Adobe Acrobat vs. Google Drive

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Acrobat
Score 8.8 out of 10
N/A
Adobe 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).
$12.99
per month
Google Drive
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Google Drive is a cloud file storage, synchronization, and collaboration platform and service, that features Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for document editing and presentation.
$6
per month
Pricing
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
Editions & Modules
Acrobat Standard for Individuals
$12.99
per month
Acrobat Standard for teams
$14.99
per month per user
Acrobat Pro for Individuals
$19.99
per month
Acrobat Pro for Teams
$22.19
per month per user
Acrobat for Enterprise
Contact sales team
Basic
$6.00
per month
Business
$12.00
per month
Enterprise
Contact Vendor for Quote
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
Additional DetailsDiscounts are available for students, educators, and non profit organizations.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
Considered Both Products
Adobe Acrobat
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I haven’t really used or looked for other products to use. Adobe has all the features I need. I used Google Drive for a bit because it works well on a smart phone. But on a desktop computer I prefer Adobe, for it is easy to use, the tools and features are not hard to navigate, …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Within Google Drive, you can use Google Docs to transcribe scanned in PDFs from clients. This actually works pretty well also, and the big advantage here is that it's already in the cloud and accessible from any place (Adobe may have this option too, and I am not totally aware …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I have used nitro and abbyy for OCR usage and found similar results. Google Drive I've used for OCR recognition as well. From a usage point of view, I have found Acrobat to have a much more intuitive interface to manage the features I need like editing, page insertion, …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I think Adobe Acrobat is better designed, has better and more robust options and is more secure than the cloud services that those sites provide. Acrobat also is already integrated in the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, so is cheaper to use it, because in those tools above you have …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Being the industry standard, Adobe Acrobat exceeds other platforms as the common file format all parties can read and comment even with only the free reader version.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe is the leader in the ability to create professional grade documents to distribute internally and externally. The challenge is the pricing and the ease of use is not as ideal in relation to these other products. The learning curve can be steep and time consuming which …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
In my experience, Adobe Acrobat offers more advanced features and security safeguards than competitors. It may come at a price, but you feel that you can trust in the brand and the abilities of the platform when compared to competitors. With that in mind, some users may find …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
While we do use DocHub for client signatures and intakes, we feel that Adobe Acrobat DC is much more intuitive and has more capabilities. We also greatly appreciate Adobe’s commitment to security, and their willingness to provide nonprofits like ours with a significant …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I don’t think Acrobat has any legitimate competitors in the space. It is the industry standard and I have not really used any competitors.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
There are many pdf viewers and editors in the market but none of them can compete with Adobe Acrobat DC. This software also gives good services but many of them are not for only pdf like Acrobat. In many applications, you can view or edit but can not sign and secure documents.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat DC provides a seemingly more secure way to provide a document and maybe protect it from further sharing out, I've made similar docs in Google Slides/docs that are for large groups, and people use fillable shapes to edit, but we maintain more control both in design …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I've had very little interaction with these other three, PDF Studio was probably the most I've played with. But honestly, I just wasn't impressed really. Not impressed enough to see much of a difference or improvement. Adobe has always been the chosen one for our company so …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe is a bit more expensive than these others but for me and my company, the ease of use is why Adobe is the best.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe is the industry standard. The learning curve for inward and outward users was much easier. We are an education based organization, so our documents need to be reliable and compliant for safety and accessibility measures.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Websites like PDFCandy.com and other free PDF editing programs have been tried out. There are so many garbage PDF editing add ons and extensions out there nowadays that it's getting easier and easier to just open Acrobat DC.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
There really is no product that compares when it comes to pdf management. Currently Adobe has a corner on the market.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
There are still some employees who prefer to use Word instead of Adobe for their editing. However, they still use Adobe Acrobat DC in order to export to Word. They are just more familiar with Word and due to their comfort level, they don't want to be bothered with using the …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
We transitioned from Adobe Acrobat Reader to Adobe Acrobat DC because of the additional capabilities that Adobe Acrobat DC allowed. I can modify a document much more efficiently, easily and quickly than with Adobe Acrobat Reader. I also have more tools that I am able to use to …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
