Everyone has different tasks they want to do in Acrobat or another PDF editor, so your choice of software depends on what tasks you need to do. I classify these tools into these levels:
Level 1 — Ultra basic tools to open and read a PDF file, save it to your computer, or print it on a desktop printer. Even the cheapest freebie should be able to do this.
Level 2 — More functions, like adding comments (aka, markup) to the PDF, fill in form fields, add digital signature, combine different tyes of files into one PDF, redact content, and edit the content (swap photos, correct typos, etc.).
Level 3 — Advanced tools, such as OCR/scanning, stamps, Bates numbering, compare PDF files, export to different types of files (such as Word and PowerPoint), and add rich media (aka, video).
Level 4 — Pro tools, especially those for specific industries. Print production / preflight tools, check for various PDF standards (/A archive, /E engineering, /X print & graphic arts, /UA accessibililty), create forms, bulk emailing for comments and signatures, security, accessibility remediation and validation.
Only Adobe Acrobat Pro is at level 4, but other programs might have one or two of the tools in that group.
Some of our browsers have recently added Level 1 tools to do those tasks right in your browser. Mozilla Firefox is one brand.
I like Foxit's interface: it appears to be easy to figure out and use. But it has many shortcomings that aren't obvious until you discover that the tool doesn't work like it should: Accessibility tools is one category that doesn't meet the needs. Also note that it is a Chinese-owned and based company; some governments (like the US federal government) won't allow it to be installed on their agency computers.
Some more ideas are in this recent blog: https://pubcom.com/blog/acrobatnew/
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