PDF Candy vs pdf.net (2026): Pricing, Features & Which to Choose

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

Lower starting price
Not comparable
Not comparable: pdf.net does not list a price
Free plan
Tie
Both have one
Higher rating
PDF Candy
4.1 against 3.8
Same job?
Yes
Both are Productivity tools

Side by side

Compared on	PDF Candy	pdf.net
Our rating	4.1Better	3.8
Starts at	$6/mo	Free
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Category	Productivity	Productivity
Plans	From $6/mo	Free
Key features	24+ dedicated online tools for PDF conversion and editing OCR text recognition for scanned documents Desktop app for offline use on Windows and Mac Merge, split, compress, and password-protect functions Watermarking and page rotation tools	Edit text directly inside an existing PDF Merge, split, and rearrange pages Electronic signing and annotation Conversion across DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, JPG, PNG, HEIC, and Markdown AI-assisted document tools
Pros	Broad tool coverage means most common PDF tasks are handled in one place Lifetime license option avoids ongoing subscription cost entirely Desktop app extends the same toolset for offline work	No installation needed for occasional PDF work Accepts a wide range of input formats beyond PDF Covers signing and annotation alongside editing
Cons	Free tier's one-task-per-hour limit makes batch work impractical without paying Browser-based tools upload files to external servers, a concern for sensitive documents Interface spread across two dozen-plus single-purpose tool pages rather than one editor	Documents are uploaded to a third-party service, which suits confidential files poorly Browser-based editing is slower than desktop software on large files Company background and founding details are not publicly documented
Company	Icecream Apps, founded 2016	pdf.net, founded 2024

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260729. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is PDF Candy better than pdf.net?

In our reviews PDF Candy scores 4.1 and pdf.net scores 3.8. The better pick depends on the job. PDF Candy: Browser-based toolkit of 24-plus PDF tools for converting, editing, merging, and compressing files. pdf.net: Browser-based PDF editor covering signing, annotation, merging, conversion, and AI tools.

Which is cheaper, PDF Candy or pdf.net?

PDF Candy: from $6/mo. pdf.net: free.

Do PDF Candy and pdf.net have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

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