# Soda PDF Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is Soda PDF the right PDF Editor solution for you? Explore 238 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/226942/SODA-PDF/reviews --- Soda PDF 3.5 (238) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/226942/SODA-PDF/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated April 6th, 2026 # Reviews of Soda PDF Ease of use 3.5 Customer Service 2.8 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews vikram s Senior ConsultantComputer Software, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Digital Signatures - The e-sign workflow is a massive upgrade over the old "print-sign-scan" routine for vendor contracts.“ January 17, 2026 AB Ashley B ManagerRetail, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “When my year-long subscription expired, I got no notification via email, nor any indication when I opened my desktop software.“ August 1, 2024 vikram s Senior ConsultantComputer Software, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “If you’re looking to kill the "Adobe Tax" without losing professional features, Soda is the most practical pivot I found during my time at Deloitte.“ January 17, 2026 TO Tamara O FinanceAccounting, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “I purchased the phone support only to find you can not get to a number on their site, so I started a chat to get the number to find out the time available to me was 3am to 9am. Both the company and myself are in the eastern standard time.“ March 12, 2024 GM George M ManagerHuman Resources, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “Another features important for is the digital signature witch is a modern and fast way to get all the paper signed without printing and then scan.“ June 17, 2024 TT Therese T CEOAccounting, Self-employedUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “Suddenly I don't have the option of using other PDF readers.“ April 18, 2025 anil I StudentEducation Management, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “It also have the electronic signature option which can be used in official documents.the features like append/merge, file sharing etc saves a lot of time in document management.“ August 31, 2023 RJ Ryan J NAHospital & Health Care, Self-employedUsed the software for: I used a free trial. “A surprise $45 charge was found on my card after I thought I had cancelled my subscription upon starting the free trial. When asked for a refund, I was declined.“ June 16, 2023 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 238 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use vikram S. Senior Consultant Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Cutting Licensing Costs Without Killing Workflow: My Honest Take on Soda PDF" January 17, 2026 4.0 If you’re looking to kill the "Adobe Tax" without losing professional features, Soda is the most practical pivot I found during my time at Deloitte. The Office-style ribbon UI means you won't waste time training the team or writing "how-to" guides for the non-tech folks. Its redaction is actually secure—it scrubs the underlying file stream—and the text reflow is the closest thing to Word I've seen in a PDF editor. It handles heavy 100MB+ merges and batch OCR without the constant "Not Responding" errors or file corruption you get from cheaper clones. Pros I used Soda PDF quite a bit during my time at Deloitte because I was fed up with looking for an Adobe alternative that didn't blow the entire project budget. After running it through our internal tests, here’s the straight truth. Learning Curve - It uses the standard Office ribbon UI, so your non-technical teams can start editing without you having to write a "How-To" wiki. Security - The redaction tool actually scrubs the data from the file stream instead of just throwing a black box on top. Value for Money - It’s roughly half the price of Acrobat Pro, which makes it an easy win when you're trying to cut licensing costs. PDF Document Management - Merging, splitting, and reordering pages in a 100MB technical manual is fast and doesn't corrupt the file. Document Editing - The text reflow is the best I’ve seen outside of Adobe; you can actually edit paragraphs like it’s a Word doc. Digital Signatures - The e-sign workflow is a massive upgrade over the old "print-sign-scan" routine for vendor contracts. Time Saving - The batch processing and OCR are reliable enough to digitize hundreds of legacy scans in one afternoon. Cons It’s a bit of a memory hog when you have multiple large files open at once. Everything else looks solid given the project's budget constraints. Review Source Response from Avanquest January 28, 2026 Thank you for the detailed review, Vikram. It’s great to hear that Soda PDF performed well in an enterprise environment like Deloitte, especially for teams looking for a cost-effective alternative to Adobe Acrobat without sacrificing professional functionality. We’re glad the Office-style ribbon interface helped reduce onboarding time for non-technical users, and that features like secure redaction, text reflow editing, batch OCR, and large-file document management met your expectations. These are exactly the workflows many organizations rely on when handling contracts, technical manuals, and digitization projects. Thanks again for sharing your experience and for highlighting Soda PDF as a practical alternative for teams aiming to reduce licensing costs while maintain. Your Soda PDF team Mohammad M. Technical Office Engineer Civil Engineering Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "SodaPDF sets the benchmark of what a PDF-processing