PDFgear is a relatively new entrant in the PDF space that offers a full set of tools for free. You can edit text and images, annotate, merge, split, compress, convert, and sign PDFs. There's also OCR and a chatbot feature that answers questions about a document. The desktop app runs on Windows and Mac, and the mobile app covers iOS and Android. The interface is clean and modern, and the performance is good for a free tool.

Unlike many freemium PDF tools, PDFgear doesn't impose daily limits or watermarks on basic tasks. There is a paid version with additional AI features, but the free tier is genuinely usable for most everyday needs. It's a solid option if you want a capable PDF editor without paying a subscription, and it's particularly good for reading and annotating rather than heavy document creation.