Why it's a strong pick

Xodo covers a wide set of PDF jobs in one place: edit, convert, compress, merge, crop, redact, sign and fill. It is backed by Apryse. Its privacy page is also clearer than most: it says what runs in your browser and what is sent to a server. The trade-off is the free plan. Xodo's pricing page says free use is limited, so plan for that.

What it does

You pick an action, add your file and use Xodo's online tools to work on the PDF before you download the result. The tool pages list editing, converting, compressing, merging, cropping, redacting, signing and filling forms.

Key features

Editing and filling. Edit PDFs and fill forms.
Convert, compress and merge. The common file jobs in one toolset.
Crop and redact. Crop pages and redact content.
Sign. Add a signature to a document.
Plans. Xodo has a free plan with limited access, plus paid plans. Check its pricing page for what each plan includes now.

Who it's for

Xodo suits people who need a one-off job done, such as redacting a page or merging a few files, and who can live with a limit on free use. If you do many PDF jobs each day, you will probably need a paid plan, or a different tool. For a free reader with comments and signing, see Adobe Acrobat. For other online toolkits, see Smallpdf and iLovePDF.

Is Xodo free?

Partly. Xodo's pricing page describes a free plan with limited access to its web tools, so free use is limited per day. Paid plans exist, and it lists a trial that needs a payment method. We do not quote limits or prices here because plans change. Check Xodo's current limits before you start a big job.

Where does Xodo process my files?

Xodo says most of its tools process files entirely in your browser. Some tools need server processing. For those, it says files are uploaded temporarily and removed after about one hour, and that data is encrypted in transit with TLS. That is Xodo's own description, so read its tool privacy page for the full detail.

What permissions does Xodo ask for?

We could not confirm a permission list, so we do not state one. Check the install prompt on the Chrome Web Store before you add it, and review the permissions again if an update changes them. Chrome shows what the extension can access before you confirm the install.

Do I need an account to use Xodo?

We could not confirm this. Xodo's pricing page describes the free-use limit without saying whether an account is required. Check Xodo's site before you start. Xodo says free use is limited per day and paid plans exist, so do not assume the tools are open to anyone without limits.

FAQ

Who makes Xodo? Xodo is part of Apryse, according to Apryse's and Xodo's own pages.

Can I redact a PDF with it? Xodo lists a redact tool. Check the result before you share the file.

Does it replace a PDF reader? It is built around online tools. For reading, see PDF Viewer by Mozilla PDF.js.

Good to know

Plan around the free limit. Xodo's pricing page says free use is limited per day, so batch your jobs or choose a paid plan.

Do not upload sensitive documents unless you have read Xodo's privacy policy. Even when a tool runs in your browser, some tools use a server.

Other pdf viewers & editors to compare

Xodo is one of 7 picks in our PDF Viewers & Editors guide, which compares them side by side and explains how to choose. The other picks:

Adobe Acrobat: Adobe's own Chrome extension. Free to view, comment, fill and sign. Convert and compress tools need a paid plan or trial.
Smallpdf: A "Smallpdf Tools" tab for every PDF you open in Chrome. Compress, convert, merge, split, e-sign and AI summarize. The free tier has a daily task limit.
iLovePDF: PDF tools from ILOVEPDF S.L., the company behind ilovepdf.com. Merge, split, compress, convert, protect, sign and OCR.
Kami: A PDF and document annotation tool for classrooms. The Chrome extension is free, with basic markup tools and Google Classroom support. Some tools are paid.
Enhanced PDF Viewer: A PDF reader for Chrome from PlugMonkey, built on the PDF.js engine. Keyboard shortcuts, presentation mode, text-to-speech and smart printing.
PDF Viewer by Mozilla PDF.js: An open-source extension that opens PDFs in the PDF.js viewer instead of Chrome's built-in one.

Also see: Best Chrome extensions for privacy.