Adobe Acrobat vs. Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)

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
Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
FoxitPhantom PDF is a document management software offering from FoxIt.
$14.99
per month
Pricing
Adobe AcrobatFoxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
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
Foxit PDF Editor
$14.99
per month
Foxit PDF Editor Pro
$16.99
per month
Foxit PDF Editor Pro - Education Edition
$29.95
per year
Foxit PDF Editor
$159.00
one-time fee
Foxit PDF Editor Pro
$179.00
one-time fee
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe AcrobatFoxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe AcrobatFoxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Considered Both Products
Adobe Acrobat
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Foxit PDF Editor was one of the alternatives we were considering while going for Adobe Acrobat. However, it was not a good choice for data import/ export and secure data storage for our organisation. Also, the interface of Adobe Acrobat is simple & more user friendly as …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is great at assembling separate documents into a single document, replacing pages, and optimizing file sizes for web presentation. We can easily import our signatures on documents through Adobe Acrobat. It is essential for our everyday business use, in particular …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
They are equivalent - Adobe Acrobat might have a slight advantage in some areas, though the recent updates may make me go back to Foxit.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I found this software to be very difficult to navigate. I really wanted to love it because it is less expensive compared to Adobe and is easier for our institution to license. Unfortunately, the learning curve was too steep to implement within our organization. I am usually …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I found Adobe to be richer in features than Foxit or Soda, more intuitive to learn and more reliable when in use. Both alternatives were more prone to crashes or had needed features missing, which is how i made my decision to go with Adobe
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe is more user friendly and having more features and part of bigger ecosystem which makes it preferred brand over competitors.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Acrobat is very popular in the world and secure software, so it is easy for the client to open confidential documents in Acrobat and design the document. Acrobat has a modern view, which is very easy to use. Acrobat takes less time to execute different operations in comparison …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Foxit editor is cheaper and handles very large documents better
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat allows licenses to stretch across one account rather than just one device, and works across both Mac and Windows, as opposed to some of the other options.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
They have a superior product that works better and more reliably when it comes to working with PDF files. Adobes' Achilles heel is the restrictions and requirements imposed on the user and software by their administrative and legal teams that drag down what otherwise is a …
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
Acrobat is overall, the superior PDF creator, editor and compiler. However, DocuSign is easier and more reliable as a document signing program. This tool is Acrobat is much harder to use and has caused some errors in documents in the past. It also does not work well with a …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Foxit PDF is a strong competitor to Adobe Acrobat. However, users coming from older editions of Adobe don't like too much change and will want to stay with Adobe instead of changing to a new competing product. We did evaluate Foxit, but end users couldn't or didn't have the …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
We find Adobe Acrobat very easy to use, and the software performs that it has to do with no bad surprises or format problems.
Helps so much to create forms, edit documents, sign documents, other important feature is sharing documents to peers, you can have the control and …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Overall, Adobe has a better reputation than Foxit PDF Editor; while many of my colleagues prefer the features of Foxit (over Adobe), Adobe remains more secure and provides our organization with a higher level of comfort. DocuSign is a great tool for requesting signatures on …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
We actually use adobe alongside Bluebeam to supliment some of the layer features when looking at plans and layouts. We still use Adobe for ease of use for documents or contracts.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
They have a much less intutive user interface and don't always provide a complete solution one stop shop for all the features that we make use of.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Secure Sharing: I can share my documents with other team members while ensuring that the data remains protected. I can set permissions for each document, specifying who can view, edit,
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I have used Foxit in the past. While it did have an easy to use interface, and the ability to use OCR when scanning in paper documents worked just fine, I felt that the OCR feature in Acrobat worked just a little bit better. I think for the price, Acrobat still takes the prize …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is arguably the best in business and it's evident when comparing it against other competitors in the market. It's much more stable and easy to use for anybody. Other tools work well but all the evolution that Adobe has had along the years is pretty difficult to …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
There are some features that I like with Foxit, it takes fewer system resources to run but I feel like there is some functionality that is lacking. Adobe DC has the functions but it slows down the computer. So it's a trade-off. Also, Foxit has a lower price point which is …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
The user awareness of the product stands out always and the fact that all the users are already aware of its usage.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I've used Foxit PDF Editor in the past on my personal computer, for non-work projects. I found that Acrobat has a lot more features, runs more smoothly, and has better support. One benefit that Foxit did have over Acrobat is that it is more affordable, as Adobe's products can …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I have limited experience with Foxit PDF Editor, but use PDF Xchange Viewer and Editor extensively, and have used it for more than a decade. In my limited experience, Foxit PDF Editor was superior to Adobe Acrobat DC in virtually every way, but my familiarity with PDF Xchange …
Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
FoxitPhantom PDF is better Adobe Acrobat DC. I just like that is cheaper and easier to use.
