PDFsam Basic vs. RevPDF
Side by side, with sources. Checked Oct 3, 2026.
PDFsam Basic
Open source
RevPDF
Free desktopPrice
Completely free, at home or at work. The same company sells separate paid editions (PDFsam Visual and Enhanced).Source: pdfsam.org
Free on Windows, Mac and Linux with every feature and no ads. Phone apps are free with ads, with an optional US$9.99 one-time Premium.Source: revpdf.com
Pricing model
Open source · Free plan available
Free desktop · Free plan available
License
Open source · AGPL-3.0-or-laterGNU Affero GPL v3 or later.
ProprietaryProprietary freeware: free to install, use and pass on unchanged, but the source code is not published.
Works on
- ✓ Windows
- ✓ Mac
- ✓ Linux
- – iPhone & iPad
- – Android
- ✓ Windows
- ✓ Mac
- ✓ Linux
- ✓ iPhone & iPad
- ✓ Android
Where your data lives
Entirely on your computer; files are never uploaded and no internet connection is needed.
On your device. There is no account; the app still goes online to check for updates and, on phones, to show ads.
Getting started
Difficulty: Easy Official installers for Windows, Mac and Linux with Java bundled; no account or internet needed.
Difficulty: Easy Official installers and app-store listings, no account. Only the direct Windows .exe triggers a SmartScreen warning; the Microsoft Store edition does not.
Hosted version
NoneThere is no browser version; it is a desktop app.
NoneRevPDF has no browser version; everything runs on your device.