software should be." December 31, 2022 5.0 Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with what the software has to offer, & will continue using it so long as it functions without causing me issues. Pros The straightforward user interface, accurate PDF-Word conversions & most importantly - the possword-unlocking capability. Recently, I received an auto-generated authentication report from a thrid party firm (which our company deals directly with) that required a password that wasn't supplied with the report file. SodaPDF was rather quick to unlock the file & save the day. I'm sure a similar circumstance is bound to occur & so I'll keep on using the software. Cons I'm genuinely unable to think of any problem or inconvenience I've had with the software. It's just great. Switched from [Adobe Acrobat Reader](https://www.capterra.com/p/170833/Acrobat-Reader-DC/) Opening & scrolling through lengthy documents has been an issue with the previous PDF software I've switched from. Hence, SodaPDF ultimately become my go-to PDF software. Review Source GL Geoff L. IT Writing and Editing Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Dishonest people and a waste of time" March 13, 2025 1.0 Terrible. An utter waster of time from dioshonest people Pros There was nothing I liked about it. It was terrible in everyway. Cons Promise of free editing but when you go to save your first document, it will not let you and tries to forced you to but it. And a constant harassment window pops up in your system tray. Not honest people and not a product or people you at to deal with. All they want is money and do not care what they do to get it. Review Source Response from Avanquest March 18, 2025 Hello Geoff, Thank you for letting us know you were looking for free PDF editing software.We want to clarify that while our software can be downloaded for free, it does not include all features in the free version. You can access some basic functionalities without charge, but advanced features require a paid subscription. Our support team is here to look into your case closer to help you. Feel free to send your request here: https://support.sodapdf.com/hc/en-us NS Natalie S. Senior immigration Advisor International Trade and Development Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "PDF translate." April 14, 2025 4.0 Data can be imported from or Exported to Google Drive, OneDrive ,Dropbox and you device which makes work effortless. Pros Soda PDf Extension is easy to install on Google Chrome and this save space on my device. Soda PDF AI translator is quick to use to translate PDF documents from any language to another. Cons Soda PDF is limited to some features like pdf merge is slow and pdf editor lacks some tool. Review Source Response from Avanquest April 15, 2025 Hi Natalie, thank you for your feedback. We're glad to hear you're enjoying the ease of use and translation capabilities. Your input on areas for improvement is appreciated and helps us continue to refine the experience. We’re also happy to know that cloud integration is making your workflow smoother. Thanks for being part of the Soda PDF community! CS Claire S. Spiritual Mentor and Coach Professional Training & Coaching Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Game-Changer at an Affordable Price" December 12, 2024 5.0 The experience was highly positive. It proved to be extremely useful while I was collaborating with a colleague on a book that integrated art and text, as I needed to rearrange multiple files to assemble the final product. Pros This software encompasses both basic and advanced features of PDF editing at an affordable price. It is user-friendly and can be easily downloaded to a desktop computer. Cons It kept changing itself to my default printer. Review Source Response from Avanquest December 27, 2024 Hello Claire, Thank you for your detailed review! We're thrilled to hear how our software has supported your creative collaboration and helped you manage complex projects. We are happy to read that you are satisfied with the variation of features and the price for the program. Regarding the default printer setting, we appreciate your feedback and will take it into account as we work on future improvements. NM Nathan M. Na Accounting Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "This place is a scam" October 11, 2024 1.0 Trying to refund during the cancellation period? Good luck. They will try everything even when you say “please refund my money” they will send long extended messages that are tone deaf offering discounts. Pros The software is a poor imitation of adobe pro. Cons There’s nothing to like, it is not suitable for editing docs. Switched from [Adobe Acrobat](https://www.capterra.com/p/251329/Adobe-Acrobat-DC/) Pricing was the reason for the switch. This was a mistake. Review Source Response from Avanquest October 23, 2024 Hi Nathan, Thanks for sharing your experience switching to Soda PDF. We'd like to help you edit your docs or if you want to proceed with the refund anyway, we can help you with it further. We invite you to send us a PM on our Facebook page for a prompt reply: https://www.facebook.com/Sodapdf or you can contact us via the support page: https://support.sodapdf.com/hc/en-us UH Ursula H. Software Engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Robust PDF viewer" February 9, 2025 5.0 Pros Soda PDF ideally opens and reads most formats of PDF files. Cons I never encountered any road blocks while using it. Review Source Response from Avanquest February 13, 2025 Hi Ursula, Thanks for sharing that you are satisfied with Soda PDF. We are glad that you are using it to view PDF files! TT