PDFinish vs PDF Candy
PDF Candy has more tools and a desktop option. PDFinish keeps files on your device and has a lower Lifetime price, but a smaller toolbox.
Compared as of October 2026.
Our honest verdict
Choose PDF Candy if you want a very large set of tools and a desktop app, and you are fine with files being uploaded for processing. Choose PDFinish if you would rather your documents stay in your browser, you want a lower one-time price, and your jobs are everyday ones.
Side by side
| PDFinish | PDF Candy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to start. Pro is $2.99 a month (intro price) or $24 a year. Lifetime is $50 for the first 500 founders. | Web monthly US$6 a month. Desktop and web yearly shown as US$4 a month. Lifetime US$99 once. |
| Free tier | 2 tasks a day with no account, 10 with a free email account. Files up to 50 MB. | No account needed. Page and hourly restrictions and a file size limit apply. |
| Where files are processed | In your browser. Your files stay on your device. | Uploaded files and results are kept for no longer than two hours. |
| Sign-in needed | No. An account is optional and raises the free limit. | No account needed for the free plan. |
| Lifetime option | Yes. $50 once, for the first 500 founders. It covers current and future Pro features, but not paid add-ons such as sending documents for signature. | Yes. US$99 once for desktop and web. |
| E-sign | Sign your own PDFs today: draw, type or upload a signature. Asking other people to sign is on the waitlist. | A Sign PDF tool is offered. |
Where PDF Candy is stronger
- A larger toolbox.
- A desktop app is part of the paid plans, and its Lifetime plan covers both desktop and web.
- Free use needs no account.
Where PDFinish is stronger
- Live tools run in your browser rather than uploading your file.
- A lower Lifetime price at $50 (a founder deal for the first 500 seats; it may change after that).
- A usage meter and the daily limit are shown from the first page load.
Try PDFinish on a real file
Free to start, no account needed for your first tasks each day.
Most people who use PDFinish are small landlords and freelancers. See the PDF tools and templates for landlords and for freelancers.
Looking for more detail? Read our PDF Candy alternative page.
Questions people ask
Is PDFinish cheaper than PDF Candy?
The Lifetime founder deal is $50, against PDF Candy's US$99. The monthly price is $2.99 at the intro price, against US$6 for their web monthly plan. PDF Candy's Lifetime plan includes a desktop app and ours does not.
Does PDFinish have a desktop app?
No. PDFinish runs in the browser only.
How long does PDF Candy keep uploaded files?
Their pricing page says uploaded files and results are kept for no longer than two hours.
Does the PDFinish Lifetime deal last forever?
It covers current and future PDFinish Pro features. It is limited to 500 seats and does not include paid add-ons, such as sending documents for signature, if we release them.
Sources
Facts about PDF Candy are as of October 2026, read from the pages below. Prices and plans change, so check the official page before you buy.
- pdfcandy.com/pricing.html (checked 2026-10-23)
PDFinish is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by PDF Candy. Product names belong to their owners and are used here only to describe a comparison.