How to Redact PDF Without Adobe: Best Alternatives That Actually Work

Last month I had witnessed one of my colleagues, who, when signing a contract with confidential client information, sent it out with it completely visible, even when they believed that they had adequately covered it with black boxes in their PDF editor. It was then that I was made to realize how numerous people are unaware of the fact that the idea of redaction is not necessarily about concealing some text but about permanently taking it out of the document. And though Adobe Acrobat Pro is the Adobe gold standard as far as PDF redaction is concerned, it is priced at an exorbitantly high cost (approximately 20 dollars per month), which is driving many of us to find alternatives.

Having spent a lot of time trying out a variety of tools to work on my task in the field of document management, I have found that there are a number of quality options that will not drain your wallet, and will not worse, jeopardize your sensitive information.

The Difference Between Real Redaction and Cosmetic Cover-ups

So, before going into the details of particular tools, we should dispel a dangerous myth. The black rectangle that is drawn on top of the text in most basic PDF editors actually does not delete any information, it just makes it invisible. These overlays can be taken away by anybody with simple technical expertise and what is beneath exposed itself. I have witnessed mistakes of this kind with everything, including legal documents, as well as medical records, which can be quite dire.

Real redaction forever deletes the chosen material of the code structure of the PDF. Once deleted, there is no chance of restoration of the information that has been deleted, and that is exactly what you would desire in this case of confidential data.

Why Look Beyond Adobe?

Adobe Acrobat Pro does deal with redaction more than brilliantly. The redaction tool is user-friendly, consistent and also has convenient tools such as an automatic pattern recognition that allows one to locate and redact social security numbers or email addresses. However, the point is the following: not everyone requires all the functions of Adobe, and it seems to be too expensive to pay 240 annual dollars to redaction the text only a few times.

Also, not all organizations want to become part of Adobe ecosystem which could particularly be smaller organizations or government agencies that have limited budgets. Other people may require redacting applications which can be easily integrated into their workflow platforms.

Best Professional Alternatives

Free and Low-Cost Options

Online Redaction Tools: Use with the Highest Caution

There are a number of web solutions that provide PDF redaction, such as SmallPDF, iLovePDF, and Sejda. They are easy to use when dealing with non sensitive documents but I highly recommend that one does not use them when handling very confidential information.

Consider it: you are uploading confidential documents to a third party server, processing them and downloading them again. You are adding needless risk into your workflow, even when using the encryption of the session via the use of the SSL protocol and the assurance of automatic deletion. I have read too much about data breach reports to be comfortable in suggesting online tools to sensitive redaction work.

In the case that you are required to work with online tools, maybe to access a restaurant menu or public flyer, Sejda has the strongest redaction options with a decent free plan (up to 200 pages per month).

Platform-Specific Solutions

Best Practices of a Successful Redaction

By experience (and luck, at least in the beginning of my career), I have developed a redaction workflow, which reduces errors to a minimum:

1. Always work on copies. Redaction of the original document should not be done directly. This was the experience that I had when I made the mistake of over-redacting an important contract and was unable to retrieve the original document.
2. Review twice, redact once. Print the paper or preview at varying zoom effects so that you do not miss any sensitive information. Headers, footers and metadata are to be paid special attention.
3. Check document properties. Most PDFs include metadata which discloses the information about authors, companies or revision history. The majority of good redaction tools have the ability to remove this metadata, but you must recall to do so.
4. Verify your redactions. Once the redacting is done, attempt to select and copy text on the part of the redacted sections. The redaction did not work well in case you are still able to copy text.
5. Consider the context. Incomplete information can at times be as informative as full information. When you delete a name and leave in its place what you have done is deleting CEO of [Company Name], then you have not actually safeguarded the identity.

Different Industry Special Concerns

Making Your Choice

The choice of the appropriate PDF redaction tool is conditioned by a number of factors:

• Frequency of use: In case you need to redact document on a daily basis, it would be reasonable to invest in Foxit PhantomPDF or Adobe Acrobat Pro. Occasionally, PDFElement or PDF-XChange Editor would be sufficient.
• Complexity of documents: Most tools can deal with simple documents with simple text. The documents that involve forms, many layers or odd formatting require advanced solutions.
• Budget limitations: Free tools are available but keep in mind that appropriate redaction will save you the possible expensive data breach or legal consequences. The cheapest may be in the end most costly.
• Technical skills: Command-line utilities such as PDFtk are highly capable and flexible but need technical skills. The less technical user is easier to access through GUI-based tools such as PDFElement.
• Requirement of compliance: There are industries that have requirements like a redaction capability or audit trail. Make sure that the tool you have selected satisfies these needs before conducting your commitment.

The Bottom Line

Adobe Acrobat Pro is still the standard of PDF redaction, but there are some alternatives that would be equally able to meet your requirements at less cost. The best alternative is Foxit PhantomPDF, which has the best redaction available and costs reasonably. The PDFElement is a great solution to small businesses and individuals, whereas specific applications such as Nitro Pro can be effective in the corporate setting.

It is important to keep in mind that inappropriate redaction is not only an embarrassment but also legally and financially disastrous. Whichever tool you settle on, ensure that you learn the usage and ensure that your redactions are final. Even a few more minutes of meticulous work may help you to escape major problems in the future.

The PDF tools market is still developing, and new functionalities and providers are introduced on a frequent basis. However, the principles are the same: authentic redaction irreversibly deletes information, and that cannot be discussed under sensitive information. Select your weapon according to your individual requirements, but never, under any circumstances, cut corners.