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Top Rated PDF Software with Commenting/Notes in 2026

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Verified reviewer profile picture

All user reviews are verified by in-house moderators and provider data by our software research team.  Learn more

Last updated: April 2026

Commenting and notes in PDF software enhance collaboration, provide detailed feedback, and streamline document review. They allow users to add annotations for clarity, facilitate communication, and support research and educational activities. Our reviewers in PDF software rated this feature as important.

3 Best PDF Software with Commenting/Notes

  • pdfFiller
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader - Highest rated for commenting/notes
  • Adobe Acrobat

See other top PDF products with commenting/notes

How we picked the 3 top rated products

We chose the high-performing solutions on this list based on verified user ratings on our site. Depending on available data, qualifying products either had to be among the most user-reviewed or the most searched-for products in the pdf software category. They also needed to have sufficient reviews about commenting/notes, have a minimum user rating of 3 out of 5 for that feature, and show evidence of U.S. market presence. We then added a distinction for the product with the highest rating for commenting/notes based on our proprietary ratings and reviews. Sponsorship or client status has no influence on the selection of these products, but it may impact the order in which products appear.

Details for the 3 best products

pdfFiller logo
4.6
(991)
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User insights about the commenting/notes feature

Reviewers mention that pdfFiller's commenting and notes capabilities are simple to use and enhance the document review process. They appreciate the ability to add notes for analysis and discussion, which is helpful for studying and reviewing materials. However, many users indicate that they do not frequently use this feature, and some find it less important compared to other PDF tools. A few reviewers also note that the application has bugs that need fixing.
“I do read ebooks and some of my study materials are in pdf so being able to comment and write notes improves my learning experience.”
LM

Llana M.

Online Instructor

“I like the ability to add notes to the documents”
EG

Edward G.

Owner

PDF key features coverage

pdfFiller offers 6 out of the 6 key features for PDF software identified by reviewers:

PDF Reader4.7
Convert to PDF4.8
PDF Conversion --
Merge/Append Files4.4
Text Editing4.7
Digital Signature4.7

Pros and cons based on 991 verified reviews

71% of users rated pdfFiller 5 out of 5 stars, while 3% gave it 1 or 2 stars. To determine these pros and cons insights we analyzed 991 reviews and identified the topics where users expressed positive and negative sentiment.

Pros:

Efficient document signing

Streamlined office productivity

Cons:

High cost concerns

See pros and cons details

Pricing

Starting price:$8 flat rate/per month|Free version:Not available|Free trial:Available

Prices may vary depending on the number of users and features.

Adobe Acrobat Reader logo
4.7
(10.5K)
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User insights about the commenting/notes feature

Reviewers appreciate Adobe Acrobat Reader's commenting and notes capabilities for their ease of use and efficiency in document review and collaboration. They report that adding comments and notes is straightforward, which is valuable for providing feedback and highlighting important information. Users find this feature particularly helpful for remote teamwork, as it allows for clear communication and organization of thoughts. However, some reviewers mention that the feature lacks customization options and can be challenging to use smoothly at times.
“I love the "Commenting/Notes" feature in Adobe Acrobat Reader because it makes reviewing and collaborating on PDFs super easy. You can add feedback directly on the document, keeping everything organized in one place.”
pk

pradeep k.

Creative Director

“It allows me to makes notes and comments on my documents. It also allows readers to fully understand the document based on my notes and comments.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Sasha R.

Travel Advisor

PDF key features coverage

Adobe Acrobat Reader offers 5 out of the 6 key features for PDF software identified by reviewers:

PDF Reader4.7
Convert to PDF4.6
PDF Conversion4.5
Merge/Append Files
Text Editing4.3
Digital Signature4.5

Pros and cons based on 10,525 verified reviews

70% of users rated Adobe Acrobat Reader 5 out of 5 stars, while 1% gave it 1 or 2 stars. To determine these pros and cons insights we analyzed 10,525 reviews and identified the topics where users expressed positive and negative sentiment.

Pros:

Efficient document sharing

Convenient document signing

Effective PDF commenting

Comprehensive PDF management

Versatile PDF reader

Cons:

Slow performance speed

Limited free version

High cost and limited free features

Frequent software updates

Limited text editing

See pros and cons details

Pricing

Starting price:$1.95 /per month|Free version:Available|Free trial:Not available

Prices may vary depending on the number of users and features.

Adobe Acrobat logo
4.7
(4.1K)
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User insights about the commenting/notes feature

Reviewers indicate that Adobe Acrobat's commenting and notes capabilities are highly useful for team collaboration and document review. They find the ability to add clear instructions and feedback directly on PDFs beneficial for organizing and tracking edits. Users appreciate the customization options, such as different colors and highlights, and the sidebar listing of notes for easy navigation. However, some reviewers feel that the feature could be more intuitive and streamlined.
“Commenting and leaving notes is very important and that's the reason I use Adobe Acrobat. It allows to give different colors and highlight text while adding comments. In the picture files, you can easily add notes and store your information. ”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Ryan H.