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Acrobat doesn't get close. It feels like the kid version of what a PDF viewer/editor should be. Features are mangled, they're not intuitive, and things are unnecessarily locked down. FoxIt gets rid of the BS and gives you the tools you need to edit your docs like a pro, for a …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
I would say that when you want to get a bigger share of the market and take business from long time consolidated applications like Acrobat, you really need to try harder and give something more to the user to be able to change their mind and switch to Foxit.
In our case …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
In my experience, Foxit Phantom PDF offers the exact same functions and abilities that Adobe Acrobat does. Our company chose Foxit because it was significantly less expensive.
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
FoxitPhantom PDF has all the same basic features that Adobe Acrobat carries, except I have personally found the editing and annotating features to be superior with FoxitPhantom. Not to mention it feels like Adobe Acrobat comes with more bloated software, whereas FoxitPhantom …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
FoxitPhantom PDF is a cheaper alternative to Adobe Acrobat. It can get the job done with basic PDF needs, but the user experience is not a slick as the Adobe products with the recent updates. Foxit was ultimately selected to reduce the costs for a basic PDF reader and editing …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
We were looking at ways to help reduce our license costs, and that is what made us look into alternatives to Adobe Acrobat. The license costs about half of what we were spending for Adobe, so it was a straightforward choice for us to make. Aside from a learning curve associated …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
FoxitPhantom PDF is a no-brainer when compared to Adobe Acrobat. It is extremely cheaper for virtually the same product. It has all of the features that I loved about Adobe Acrobat, but for a fraction of the price. I would say FoxitPhantom PDF isn't just competitive - it's the …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Foxit has its own use. Compared to Bluebeam, Foxit is a way more affordable option. Foxit is a great and affordable solution for most users. The program doesn’t quite stack up against Bluebeam as far as features go. But that’s also why Bluebeam costs $350 and Foxit only costs …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Foxit PDF Editor is much more intuitive than Adobe and Apple Preview and some other PDF editors. The interface and UI are easier to manage and collaborate with, and export cleanly. It is also a good tool for more simple design projects. It's easier to merge multiple PDFs and …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Foxit comes with an offline solution that can be deployed across the company. The price is good, compared with Adobe but a bit less competitive than Kofax. The interface compared to other mentioned tools is easy to deal with and seems to be intuitive for the users who uses …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
I have used Adobe is the past, and it worked just fine. However, I felt that in order to complete the tasks I needed to, I was having to take 4-5 steps just to do one thing. With Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom), most of the issues I ran into with Adobe were one simple click …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
FoxitPhantom contains all the functionalities that you want from Adobe such as creating PDFs, editing PDFs, sharing PDFs, encrypting PDFs, and being a cheaper alternative. The user interface is very intuitive and matches up well with other common software like Microsoft Word …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Simpler to use, just as functional if not more so. Better, smoother integration. We went with it because of its wide functionality and client support. Overall, for the money, it is better and more reliable software.
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Can't beat the cost and quality when compared to the more well known competitor software suites. Also much better than the random, not so well made and supported similar software out there. FoxitPhantom PDF is a solid tool to have on your computer, you will not be disappointed.
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
FoxitPhantom PDF does everything Adobe does and much quicker from the program opening to saving files.
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Same functionality for less cost. Not as pretty as Adobe, but gets the job done all the same.
