BEST PDF MERGER SOFTWARE REVIEWS & GUIDES 2017

PDF has been a dominant format for portable documents for more than 2 decades and it remains its popularity due to high-quality, portability, device-independence and compatibility with various operating systems. Meanwhile, we can easily find many casual and professional applications for PDF creation, editing, conversion, manipulation, viewing, etc. There are so many PDF tools out there to help with our job but when it comes to PDF merging, there are not that many choices. What we provide on this website is trying to give the most unbiased and in-depth reviews of the PDF merger software ranking top in the industry.

Why do we need to merge PDF?

PDF merging is necessary when we have multiple PDF documents and we really need to make them into one. These separate PDF files could possibly be data analysis reports, architects’ drawings, scanned law papers, chapters of

PDF merging is necessary when we have multiple PDF documents and we really need to make them into one. These separate PDF files could possibly be data analysis reports, architects’ drawings, scanned law papers, chapters of e-books, etc. All of them can be very troublesome or even impossible to use if not merged together. PDF merge is also one of the best ways to archiving and categorizing files. Home users can also create PDF anthologies from whatever types of artworks and photos they like to collect.

That’s why our website will keep searching and giving the latest PDF related info as well as tips and tricks, in addition to reviews of handpicked best PDF merger software written by technicians and developers with decades of experience. Please take your time to read these reviews before jumping into the actual payment and download.

TOP 5 BEST PDF MERGER SOFTWARE COMPARISON TABLE

Tools	PDF Merging	PDF Viewer	PDF Editing	OCR	Scan and Convert	Our Rating	Price
PDFelement	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
iSkysoft PDF Editor	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Soda PDF	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
PDFZilla	Yes	No	No	No	No
Aiseesoft PDF Merger	Yes	No	No	No	No

Things to Consider When Choosing a PDF Merger

PDF documents are one of the most cumbersome documents to deal with on a typical working day. Few programs can be able to open them, leave alone edit them. In most cases, you find that you have to download another program or plugins to edit and manipulate reports to meet your needs. However, a PDF merger software can ease your troubles and provide excellent editing as well as other services to get your project done on time with excellent quality.

What is a PDF Merger?

PDF Merger is a utility program developed for deployment from the desktop that has a simple user interface and executes your needs with lightning speed. It allows you to combine at least two PDF files or image files into a single document in PDF format. You can also merge spreadsheets, videos, and web pages, into a single PDF portfolio that you can easily share with your colleagues, send out for review, or for storage purposes.

Millions of professionals and entry-level novices have found the program indispensable, and it has soared to be one of the most sort after PDF editing software in the world. With an excellent user interface design, no file limit or ads watermarks, the software has a free and beautiful tool that allows the combination of your PDF files exactly how you want it.

In this guide we look at the elements you should consider before choosing PDF Merger, to allow you to understand why this is a world class PDF editing tool preferred by millions of professionals.

PDF Merging

The software allows you to join multiple files such as videos, images, PDF documents, spreadsheets, and other materials into one PDF document. The advantage of this is that you can merge either your files online or offline. There is an increasing number of professionals opting to edit their files online, and according to statistics, over 48% of the PDF edits is done using this PDF merger.

At the same time, there has been an increase of downloads for the software for those who work offline or do not have access to a reliable internet connection.

Input Files Types Supported

A PDF merging program should allow a diverse range of input files to provide the necessary service to anyone in a professional field. Currently, the input file types supported include videos, Excel spreadsheets, image files, PDF documents, as well as non-pdf documents such as MS Word documents, JPEG, TIFF, PowerPoint slides, TXT, and HTML files.

With this many and more input file types supported by the PDF Merger program, it has attracted a huge number of professionals in various fields. Testimonials on the internet and review sites have heaped critical as well as user acclaims on the program.

PDF Viewer

To date, millions of professionals dread receiving documents in a PDF format since many of the PDF viewing programs they have are not compatible with many OSs. With this PDF merging program, it is now easier to view your PDF documents regardless of which program the other professional used when creating it.

