and probably only knew about the ones he used most frequently.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Online Training
    Adobe
    Easy to follow and understand
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    We watched the training videos and tested out the features and functionality side by side. Some features are not used on a regular basis is it is convenient to go back and review training on that particular functionality when needed.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Adobe
    I was not involved with the implementation process, so I cannot answer this question. However, when it was installed on my computer system, they did so virtually. I just sat there while they took control of my computer over the network and watch them install it, lickety split
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    Easy and quick, with no problems or support needed. Worked as intended right out of the box. E-signing was the only area that implementation was dificult and required support
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Adobe
    In my opinion, both complement each other. Microsoft clearly has with Copilot the AI Edge. However, the visual dynamics of Adobe Creative are Outstanding and provide a balanced approach to creativity, utilizing both Excellent, user-friendly Tools.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    There is nothing to compare it to. Tungsten Power PDF is by far an easier and more efficient option. The one advantage of CutePDF is the functionality of overlay and underlay with headers and footers. The other functions in Tungsten Power PDF are much easier to use. Pricing is also an attractive option.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    Adobe
    The only thing I can think of that may be helpful would be a more flexible tiered pricing options based on usage or document volume.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    No answers on this topic
    Scalability
    Adobe
    I find that many users aren't aware of many features of the software they use, nor may they be comfortable with learning multiple-step processes. For the simplest of PDF purposes (scanning, downloading, exporting), it gets a thumbs-up. For anything involving electronic signatures, meh--causes eyes to glaze over, or forgetting what all is involved.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    Not really familiar since I'm the only person who uses it. But in the past it has been my understanding that Power PDF was offered only on a single-license basis, so it's been expensive for me to use it at home and at work because I had to pay for it on my own. In my current position management supports it so I at least only have to pay for it once.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Adobe
    • Automation of contract offer generation enabled the HR team to reduce the time to process contracts by 97%.
    • The automated workflow is more accurate and decreased document errors by up to 90 percent.
    • The signature collecting process was cut from a minimum of 30 minutes to only 2 minutes.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Tungsten Automation (formerly Kofax)
    • Although it was expensive to get the program (just under $200), I found that it was nice that there was only that one time charge. If there were updating or annual fees, I think that would be a deal breaker. Thankfully there isn't, though!
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Adobe Acrobat Screenshots

    Screenshot of where to create, edit, convert, and share PDF files all from within Microsoft Teams – as part of Acrobat integrations with Microsoft 365 apps.Screenshot of Liquid Mode in Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app, where users can read PDFs on phones and tablets without having to pinch and zoom. Navigate lengthy documents with intelligent outline and search tools, while maximizing readability and comfort with font size and line spacing that are adjustable.Screenshot of where to fill and sign PDF forms from anywhere and on any device. Here, users can collect signatures, digitally track progress, and automatically archive the signed document.Screenshot of the Adobe Scan mobile app, used to capture and convert documents into high-quality, interactive PDF documents that can be filled out, signed, and shared. This eliminates the hassle of finding a printer, filling a form by hand, and scanning it again.

    Tungsten Power PDF Screenshots

    Screenshot of the PDF Create Assistant, which can be used to create multiple PDFs at the same time from a variety of source formats. Create individual PDFs, or combine into one PDF package.Screenshot of PDF Profiles that can be created to apply commonly desired settings to new PDF documents created in Power PDF.Screenshot of the application's color, changed from purple to blue, light gray or dark gray.Screenshot of some lightweight document automation that can also be achieved with the Watched Folder and Sequence features.Screenshot of where packages can be signed with pre built templates using Kofax Sign Doc or other integrating e-signersScreenshot of PDFs that can be navigated with a thumbnail view