Foxit PDF Editor Alternative: A Lighter Desktop PDF Editor
If you find Foxit PDF Editor's plans heavier than you need, HanFlow PDF is a desktop PDF editor for Windows and Mac that you can buy once with a perpetual license. It installs per user on Windows — no administrator rights needed on most PCs — and its interface supports 26 languages. There is a free trial; check the pricing page for current details.
What Foxit PDF Editor offers
Foxit PDF Editor is a desktop program for Windows and macOS. It comes in subscription plans — PDF Editor and PDF Editor+ — billed annually or monthly. Foxit also sells a perpetual license (Foxit PDF Editor 14) as a one-time purchase for Windows or macOS.
The subscription plans include Foxit DMS with version history and shared workspaces, plus an Admin Console for deployment. PDF Editor+ adds AI Smart Redact and request-signature tracking. Every Foxit account gets an AI Assistant with monthly free credits for chatting with documents, summaries and AI bookmarks. Mobile apps for iOS and Android are included only with PDF Editor+.
Core features across plans: edit text, images and pages; convert to and from Word, Excel and PowerPoint; create, fill and sign forms; OCR; compare two PDFs; and password protection. There is also a web app, Editor Cloud. (Foxit PDF Editor page, checked October 2026.)
What HanFlow PDF includes
HanFlow PDF is a PDF program for Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone, plus a web app.
- Edit PDFs: change text and images, and erase parts of a page.
- Convert: PDF to Word and PowerPoint, images to PDF and back, and export pages as images.
- Recognize text (OCR) in scanned PDFs.
- Organize pages: merge, reorder, rotate, add page numbers and watermarks.
- Annotate: highlight, comment and draw with a pen.
- Protect with a password; sign.
On Windows it installs per user, so you can set it up without administrator rights on most PCs. The interface is available in 26 languages.
Buy once or subscribe
Both Foxit and HanFlow PDF sell perpetual desktop licenses — you pay once and keep the version you bought.
Foxit PDF Editor 14 (Perpetual License) is a one-time purchase for Windows or macOS. It does not include Foxit DMS (version history, shared workspaces), which comes only with the subscription plans.
HanFlow PDF's perpetual license covers the Windows and Mac desktop program. You are never charged automatically. Monthly and yearly plans are also available if you prefer them.
On mobile, Foxit's iOS and Android apps are included only with the PDF Editor+ subscription. HanFlow PDF's iPhone and Android apps are sold as in-app subscriptions; the perpetual license applies to the desktop program only.
See current prices on the pricing page.
How to choose
- Choose Foxit PDF Editor if you need document management (DMS with version history and shared workspaces), an Admin Console for deployment, the ability to compare two PDFs, or the AI Assistant.
- Choose HanFlow PDF if you want a simpler desktop editor with a per-user install that needs no administrator rights and an interface in 26 languages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Foxit PDF Editor offer a perpetual license?
Yes. Foxit sells Foxit PDF Editor 14 as a one-time purchase for Windows or macOS. It does not include Foxit DMS, which comes with the subscription plans, and Foxit's mobile apps come only with PDF Editor+.
Can I try HanFlow PDF before buying?
Yes. There is a free trial. For current details on what is included, check the pricing page.
Do I need administrator rights to install HanFlow PDF?
On most PCs, no. HanFlow PDF installs per user on Windows, so you can set it up without administrator rights.