It has become the trusted standard for viewing PDFs and it allows you to print directly from the program without having to copy and paste it into other applications such as MS Word. From students to research professionals, viewing PDF files have never been easier.

PDF Editing

One of the biggest frustrations many people encounter with PDF programs is that they cannot edit the document. In most cases, you only get the option of copying the section you want to edit and copying it to another program such as Word, Excel, et al. However, you can easily edit any document no matter the size and complexity of the design. You can add or remove images, text, videos, and so much more.

With either the online or the offline version, you can edit your PDF files with no hassle, and you can send it or archive it on your computer or mobile device. Best of all, you can fill out forms on the program and so much more.

OCR

This means Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Any reputable PDF merger program out to convert electronically or mechanically scanned images, typed, handwritten, or printed texts into a text format that a computer can understand. These can be in the form of a scanned document or images, photo of a document, texts on signs and billboards, et al.

OCR is possible through photo scanning of texts character by character, an in-depth analysis of the scanned characters, followed by the translation of the image into character codes the computer can understand, such as ASCII, more common in data processing.

Output Options

Whenever you merge and customize various PDF files, you have the option of a broad range of output options. PDF Merger allows you to specify the values of various fields such as default full compression, encryption, image compression, create bookmarks, simulated printing, and so much more.

These options enhance the quality of the finished PDF document. Given that you take the time to familiarize yourself with the options, a beginner can be mistaken for a professional.

Scan and Convert

When scanning, you will mostly get the document in the form of a JPEG image; you can also scan directly into pdf, it is all a matter of preference. However, there will come a time when you will need to convert scanned documents into a PDF format, and PDF Merger is one of the best tools to handle the conversion.

With a few clicks on the program, you can convert the scan from any format, be it JPEG image into a PDF to enable the PDF Merger to recognize the page range as well as language for recognition of the texts. You can then proceed to view and edit the document.

Protect and Share

Illegal downloads and sharing are killing the creative industry and all your hard work of creating, merging, and editing PDF files could go down the drain without making a dime for all your efforts. The PDF Merger comes with security features that allow you to protect your work from unauthorized sharing and copying.

You can add passwords, and specify permissions for your PDF files easily. This feature is available in the online as well as offline versions of the program. More advanced options give you more control over the level of encryption you want to exercise on your document. This way you can dictate who views your PDF document, and only those with the password and encryption key can share your PDF document.

Ease of Use

PDF Merger has a user-friendly interface with exceptionally placed panels that allow people with different skills to edit, merge, and convert various file formats into a single PDF document. One of the reasons why it has risen to be the most sorts after PDF merger software is that novices and professionals alike can use it with little or no hassle.

Pricing

You have the option of using the free or the premium version of the program. Online reviews and testimonials have placed the PDF Merger free version at par with most of the premium versions of the other PDF merger programs. The rating of the premium version ranks among the best in the world with exceptional features to safeguard your document as well as improve the quality of the output.

Armatures ought to start with the free version to wrap their heads around the program, and they can progress on to the premium version that has more value for the price. The PDF Merger has a 30-day money back guarantee if it fails to meet your PDF merging and editing needs.

Help and Support

PDF Merger has a dedicated 24/7 customer care support via the website, or you can reach the customer care representative by phone or email. There is at least one representative present at any one given time, and you can chat with them via the website’s chat box where they can take you through the diagnostics process to troubleshoot your problem.

You can also find many online discussion groups and forums where you can engage other users and learn a trick or two to boost your user experience. One of the best ways you can get help & support is through the tutorial videos available on YouTube and other video sharing sites as well as on the PDF Merger website.

Cross Platform

PDF Merger is available on multiple platforms having the ability to operate on various operating systems including Microsoft Windows MacOS, Linux, Unix, Ubuntu, just to name a few. This allows you to create your PDF document from any computer and your recipient can open and view your document on another computer despite it having a different operating system.

You might notice a few tweaks to the graphics user interface (GUI) while maintaining the quality and integrity of the document. This has made the PDF Merger a fan favorite, and it continues to be the PDF merger program of choice.

