Portable Document Format (PDF) is the file format developed by Adobe, which makes file sharing safe and secure across various operating systems, computers, and email platforms. This format makes the file difficult to tamper with, as it has limited modification features. Editing can be done in the file only using a PDF editor. On the other hand, Microsoft Word is the most popular WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) editor that allows you to edit content in any form you like, without disturbing the original formatting.
This article mentions the top 10 PDF to Word Converters for 2023, along with their pros and cons.
Here are the top 10 PDF to Word Converters in 2023
- WPS PDF to Word Converter
- Wondershare PDFelement
- Nitro PDF to Word Converter
- Smallpdf
- ILovePDF
- SodaPDF
- PDF2DOC
- Online2PDF
- Foxit Phantom
- Acrobat DC
1. WPS PDF to Word Converter:
This converter enables quick conversion of PDF to Word files. You can download the desktop or mobile application of this converter, and use the online version too. It can preserve images, colors, tables, layout weights, and even non-standard fonts in your files, after conversion. The WPS PDF to Word Converter features an intuitive interface. It allows you to convert the PDF files into different formats.
Pros:
- Batch conversion
- Option to split and merge files
- High-quality output
- Free premium version available for education
- Highly customizable
- Supports a wide range of output file formats, including Native DOC, RTF, MS-Word DOC and DOCX
- Integrated cloud service
- Free templates
Cons:
- Five page limit in free version
- Ads in free version
Pricing:
- $19.99/year
2. Wondershare PDFelement:
This converter helps you create, convert, edit, and sign your PDF document. The converter has a WYSIWYG editor that resembles MS Word in many ways. It allows you to edit the text and images, as well as insert signature and comments in the file. You can leverage its advanced features, like hiding specific sections of the document. These sections will be accessible only to those with required permissions.
Pros:
- Good for image-rich PDFs
- Document protection
- Supports various file types
- Available as desktop, mobile, and online app
Cons:
- Five page limit in free version
- Font library is limited
- OCR text recognition limited to certain major languages
- No reliable method to remove watermarks
- Document margins may be disturbed during the conversion
Pricing:
For Individuals: The PDFelement Pro will cost $9.99 and PDFelement Standard will cost $6.99 on a monthly plan.
For Team: PDFelement Pro costs $109 on a yearly plan.
PDFelement Business enables 20+ users via perpetual licensing.
3. Nitro PDF to Word Converter:
This converter allows you to upload and convert files in batches. You will receive the converted files through email. This converter is available as an online and desktop app. The online app is free and the desktop app is paid. It is offered free for a 14-day trial period and is limited to five conversions in a month. This may dissuade users who may have more than 5 files to convert. The converter works well only on Windows.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use
- Annotate and review documents
- Batch conversion
- Create, convert, and edit documents quickly
- Integrated with Nitro Cloud
- Microsoft Word style interface
Cons:
- Five conversions per month in the free version
- Images may be lost in conversion
- Has no option for indexing
Pricing:
- There is a free version. The premium version will cost $159 annually.
4. Smallpdf:
This is one of the easiest PDF to Word Converters for 2021 available to you. This tool possesses an intuitive user interface that allows you to simply drag and drop PDF files and convert them. The converted Word file will retain the same formatting as the original PDF file. Smallpdf assures better conversion for scanned PDF documents using its Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use and enables electronic signatures
- Processes unlimited files
- Files are deleted automatically from the servers after an hour
- Files are secured with 256-bit encryption
- Integration with Google Drive and Dropbox
- Chrome extension is available
Cons:
- Free version allows conversion of only 2 files per hour
Pricing:
- There is a free plan. The premium version will cost $6 a month and $48 a year.
5. ILovePDF:
This PDF to Word Converter stands out due to its simplest interface. The tool is easy-to-use and the conversion is done in two steps. In the first step, you have to choose the file to be converted and in the second step, you have to choose the format to be converted. It allows users to convert the file to other formats, such as Excel, JPEG, and PowerPoint. It allows you to watermark, compress, split, and rotate the files.
