Adobe Acrobat DC vs Drawboard PDF: Features & Advantages

Comparing Adobe Acrobat DC vs Drawboard PDF with the aim to find a program for convenient work with PDF files, it is necessary to determine what tasks you will perform on a regular basis. Are you interested in making quick corrections to finished PDFs on the go using a stylus? Or you want to juxtapose 2 documents, relying on smart OCR technologies? Maybe you need a complete set of tools for text editing? Think accurately before making a choice.

Adobe Acrobat DC is a classic editor for working with a PDF file. You can digitize and fill out forms, encrypt files, annotate, and add interactive content.

Drawboard PDF is a modern program for quick edits. Its interface is more understandable, and the support for a stylus makes the entire workflow amazingly faster.

Which Is Better? Final Verdict:

Adobe Acrobat DC offers unlimited possibilities for working with PDF files. You can import editable forms and tables, add interactive elements by inserting JavaScript, and automatically optimize PDF files to reduce their size.

Adobe Acrobat DC is the winner >

Adobe Acrobat DC offers:

  • Integrated OCR for conversion
  • Understandable UI
  • You can add interactive elements and insert links
  • Multi-level file encryption
  • Teamwork in real-time

What Is Adobe Acrobat DC?

adobe acrobat dc fast built-in convert

Adobe Acrobat DC has a basic, non-destructive interface and a powerful built-in converter. A standard version comes with FineReader's proofreading features for correcting scanned documents. Besides, here you can work with multi-page PDFs.

adobe acrobat dc form and table recognition

As for unique features, the program can compare two documents in different formats, e.g., Word documents and PDF files, find duplicate information, and replace or delete it.

Besides, the software offers automatic recognition of forms and tables. Users can upload editable tables created in Excel or from other Microsoft documents, and manage them in Adobe Acrobat DC. Thanks to this function, it is called one of the best OCR software. After filling in the table, you can send documents for signing to other users.

adobe acrobat dc advanced editing features

Comparing Adobe Acrobat DC vs Drawboard PDF in terms of editing features, I can say that the former gives you access to all elements of a PDF file – you can upload interactive elements, remove duplicate phrases, or add the missing information. Besides, you can number pages, insert watermarks, bookmarks, headers and footers, links to other documents and web pages.

adobe acrobat dc encryption of various types

If you are editing a finished file, the program automatically selects a similar font so that there are minimal differences. You can also remove the background, add fields for articles and attach files. In addition to editing text and images, you can use Acrobat DC to organize your document on a large scale. It is possible to add and delete pages from the context menu.

When it comes to importing, you can encrypt your documents with a certificate or password, restrict editing, permanently delete information that has been hidden in the document (so it cannot be recovered), and more.

What Is Drawboard PDF?

drawboard pdf custom layout style

Drawboard comes with a user-friendly interface, which you can access with a mouse/keyboard/finger and stylus. Drawboard’s radial panel contains tools for editing documents, quickly switching between them, and customizing the layout style.

drawboard pdf accurate simulation of pressure sensitive ink or pen

The highlight of the program I want to mention in this Adobe Acrobat DC vs Drawboard PDF comparison is a very accurate imitation of pressure-sensitive ink when users use a pen or an active stylus. You can select a color from the palette, and fine-tune transparency, thickness, tilt, and set stroke options. After that, you can create unique underlines, highlights, and annotations in PDF documents. With such fantastic features, the program is deservedly referred to as one of the best inexpensive and free PDF editors.

drawboard pdf document calibration according to scale

You can add editable shapes, lines, and clouds to the Drawboard. You can also insert dynamic content such as handwritten captions, images, and text boxes.

Moreover, it is possible to calibrate your document to the needed scale, as well as add linear and area measurements. The best part is that all frequently used tools can be added to a list of favorites.

drawboard pdf collaboration and cloud storage

In Drawboard PDF, you can combine and reorder documents, use calibrated annotations, and experiment with a range of templates and overlays. The collaboration features are also fantastic. Users can annotate, edit PDF files, or create entire group projects with team members. All edits are synchronized in real-time, due to the built-in cloud storage.

Comparison

adobe acrobat reader logo
Adobe Acrobat DC
drawboard pdf logo
Drawboard PDF
  • File comparison
  • Speech to text conversion
  • Convenient search and marking
  • You can add your unique watermarks to documents
  • It is possible to add Bates numbering to legal documents
  • Users can extract and merge pages
  • Integrated converter
  • It is possible to reduce PDF file size without quality loss
  • Fast and accurate layout tools
  • Group projects

Price

adobe acrobat dc vs drawboard prices

Adobe Acrobat DC is available within 2 plans – Basic for $15.59/month (entry-level tools for caption, markup, and annotation), and the Pro version for $23.99/month (professional options such as comparison of two documents, OCR functions, the possibility to edit all elements of a document, data protection with signatures, watermarks and more).

As for Drawboard PDF Pro, you can get a Basic plan for $4.83/month or a Premium version for $11.67/month in case you need more extensive and faster storage, where you can upload up to 200 documents per month.

Professional users or large businesses can get a separate, bespoke variant of Drawboard PDF Pro. In this plan, you will have real-time synchronization of all edits and limitless cloud storage. The price for such a plan is set after signing a contract.

FixThePhoto Choice:

Adobe Acrobat DC is a classic program for importing PDFs, protecting and comparing them. Besides, it utilizes unique OCR technologies, which makes it the best option for serious businesses or professional users.

Drawboard PDF is a lightweight program focused on fast edits on the go (thanks to stylus support). You can quickly create and fill editable shapes.

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