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).
$29.99
per month per seat
Google Drive
Score 8.5 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 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
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
Adobe Acrobat is better for working with PDFs since it lets you edit, sign, comment, and more; different documents with precision, while Google Drive is better for storing and sharing files. It does have features for team collaboration on Docs, Sheets, and Slides (unlike Adobe …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is the only player I know. In my experience, Adobe Acrobat is easily accessible.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I would say that Adobe Acrobat offers a whole suite of of feature that Niro Pro just doesn't have.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I have used PDFEscape previously. It is a great product. A wonderful aspect is that it is free. A person can use this within having to link a form or payment or make a payment. Adobe Acrobat is not free (obviously). More or less, it has all of the features that PDFEscape
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I have only really used Acrobat. All the other programs I have used are word processing programs.
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
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
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 …
Google Drive
Chose Google Drive
I had significantly used these drives as well in my professional career as compared to Google Drive: Dropbox offers excellent file synchronization but as compared to Google Drive it seriously lacks dives unmatched ability in document editing. As well as its integration with …
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 …
Features
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
File Sharing & Management
Comparison of File Sharing & Management features of Product A and Product B
Adobe Acrobat
-
Ratings
Google Drive
8.1
219 Ratings
3% below category average
Versioning00 Ratings8.4193 Ratings
Video files00 Ratings7.3188 Ratings
Audio files00 Ratings7.9182 Ratings
Document collaboration00 Ratings8.8216 Ratings
Access control00 Ratings7.8214 Ratings
File search00 Ratings7.4218 Ratings
Device sync00 Ratings8.9204 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
213 Ratings
4% below category average
User and role management00 Ratings8.7200 Ratings
File organization00 Ratings7.6211 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
212 Ratings
1% above category average
Performance00 Ratings8.9210 Ratings
Reliability00 Ratings8.8212 Ratings
Storage Reports00 Ratings8.587 Ratings
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Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
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User Ratings
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
Likelihood to Recommend
8.8
(839 ratings)
8.5
(222 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.2
(45 ratings)
10.0
(6 ratings)
Usability
9.2
(255 ratings)
8.5
(52 ratings)
Availability
9.2
(3 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
6.2
(10 ratings)
9.0
(7 ratings)
Support Rating
9.0
(63 ratings)
1.5
(49 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.7
(15 ratings)
8.0
(3 ratings)
Configurability
8.0
(4 ratings)
6.0
(1 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
6.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.0
(9 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
7.1
(4 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
4.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
5.5
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AcrobatGoogle Drive
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
I would recommend to my peers if they are signing paperwork as it makes it super easy. I would also recomned it if somebody was trying to make an editable PDF or fill in paper document to be able to share across multiple platforms and emails at a timely manner
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
  • Ability to manipulate a PDF in various ways.
  • Print production is incredibly helpful for checking off and making sure PDFs are ready for print.
  • Commenting in Adobe Acrobat is awesome! So nice to be able to hand off a PDF and get it back with edits that are easy to navigate and resolve!
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
  • More printing settings, like being able to adjust the margins and place the print area on the page when the file size is larger than the page, and I only want to print one section. Illustrator has this feature. Often, we print from Illustrator instead, because of this limitation.
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
Adobe Acrobat works seamlessly with the other Adobe products we use that are industry-standard. We will certainly continue to use Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, meaning it will always be convenient to work seamlessly with Adobe Acrobat for our organization. We are happy with the performance of Acrobat and it's meets our expectations.
Read full review
Google
It's perfect for me. It keeps things saved and is easy to remove items if needed. Also, I very much enjoy the formatting options. Along with the integrations it has for SSO. Overall, this is the most user friendly system I have ever come across.
Read full review
Usability
Adobe
I've only used it on Mac desktops, so I am giving this a neutral rating right down the middle. I've not used a mobile version of Adobe Acrobat for cell phone or for a tablet (like an Apple iPad). I've also not used Adobe Acrobat on a PC, although Acrobat Reader, yes. (But that's not the point of this review.)
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
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
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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
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.
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.
Read full review
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.
Read full review
Online Training
Adobe
Easy to follow and understand
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
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
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
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.
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
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.
Read full review
Google
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.
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Google
I have always been able to access
Read full review
Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Adobe Acrobat has saved us time in managing documents. In this day, everything is fast, moves fast, and keeping up with that pace demands software that functions at the same level. Adobe Acrobat does that. It has streamlined the steps I need to take to edit and create documents we need to manage our customers.
  • Adobe Acrobat removes the worry and stress associated with managing a large influx of documents. Something as simple as a document featuring an image that was sent to us upside down. Using the old method, I would have to open other software, click 'Edit', find the 'Rotate Image' button, click it a couple of times, save it as a JPEG, then attach it to Word, and finally save it as a PDF. It was a grueling process that consumed a great deal of time. Now, I simply open the image, and Adobe automatically recognizes it is upside down and fixes it for me. I can save and move on; it literally takes me seconds. Amazing.
  • Adobe Acrobat is intuitive and easy to use, and the additional apps are relevant to the needs that come up. If I have an idea, I can go to the available apps and find exactly what I need. Impressive and speaks to the years of experience this company has had to fine-tune its product and make it obvious that it is aggressive in staying on top.
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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 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.

Google Drive Screenshots

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