PDFsam Basic

Free, open-source app to merge, split and rotate PDFs on your computer.

Price: Open source
License: Open source · AGPL-3.0-or-later
Works on: Windows, Mac, Linux

Download Official site Releases on GitHub

Latest release: v6.0.6 · released Oct 2, 2026

In short

A long-standing desktop tool for organising PDFs: merge, split, mix, rotate, extract and insert pages. It is free for home and business use, bundles everything it needs, and never uploads your files. It does not edit text.

Made by: Sober Lemur S.r.l. · Where your data lives: Entirely on your computer; files are never uploaded and no internet connection is needed.

Logo from: pdfsam.org

The editor’s take

If you mostly rearrange pages, this is the simplest free option. It does not edit text, so pair it with another tool if you need that.

Best for

Page clean-up

Anyone who merges reports, splits scans or extracts pages, at home or at work.

Check first

Text editing

Basic cannot change the text or images inside a PDF.

Download & install

Every link goes to the official site, an official app store, or the project’s own GitHub releases.

Official download page pdfsam.org

Windows Your device

Official download page Installer for Windows (64-bit, .msi)

Direct files from GitHub release v6.0.6: pdfsam-basic-6.0.6-windows-x64.msi (93 MB)

Mac Your device

Official download page Mac with Apple chip (.dmg) Mac with Intel chip (.dmg)

Direct files from GitHub release v6.0.6: pdfsam-basic-6.0.6-macos-arm64.dmg (92 MB), pdfsam-basic-6.0.6-macos-x64.dmg (94 MB)

Linux Your device

Official download page Debian/Ubuntu package (.deb)

Direct files from GitHub release v6.0.6: pdfsam-basic_6.0.6-1_amd64.deb (95 MB)

Latest release: v6.0.6 · released Oct 2, 2026 · fetched from GitHub on Oct 3, 2026 · Releases on GitHub

Getting started without coding

Plain-language steps based on the official install guide.

Difficulty: Easy

Download and install, or sign up in the browser. No server needed.

Official installers for Windows, Mac and Linux with Java bundled; no account or internet needed.

Is there an installer?

Windows Installer
Mac Installer
Linux Package
iPhone & iPad Not available
Android Not available

Hosted version

No official hosted version. There is no browser version; it is a desktop app.

Steps for Windows

Open the PDFsam Basic download page and choose “MSI installer 64-bit” (needs 64-bit Windows 10 or later).
Run the .msi and follow the prompts. Java is included, so there is nothing else to install.
The other option, the “.exe downloader”, also offers to try the paid PDFsam Enhanced; the .msi does not.

Steps for Mac

Download the .dmg for your Mac: “ARM 64” for Apple chips, “Intel 64” for Intel (macOS 11 or later).
Open the .dmg and install the app. Java is bundled.

Steps for Linux

Download the .deb (Debian/Ubuntu) or the portable .tar.gz (64-bit).
Install the .deb with your software installer, or extract the .tar.gz and run the app from that folder.

Official documentation

What we could verify

We checked key factual claims and linked to primary sources so you can confirm the details. Last reviewed Oct 3, 2026

Pricing & license Free and open source (AGPL-3.0-or-later), with no watermarks or file-size limits; companies can use it free. Read the FAQ · Checked Oct 3, 2026 · pdfsam.org

Where your data lives It runs entirely on your computer; files are never uploaded. See the official site · Checked Oct 3, 2026 · pdfsam.org

Platform support Windows 10+ (64-bit), macOS 11+ (separate Apple-chip and Intel builds) and 64-bit Linux. Check downloads · Checked Oct 3, 2026 · pdfsam.org

Try before you move

A simple way to see if it fits your needs.

Open a real documentTry a PDF you actually work with, not a sample file.
Repeat your hardest workflowTest the exact task you do most often, such as editing, converting, or adding a signature.
Export and inspect the resultMake sure the output looks right and keeps your formatting.