In conclusion, PDF Merger is a powerful program with at least a million downloads to date. The online version sees the traffic of more than 50,000 users using it to merge and edit their documents then converting them to pdf, encrypting and sharing the final report with their colleagues or on the internet.

1. PDFelement

PDFelement 6 Pro from Wondershare is an easy but multifunctional PDF processing tool which is a great choice for small businesses. Except for PDF merging, it can edit, convert and create PDF on Windows/Mac OS/iOS. It comes with so many PDF manipulation features that users may need a bit more time to learn to how to use them. Read our full review

FEATURES

PDF Merging

PDFelement’s advantage in PDF merging is that it can combine files in different formats like PDF, Word, TXT, JPG, etc. into PDF. Users can directly input Word and Excel documents. There is also the ability to combine only the pages and/or page ranges designated. The procedure is fast and the output is accurate. You can output the merged PDF to Word, Excel, HTML, Image, PPT, Text and more formats.

PDF Viewing/Editing/Scan/Conversion

Users can view PDF in “Page View Mode” with zoom supported. It can do most of the things that users may want with a PDF reader app. PDFelement 6 Pro is able to edit PDF just like editing DOC with Word. There are plenty of editing features to alter the PDF. It can directly save PDF from the scanner and meanwhile, it’s good at converting between PDF and major documentation formats.

OCR

OCR is provided but users will have to install the OCR library first. The OCR features support 20 languages – which is less than the 190 languages supported by Aiseesoft PDF Merger but it’s enough for normal use.

Protect and Share

PDFelement 6 Pro can password-protect the PDF and apply a digital signature. Sensitive images and texts can be marked for redaction. The resulting PDF can be printed/emailed or saved to cloud storage.

THE PROS

Although PDFelement 6 Pro comes with a bunch PDF processing features, it has a simple interface that can be easily navigated by new users. The price is affordable and the output is awesome. If users input Word or Excel, the layout will be perfectly kept. It has features like PDF conversion/editing/viewing, OCR, Scan to PDF, cloud storage, protection, etc. Basically, users can find anything they want with PDF.

CONS

Hyperlinks will not be preserved after Word-to-PDF conversion. To change the page numbers of the original PDFs after merging multiple PDFs, you will have to download another program.

2. iSkysoft PDF Editor

iSkysoft PDF Editor 6 Pro is designed for PDF editing but it is also a multifunctional tool that is able to merge PDF. iSkysoft PDF Editor comes with a bunch of abilities like PDF editing, conversion and more. It has both Windows and Mac versions. Read our full review

FEATURES

PDF Merging

There is a “Combine PDF” option through which you can merge PDF. Normal input as well as drag-and-drop input is supported. Users can specify the pages and/or page ranges to merge into a new PDF. Still, the page numbers won’t change after merging no matter what merging order they are in. It accepts various documentation formats. The PDF merging is amazingly fast.

PDF Viewing/Editing/Scan/Conversion

As a multi purpose PDF editor, it does not fail users in any aspects. It provides a capable PDF viewer to view PDF; editing operations like copy, paste and more detailed changing are allowed; it can convert between PDF and many documentation formats; it can create PDF right from a connected scanner.

OCR

OCR is embedded which supports 23 languages – not an enormous amount but many common languages are covered.

Protect and Share

Password-protection for the PDF is provided to prevent unauthorized access. The digital signature is also provided and each page can be watermarked for authenticity. Generated PDF can be directly emailed or uploaded to Google Drive and Dropbox.

THE PROS

iSkysoft PDF Editor 6 Pro is quite a catch when it comes to PDF merging for its fast speed and accuracy. It’s easy to learn as a multifunctional PDF editor. It supports many input /output formats and it provides versions for Windows and Mac users.

THE CONS

The options in “Help” tab are a bit confusing. Links will not be preserved after Word to PDF conversion. The interface is 99% duplicate of PDFelement 6 Pro except for a few interface color changes.

3. Soda PDF

As a multifunctional PDF program, Soda PDF 9 provides PDF merging feature as well. The best part about this software is that it provides compatible versions almost all platforms and devices. Read our full review

FEATURES

PDF Merging

When using the merging feature of Soda PDF, users can input various files from the desktop as well as other devices. It also allows adding a folder or adding opened files in the browser. It supports plenty of input formats to merge into PDF: Office formats, image formats, PPT formats, HTML formats, eBook formats, etc.