Therese T. CEO Accounting Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "It is an invader and a pest" April 18, 2025 1.0 It sucks. I can't block it, it is worse than trying to getting rid if MacAfee. Uninstalling does not detach it from browsers or any document previously viewed using Soda. Pros I have not seen any benefit since the original attempt to test-drive it. I hate it Cons Suddenly I don't have the option of using other PDF readers. I have tried getting rid of it, but it just keeps coming back. Review Source Response from Avanquest April 21, 2025 Hi Therese, Thank you for your feedback. It sounds like the software settings may have been configured to set Soda PDF as the default reader, which can be easily adjusted in your system preferences. Our support team can walk you through the steps to fully remove or reconfigure the software based on your preferences. We’d be happy to help if you’d like to reach out: support.sodapdf.com/hc/en-us DG Dominick G. Sr. Post Producer Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Soda PDF - Create and Edit PDFs easily!" March 22, 2025 5.0 I started using Soda PDF a few months ago when I needed to create a PDF out of a word doc I had. It works perfectly! Pros I love how easy and intuitive Soda PDF is to use. I can easily edit and view PDF files, and it's a great price! Cons I have no complaints about Soda PDF, it works great! Review Source Response from Avanquest March 24, 2025 Thank you for your feedback, Dominick! We appreciate you choosing Soda PDF for your document needs and are glad it worked perfectly when you needed it. If you ever have any questions or need assistance, our support team is always here to help. BD Blake D. Director Information Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Soda PDF review " March 25, 2025 3.0 Pros I love how easy it is to get to the site and get started Cons I wish there was more features. Sometimes the current features are not as easy understand and they are not always very clear. Make all the features known because in the PDF world, there’s a lot of competition. Review Source Response from Avanquest March 27, 2025 Thank you for your feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you find it easy to access our site and get started. We appreciate your input on features and clarity—ensuring a seamless experience is a top priority for us. We're always working on improvements and will take your suggestions into account to enhance usability and feature visibility. If there are specific features you'd like to see or any areas where we can improve clarity, please respond to our email! MK Mohamed K. Csr Consumer Services Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Soda pdf review " April 7, 2025 4.0 Pros User friendly interface, e-sign possibility, both web and desktop versions, ocr, not that expensive for all the features it offers Cons Limited free version, lag when there is a complex pdf Review Source Response from Avanquest April 8, 2025 Thanks so much for your feedback! We’re happy to hear you’re enjoying the user-friendly interface, e-sign features, and the flexibility of using both web and desktop versions. It’s also great to know you’re finding value in the features like OCR. We appreciate your feedback about the limitations of the free version and the performance lag — we’re continuously working to improve performance and enhance the experience for all users. Thanks again for sharing your experience — your input helps us get better every day! EK Elliot K. User Tobacco Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "False advertising. Dishonest" August 18, 2024 1.0 False advertising. The "promotion' advertises "OCR". After you buy it, they tell you that OCR is an extra paid add-on Pros Why do I have to write a minimum of 40 characters to say :nothing: Cons False advertising. The "promotion' advertises "OCR". After you buy it, they tell you that OCR is an extra paid add-on Review Source Response from Avanquest August 23, 2024 Hi Elliot, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We understand your concern regarding the OCR feature and the promotion. It’s important to us that our offerings are clear and transparent. We would like to learn more about your experience and find a way to resolve this issue. Please reach out to our support team at https://support.sodapdf.com/hc/en-us and we’ll assist you directly. LK Liam K. CMO Automotive Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Manage docs and contracts" May 6, 2024 5.0 Is a great app saving a lot of time managing documents. Every thing work great, has a nice user interface and is easy to use. Pros I've been using Soda PDF for some time now and i am very pleased with it. I started using it for signing and store my contracts but after some time it became my main document manage app. Creating, editing and storing with just one app saves you a lot of time. The sharing functionality is another useful feature, letting my colleagues have access to certain docs saves time for all of us. Cons There are no cons for Soda PDF that worth mentioning or deal breakers. Review Source TH Tiara H. Founder Media Production Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Better than Adobe" June 6, 2024 4.0 Pros It is a full PDF editor! You can edit and manipulate any text on the page, even rearrange it. You can also rearrange and delete pages if needed. Cons Soda PDF lacks a good app. Everything must be done from a desktop/laptop. You can use your phone browser, however it’s pretty difficult to do so. Review Source TO Tamara O. Finance Accounting Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "will most likely