Pros:
- Reliable conversions
- Google Drive and Dropbox integration
- Easy file sharing
Cons:
- Free version restricts conversions
- Free version has advertisements
Pricing:
- There is a free version. The premium version will cost $48 annually.
6. SodaPDF:
It is a PDF to Word converter that allows users to compress and convert the PDF documents in batches, without compromising the speed and quality. The converted Word document retains all text and format of the original PDF document. This converter is also available for offline download.
SodaPDF removes all converted files from the server within 24 hours of the conversion task. This feature makes it a great choice for all who may be concerned about the safety and security of their data.
Pros:
- Enables PDF editing
- High speed and precise conversion
- Compatible with browsers like Microsoft Edge, Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox
- Downloadable offline version available
- Supports conversion of PDF to Excel, JPG, HTML, and PowerPoint file formats
- Deletes all converted files from the server within 24 hours
Cons:
- Supports only selected languages
Pricing:
- This software is available in three premium versions – Desktop Standard will cost $64.90 annually; Desktop + Web Professional will cost $47 annually; and Desktop + Business will cost $199.68.
7. PDF2DOC:
This converter is free and features an easy-to-use interface. The PDF2DOC converter can be operated on most mobile devices. It keeps intact the original format and text in the document after conversion. It allows you to convert almost 20 files at a time. You can download all converted documents using “Download All” in Zip archive format. All uploaded data will be deleted from the website within an hour.
Pros:
- Batch file upload and download
- Can be used on both mobile and desktop devices
- Fast conversion
Cons:
- Lots of ads
Pricing:
- This software is available for free.
8. Online2PDF:
This PDF to Word Converter allows you to merge, extract, and compress PDFs and convert them into Word files. The converter enables batch conversion into different formats, including Word, Excel, JPG, and so on. It has an advanced OCR feature that allows you to scan the PDF document and edit images effectively. The converted files are deleted from their servers, which makes it an ideal choice for dealing with files that may contain some sensitive information. The premium version allows conversion of up to 100 pages.
Pros:
- Batch file upload – up to 100 pages
- Files can be automatically downloaded or in Zip format
- Fast conversion
- Convert encrypted files by entering the password
- Preserves annotations
Cons:
- Lots of ads
- Complex interface
Pricing:
- This software is available for free.
9. Foxit Phantom:
This PDF to Word converter is widely preferred for high-quality conversions. You can access it online or use it as a desktop app. The online app is easy-to-use, as you have to drag the files and convert them with a single click. It does not support batch conversions in the desktop app. It supports multiple conversion formats, including JPG, Excel, PPT, and more. Foxit Phantom can be used for compressing, signing, redacting, and merging PDF files.
Pros:
- Advanced text editing
- Advanced object editing
- Scan and OCR
- PDF signature
- Redaction
- Create, edit, and share PDF documents
- Edit history – available in Pro version
- Supports English as well as 12 major European languages
Cons:
- Limited features available in the trial version
- No conversion to ePub
- Form fields usage may be challenging
- Forms created in this application may not load properly in other PDF applications
Pricing:
- There is a free trial. The one-time fee for Foxit PDF Editor 11 is $119 and for Foxit PDF Editor Pro 11 is $139.
10. Acrobat DC:
Adobe Acrobat is the PDF converter that started the trend of PDF to Word conversion. It is still one of the most popular PDF to Word Converters used across the world today. Adobe Acrobat offers one of the best and clutter-free interfaces, which can be easily understood by anyone. This tool can be accessed on desktop and mobile. Misalignment of images, missed words, or erratic margins are never an issue with this software.
Pros:
- Drag and drop feature
- PDF to DOC conversion
- Rotate and split PDF
- Supports TXT, HTML, and other formats
Cons:
- Free trial is chargeable after 7 days
Pricing:
- There is a 7-day free trial. The Acrobat Pro DC costs $14, and the Acrobat PDF Pack costs $9.
Conclusion
We hope the ten tools discussed in this section serve your purpose. The choice of the right tool will finally depend on your conversion requirements. If you are a start-up or small scale business with limited conversion requirements then free tools will be the best choice. However, if you are a well-established business dealing with clients across the globe then paid tools will be the best choice.
