Adobe Acrobat vs. PandaDoc

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
PandaDoc
Score 8.8 out of 10
N/A
PandaDoc headquartered in San Francisco offers their eponymous electronic signature platform for sales teams, containing sales proposal automation and CPQ (configure, price, quote) features, and integration with CRMs.
$35
per month per seat
Pricing
Adobe AcrobatPandaDoc
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
Starter
$35
per month per seat
Business
$65
per month per seat
Enterprise
Contact Sales
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe AcrobatPandaDoc
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesYes
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalOptional
Additional DetailsPandaDoc offers a free eSign plan and 3 paid packages for eSigning and document automation. All plans include unlimited documents and eSignatures. Evaluations start with a free 14-day trial. Up to a 46% discount for annual pricing.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe AcrobatPandaDoc
Considered Both Products
Adobe Acrobat
Chose Adobe Acrobat
PandaDoc is less customizable for creating/editing documents, less security but is much better when sending to a client and needing them to add text since the client would a paid subscription with Adobe Acrobat if I sent it that way
Chose Adobe Acrobat
We considered getting PandaDoc, which seems to perform well, but the cost was ultimately not as competitive. TaxDome is a CRM for tax firms. It contains a PDF editor, available at no additional cost. Ultimately, we do plan to divest from Adobe Acrobat and use TaxDome's …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat has an easier interface and more functions.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Really, this was not much of a competition for anyone standing up next to Adobe. There is so much more scalability and functionality in a team such as ours that we did not have any issues or concerns going with Adobe compared to any of the other competitors out there
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe has more features than the others and they are included in my Adobe software. No other integrations needed
PandaDoc
Chose PandaDoc
Both DocuSign and Adobe Acrobat have some strong features for e-signatures, but the additional bells and whistles have meant overly complex systems that are cumbersome for us. Additionally, there are a lot of added features we would have been paying for that we had no use for. …
Chose PandaDoc
Our office selected PandaDoc since it was better in terms of saving money. The cost was the most important factor when determining which site to use.
Chose PandaDoc
ease of use and simplicity for the customer experience
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc has a simple, integrated eSignature component, which is our primary reason for using it over its competitors.
Chose PandaDoc
much better. The pricing structures worked a lot better than the other companies because we are a small clinic
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc provided similar features and functionality at a better price, but the "tipping point" was integrated e-signatures.
Chose PandaDoc
We chose PandaDoc for its ease of use and tools that allow a professional feel. The convenience for our clients to review and sign agreements also helped us make the decision to go with PandaDoc.
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc is way easier to use than any other document system that I’ve experienced. The value proposition is definitely better than competitors, both the desktop and mobile user experience is significantly better, the functionality is much more intuitive, and the product is …
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc offers a free version with basic features and several tiered pricing options. The pricing is generally considered to be competitive and offers good value for the range of features provided. we often find PandaDoc intuitive and user-friendly. Its interface is designed …
Chose PandaDoc
Easier to use. Cheaper. Faster. Less stiff.
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc stacks up above and beyond. It's replaced having to create a document in Word, save it to PDF, and then upload it for signature in an e-sign tool. I can create my documents in the editor. Present proposals in presentation mode instead of powerpoint and send directly …
Chose PandaDoc
We selected PandDoc initially for the cost savings and grew very happy with it after using for several months.
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc is more accessible and easy to use then several of its competitors which we have trialed but do not match up to all of the functionalities available in this software. Lacking straight forward navigation and all of the field tools offered even in the unpaid version. We …
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc is hands down a better sales tool than all mentioned above. There is no comparison with the ability to change and adjust contracts or proposals. There is nothing like PandaDoc when it comes to document manipulation prior to putting it in front of the end user. While …
Chose PandaDoc
We selected PandaDoc because DocuSign continued to increase the price each year and charged per document instead of just a simple contract like they started with. PandaDoc had all the same features for a much better price.
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc is free for what I use.
Chose PandaDoc
While much less powerful, PandaDoc gives much more aesthetic depth.
Best Alternatives
Adobe AcrobatPandaDoc
Small Businesses
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.7 out of 10
Foxit eSign
Foxit eSign
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
Enterprises
Tungsten Capture
Tungsten Capture
Score 7.9 out of 10
DocuSign
DocuSign
Score 8.7 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Adobe AcrobatPandaDoc
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(838 ratings)
8.8
(329 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.2
(39 ratings)
9.1
(18 ratings)
Usability
9.2
(243 ratings)
8.3
(23 ratings)
Availability
9.3
(3 ratings)
9.1
(4 ratings)
Performance
6.3
(10 ratings)
9.6
(21 ratings)
Support Rating
8.9
(62 ratings)
6.1
(23 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.7
(15 ratings)
6.3
(4 ratings)
Configurability
7.3
(3 ratings)
2.8
(3 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
6.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.0
(9 ratings)
9.0
(20 ratings)
Product Scalability
7.2
(4 ratings)
8.6
(4 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
4.0
(3 ratings)
9.7
(20 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
5.5
(2 ratings)
6.7
(4 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AcrobatPandaDoc