PDF Viewing

The most powerful PDF viewer compared to other PDF mergers we review. There are numerous viewing options to tweak. Users can rotate, bookmark and take snapshots of the pages. There is a unique page-flipping feature.

PDF Editing/Scan/Conversion

The PDF editor has every function that you can find in other PDF editors. Users can directly scan to PDF. Meanwhile, conversion between PDF and Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Image, HTML, TXT, RTF, and PDF/A formats are supported.

Protect and Share

Password-protection, digital signature and watermarking are provided. Generated PDF can be Files can be accessed from Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, etc. or shared via email, Evernote or Soda PDF Online.

THE PROS

Soda PDF has all the features that a user may need for PDF merging and other mastering work. It provides some unique features like PDF flipping. It has the most powerful PDF viewer, more flexible ways to input PDF, more cloud storage choices, more versions for various systems and better portability for mobile devices.

THE CONS

The page numbers won’t automatically change after merging regardless of the merging order. Users will have to pay yearly.

4. PDFZilla

PDFZilla 3 is designed for PDF conversion while it can handle PDF merging well. The interface is quite user-friendly and users can see all the functions needed. It can do most of the work within 3 clicks. Read our full review

FEATURES

PDF Merging

To input PDF users can use drag-and-drop or an “Add” button to add files or a folder. The merging order can be changed. You can set it to play a reminder sound when merging is finished. The merging is very fast. The downside is, it only supports image input, which means you can only add image files. Luckily, it has the widest support for image file formats: JPG, PSD, GIF, TIF, ICO, BMP, PNG, etc.

PDF Rotation & Cutting

Users are allowed to use a PDF Rotator to rotate the selected pages in 90 Degrees/180 Degrees/270 Degrees. The PDF cutter allows users to delete the unwanted page in a PDF file.

PDF Conversion

The output option is a strong point of PDFZilla. It can convert image files to PDF, Word, Excel, TXT, RTF, Flash, HTML as well as many image formats.

THE PROS

PDFZilla has super-fast merging speed. It’s very easy to use. It can merge quite many image formats into PDF and can output files in many mainstream documentation formats. It provides PDF rotation and page deletion.

THE CONS

Compare to other PDF mergers we review, it lacks many features: no OCR, PDF viewer, PDF editor, sharing and cloud storage options. It only allows image input. So, unless you are looking for a tool that can handle many image input formats and your work won’t involve other input formats, we suggest you turn to other multifunctional tools.

5. Aiseesoft PDF Merger

Aiseesoft PDF Merger is one of the most powerful PDF merger software for Windows users. It can combine a great number of PDF files into one PDF; it can also combine the selected parts in different PDF files to create a new PDF. It provides OCR that supports for 190 languages to extract the text from PDF, which is an astonishing amount for a PDF joiner program. Read our full review

FEATURES

PDF Merging

Aiseesoft PDF Merger allows adding PDF files from an explorer window. It can batch process. Just drag the listed PDF to change the merging order. In the generated PDF, the page numbers will be kept from the previous files. Users can merge the specific pages or page ranges of their choices, which is a very useful feature to get an accurate result. It can output PDF format only, without the output options of Word, Excel, HTML, etc.

OCR

Aiseesoft PDF Merger is embedded with OCR technology and what’s more amazing is that it can recognize 190 languages in total including English, French, German, Chinese, etc. This is what makes it a great assistant when it comes to doing international business.

THE PROS

Aiseesoft PDF Merger is quite easy for users of any level. The interface is very neat and straightforward. It works fast when merging PDF and the output quality is satisfying. The price is affordable and the payment is one time and you get lifetime update for that. Its OCR supports 190 languages.

THE CONS

There is neither drag-and-drop feature to input PDF files nor the option to input a whole folder. Users can’t view PDF with it. It doesn’t have PDF conversion ability and is very limited in output formats to choose from – PDF only.