Gold PDF vs A Comparison
Gold PDF is free and covers the everyday jobs people use A Pro for; A Pro adds a wider professional toolset on a subscription. The table lists what matters for most users. A prices are typical published list prices in October 2026 and change by country and plan.
| Price | Free | About $19.99 / month (annual plan, list) |
|---|---|---|
| Account | None | Required |
| Edit existing text | Yes | Yes |
| True redaction | Yes (page rebuild on save) | Yes |
| OCR | Yes, offline (English, Hebrew bundled) | Yes |
| Forms and signatures | Yes, saved signature library | Yes, plus cloud signing |
| Passwords | AES-256 | Yes |
| AI | Optional, your own key | Paid add-on |
| Platforms | Windows 10/11 | Windows, Mac, mobile, web |
| Prepress, accessibility tools | No | Yes |
Who should choose which
- Gold PDF — individuals, students, small businesses, anyone wanting private, offline, no-cost editing.
- A Pro — teams needing cross-platform apps, accessibility tagging, print production or cloud workflows.
How to test
Run one real task in each: edit a line, redact a number, OCR a scan. Then verify the saved files. More in best free A alternative for Windows.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gold PDF a full replacement for A Pro?
For everyday editing, redaction, OCR, forms, signatures and passwords, often yes; for prepress, accessibility tagging and cloud signing, no.
How much is A Pro?
About $19.99 a month on an annual plan was commonly listed in October 2026; prices vary, so check A.
Which one is more private?
Gold PDF is offline by design; A has optional cloud features.
Gold PDF — the free PDF editor for Windows
Edit text, redact for real, OCR scans, fill forms, sign and protect. Offline, no account, no watermark.