HR Manager

“Being able to comment and make notes right in my PDF is very important. I like to use this to create instructions with screenshots for other employees or my clients. It makes it a lot easier to get my point across.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Jessica K.

Staff Accountant

PDF key features coverage

Adobe Acrobat offers 6 out of the 6 key features for PDF software identified by reviewers:

PDF Reader4.8
Convert to PDF4.7
PDF Conversion4.6
Merge/Append Files4.5
Text Editing4.4
Digital Signature4.6

Pros and cons based on 4,165 verified reviews

73% of users rated Adobe Acrobat 5 out of 5 stars, while 1% gave it 1 or 2 stars. To determine these pros and cons insights we analyzed 4,165 reviews and identified the topics where users expressed positive and negative sentiment.

Pros:

Efficient document sharing

Seamless integration with other tools

Comprehensive PDF editing features

Robust document security

Convenient diGital signing

Cons:

Inconsistent font editing

Slow performance and high resource usage

High cost concerns

Frequent updates and version issues

Complicated page navigation

See pros and cons details

Pricing

Starting price:$19.99 per user/per month|Free version:Not available|Free trial:Available

Prices may vary depending on the number of users and features.

Other Top Rated PDF Software with Commenting/Notes in 2026

Adobe Acrobat Reader logo

Cloud-based PDF reader for viewing and editing PDF documents

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Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is a cloud-based software designed to help businesses view, sign, and annotate PDF documents from desktops, browsers, or mobile devices. Users can create customizable forms by adding various tools such as drop-down lists, barcodes, signature fields, list boxes, and more.

Read more about Adobe Acrobat Reader

Users also considered
Adobe Acrobat logo

PDF editing with e-signatures and document review tools

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Adobe Acrobat is PDF editing software that can be used to create, convert and share PDF documents. It can convert documents in Microsoft Office formats to PDFs, and vice versa. PDFs can be viewed, annotated, and signed using Adobe Sign and the free Acrobat Reader mobile app.

Read more about Adobe Acrobat

Users also considered
Jotform logo

Cloud-based form builder tool for digital forms.

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Jotform is a cloud-based form builder platform that helps businesses streamline form creation via ready-made templates, integrations with third-party applications, and design features that cater to organizations globally.

Read more about Jotform

Users also considered
Publuu logo

Flipbook, PDF to Flipbook, Online Flipbook Creator

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With Publuu, users can easily and intuitively create an interactive flipbook from a PDF. Convert a PDF to flip, customize it by adding branding, selecting a background, colors, and inserting interactive hotspots.

Read more about Publuu

Users also considered
Smallpdf logo
Category Leaders

PDF document management and conversion suite

learn more
Smallpdf is a desktop, mobile & cloud-based PDF document management and conversion tool, providing a suite of 21 tools to create, convert and edit documents.

Read more about Smallpdf

Users also considered
pdfFiller logo
Category Leaders

Online PDF form filler & editor

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pdfFiller is an online form and document management system for editing, printing, downloading, sending, and converting documents. The cloud-based system offers eSignature capabilities, a PDF editor, form builder, authentication features, and native Android and iOS mobile applications.

Read more about pdfFiller

Users also considered
Foxit PDF Reader logo
Category Leaders

Cloud-based and on-premise PDF reader.

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Designed for small to large businesses, Foxit PDF Reader is a cloud-based and on-premise tool for viewing, annotating, filling out, and electronically signing PDF documents.

Foxit PDF Reader is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It enables users to collaborate with other people through shared reviews or provide document feedback using a variety of annotation tools—adding images and file attachments.

Read more about Foxit PDF Reader

Users also considered
ABBYY FineReader PDF logo

PDF solution for document editing and digital collaboration

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FineReader PDF empowers professionals to maximize efficiency in the digital workplace. Featuring ABBYY’s latest AI-based OCR technology, FineReader PDF makes it easier to digitize, retrieve, edit, protect, share, and collaborate on all kinds of documents in the same workflow.

Read more about ABBYY FineReader PDF

Users also considered
Nitro PDF logo

Document generation and management software

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A robust, user-friendly Adobe Acrobat alternative. Offers seamless PDF creation, editing, collaboration, and secure workflows. AI-powered tools enhance productivity with features like summarization and data extraction. A cost-effective solution for individuals and businesses.

Read more about Nitro PDF

Users also considered
PDFelement logo

Cloud-based and on-premise PDF editor tool for teams.

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PDFelement is a cloud-based and on-premise PDF editor that assists users in creating, editing, protecting, and signing PDFs across desktop, mobile, and web platforms. The tool allows users to modify PDF content similar to a word processor, incorporating text, images, shapes, and the ability to import and edit layers. Users can also adjust the size, color, and font styles, insert links, and apply watermarks to their documents.

Read more about PDFelement

Users also considered
Lumin PDF logo
Category Leaders

PDF platform for annotating, splitting and sharing documents

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Lumin PDF is a PDF platform designed to help businesses collaborate on, annotate, share, synchronize, sign, and highlight documents from within a unified cloud-based interface. Users can merge and split multiple files into specific parts for removal, compress documents' size and remove passwords from PDFs according to requirements.