We have used Acrobat DC as part of our Adobe CC subscription since 2014 and as it has always sat well with our other software purchases and performed all the tasks required of it, we've never had a reason to look elsewhere. It may be that if our current trial of the fill and …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I have not used other products. In my past job, I used Adobe Acrobat so I recommended it for this new position also.
Google Drive
Chose Google Drive
Google Drive works with a Google account. So I don't need to use multiple account credentials. And it is easy to remember one account. And one more thing which motivated me to go for Google Drive is its speed for performing multiple tasks.
Chose Google Drive
We are also a Microsoft school in addition to GSuite. The Microsoft products don't seem to flow as well in my opinion. I also have had serious synchronization issues with OneDrive. I found OneDrive a little more difficult to navigate when looking for files within folders. On…
Chose Google Drive
In general, I prefer Dropbox to Google Drive because it has a better user interface and has the ability to rewind or recover deleted or lost files. They are both perfectly acceptable for file sharing, but I feel like Dropbox is easier and has a quicker upload/download speed for …
Chose Google Drive
My response is the same for all three. Google Drive is the total package. Each of the alternatives that I've tried have been good at file storage and sharing and that's about it. OneDrive, being a Microsoft product, has some compatibility with their other products, but, at …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
File Sharing & Management
Comparison of File Sharing & Management features of Product A and Product B
Adobe Acrobat
-
Ratings
Google Drive
8.6
202 Ratings
2% above category average
Versioning00 Ratings8.3178 Ratings
Video files00 Ratings8.0171 Ratings
Audio files00 Ratings8.1165 Ratings
Document collaboration00 Ratings9.2199 Ratings
Access control00 Ratings8.9197 Ratings
File search00 Ratings8.9201 Ratings
Device sync00 Ratings9.0188 Ratings
Cloud Storage Security & Administration
Comparison of Cloud Storage Security & Administration features of Product A and Product B
Adobe Acrobat
-
Ratings
Google Drive
8.3
196 Ratings
4% below category average
User and role management00 Ratings8.3185 Ratings
File organization00 Ratings7.9195 Ratings
Device management00 Ratings8.799 Ratings
Cloud Storage Platform
Comparison of Cloud Storage Platform features of Product A and Product B
Adobe Acrobat
-
Ratings
Google Drive
8.7
196 Ratings
3% above category average
Performance00 Ratings8.7194 Ratings
Reliability00 Ratings9.1196 Ratings
Storage Reports00 Ratings8.587 Ratings
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Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
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Score 9.7 out of 10
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Score 10.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
MSB Docs
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Score 9.7 out of 10
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
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Score 9.6 out of 10
Enterprises
M‑Files
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Score 9.2 out of 10
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User Ratings
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(475 ratings)
8.8
(203 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(11 ratings)
9.9
(5 ratings)
Usability
8.6
(232 ratings)
8.7
(36 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(2 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
9.8
(7 ratings)
9.0
(7 ratings)
Support Rating
8.1
(52 ratings)
7.8
(48 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
7.6
(4 ratings)
8.0
(3 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
6.0
(1 ratings)
Ease of integration
10.0
(6 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.7
(2 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
If your organization uses PDFs frequently, then Adobe Acrobat feels like must-have. I could not imagine our organization not using it. The ability to create, organize, and edit PDFs easily and intuitively are the main reasons my organization uses it. The other additional functions and features are "nice to haves", but ultimately, don't impact our day-to-day
Read full review
Google
It is possible to share files and folders with up to 200 email addresses, as well as with persons outside the company.Use the drop-down arrow to select who may see, comment on, or change the file or folder before sending out an invitation.I am very much impressed with this feature
Read full review
Pros
Adobe
  • Easy to understand- the program has a very intuitive layout that is great for people who doesn't use the product very much
  • Includes all features you might need. There are many features I didn't even think we would need that they have included.
  • They have a very recognizable name so my clients feel they can trust what they are being asked to open/sign since the Adobe name is next to it.
Read full review
Google
  • Any user with access can store a file using different platforms like Android, IOS, Windows, or Ubuntu (Desktop version)
  • You can share files with any number of different users with different access rights or you can even keep it public by providing the access link and assign different rights for public access
  • You can open Excel/Word files using google software Sheets/Docs in the browser environment without having to install software like Microsoft Office etc on your Windows OS
Read full review
Cons
Adobe
  • It would be good if Adobe Acrobat could utilize less system resources. I have had crashes due to memory and CPU load this week
  • Quicker load times from a cold launch
  • Easier collaborative commenting for offline documents - knowing where and who wrote what
  • Ensuring documents don't have issues where text cannot be copied before publishing
Read full review
Google
  • Having a little bit more control and clarity over what is shared and how it is shared would be a useful improvement.
  • Could be more robust and flexible as far as assigning restrictions.
  • Google Sheets could be enhanced because Excel really is not there yet as a product with equal capabilities as there are still quite a few limitations to the functionality.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Adobe
