From a longtime user: Good value.
Updated January 04, 2022
From a longtime user: Good value.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Power PDF Standard
Overall Satisfaction with Kofax Power PDF (formerly Nuance)
Sorry to start off like this, but I first found it (around 2005?), even before Nuance acquired it....maybe? Nuance had Paperport, then it added PDF Creator, I think. I've been in the business thirty years, so I sometimes forget who acquired/developed/released which product when. :)
Regardless, I found it because I wanted a cheaper alternative to Acrobat. I tried PDF Creator (4, I think), at first for simply printing-to-PDF LONG before word processors had that built in.Then I started using editing features, cropping/resizing, secure signatures. I've only installed Advanced PowerPDF at one law firm, they used it for Bates Stamping. Other than that, it's been the standard version, and it's worked great for me and for my customers. I still think of it as Nuance, even though the Kofax acquisition is what? A couple of years old already. Regardless, the product is still good, and I recommend it.
Regardless, I found it because I wanted a cheaper alternative to Acrobat. I tried PDF Creator (4, I think), at first for simply printing-to-PDF LONG before word processors had that built in.Then I started using editing features, cropping/resizing, secure signatures. I've only installed Advanced PowerPDF at one law firm, they used it for Bates Stamping. Other than that, it's been the standard version, and it's worked great for me and for my customers. I still think of it as Nuance, even though the Kofax acquisition is what? A couple of years old already. Regardless, the product is still good, and I recommend it.
- Printing to PDF/rendering accurately.
- Secure signatures.
- Resizing/cropping.
- Adding comments/collaboration features.
- Opening medium-size files (1-3 MB?) can take a while sometimes.
- Activation wizard's ability to remove an activation and transfer is flaky (sometimes).
- If there isn't a Mac product, please consider developing one.
- Cheaper than Acrobat.
- Easier to use than Acrobat.
- Works well.
- That should be enough.
It was mostly easy to use. Average end-users mostly can't figure out the signature feature on their own, and therefore most of my users prefer not to use it, even after I show them how. They'd sooner insert a JPG of their signature. Not as good, but it works for them.
Already stated: it works, it was cheaper than Acrobat, and it's got the features my users need.
Do you think Tungsten Power PDF delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Tungsten Power PDF's feature set?
Yes
Did Tungsten Power PDF live up to sales and marketing promises?
Yes
Did implementation of Tungsten Power PDF go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy Tungsten Power PDF again?
Yes
Comments, text boxes, signatures, adding/inserting/removing pages.
Using Kofax Power PDF (formerly Nuance)
2 - Creating, assembling, dissecting, and repurposing PDFs. Sometimes we import or convert files in other formats to incorporate them into PDFs, or make PDFs out of other standard document/image file formats when only PDFs are accepted.
1 - I've been using PDF Converters since, probably 2000, and have been in IT for thirty-one years. I'm probably the best-equipped person in house to support the product. I used PDFConverter (the former name of PowerPDF) since version 3.0 ...maybe earlier, but the earliest I remember is 3.0. It was a cheap competitor to Acrobat "back in the day". So, I have a pretty good idea of how the product can be used by everyday people.
- Document conversion
- Asset import and conversion
- Viewing and editing PDFs
- Supporting other PowerPDF users.
- I can't think of anything that someone must not have already done.
- I never thought of PowerPDF as a document management product, but maybe that.
Using Kofax Power PDF
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Familiar | Difficult to use Cumbersome |
- Cropping
- Document assembly (adding /subtracting pages, importing/adding from other PDFs
- Export/Save As
- Security/signature (it shouldn't have to be the last thing you do on the document. It's not really that bad, just an annoyance)
- OCR (nobody's is perfect)