not keep" March 12, 2024 3.0 I am set up not to renew next year. I also have a 30 day window to see if I want a refund. I will play with the software to see what value it will give me, but most likely will call during my open hours of support to have this refunded and will continue my hunt for a good PDF editor software. Pros the many reviews I found online when looking for a new software. Cons The cost was all over the board - different browsers offered different discounts, the bigger the discount the more it was going to renew for. I was very upset with the install - I was prompted with an offer of help with the install to ensure it was done properly. After they installed, they went into my task manager to show how many processes i had running along with how much space I had. They ask when the last time I had my computer serviced- told them last year with the purchase of a new SSD. They said I would need it done again and would need to keep up with more regular maintenance to make sure the software ran properly. They then said they were going to set me up with a maintenance program... I disconnected the computer share and ran a virus protector because I was afraid of being hacked. I purchased the phone support only to find you can not get to a number on their site, so I started a chat to get the number to find out the time available to me was 3am to 9am. Both the company and myself are in the eastern standard time. The person I chatted with also mentioned that they use or are a 3rd party to the software - a trading partner and what I experienced was part of their job to make sure my computer is running well. I would have never allowed a 3rd party into my computer and feel like I was taken advantage of. It's not like I was taking advantage of a free service that they needed to make money off of me beyond the purchase of the software. Review Source Response from Avanquest March 13, 2024 Hi Tamara, Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with our services. We will investigate your case and assist you properly. Our agents are already taking care of it. JK James K. Owner Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Very unhappy " November 7, 2022 1.0 Fine until I learned of the catastrophic flaws listed above. Pros The Price and usability are really good. Cons Good until THEY crashed their server. When that happens you are screwed as the product fails to function. Similarly, if your internet is down or if you are remote without internet access, you are screwed again as the product does not work. Reason for choosing Soda PDF Price Switched from [Adobe Acrobat Reader](https://www.capterra.com/p/170833/Acrobat-Reader-DC/)[Adobe Workfront](https://www.capterra.com/p/268205/Adobe-Workfront/) Price Review Source Response from Avanquest November 14, 2022 Hello James, Thank you for letting us know you have problems with crashing your license. Please contact us, we will be glad to help you. You can contact us here: https://support.sodapdf.com/hc/en-us/requests/new PW Patrick W. Counselor Mental Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Not honoring contract" April 14, 2023 1.0 They just deleted me and my perpetual subscription for the crime of trying to use it. I have been canceled. They do not honor their contracts. Dishonorable. Pros I was using soda 9. It was a bit clunky but served my purpose for a lower price than an adobe subscription Cons I bought a perpetual use license to use soda 9 forever for one purchase price. They have now changed their pricing structure to a monthly subscription. As I updated my computer I had to download the free version and then convert to my subscription. They (soda) have made it progressively harder to use my bought and paid for perpetual subscription. My hard drive died so I had to download the free version and switch to my subscription. Suddenly that seemed impossible to do. I have always been able to log onto their site and see my perpetual subscription. I could do that this morning but after trying to apply my subscription to the software I got an email saying I canceled my own subscription and my log in no longer works. So in essence they just canceled me, my subscription and even my log in. Their site now says my user name is no longer recognized by their system. Review Source Response from Avanquest April 23, 2023 Hello Patrick, Thank you for letting us know you changed your PC and want to transfer your lifetime license of Soda PDF 9 to your new device. We have sent you an instruction on how to get your Soda PDF 9 on your new device. Please make sure to check your inbox YP Yatindra P. yatindrap51@gmail.com Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best PDF viewer and editor" June 24, 2023 5.0 Been a fantastic experience using this great tool for PDF viewing and editing PDFs. Pros It is a wonderful software that I use almost everyday for viewing countless PDF. It also allows me to edit PDF and use stickers on it. Cons I don't like the way it renames the documents created by SodaPDF because it changes the original name sometimes. Review Source LH Luiza H. Owner Newspapers Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A great PDF app" March 26, 2024 5.0 Great app, easy to use and fast. Good price and many features. Pros Installing the app was very easy, can use all features immediately after it. I struggled a long time with creating, merging or editing PDF file until I found Soda PDF. Affordable, comparing to the other PDF editor. User interface is nice and easy to navigate. Cons Can't say I found any cons for Soda PDF. Alternatives considered [Adobe Acrobat Reader](https://www.capterra.com/p/170833/Acrobat-Reader-DC/) Review