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Fyllyo or PdfCraft? Two free PDF apps.

PdfCraft is free and open source, runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, and gives away tools Fyllyo charges for. It’s also an alpha, by its own account. Fyllyo is a Mac app with free everyday tools, Apple’s text recognition, and a $99 tier for the pro work.

Download free for MacFree and Paid

Free, with no account · Fyllyo Paid is $99 once · Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later

The short answer

Choose Fyllyo if

  • You want text recognition beyond Latin script without accents. Fyllyo uses Apple’s text recognition on your Mac.
  • You fill forms from clients’ documents and want AI that runs on your Mac.
  • You need dependable text edits, redaction with a check for leftovers, and XFA forms, and you’re happy to pay once for them.
  • You’d rather not use alpha software for client work.

Choose PdfCraft if

  • You want everything free and open source, including redaction and certificate signing.
  • You use Windows, Linux or an Intel Mac.
  • You want to read and change the code, or connect AI agents through its MCP server.
  • You export to Word and can live with lost layout.

Side by side

What PdfCraft does comes from its own pages, checked October 2026. Sources are below the table.

FeatureFyllyoPdfCraft
PriceFree, or $99 onceFree, open source
Release0.6, October 2026Alpha, 0.8.0, October 2026
PlatformsMac with Apple siliconMac (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Linux, web
Make scans searchable (OCR)Free, Apple’s text recognitionLatin script without accents
Password-protect a PDFFree
RedactionPaid, with a check for leftovers
Sign with a certificatePaid
Edit existing textPaidThin, by the project’s own account
Dynamic XFA formsPaid, without the form’s own scriptsPartial
Fill forms from documents with AI on your MacPaid
Export to WordLoses layout
Open source

Sources: PdfCraft README · PdfCraft parity notes · PdfCraft releases

Questions

Is PdfCraft really free?

Yes. PdfCraft is free and open source, under the MIT or Apache-2.0 licence, from the ArtCraft team. It describes itself as alpha software.

Which is better for scanned documents?

PdfCraft’s text recognition covers Latin script without accents. Fyllyo uses Apple’s text recognition on your Mac, free, and saves the text in the PDF.

Do both keep files on my computer?

Yes. PdfCraft says documents never leave your machine, with no account or telemetry. Fyllyo works on your Mac too: your documents are never uploaded. The only file it sends is a blank form, when you set up a new custom form for AI filling.

Why pay for Fyllyo when PdfCraft is free?

You may not need to: Fyllyo’s everyday tools are free as well. Fyllyo Paid is for work where you need the tools to be dependable now, such as redaction with a leftover check, XFA forms and filling forms from documents, for $99 once.

See it for yourself

Each of these shows the real app doing the job.

Download free for Mac