Read more about Lumin PDF

Users also considered
Tungsten Power PDF logo
Category Leaders

Tungsten Power PDF: Built on 20 years of Innovation

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Tungsten Power PDF is a productivity software designed to help businesses of all sizes create, convert, compile, and share PDF files. Buy it once and own it forever.

Read more about Tungsten Power PDF

Users also considered
LiquidText logo
Category Leaders

Multi-touch document manipulation system

learn more
LiquidText brings all documents with your highlights, annotations, observations and notes into a unified workspace and allows you to make live connections among, between and within anything in the project by just drawing lines.

Read more about LiquidText

Users also considered
Able2Extract Professional logo
Category Leaders

Everything PDF

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All-in-one PDF solution for Windows, Mac, and Linux with perpetual licensing.

Read more about Able2Extract Professional

Users also considered
PDF Reader Pro logo
Category Leaders

PDF editor for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android

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AI-powered PDF Reader Pro offers multiple functions like view, annotate, edit, convert, OCR, fill & sign, digital signature, AI translate&summarize&proofread&rewrite and more, which make document workflows just simpler.

Read more about PDF Reader Pro

Users also considered
Foxit PDF Editor logo

Create, edit, and manage PDF documents from any device.

learn more
Foxit PDF Editor is a powerful desktop solution for creating and editing PDF documents. Offering seamless integration with Foxit eSign, it enables users to create, edit, and collaborate on documents within and outside the organization.

Read more about Foxit PDF Editor

Users also considered
Goodnotes logo

The leading AI-powered digital note-taking app

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Goodnotes is a powerful note-taking app designed to provide a seamless, natural handwriting experience on digital paper. Import PDFs and images to annotate, highlight, and mark up important documents.

Read more about Goodnotes

Users also considered
PDF24 Tools logo

PDF tools

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PDF24 Tools provides solutions for PDF specific problems. It can be used online or offline in the form of PDF24 Creator. Every tool can be used free of charge.

Read more about PDF24 Tools

Users also considered
CocoDoc logo

CocoDoc is a comprehensive PDF Editor

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CocoDoc is a document management software designed to help businesses edit PDFs online.

Read more about CocoDoc

Users also considered
Xodo logo

Cross-platform PDF viewer and annotator for businesses

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Xodo is a document creation software designed for businesses to automate text editing, annotation, digital signature, PDF sharing, and more. It can be installed on-premise and offers cloud support to enable online collaborations.

Read more about Xodo

Users also considered
Soda PDF logo

Simplifying PDFs with powerful, easy-to-use software

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Soda PDF is a powerful, all-in-one solution for creating, editing, converting, merging, and securing PDFs. With advanced OCR, e-signatures, batch processing, and cloud integration, it streamlines document management for professionals and businesses. Work smarter with Soda PDF today!

Read more about Soda PDF

Users also considered
PDFLiner logo

Online Platform for Editing All Kinds of PDF Documents.

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PDFLiner helps you to fill out forms, edit PDFs, convert images to PDF and back, create your own fillable documents and more.

Read more about PDFLiner

Users also considered
Adobe PDF Library logo

Solving Complex PDF Workflows

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Create, edit and manage PDF workflows in enterprise applications to get to market faster.

Built on the same Adobe source code as Acrobat, Adobe PDF Library offers developers several programming language and platform options for shorter development times.

Read more about Adobe PDF Library

Users also considered
Desygner logo

Graphic design tool for content creation

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Desygner is a graphic design tool, which helps businesses design social media posts, presentations, advertisements, flyers, and other content using predefined templates.

Read more about Desygner

Users also considered
CutePDF logo

On-premise PDF software for creating and editing files

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CutePDF Professional is an on-premise PDF software designed to help businesses create, edit, convert, scan, rearrange, and preview documents on a centralized platform. Users can add watermarks, hierarchical bookmarks & photo stamps to documents and use the typewriter tool to type text on PDF files.

Read more about CutePDF

Users also considered

Key features for PDF software

Based on GetApp's analysis of verified user reviews collected between July 2021 and August 2024.

  • PDF Reader: Reviewers highlight the ease of viewing, annotating, and navigating PDF documents, along with features like text highlighting, bookmarking, and adjusting font size for better readability. 90% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • Convert to PDF: Users appreciate the ability to convert various file formats (e.g., Word, Excel) into high-quality PDFs efficiently, preserving original formatting and ensuring compatibility. 89% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • PDF Conversion: Reviewers value the flexibility to convert PDFs into other formats, such as Word or Excel, maintaining document integrity and simplifying data extraction and editing. 87% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • Merge/Append Files: Users find the merging and appending functionality useful for combining multiple documents into a single PDF, enhancing organization, and improving document management. 84% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • Text Editing: Reviewers highlight the capability to make quick text corrections, add annotations, and update information directly within PDF documents, which improves workflow and accuracy. 83% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • Digital Signature: Users appreciate the security and convenience of digitally signing documents, ensuring authenticity and legal compliance while streamlining approval processes. 80% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.