Source CP Chandrakeerthan P. student Higher Education Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Best pdf editor" February 18, 2023 5.0 My experience with Soda pdf is great and its a super pdf editor.I recommend everyone using it.Soda pdf is used to convert files in to pdf and to merge pdf's.The pdf's can be compressed through soda pdf.The user-interface is easy to use. Pros The best feature of soda pdf is that the files can be easily converted to pdf's.The different operations can be performed like merging of pdfs and also compressing pdf's to small size.The process is so fast during the conversion process.It is the best pdf and text editor when compared to other pdf editors. Cons I think there are no dislikes regarding Soda pdf as it is best than other pdf editors and have more features when compared to other pdf's. Review Source HD Hussein D. PM Civil Engineering Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Keep crashing!" April 29, 2022 1.0 Not good. Pros Measuring to scale on the drawings, snapshots... Cons Editing, and adding comments or highlighting colouring... Switched from [Bluebeam Revu](https://www.capterra.com/p/121586/Bluebeam-PDF-Revu/) Cost Review Source Response from Avanquest May 5, 2022 Hello Hussein, Thank you for letting us know that your Soda PDF crashes constantly. We will forward your feedback on the editing features as well as on the features in the comment module to the development team. Our support is ready to help you fix the crash issue. Please reach out to us in live chat to get further assistance, just follow these steps 1. Open the support page: https://support.sodapdf.com/hc/en-us/ 2. Click on the Support widget in the left bottom corner of the page 3. Type any word and press Enter 4. Then select the Live Chat option at the bottom of the widget FR FR R. Owner Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "SODA PDF not a medium or long term decision; it fails in the short term. You will need change" July 14, 2020 3.0 Everything was ok and worked properly without probems with SODA PDF during 9-10 months of my premmium version but suddenly, the "Sign Document" functionality stoped work and the only way to finish SODA execution was killing the process or closing the window. Technical Support is very bad. Same procedure several times although I reportted it didn't work the first time. At the end, they suggest to "access" my computer to "review" the issue and ask me for my telephone number (personal information protected by european laws). They don´t have other ways (or doesn't want) to use internet audio conference solutions based on email. DO THEY WANT TO GET PERSONAL DATA TO COMPLEMENT THE COMPETITIVE PRICE THEY ARE PROMOTING? Take care Pros Usability is very easy. Trial version for starting and test the software is very good. Functionality is great for the job. Cons It's a little slow in execution. And sometimes crashes with other software that you can have installed in your computer (certificates). Review Source Response from Avanquest July 29, 2020 We are very sorry to hear about your bad customer service experience. But rest assured, our agents are not out to collect personal data, all they want is to help you best possible. Our customer service made you an offer, please keep communicating with us, we are sure all your problems will be solved in our new version, that will be launched next week. Glenn J. Administrative manager Primary/Secondary Education Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "My opinion on soda pdf" January 16, 2024 4.0 Pros This software has enabled me to open, view, create, convert, modify, secure and share files in document format. Cons I haven't really noticed any inconveniences Review Source CC Carole C. Records/Office Manager Law Practice Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Finding this product totally saved the day!" September 29, 2020 5.0 I like it (almost) as much as the expensive program I use on my work computer. In fact, I may suggest it to other coworkers for their home computers especially while we are working at home during COVID. Pros What a gem of a find. I was getting ready for a two-day hearing using a popular video platform and had a bunch of PDFs I needed to screen share. The PDF reader on my laptop, which I was using for the video hearing, was not showing up in the screen sharing option. My boss just said, fix it! I searched through Google and found this. I first went with the free version but after bookmarking multiple pages in preparation, I discovered it would not save them. I purchased it at that point with no regrets. It is very nice software, especially for the money, and suited my needs for this perfectly. Cons It would have been nice to know that I couldn't save the PDF with changes I made with the free version, but very understandable. For the price, it was no problem purchasing it, and as I said before, it totally saved me! Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Student Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "An excellent tool for pdf management" November 4, 2022 5.0 Overall decent product for pdf management. Its free features are enough for normal user but wants some specific feature then you should take premium subscription. Pros 1\. Supports multiple file types like .docx, .exel etc.2. User can able to merge tow files into single.3. Rerrangement and orientation of pages can be modified.4. File size can be easily compressed without loosing quality of data. Cons Few interesting features are only available to premium users. No any major cons noticed. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.