Are you wondering how the features of a design application like Canva handle PDF management?
Our team has created this guide to give you an overview of the features and pricing for each so that you can make a better decision of the capabilities of each.
Comparative Overview
Have a look at this table to see which features are similar and where they can help you in particular.
| Feature | PDF Reader Pro Editor | Canva PDF Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Availability | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Web-based, iOS, Android |
| File Types Supported | PDF (view, edit, annotate), Other file types (e.g., Word, Excel, PPT via conversion) | PDF, PNG, JPG, and more for creating designs |
| Editing Features | Text editing, annotations, comments, highlights, drawing tools, OCR, form filling | Basic text editing, annotation (highlight, comment), drag-and-drop features |
| OCR (Optical Character Recognition) | Yes, allows converting scanned PDFs to editable text | No built-in OCR feature |
| Form Handling | Create, fill, and edit PDF forms | Limited to viewing and annotating forms |
| Annotations and Markups | Highlight, underline, strikethrough, sticky notes, stamps, shapes, freehand drawing | Text comments, highlights, drawing, stickers, basic annotations |
| PDF Merging & Splitting | Yes, allows merging and splitting PDF files | No native merging or splitting feature |
| PDF Conversion | Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image, Text, HTML, and more | Convert PDFs to images (PNG, JPG), or redesign content |
| Cloud Integration | Supports iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive | Canva Cloud for storage, integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox |
| Security Features | Password protection, redaction of sensitive data | No specific encryption or redaction features |
| Collaboration Features | Share, comment, collaborate on PDFs (with limitations) | Real-time collaboration, share and comment |
| Template Library | No template library | Extensive template library for designing PDFs and other documents |
| User Interface | Clean, focused on PDF management and editing | Intuitive, design-centric interface for easy content creation |
| Cost | Paid (with a free trial) | Free with paid premium features (Canva Pro) |
| Additional Tools | File compression, batch processing, watermarking | Graphic design tools for flyers, posters, and more |
PDF Reader Pro
Best Features
- Secure document signing
- Conversion of different file formats
- Form-filling and additional image and text elements
| Standard | Advanced | Permanent |
| $79.99 / year | $99.99 / year | $119.99 (one-time purchase) |
Best Features
- Export to multiple different formats
- Add in custom and creator-animated design elements
- Choose from a range of font and image-editing tools with Pro
| Canva Free | Canva Pro | Canva Teams |
| $0 | $5.80 / month | $4.50 / user / month |
Which is Best for Document Management?
Although you can download PDFs from Canva's editing platform, it really is better suited to creating designs and dealing with images and animations.
For this main reason, we would recommend getting a subscription to a proper PDF manager like PDF Reader Pro if you want to use it for tasks like filling in forms at home or more specialized business operations such as signing and sending documents securely.
Check in weekly to our blog to read up on more of the latest product tutorials and PDF software tips from our team.
