There are many programs for printing PDFs , but which one to choose? Here is a complete guide with the best solutions for printing to PDF for free or for a fee.
Scanning a paper sheet and digitizing it is extremely simple, as is archiving it on an external memory or in the cloud. For example, if you needed a paper copy for one of your clients, you would need to print it on an A4 sheet or of a different size; to do this you will need PDF printing programs , which will help you set the best layout and obtain the desired result on paper or in another digital format.
In this guide, we will take a look at software that allows you to print PDFs on different operating systems, but not only that, we will also illustrate how to solve printing problems with PDF files and alternatives to traditional printing.
Index
- How to Print PDF on Windows and macOS
- Free PDF Printing Programs
- Paid programs to print PDF
- Advanced printing features
- Troubleshooting PDF Printing
- Alternatives to traditional printing
- Conclusions
- Other articles
How to Print PDF on Windows and macOS
Among the devices most used to print documents, whether in PDF format or similar, there is certainly the computer. Both Windows and macOS have their own integrated tool for printing .
Windows : if you have a Microsoft operating system, to print your PDF file you should simply use the Microsoft Print to PDF function , also called a virtual PDF printer . Open the document, select the Print item from the drop-down menu on the left, and click on Microsoft Print to PDF among the Printer options , or select the physical printer to send the file to the printing toner. For more details you can also take a look at our guide on how to create PDFs with Windows .
macOS : if you have an Apple operating system, you can use the integrated Save as PDF option , which you will find in the print menu of any application. Then, open the PDF document and click on Save PDF, subsequently selecting the printer to send the file to or the Home to save it locally.
Free PDF Printing Programs
You may be wondering what is the best free program for printing , right? The answer to this question is not easy, since there are several free options that allow you to print a PDF, the choice between one software and another depends on the features that are most useful to you in your work. Let’s see what they offer and which ones can best suit your needs.
Adobe Reader
Among the most downloaded and used PDF printing programs in the world there is certainly Adobe Reader , a free tool that in addition to viewing documents in this format can also print them. It allows you to take advantage of good print quality and basic functions , for example, you have the possibility of adding comments and forms . It is also available for Android and iOS mobile devices .
Pro
- Easy to use
- Great customer service
- Allows signing of PDF documents
- It’s free
Against
- No automatic size optimization
- You cannot add objects (images, audio, logos, etc.) to the PDF.
- Does not include editing functionality
SumatraPDF
One of the programs for printing PDFs, which SMEs and companies use daily, is SumatraPDF , a light and fast reader suitable especially if you have an old computer with low-performance hardware. It has several interesting features, such as viewing and editing files , but its strong point is speed . It also offers a Portable version .
Pro
- Clear and intuitive interface
- Speed of loading and viewing
- Lightweight, open source and free
Against
- It does not have advanced features
- It is not a full-featured PDF editor
- Lack of advanced security tools such as encryption or digital signatures.
- It does not have a mobile version
Foxit Reader
Software to print to PDF that could surprise you for its features is definitely Foxit Reader , a tool that allows you to add annotations and digital signatures . At the moment it is the best alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader , since it has a very simple interface and several customization options . Its advanced features are very useful for both business and private activities.
Pro
- User-friendly interface with intuitive layout
- Wide range of annotation tools to add comments and more
- Loading speed
- Security features to encrypt PDF files and support digital signatures
Against
- Limited advanced editing
- Missing ability to edit text in PDF files
- Free version with ads
- It does not have a mobile version
Paid programs to print PDF
As you can imagine, a free PDF printing program also brings with it limitations, especially when it comes to the more advanced features, such as PDF editing and integration with other tools . For these reasons, you may feel the need to use a paid program. There are so many solutions, let’s see what they are.
Adobe Acrobat Pro
Adobe Acrobat Pro is the best program for editing PDF . This program for printing PDF is a point of reference for those who need to manage documents in this format. It allows you to print PDF and take advantage of many advanced features, such as creating fillable forms , digital signatures and editing documents .
Adobe Acrobat Pro subscription plans are as follows:
- Adobe Acrobat Pro (Individual): €18.29 per month for the first 6 months, then €24.39 per month (VAT included).
- Adobe Acrobat Pro (Teams): Starting at €29.27 per user per month (VAT included).