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
FoxitPhantom PDF works just as well for a fraction of the price, and I feel more secure not using an adobe product on my computer. While the feature sets are very similar Foxit is both easier to use personally and easier to teach to new employees. We used Adobe for several …
Chose Foxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
All the features we need without being forced to overpay for Adobe. Lightweight on system resources.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Best Alternatives
Adobe AcrobatFoxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Small Businesses
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.7 out of 10
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.7 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.7 out of 10
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.7 out of 10
Enterprises
Kofax Capture
Kofax Capture
Score 5.9 out of 10
M‑Files
M‑Files
Score 9.2 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Adobe AcrobatFoxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(475 ratings)
9.0
(28 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(11 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
8.6
(232 ratings)
6.1
(2 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
9.8
(7 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
8.1
(52 ratings)
8.9
(11 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
7.6
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
10.0
(6 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.7
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AcrobatFoxit PDF Editor (FoxitPhantom)
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
FoxIt
In a Newsroom, sensitive information may be shared via PDF documents,
such as interviews with confidential sources. Foxit PDF Editor's
security features, such as password protection can be
useful in ensuring the confidentiality of such documents. Foxit PDF Editor is a versatile tool that can be useful in a variety of
scenarios in a newsroom, from editing news scripts to collaborating on
news reports to creating graphics and visuals. Its advanced features and
ease of use make it a popular choice among newsroom professionals.
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
FoxIt
  • FoxitPhantom carries superior editing tools over Adobe Acrobat and similar products. It allows you to modify text, images, & objects in a more robust fashion
  • Integrates well with Microsoft Office products such as Word, PPT, & Excel
  • Allows you to work in a nearly paperless environment
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
FoxIt
  • I have a dual monitor setup at work and there are times when I wish that I could view pdf documents on both monitors at the same time. I have not yet figured out how to do that with FoxitPhantom as it appears to limit the user to displaying multiple pdf documents as separate tabs on the same screen. If dual screen is an option in the software, it needs to be more apparent.
  • I can't think of any other desired improvements. This software really does everything that I need it to do.
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
FoxIt
Because very few editors are so easy to use and deploy backed by speed and performance. Foxit PDF is known for its speed and performance, allowing users to open and work with PDF files quickly and efficiently
Foxit's user-friendly interface is easy to navigate and use, making it a popular choice for users who are new to PDF software.
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
FoxIt
Foxit Phantom is pretty easy to use, but it is not as intuitive as the latest Adobe PDF products. Although the initial transition across the organization was filled with negative reactions, I think that over a few months, all departments were able to adapt to the new software and feel like they could find what they need within the tool.
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Reliability and Availability
Adobe
Pretty much always there for my business and personal needs.
Read full review
FoxIt
No answers on this topic
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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FoxIt
FoxitPhantom PDF integrates very well with the Microsoft Office products, which is where I found I use this the most. It performs about as well as can be expected, without any out of place latency. Whether it be merging, deleting, editing or rearranging pages, its performance holds up even with larger documents.
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
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FoxIt
I haven't personally had interaction with the customer support from FoxitPhantom, however based on conversations I have had with members in the organization, I was given positive feedback. Their website has a lot of information and tutorials. If you need to contact them, they are quick to respond. User manuals are readily available.
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Online Training
Adobe
Answered basic questions.
Read full review
FoxIt
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
FoxIt
No answers on this topic
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
FoxIt
I would say that when you want to get a bigger share of the market and take business from long time consolidated applications like Acrobat, you really need to try harder and give something more to the user to be able to change their mind and switch to Foxit. In our case licensing was an important factor and at the beginning we had a small learning curve with users asking how to open PDF files and what was that orange icon. The truth is that we as users accepted the new software happily because simply said: it does the job. After using Foxit I would not go back to Acrobat, I like better the connectivity, the simplicity and the way it manages the tabs.
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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FoxIt
No answers on this topic
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
FoxIt
  • We have cut our mailed AR by over 60% by exporting to foxit and emailing.
  • We have cleared an entire room to be used as additional office space by scanning in old documents.
  • The feature that allows you to directly type onto PDFs has increased our quality control by allowing us to highlight or add notes to important info.
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.