When I needed to make a fillable PDF without using Adobe Acrobat, I tested a few free tools and narrowed it down to PDFescape and Sejda. Both tools allow you to add form fields like text boxes and checkboxes, but they feel quite different in real-world use. This article shares my experience using both and explains why Sejda ultimately became my go-to option.
Using PDFescape to Create Fillable PDFs
PDFescape was the first tool I tried, mainly because it doesn’t require an account and works directly in the browser. Getting started was extremely easy. I uploaded my PDF, selected the form field tool, and started placing text fields and checkboxes almost immediately.
For single-page or simple PDFs, PDFescape works very well. The interface is straightforward, and adding basic fields doesn’t take much effort. If someone is new to creating fillable PDFs, PDFescape feels less intimidating and faster to learn.
However, once I started working with PDFs that had multiple pages, I noticed some limitations. Managing fields across pages felt repetitive, and the overall workflow became slower as the document increased in size and complexity.
Using Sejda for Multi-Page and Advanced PDFs
Next, I tried Sejda, which required creating an account. While this extra step might feel inconvenient at first, the additional functionality quickly made up for it. Sejda provides better control over form fields and handles multi-page PDFs much more efficiently.
I found Sejda especially useful when:
- Working with longer documents
- Managing multiple pages
- Adjusting and reviewing form fields consistently
Navigation between pages felt smoother, and the overall experience was more structured compared to PDFescape. Although the free version has daily usage limits, the toolset feels closer to a premium PDF editor.
PDFescape vs Sejda: A Practical Comparison
Based on my experience:
- PDFescape is easier to use and ideal for quick, simple forms
- Sejda offers more advanced functionality for complex or multi-page PDFs
- PDFescape does not require an account, while Sejda does
- Sejda provides a better long-term workflow, especially for larger documents
My Final Verdict
While PDFescape is a great option for quick edits and one-page forms, Sejda is my preferred tool when creating fillable PDFs. The additional features, better multi-page handling, and overall usability make it worth creating an account.
If I need to build a simple form quickly, I’ll use PDFescape. But for anything more detailed or professional, Sejda is my go-to choice.
