While not free, Kofax offers a perpetual license for ~$99 (no subscription). It is often described as “90% of Acrobat Pro for 20% of the price.” If you need long-term Pro-level features without renting software, consider this.
In 2025, security researchers at Kaspersky discovered a widespread crack for Adobe Acrobat Pro that also installed a backdoor called “PDFStealer,” which scanned your computer for tax documents and bank statements, then exfiltrated them to a server in Eastern Europe. Adobe Acrobat Pro For Free
In this comprehensive guide, we will separate fact from fiction. We’ll explore the only legitimate ways to use Acrobat Pro without paying, warn you about dangerous “cracks” and “keygens,” and introduce you to powerful, free alternatives that can handle 90% of PDF tasks without breaking the bank—or the law. While not free, Kofax offers a perpetual license