Both plans offer advanced PDF management tools, including editing, converting, protecting, filling, signing and sharing PDF documents, and a free 7-day demo .
Pro
- Quickly convert notes and graphs
- Great customer service
- Electronic signature for documents
- User-friendly interface and easy document storage, creation and editing
Against
- High RAM consumption
- Lack of a free version
- Difficulty working with PDF texts perceived as images
Nitro PDF
More than an alternative to Adobe Acrobat Pro, Nitro PDF has very similar features; in fact, you can print, edit and convert your files in this format. Also interesting is the option for digital signature , very precise and reliable. It has different types of subscriptions: Nitro Pro , Nitro PDF Pro , Nitro Pro Business and Nitro Sign Premium .
With the Nitro Pro plan , you can get an all-in-one subscription to edit, convert, protect, fill, sign and share PDFs across multiple devices, for up to 20 users, for around $200 per year . With Nitro PDF Pro, you can make a one-time purchase for around $220 and get a desktop PDF editor with features for Windows, macOS and iOS. The other subscriptions are more for businesses with advanced features, e-signature, SSO, analytics and integrations starting at around $200 per year.
You can initially download Nitro Pro for free and enjoy a 14-day trial period .
Pro
- Edit PDF files effectively
- Easy to use and great features
- Well-developed user interface and easy and fast conversion
Against
- Customer service unavailable
- During the installation of the software, other unwanted software (addons) are installed
- OCR scanning is not always effective
Foxit PDF Editor
Foxit PDF Editor : is another paid PDF printing program with which you can manage PDFs in the best possible way. In addition to printing and editing digital documents, it also allows you to integrate various functions for collaboration with the work team, guaranteeing maximum security. Also considered one of the best programs for translating PDFs available on desktop and web.
Foxit PDF Editor costs around 128 euros per year with a 14-day free trial and is also available for Android and iOS .
Foxit also has PDF Editor+ with AI assistant and smart correction with professional PDF editing functions. The subscription plan costs: about 158 euros per year , in which you can have advanced features and PDF form management, including electronic signature and OCR . You can protect your files, integrate them with MS Teams , SharePoint and OneDrive and take advantage of advanced support. Other options are signing and monitoring signatures on documents in real time , creating , editing and converting PDFs even on mobile with the possibility of removing sensitive information with the Smart Redact function .
Pro
- Ease of use with the ability to perform tasks on PDF in a simple and customizable way
- Document annotation and highlighting functionality
- Support for older versions of Windows, such as Windows 7.
- Competitive price
Against
- Additional costs for advanced features (e.g. eSign function)
- PDF Editor version is not available on Mobile
- Non-intuitive interface
Advanced printing features
If you are wondering how to print a borderless PDF or how to remove some elements from the PDF file, the answer is to be found in the features available in the program used. In fact, to print a document in this borderless format you will have to select the dedicated option, usually “ Fit to page ” or “ Actual size ” in the PDF reader’s print settings.
Each program allows you to activate different functions, although the main ones are: Double-Sided Printing, Printing multiple pages per sheet , Printing specific pages and Poster Printing .
Double-Sided Printing : also known as duplex printing , it allows you to print your digital documents on both sides of the sheet of paper, whether it is A4 or different sizes . This function is very useful if you want to save paper and reduce the storage space of paper documents. If you use Adobe Acrobat Reader click on File, Print and select the Pages item , from here Double-Sided Printing . Fortunately in this case you can also do it with a program to print to PDF for free.
If you were wondering how to print a Double-Sided PDF, we answer that it depends on the capabilities of your printer. Not all printers have a mechanism capable of rotating the sheet and printing on both sides .
Print multiple pages per sheet : this feature is also available on freeware PDF printing, and is very useful if you want to print multiple pages of the document on a single sheet of paper. For example, if you needed booklets, it would be the ideal choice. Always with Adobe Acrobat Reader click on File , Print and from the menu select Page size and handling . Choose the Pages per sheet option and set the number of digital pages you want to fit on a single sheet of paper.
Print specific pages : This function is designed to print specific pages within a PDF document. Imagine having a file of more than 1000 pages and wanting to print only pages 500 to 600, with this function you can do so without wasting paper. From Adobe Acrobat Reader, simply click on File , Print and select the Pages to print item . From here, click on Pages and enter the numbers of the pages you want to print, for example, 500-600 . This function is often also available for free PDF printing.
