Comprehensive analysis of the top 7 document conversion solutions - features, pricing, and performance compared
| Product | Type | Supported OS | Input/Output Formats | Batch Processing | Formatting Quality | Special Features | Pricing | Pros & Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
📄
Microsoft Word
|
Free* | Windows, macOS |
In: DOC, DOCX Out: PDF, HTML, TXT, RTF |
❌ No | Built-in bookmarks, hyperlinks, TOC preservation | Free with Office license $6.99/month subscription |
✓ Perfect formatting
✓ Easy to use ✓ Reliable ✗ No batch processing
✗ Requires Office ✗ Limited automation |
|
|
🔴
Adobe Acrobat DC
|
Paid | Windows, macOS |
In: DOC, DOCX, RTF Out: PDF, HTML, TXT, EPUB |
✅ Yes | Advanced PDF security, OCR, form creation, digital signatures | $12.99/month $179.88/year |
✓ Professional features
✓ Excellent quality ✓ Batch processing ✗ Expensive
✗ Complex interface ✗ Subscription model |
|
|
📄
PDFCreator
|
Free | Windows |
In: DOC, DOCX, TXT Out: PDF, PNG, JPEG, TIFF |
✅ Yes | Virtual printer, encryption, digital signatures | Free Pro: $49.95 |
✓ Completely free
✓ Good batch processing ✓ Virtual printer ✗ Windows only
✗ Ad-supported ✗ Limited formats |
|
|
⚡
Pandoc
|
Free | Windows, macOS, Linux |
In: DOC, DOCX, RTF Out: PDF, HTML, EPUB, TXT, MD |
✅ Yes | Command-line, scripting, 30+ formats, academic citations | Free & Open Source |
✓ Most formats
✓ Scriptable ✓ Cross-platform ✗ Command-line only
✗ Learning curve ✗ No GUI |
|
|
📊
LibreOffice
|
Free | Windows, macOS, Linux |
In: DOC, DOCX, RTF Out: PDF, HTML, TXT, ODT, EPUB |
✅ Yes | Full office suite, macro support, extensions | Free & Open Source |
✓ Complete office suite
✓ Open source ✓ Cross-platform ✗ Interface differences
✗ Compatibility issues ✗ Large download |
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|
☁️
SmallPDF
|
Freemium | Web-based (all platforms) |
In: DOC, DOCX, TXT Out: PDF, JPG, PNG, TXT |
❌ No (free) | Cloud-based, mobile apps, file compression | Free: 2 tasks/day Pro: $9/month |
✓ No installation
✓ Mobile friendly ✓ Easy to use ✗ Privacy concerns
✗ File size limits ✗ Internet required |
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|
🔧
Able2Extract Pro
|
Paid | Windows |
In: DOC, DOCX, PDF Out: PDF, Excel, Word, PowerPoint |
✅ Yes | Advanced table extraction, OCR, form creation | $149.95 one-time $179.95 with OCR |
✓ Excellent table handling
✓ Professional OCR ✓ One-time purchase ✗ Windows only
✗ Expensive ✗ Learning curve |
Adobe Acrobat DC for professional use, Microsoft Word for simplicity
LibreOffice for full features, PDFCreator for Windows users
Pandoc for automation and scripting
SmallPDF for occasional use
The gold standard for document formatting
Microsoft Word's native conversion capabilities leverage the same rendering engine used for document display, ensuring perfect fidelity. The "Save as PDF" function includes advanced options for accessibility tags, bookmarks, and security settings.
While technically "free" if you already have Office, the subscription model ($6.99/month for personal, $9.99/month for family) can be expensive for occasional users. However, the quality justifies the cost for regular use.
Best choice for users who already have Microsoft Office or need perfect formatting preservation. Limited batch processing capabilities make it less suitable for high-volume conversions.
Professional PDF solution with comprehensive features
Acrobat DC excels in enterprise environments with features like password protection, digital signatures, redaction tools, and automated workflows. The OCR functionality can handle scanned documents with impressive accuracy.
At $12.99/month, it's expensive for casual users but provides excellent value for professionals who need comprehensive PDF manipulation capabilities beyond basic conversion.
The ultimate choice for businesses and professionals who need advanced PDF features and batch processing. Overkill for basic conversion needs but unmatched for comprehensive document workflows.
Free virtual printer solution for Windows
PDFCreator installs as a virtual printer driver, allowing conversion from any Windows application. While the free version includes some ads and promotional software, the core functionality is robust and reliable.
The free version handles most basic needs, while PDFCreator Pro ($49.95) adds features like automatic saving, server installation, and premium support without ads.
Excellent free solution for Windows users who need basic PDF conversion with batch processing. The virtual printer approach makes it compatible with virtually any Windows application.
Universal document converter for power users
Pandoc shines in academic and technical environments where precise control over conversion is needed. It handles complex documents with citations, math formulas, and cross-references exceptionally well.
Being completely free and open source, Pandoc provides incredible value. The active community contributes extensions and improvements regularly.
Ideal for developers, academics, and power users who need scriptable, high-quality conversions. The command-line interface requires technical knowledge but offers unparalleled flexibility.
Free office suite with solid conversion capabilities
LibreOffice provides decent conversion quality, though complex formatting from newer Word versions may occasionally have minor issues. The PDF export includes good options for accessibility and security.
As a free alternative to Microsoft Office, LibreOffice offers excellent value. Users get a complete office suite with conversion capabilities at no cost.
Great choice for users who want a free office suite with conversion capabilities. While not perfect with complex Word documents, it handles most conversions adequately and provides much more than just conversion.
Convenient online conversion service
The free tier allows only 2 conversions per day with file size limits up to 5GB. Privacy-conscious users should consider that files are processed on SmallPDF's servers.
Free for light use, Pro subscription ($9/month) removes limits and adds batch processing. Good value for occasional users who need cloud-based conversion.
Perfect for occasional users who need quick, easy conversions without software installation. The convenience comes at the cost of privacy considerations and usage limitations.
Specialized tool for complex document conversions
Able2Extract excels at handling documents with complex layouts, especially tables and forms. The selective conversion feature allows users to extract specific elements from documents with precision.
At $149.95, it's expensive but provides specialized functionality not found in general-purpose converters. The one-time purchase model is more cost-effective than subscriptions for long-term users.
Specialized tool for users who regularly work with complex documents containing tables, forms, or scanned content. The high price is justified by unique capabilities not available elsewhere.