DocHub, Foxit PDF Editor and PDF Expert all edit and sign PDFs, but they are built around different platform bets that matter more than any single feature.…
Best for: Gmail and Google Drive-centric small teams that want cheap, unlimited e-signature bundled into the same browser-based subscription as PDF editing.
Subscription (per-user annual or monthly licensing) · From $10.99/month or $129.99/year per user
Best for: Windows, Mac and mobile teams that want an Adobe Acrobat-level feature set, including OCR and AI-powered redaction, at a lower price, and are fine buying e-signature as a separate line item when needed.
Freemium · From Free (view/basic annotate); Premium from EUR 5.99/week or EUR 84.99/year; Lifetime EUR 149.99 (Mac only)
Best for: Mac, iPad and iPhone users who want a fast, native Apple-platform editor and prefer a one-time Lifetime purchase over an ongoing subscription.
At a Glance
DocHub
Foxit PDF Editor
PDF Expert
Primary category
Documents & E-signature
Documents & E-signature
Documents & E-signature
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Freemium
Subscription (per-user annual or monthly licensing)
Freemium
Starting price
Free
$10.99/month or $129.99/year per user
Free (view/basic annotate); Premium from EUR 5.99/week or EUR 84.99/year; Lifetime EUR 149.99 (Mac only)
Free plan
Yes
Not documented
Yes
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
iOS, Mac
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Yes
Yes
Not documented
Public API
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Standout Differences
PDF Expert is the only one with a one-time purchase option
PDF Expert offers a Lifetime license for around EUR 149.99, restricted to the Mac version, as an alternative to its weekly or annual subscription. DocHub and Foxit PDF Editor are subscription-only.
PDF Expert
DocHub folds e-signature into its core plans; Foxit sells it separately
DocHub's Pro plan includes unlimited e-signature requests as part of the same subscription as editing. Foxit instead sells Foxit eSign as a distinct product with its own pricing, starting at $120 per year per user.
DocHub, Foxit PDF Editor
Foxit is the broadest cross-platform suite once you buy Editor+
Foxit PDF Editor+ covers Windows and macOS desktop, a web app, and iOS and Android mobile apps under one subscription, more platform coverage than DocHub's browser-only design or PDF Expert's Apple-only apps.
Foxit PDF Editor
All three now ship a built-in AI assistant
DocHub Intelligence, Foxit's AI Assistant, and Readdle's PDF Copilot each offer AI-assisted document summarization, search, or question-answering within their respective apps.
DocHub, Foxit PDF Editor, PDF Expert
PDF Expert is Apple-only; DocHub needs zero install
PDF Expert has no native Windows or Android app, while DocHub runs entirely in the browser and works consistently across Windows, macOS, Chromebooks and mobile browsers without installing anything.
PDF Expert, DocHub
Feature-by-Feature
Platform Coverage
Feature
DocHub
Foxit PDF Editor
PDF Expert
Native desktop app (Windows and/or Mac)
Unavailable
Available
Available
Native mobile app (iOS and/or Android)
Unavailable
Available
Available
Editing and Document Tools
Feature
DocHub
Foxit PDF Editor
PDF Expert
OCR for scanned documents
Not documented
Available
Available
Redaction of sensitive content
Not documented
Available
Available
AI Assistant
Feature
DocHub
Foxit PDF Editor
PDF Expert
Built-in AI document assistant
Available
Available
Available
Pricing and E-Signature
Feature
DocHub
Foxit PDF Editor
PDF Expert
E-signature included in core subscription, not a separate paid product
Available
Limited
Available
One-time or lifetime purchase option
Unavailable
Unavailable
Available
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
DocHub
Free — $0 monthly
Basic — $8/user/month (billed annually) monthly or annual
Pro — $12/user/month (billed annually, ~$16 month-to-month) monthly or annual
Site License — Custom custom
Foxit PDF Editor
PDF Editor — $10.99/month or $129.99/year per user Monthly or annual
PDF Editor+ — $13.99/month or $159.99/year per user Monthly or annual
AI Assistant Add-on — $49.99/year Annual
eSign Essentials — $120/year per user Annual
eSign Business — $300/user/year (5-seat minimum) Annual
Free plan is genuinely usable for occasional PDF editing and a handful of e-signature requests per month
Deep, native integration with Gmail and Google Drive means files never need to be downloaded and re-uploaded
Simple, uncluttered browser-based editor with a low learning curve compared to desktop PDF suites
Per-user pricing on Basic and Pro is noticeably cheaper than DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign for small teams
Cons
Free and Basic plans cap monthly e-signature requests, which can be limiting for active individual users
HIPAA compliance and Business Associate Agreements are only available on the custom-priced Site License tier
Advanced PDF manipulation, such as heavy OCR workflows or complex conditional form logic, is more limited than dedicated PDF suites like Adobe Acrobat