Poster Printing : Advanced PDF printing software will definitely have a poster printing feature. This allows you to print a document or image on multiple sheets of paper, creating a larger poster. It is usually used as an option to create posters for promotions and events. On Adobe Acrobat Reader, simply click on File , Print and then on Page Size and Management . From here, select Poster and adjust the scale according to your needs. We recommend that you take a look at the digital preview first to avoid wasting paper and ink.
The benefits of advanced printing features
These features can be very useful for managing your PDF documents, because they not only group together multiple printing solutions in a single software, but also because they optimize your work if you need to digitize many files in this format . Printing freeware PDFs is now very easy, but often the advanced features are only available with paid programs. But what are the concrete advantages that these features bring in everyday life?
First of all, there is a significant saving of resources , in fact, with Double-Sided printing you can print two or more pages on a single sheet of paper, reducing the consumption of ink and paper itself . Just as you can benefit from greater flexibility of the program , in fact, being able to select the Poster or Specific Pages mode allows you to better manage your digital and paper documents, perhaps using a single program. Another advantage is efficiency , in fact, the functions simplify the printing processes, speeding up the activities .
All the functions we have just listed are present in the paid versions of Adobe Acrobat and Foxit Reader . Over time, both these programs and many other paid ones periodically add new features , with the aim of guaranteeing users a single tool to manage PDF documents and more.
Troubleshooting PDF Printing
Whatever software you use to print PDFs, whether free or paid, you may encounter some printing problems. In most cases, however, the most common problems are the following.
Outdated Drivers : In many cases, your operating system has printer drivers that are a few years old and may not allow you to print PDFs. Make sure your printer drivers are up to date by checking the manufacturer’s website, most major brands have a Download/Driver section . Download the newest drivers, install them, and restart your computer.
Corrupted Files : Usually when you proceed to print to PDF for free, you can encounter problems related to a corrupt or damaged PDF . If even trying to repair it with dedicated tools you cannot open the file, then we recommend that you recreate it from scratch from the original document. Also check if you can print other PDF files to be sure that the problem is a corrupt PDF and nothing else.
Incompatibility : Downloading a free PDF printing software, although simple and fast, can often lead to incompatibility problems with the operating system . Make sure that the downloaded program is compatible with the operating system, as well as the format.
Read also: Best programs to update PC drivers
Alternatives to traditional printing
Do you have a lot of digital documents in PDF format on your computer or smartphone and the idea of having to print them with your printer doesn’t appeal to you? Then you can take advantage of some equally interesting alternatives, freeing yourself from traditional paper printing.
Cloud Printing : thanks to this type of printing you can send your documents, whether in PDF format or other, to a remote printer using the Internet connection. It can be especially useful if you have a work team that uses the same printer from multiple points in the offices. Various cloud services also offer document printing, which will then be delivered to the desired address. Among the advantages of this solution there is certainly the savings related to the costs of the printer and maintenance .
DTF printing : an increasingly popular alternative for those who care about eco-sustainability is DTF (Direct-To-Film) printing . Specifically, it is a printing process that involves direct printing on heat-sensitive films , using completely eco-friendly pigmented inks. Thanks to this printing, water consumption can be reduced, chemical agents eliminated and greater energy efficiency achieved. In this regard, we also recommend that you try cartridge-free printers , an economical and very effective ecological solution.
PDF/A : If you want to print your PDFs only in digital format and need to optimize storage space , you could opt for the PDF/A format . This PDF was designed for long-term archiving and is very useful for legal and business documents .
These alternatives allow you to obtain several benefits, which both in the private and business spheres can make a difference over time.
In addition to saving paper , which helps the environment and the costs associated with purchasing paper and ink, you can also get simplified sharing of digital documents . In fact, using the cloud you can share and print with extreme ease. Just as the PDF/A format is the ideal solution for companies that want to archive and store many important documents for long periods.
Conclusions
Free or paid PDF printing through dedicated programs allows you to manage your digital documents in the best possible way. Download, purchase or try the software listed in this guide to obtain maximum performance and compatibility with your printer and operating system. Adobe Acrobat is currently the most common choice, but Nitro Reader and Foxit also guarantee excellent performance for all PDF formats