Sejda review

A convincingly powerful PDF editor, but you'll need to pay if you need to use it a lot

Sejda
(Image: © Sejda; Shutterstock)

TechRadar Verdict

One the whole, Sejda is a pretty polished product, but the text editing wide of things is a little disappointing. Depending on your needs, it may be enough, and the rest of the tools here are top notch.

Pros

  • +

    Online and desktop versions available

  • +

    Integrates with cloud storage services

  • +

    Decent range of editing tools

Cons

  • -

    Text editing is a bit flaky

  • -

    Time limit on free online sessions

  • -

    Free version has some limitations

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Sejda is a PDF editor that comes in free and paid-for versions, as well as online and desktop editions. There is little difference between the online and offline versions, save for the fact that all of the processing is handled locally in the desktop edition rather than in the cloud – files never leave your computer.

The free versions of both the desktop and online tools have limitations however. You're limited to a maximum of three tasks per day, working with files no larger than 50MB or 200 pages, and only working one document at a time.

Unfortunately, o text editing options here can have mixed results – and this is a shame as it is what most people looking to edit PDFs are seeking to do. While you will find that it is possible to edit text, you're likely to find that fonts are changed, making it apparent precisely where edits have been made. That said, you might be lucky and find your PDFs feature exactly the right font to render this unnoticeable!

Beside text editing, you can also add text and images, as well as shapes and drawings. You can add annotations, create forms, whiteout sections of a document, and more. If you want to overcome the limitations of the free version, you'll have to opt for a subscription. At $5 (about £4, AU$7) per week or $7.50 (about £6, AU$11) monthly, this could work out slightly more expensive than you might have hoped, but it's certainly cheaper than some other options.

User experience

The desktop and online versions of Sejda are virtually identical, so if you try one, you know pretty much what the other is like. The interface is non-standard, but easy to navigate nonetheless. The floating toolbar that provides access to all of the various tools and options is always available as you scroll through your document, and tools are intelligently grouped together to make them easy to find.

Sejda is so self-explanatory, it's difficult to fault the tools that are available, but anyone with serious design needs will be disappointed in the lack of precise layout and movement controls.

You might also like

Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson
Freelance writer

Sofia is a tech journalist who's been writing about software, hardware and the web for nearly 25 years – but still looks as youthful as ever! After years writing for magazines, her life moved online and remains fueled by technology, music and nature.


Having written for websites and magazines since 2000, producing a wide range of reviews, guides, tutorials, brochures, newsletters and more, she continues to write for diverse audiences, from computing newbies to advanced users and business clients. Always willing to try something new, she loves sharing new discoveries with others.


Sofia lives and breathes Windows, Android, iOS, macOS and just about anything with a power button, but her particular areas of interest include security, tweaking and privacy. Her other loves include walking, music, her two Malamutes and, of course, her wife and daughter.


You can find her on Twitter and Mastodon.