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Drawboard PDF has a free plan, but its Pro price is not published in the material available here, and longtime buyers have objected to tools moving behind subscription access. If you mainly need general PDF editing, signing or document workflows, these six alternatives offer clearer starting prices or different plan tradeoffs. None is a guaranteed match for Drawboard’s touch-device markup workflow: choose by whether you need annotation, e-signatures, a broad PDF toolbox or basic document editing.
01Why people leave Drawboard PDF
Previously paid tools moved behind a subscription
One Reddit thread says Drawboard moved unlimited pinned tools and pressure-sensitive inking to subscription access, affecting some buyers who had paid before subscriptions.
A subscription does not suit occasional use
Some commenters said they use Drawboard only a few times a year and do not want to pay monthly for that level of use.
Some users disliked later updates
In another Reddit discussion, a former regular user said updates changed the experience; other commenters described uninstalling or switching to Edge for basic annotation and signing.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Regular PDF work
SmallpdfSmallpdfSmallpdf is a closer fit if you want a general PDF toolkit rather than Drawboard’s markup-focused workflow. Its listed use cases include editing, e-signatures and shared document workflows, and it has a free plan with a starting price of $7. That gives you a distinct set of PDF jobs to compare before switching, especially if signing and editing matter more than touch-device annotation.
Trade-off: Free-use limits and paid-plan costs narrow its appeal.
6.6/10from
$7/mofree plan - Cross-platform PDF editing
Foxit PDF EditorFoxit PDF EditorFoxit PDF Editor is worth considering if you need PDF editing across platforms, eSign and batch tools. The listed starting price is $10.83, and its positioning also includes occasional AI use. That makes it a broader suite option than a tool chosen mainly for drawing markup, but check whether its tier-gated tools match your workflow before paying.
Trade-off: AI-credit caps and tier-gated tools may affect value.
7.2/10from
$10.83/mo - Varied PDF tasks
iLovePDFiLovePDFiLovePDF suits users who want multiple PDF tools in one app rather than a markup-first replacement. It has a free plan and a listed starting price of $5, with use cases spanning varied PDF tasks and custom team workflows. If your Drawboard use is occasional and spread across different PDF jobs, its low listed entry price is one option to compare.
Trade-off: Free limits are unclear, and privacy concerns are noted.
7.8/10from
€5/mofree plan - Forms and e-signatures
pdfFillerpdfFillerpdfFiller is a better fit if your routine is editing and signing PDFs, filling forms or sharing PDF workflows with a small team. Its listed starting price is $8. Those are more specific document tasks than touch-device markup, so it may fit a switch away from Drawboard when forms and signatures matter more than keeping a drawing-review workflow.
Trade-off: No free plan; reported save paywalls weaken the value.
5.8/10from
$8/mo - Basic signing workflows
Lumin PDFLumin PDFLumin PDF is positioned for basic PDF signing, shared document approvals and Google-integrated workflows. It has a free plan and a listed starting price of $9. Consider it if your Drawboard use is mostly approvals and signatures rather than drawing annotation. Its listed focus is narrower, so check whether its quotas cover your intended workflow.
Trade-off: Limited quotas and cost and trust concerns temper its value.
5.8/10from
$9/mofree plan - PDFs and documents
WPS OfficeWPS OfficeWPS Office may suit personal users who need basic documents as well as PDF tools, or small teams sharing documents. It has a free plan and a listed starting price of $2.49. It is not presented as a dedicated drawing-review replacement, but it is an option if your Drawboard needs sit alongside everyday document work.
Trade-off: The free tier is limited, and paid costs are not fully transparent.
6.4/10from
$2.49/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Drawboard PDF Drawboard PDF (current) | 6.0 | Free | Yes | Teams reviewing drawings together |
| Smallpdf Smallpdf | 6.6 | $7/mo | Yes | People handling PDFs regularly |
| Foxit PDF Editor Foxit PDF Editor | 7.2 | $10.83/mo | No | Teams editing PDFs across platforms |
| iLovePDF iLovePDF | 7.8 | €5/mo | Yes | People handling varied PDF tasks |
| pdfFiller pdfFiller | 5.8 | $8/mo | No | People who regularly edit and sign PDFs |
| Lumin PDF Lumin PDF | 5.8 | $9/mo | Yes | Individuals needing basic PDF signing |
| WPS Office WPS Office | 6.4 | $2.49/mo | Yes | Personal users with basic document needs |
Questions people ask
Is Drawboard PDF free to use?
Drawboard PDF is listed as having a free plan. The material available here does not specify its feature or usage limits, and Pro pricing is not published. Reddit users have reported some tools moving behind subscription access, so check the current plan details before relying on a feature for free.
Is Foxit PDF better than Adobe?
The information available here does not compare Foxit with Adobe, so we cannot call one better. Foxit PDF Editor is listed for cross-platform editing, eSign and batch tools, with AI-credit caps and tier-gated tools as tradeoffs. Compare the current plans against the exact features you need.
Can Drawboard compress PDF files?
The published material does not say whether Drawboard PDF can compress files. It also does not establish compression support for every alternative listed here. If compression is a must-have, check the product’s current feature list before switching rather than assuming a general PDF toolbox includes it.