I bought a perpetual license to Acrobat some time ago, but if the software ever stopped being supported in my version of windows or other solution that makes me need to buy another license I would not hesitate to do so since it saves me a lot of headaches. There are workarounds to merge files and edit pdfs with an online interface but I dont think those are a good usage of time when Acrobat exists.
Read full review
Google
For its compatibility, easiness, quick responses, user interface, storage capacity, files management and file listings. These are some of the reasons for giving higher ratings and Google Drive has become an integral part of my professional life. We use this software on daily basis and most of the time saving lot of time.
Read full review
Usability
Adobe
My overall experience with Adobe is great because because the it has almost all of the tools in one place and it can be used it for most of my work without going anywhere else. Because the tools are available right there in the main interface, it makes it very easy to use.
Read full review
Google
It's easy enough to use for computer users of all ages and skill levels. I am an advanced user, and I think the hardest part might be showing someone how to download and set up the app on their device if they weren't too familiar with computers, but overall it is very easy to understand.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Adobe
Pretty much always there for my business and personal needs.
Read full review
Google
Always available
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.
Read full review
Google
The documents load fairly quickly and also update in real time, especially given the fact that multiple people can be using it at once. The "Offline" feature works great to allow the user to make edits and access the document without access to the internet, and then sync changes later once they're back.
Read full review
Support Rating
Adobe
Because I don't need it. Used it years ago for account management/billing issues but they have changed the user experience so more of that can be managed online. If I have a question the knowledge base or a video that Adobe has posted answers
Read full review
Google
It takes a few days for customer support to get back to you. Although, I have not had to use support too often. Once you get an email back, they are very thorough and work hard to fix the problem quickly. It is a really great resource and a great way to get the help you need if you're stuck. A phone call also works quickly but you have to call during specific times.
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In-Person Training
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Google
The effective google workspace using training that my organization received and was conducted by me (as a team lead of the ICT team) was mind-blowing and as a result, our staff is performing well in terms of using the application for their daily jobs than before. Now, in my institution, all teachers and all the administrative personnel are very much interested in cloud storage facilities, in previous my institution was afraid of losing all important documents in the cloud storage. But, after having received the training they are now realized that if anyone has only one google account then he or she can use 15GB of cloud storage freely and they are now happy because now it is not necessary for anyone to carry the traditional pen drive.
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Online Training
Adobe
Answered basic questions.
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Adobe
Works well with JamF and SmartDeploy. These are our Enterprise imaging solutions for Mac's and PC's. The Enterprise installer is required when pushing out this app.
Read full review
Google
It's an extremely easy software to implement, once you sign up for a google account you automatically have access to google drive with a set amount of storage space. The business or Google Suite accounts have more storage space than a regular free account, but setting up and accessing google drive is very easy in both cases
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Adobe
There really is no comparison. Although we use other PDF programs, we mainly utilize Adobe. Not only because we find it to be a better program but also because everyone is more familiar with it. However, the other products are implemented for various reasons, such as a feature or 2 that we find necessary to use at times.
Read full review
Google
In short, Google Drive is better for independent users who store a normal amount of stuff. OneDrive makes more sense for businesses and teams that are doing heavy-duty storage or large-scale syncing. Realistically, though, most users will fall somewhere in between the two, where either platform would meet their needs.
Read full review
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.
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Google
I have always been able to access
Read full review
Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Adobe Acrobat has improved the security of our documents, resulting in less risk, as protecting documents is essential to ensure compliance with privacy laws.
  • It saves our company money, as the product makes it easier for our employees to complete their jobs.
  • The product assists our employees with providing quality work product.
Read full review
Google
  • It has given our operation remote capabilities
  • Easier to access and understand client's need through collaborative enviroment
  • availability to digital resources fast and easy
  • saved our operation hundreds of dollars in physical storage (both investment and maintenance)
  • our operation became easier for new staff to get onboard: small learning curve to use it
Read full review
ScreenShots

Adobe Acrobat Screenshots

Screenshot of Create, edit, convert, and share PDF files all from within Microsoft Teams – as part of Acrobat integrations with Microsoft 365 apps.Screenshot of With Liquid Mode in Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app, 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 Fill and sign PDF forms from anywhere and on any device.  Collect signatures, digitally track progress, and automatically archive the signed document.Screenshot of With Adobe Scan mobile app, capture and convert documents into high-quality, interactive PDF documents that can be filled out, signed, and shared.  Eliminates the hassle of finding a printer, filling a form by hand, and scanning it again.

Google Drive Screenshots

Screenshot of Google Drive PriorityScreenshot of Comment on Microsoft Files in Google DriveScreenshot of Shared drives