CNET Editors' review
PDF files are a common format for most businesses today. However, altering and creating fresh PDFs remains a mystery for many people. PDFill PDF Tools hopes to make this process simpler with a number of options, but the busy interface may overwhelm less experienced users.
This freeware program has a cluttered interface that will take some studying and experimentation to master. However, all the elements serve a purpose, and many will look familiar to those who have used a word-processing program. The screen looks very much like Microsoft Word's display, with a ruler running down the side and familiar buttons for saving, creating, printing, and fonts along the top. Along the left side are a string of icons with tools for creating PDF-specific tools like check boxes, drop-down menus, radio buttons, and more. The right side of the screen features icons that help give PDFs a professional sheen, by sizing and balancing the page with various tools. Along the bottom are still more buttons; these allow users to do everything from drawing text boxes, highlighting text, or even adding videos.
PDFill allows users to alter existing PDFs or create documents from scratch. One of its most unique aspects is the helpful hints. When our test PDF opened, it contained no fillable fields and offered to show us how to create them. Boxes pop up regularly throughout and offer other helpful hints.
The only negative is PDFill's crowded interface. With all four sides covered in buttons, it can get overwhelming. However, with a little practice we think that anyone can create and alter PDFs using this excellent download.
Publisher's Description
From PlotSoft:
Free PDF Tools to Merge, Split, Reorder, Encrypt, Decrypt, Rotate, Crop, Reformat, Header, Footer, Watermark, Images to PDF, PDF to Images, Form Fields Delete/Flatten/List, PostScript to PDF, PDF Information, Scan to PDF, and Create Transparent Image.
Merge two or more PDF files into a single PDF file; Extract or Reorder pages from a PDF file into a new file; Encrypt or Decrypt PDF documents with 40 or 128 bit Encryption; Rotate pages by 90, 180, and 270 degree; Crop a page to modify its layout of Print or View by specifying its margins; Put multiple pages into one page to save paper and inks when printing hard copies with note lines for handout; Add Headers and Footers to present information, such as date, time, page numbers, or the title of the document, in the top or bottom margins of a document; Add stamp using a formatted text in your international language; Add Stamp using image file (bmp, jpg, gif, png, tiff, and wmf); Convert images (bmp, jpg, gif, png, tiff, and wmf) into a PDF file with layout options; Save PDF pages into images (png, jpg, bmp and tiff) with DPI options; Delete, Flatten or List the PDF Form Fields inside a PDF file; Convert Postscript file into PDF; Add information (Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Created, Creator, Producer and Version) to the PDF document; Scan your Paper Form or Photo into images (PNG, JPG, BMP, TIF and GIF) or PDF; Create a transparent image with options to adjust one Color and the left Colors' transparency. Version 7.0 adds Windows 7 support, PDF Information, Scan to PDF, and Create Transparent image for PDF.What's new in this version: Version 7.0 adds Windows 7 support, PDF Information, Scan to PDF, and Create Transparent image for PDF.
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All versions:
3.6 starsout of 134 votes
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Current version:
3.3 starsout of 45 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Not Free -- Free to Try"
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
Easy to use.
Cons
The "Free" version prints PDF files with a company watermark in the middle of the form, making them totally unusable.
Summary
Product should be moved out of FREE category.
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"Does exactly what I wanted it to do."
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
Easy to use. Gets the job done.
Cons
Not the fastest software.
Summary
I needed to black out some text on a PDF containing personal information that I was sending out and this got the job done easily. From installation to getting the PDF output I needed took less than 5 minutes. It doesn't get simpler than that.
Yes, I know it's not free, and the summary page here on CNET should probably mention that. However, I was actually redirected here from the product's website and it clearly states there the limitations of the free version.
The bottom-line is that I've spent way too much time in my life dealing with PDFs for one reason or another, and the time and effort spent searching and kludging together solutions with truly free tools is worth way more than the $20 this product cost. -
"Excellent for small files...."
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
It decrypts and merges small files only (about 200 pages max). Otherwise it runs out of Java memory....
Cons
IT CAN NOT HANDLE DECRYPTING NOR MERGING LARGE FILES.
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"Easy to use, but certainly NOT FREE"
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
The interface is easy and intuative. Operation is straight-forward and has a lot of tools to use. I downloaded this program to be able to copy and past portions of encrypted files to papers (with proper citations, of course).
Cons
There is a watermark that appears on the "unencrypted" file. I was able to get around this by saving the "unencrypted" file to MS Word format in Adobe Standard and working with it from there. It took some finess and time, but it did do the job.
Summary
LIKE (3 out of 5). This product should be listed in the "Free to Try" since it is certainly NOT FREEWARE. However, I was able to work around this and it did do what it promised.
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"Warning - NOT Freeware."
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
Fairly easy to use; clean buttons and logical layout.
Cons
I spent a few minutes working with the product only to learn that a watermark would appear on all PDFs - and not just an innocuous one in the footer, either - one that makes the documents 100% unusable.
Summary
AVOID! I would have been fine if this product was properly classified as "Free to try".
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"There's no watermark..."
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
...at least not for what I use it to do: split and merge pdf files. Helpful for faxing things on free fax sites that only allow 2 3-page faxes per day. This program is a life-saver.
Cons
There might be some cons, but I wouldn't know because I don't use all the features. Come on people, it's FREE.
Summary
I swear, when I'm rich someday, I'm going to track down all these super-nice programmers and repay them tenfold. :)
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"Everything I needed, and more"
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
The features of this product are great. I needed to split pages mid-way, this product can do. I later needed to merge the split pieces, done.
Cons
For the more advanced features, such as adding fillable form fields, you have to buy the full version, but the price is good.
Summary
This is a great little product. I does what it says it does, and adds more functions if you buy the full version, which in my opinion was well worth the price. If you need to manipulate someone else's PDFs, this is the way to go.
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"Great Product"
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
It has a lot of tools to work with. The one I have used the most is to combine several files into one document. You select the files and select the order of appearance then hit the button and there it is.
Cons
No Complaints.
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"Free and does what is says"
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
Free and works as advertised
Cons
Very slow and can run out of JAVA memory when working on larger files.
Summary
It does a good job on basic PDF file merging, splitting and other helpful operations for free.
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"WASTE of time."
Version: PDFill PDF Tools Free 7.0
Pros
It works, if you could use the output.
Cons
Do all the work and get watermarked garbage.
Summary
Buy from someone else. I wouldn't buy just because they don't tell you it isn't usable until you try to print the finished work. WASTE OF TIME.
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