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
PandaDoc
Best suited for after demonstrations when requested by the prospect when they are looking for pricing with T&C. The data room is also great that acts like a drop box for opportunities and their contacts. Helps share pertinent information with others in the organization.
Read full review
Pros
Adobe
  • For the business account, the Adobe Acrobat rep assigned to your account will actively look for ways to save you money.
  • We have found that our rep from Adobe Acrobat Business Account reviews our usage and related apps and has offered helpful tips on better ways to complete tasks we historically undertake with their software. They have saved us a great deal of time and money. They make us efficient.
  • The apps they offer that combine with the primary program are relevant to the tasks our business performs, and they function at a high level and never fail. It's really quite remarkable.
Read full review
PandaDoc
  • Allows clients to remotely execute documents.
  • Tracks the progress of document execution.
  • Emails clients to remind them to sign documents so we don't have to follow up.
  • Emails us when documents have been fully executed.
  • Provides an easy-to use interface to place signatures, dates, and other information on our forms.
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
PandaDoc
  • Sometimes the fillable fields don't automatically map properly and you have to manually adjust.
  • Plan tiers and pricing recently changed, so now we get less value and less features (limited templates, no more pricing tables or invoicing/connected payment) for the same price, which is pricy for a small business.
  • Easier, integrated invoicing as an included feature (so we don't have to use a different software for invoicing/payment collection) would be ideal. You have to upgrade to the Business Plan for this.
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.
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PandaDoc
The reason I gave it a rating of 7 is because it's probable, but not for sure. This is because there are a few little things we don't love about pandadoc. Mostly that there is not conditional logic such as: they must either fill this field out OR this one. Also it's a little pricey. But we'll probably stay because it's good enough and a pain to switch to something new
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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
PandaDoc
Once you get the hang of it, it's very easy to use. There can be a slightly steep learning curve to get fully in on the system. The new editor v2 has really improved usability and allows us to collaborate on documents simultaneously. Once the templates and library items are set up, a new document, whether it be a sales or HR document, takes very little time to complete.
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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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PandaDoc
We haven't had any real issues regarding downtime as of yet.
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.
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PandaDoc
The documents load quickly for the most part but sometimes if there are larger documents with a high number of variables it could take a bit longer to get the document to show up. Most of the time the document comes on the screen relatively quickly allowing for quick access to documents to be edited and sent out.
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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.
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PandaDoc
Recently I could not upload a pdf to a contract - support was very responsive and easy to work with. They got back to me the next day with an apparent fix - however when I opened the document nothing had changed. I then could not respond to the rep who was helping me because it was a "no-reply address", the problem still has not been solved and we had to make alternate arrangements to get this to the client. Never had it happen before and was only with this one contract.
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Online Training
Adobe
Easy to follow and understand
Read full review
PandaDoc
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
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PandaDoc
Implementation was before the time I was here at Riafox, however, support has been great in assisting to merge spaces and upgrade to 2.0 Editor.
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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
PandaDoc
We used Dropbox back when it was still HelloSign. At the time, new templates were very hard to create. We had to upload a PDF and then add the fields from there. With PandaDoc, we are able to drag and drop the text, images, logos, and fields we need easily. This has saved our team an immense amount of time.
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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
PandaDoc
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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PandaDoc
It's scalable
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Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Automation of contract offer generation enabled the HR team to reduce the time to process contracts by 97%.
  • The automated workflow is more accurate and decreased document errors by up to 90 percent.
  • The signature collecting process was cut from a minimum of 30 minutes to only 2 minutes.
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PandaDoc
  • We have greatly increased the efficiency in which we can get signatures from individuals for documents and increase productivity.
  • We have been able to find older documents very easily.
  • W-9 have been very difficult due to Section 3, but this was addressed with conditional logic
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.

PandaDoc Screenshots

Screenshot of some of the custom-designed themes, templates, embedded rich media, and interactivity to give every deal the opportunity to get noticed.Screenshot of automatic notifications, on-the-fly editing, CRM Integrations, and integrated eSignatures.Screenshot of reporting, with drill down to the deal level with proposals, to pick which deals to include (or exclude).Screenshot of legally binding eSignaturesScreenshot of centralized communications to streamline the negotiation process, and make revisions in real-time in a single location.Screenshot of document analytics that display what’s really happening after documents are sent with real-time reporting on engagement and activity on the documents. This enables teams to respond faster to prospects.