The experience is primarily browser-based, without the offline-first native desktop apps some competitors offer
Foxit PDF Editor
Pros
Significantly more affordable than Adobe Acrobat while covering most core PDF editing needs
AI Smart Redact automates sensitive-data removal that would otherwise require manual review
Includes a genuinely free standalone PDF reader alongside the paid editing subscriptions
Volume discounts of up to 30% make it cost-effective for larger teams
Cons
Mobile apps and several premium features are gated behind the higher-priced PDF Editor+ tier
Foxit eSign Business requires a 5-seat minimum purchase, adding cost for very small teams
AI Assistant's free tier is limited to 20 credits per month before requiring a paid add-on
Company's origin and dual US/China corporate structure has drawn scrutiny in some government and enterprise security discussions
PDF Expert
Pros
Native, well-designed apps for Mac, iPad, and iPhone
One-time Lifetime purchase option (Mac) as an alternative to subscription
AI-powered PDF Copilot assistant built in
Fast performance and Apple Pencil support on iPad
Strong OCR and form-filling tools
Cons
Lifetime license is limited to the Mac version only
Weekly and annual subscription pricing can be costly compared to some competitors
No native Windows or Android app, with a Mac/iOS/iPadOS focus
Some advanced features are gated behind the Premium subscription
Use Cases
Choose DocHub: Gmail and Google Drive-centric small teams that want cheap, unlimited e-signature bundled into the same browser-based subscription as PDF editing.
Choose Foxit PDF Editor: Windows, Mac and mobile teams that want an Adobe Acrobat-level feature set, including OCR and AI-powered redaction, at a lower price, and are fine buying e-signature as a separate line item when needed.
Choose PDF Expert: Mac, iPad and iPhone users who want a fast, native Apple-platform editor and prefer a one-time Lifetime purchase over an ongoing subscription.
DocHub
Small Business Contract Signing — Freelancers and small businesses send contracts and invoices for signature and track completion status without paying for enterprise e-signature software.
Google Workspace Document Workflows — Teams already living in Gmail and Google Drive edit and sign PDF attachments in place, avoiding repeated downloads and uploads.
Recurring HR and Real Estate Paperwork — HR teams and real estate agents use saved templates to quickly send the same offer letters, leases, or disclosure forms for repeated signature collection.
Foxit PDF Editor
Affordable PDF editing for students and freelancers — Individuals get core PDF editing, conversion, and OCR capabilities without paying for a full Adobe Acrobat subscription.
Compliance-driven document redaction — Legal and HR teams use AI Smart Redact to quickly remove sensitive personal information before sharing documents externally.
Enterprise document workflows with e-signature — Larger teams standardize on Foxit PDF Editor and Foxit eSign Business for regulated document creation, editing, and signing at volume-discounted pricing.
PDF Expert
Mac and iPad document editing for professionals — Professionals use PDF Expert to annotate, edit, and sign contracts and reports natively on Mac and iPad.
Student note-taking and study — Students annotate lecture slides and textbooks with Apple Pencil support on iPad.
Digitizing and organizing scanned paperwork — Users scan paper documents, run OCR to make them searchable, and organize them into folders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these can I use entirely for free?
DocHub's Free plan and PDF Expert's Free tier both offer basic editing and viewing at no cost. Foxit's free offering is its separate standalone PDF Reader app, not free editing within Foxit PDF Editor itself.
Does e-signature cost extra?
With Foxit, yes: Foxit eSign is a separate subscription starting at $120 per year per user. DocHub and PDF Expert both include signature requests as part of their core editing plans.
Is there a version for Windows?
Foxit PDF Editor runs natively on Windows and macOS. DocHub works in any browser regardless of operating system. PDF Expert has no native Windows app, only Mac, iPad and iPhone apps.
Can I avoid an ongoing subscription entirely?
PDF Expert is the only one offering a one-time Lifetime purchase, and it is limited to the Mac version. DocHub and Foxit PDF Editor are both subscription-only products.
Which one has native mobile apps?
Foxit PDF Editor+ includes iOS and Android apps, and PDF Expert includes iPad and iPhone apps. DocHub has no dedicated mobile app and is used through a mobile browser instead.
Which is cheapest for a solo user who mostly needs editing, not signing?
Based on published pricing, DocHub's Basic plan starts around $8 per user per month, Foxit's base PDF Editor plan starts at $10.99 per month, and PDF Expert's Premium plan runs about EUR 84.99 per year. The best fit depends on whether you need Foxit's OCR and redaction, DocHub's Google Workspace integration, or PDF Expert's native Apple experience.