Is your confidential data actually secure?
When you share PDFs without strong encryption, your business is left vulnerable to damaging data leaks and major compliance violations.
A single breached document can expose sensitive client data or internal strategies, causing irreparable harm to your company’s reputation and bottom line.
According to IBM X-Force, 42% of malicious PDFs use hidden URLs. This makes unsecured documents a primary gateway for attackers to breach your entire network.
However, choosing the right tool doesn’t have to be a source of anxiety. This guide will help you find a secure, user-friendly solution.
In this guide, I’ll review the best pdf encryption software for 2025, focusing on the features that matter for IT decision-makers like you.
You’ll learn how to evaluate critical encryption protocols, ensure compliance, and protect sensitive documents without disrupting your team’s existing workflow.
Let’s dive in.
Quick Summary:
| # | Software | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Locklizard → | Growing mid-sized companies | |
| 2 | Wondershare PDFelement → | IT directors at mid-size firms | |
| 3 | Foxit → | Diverse regulated industries | |
| 4 | Soda PDF → | Small to medium businesses | |
| 5 | Smallpdf → | IT teams in compliance-centric firms |
1. Locklizard
Struggling to secure sensitive PDF documents?
Locklizard directly addresses your need for robust PDF encryption by eliminating common vulnerabilities, protecting intellectual property from theft and misuse. This means you can confidently share documents internally and externally.
Their DRM software stops unauthorized sharing, copying, and printing, ensuring your confidential information remains protected. This is critical for IT directors juggling security and usability.
How do you maintain control post-distribution?
Locklizard ensures enduring control over your PDFs. Their secure viewers, unlike passwords or plugins, enforce strict DRM controls, even after files leave your network.
You can restrict PDF use to specific devices or locations, and for external sharing, you can instantly revoke access or set expiry dates, regardless of where the document resides. Additionally, features like dynamic watermarks identify users and deter content redistribution, while comprehensive audit trails provide proof of use for compliance. This all works to reduce vulnerability exposure.
The result is secure document sharing with automated policy enforcement.
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Key features:
- Prevent unauthorized actions: Stop copying, editing, saving, printing, and even screenshots, ensuring your content remains intact and uncompromised.
- Granular access control: Lock documents to specific devices or locations, control expiry dates, and revoke access instantly, maintaining complete command over your distributed files.
- Comprehensive monitoring: Track document views and prints, providing audit trails and valuable insights into document usage for compliance and leakage prevention.
Learn more about Locklizard features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Locklizard excels as the best pdf encryption software for IT directors, providing unparalleled control and security by avoiding insecure methods like passwords and plugins. Its robust DRM capabilities ensure regulatory compliance and prevent data leakage, simplifying secure document management for growing companies.
2. Wondershare PDFelement
Securing sensitive documents is a top priority.
Wondershare PDFelement offers robust protection features, including password safeguarding and redaction of sensitive information. This means you can confidently manage compliance and protect confidential data.
With PDFelement, you can ensure your documents are safeguarded against unauthorized access. The result is enhanced security for your critical files.
Here’s how PDFelement streamlines document security.
This software allows you to password-protect your PDFs, controlling who can open or modify them. Additionally, you can create e-signable PDFs and send them in bulk, tracking their status in real-time across devices. You also get the ability to redact sensitive information, ensuring privacy and compliance, a key concern for IT directors. The solution also includes features for creating and filling forms, extracting data, and organizing pages, simplifying your entire document workflow.
All the PDF tools you need.
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Key features:
- Password Protect PDF: Safeguard your documents by adding passwords for enhanced security, preventing unauthorized access and maintaining confidentiality.
- eSign PDF Documents: Create certificate-based signatures to sign PDFs on the go and sync across devices, enabling efficient and legally binding digital workflows.
- Redact Sensitive Information: Ensure privacy and compliance by redacting sensitive content from your PDFs, eliminating vulnerable data exposure in critical documents.
Learn more about Wondershare PDFelement features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Wondershare PDFelement is ideal for IT directors seeking the best PDF encryption software, offering robust password protection, legal e-signatures, and sensitive data redaction. Its cross-platform accessibility and AI-powered features ensure secure, compliant, and user-friendly document management, streamlining workflows while enhancing data security.
3. Foxit
Securing your sensitive PDFs: A complex challenge?
Foxit’s “Protect PDF” and “Sign PDF” features directly address your need for robust document security. This means you can confidently manage encryption and access controls.
Dealing with various regulations and compliance often feels overwhelming, but Foxit provides a solution to maintain audit readiness without compromising efficiency. Their tools ensure your documents remain secure and compliant.
Here’s how Foxit simplifies document security.
Foxit offers a comprehensive suite of PDF solutions, including their PDF Editor and PDF Reader, designed to streamline your document workflows. This helps you overcome challenges with complex integrations.
The “Protect PDF” feature specifically allows you to encrypt documents, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access sensitive information. You can also sign PDFs, adding another layer of security and authenticity. This combination helps you mitigate data breach risks.
Additionally, Foxit’s solutions extend to “Paperless Office” and various industry-specific solutions like “Banking Solutions” and “Healthcare Solutions,” demonstrating their commitment to specialized needs. These capabilities ensure secure external sharing, automated policy enforcement, and seamless integration with your existing document workflows, reducing vulnerability exposure.
The result is secure, compliant, and efficient document management.
Key features:
- Protect PDF: Secure your documents with robust encryption and access controls, ensuring sensitive information is only available to authorized users, which is vital for compliance.
- Sign PDF: Add digital signatures to your PDFs, enhancing document authenticity and integrity, a key component for secure external sharing and audit trails.
- PDF Editor & Reader: Gain comprehensive control over your PDFs, enabling editing, viewing, and secure collaboration while maintaining high-grade encryption standards.
Learn more about Foxit features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Foxit’s strong “Protect PDF” and “Sign PDF” features make it an excellent contender for the best pdf encryption software, directly addressing IT directors’ needs for robust security, compliance, and user-friendly solutions. Their industry-specific applications further highlight their suitability for diverse business environments.
4. Soda PDF
Protecting your documents, simplified and secure.
Soda PDF provides robust features to secure your documents, making compliance and data protection straightforward. This means you can manage your PDFs effortlessly.
You can proactively protect your information through cost-effective security measures. Secure files with a password or set permissions. This is crucial for managing sensitive data efficiently.
What does this mean for your workflow?
Soda PDF simplifies PDF management, allowing you to edit, merge, convert, compress, sign, and secure your documents with just a few clicks. This is an all-in-one solution.
You can also redact sensitive information, protecting confidentiality within your organization. The ability to whiteout or redact sensitive information directly addresses concerns about data breaches and privacy.
Additionally, Soda PDF helps you manage files smarter by enabling you to archive your data using the PDF/A format. This ensures long-term accessibility and compliance. You can even prepare and send contracts for e-signature directly through Soda PDF, enhancing workflow efficiency and security.
Protect your data, simply.
Key features:
- Password Protect & Set Permissions: Secure your sensitive PDFs with passwords and define user permissions, controlling access to your confidential information directly.
- Redact Sensitive Data: Remove or whiteout private information within your documents, helping your company maintain compliance and prevent unauthorized disclosure.
- PDF/A Archiving: Ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of your documents by archiving them in the compliant PDF/A format, crucial for audit readiness.
Learn more about Soda PDF features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Soda PDF stands out as a strong contender for best PDF encryption software by offering essential security features like password protection, permission settings, and data redaction. It simplifies complex security challenges, providing IT directors robust tools for compliance and data protection without disrupting existing workflows.
5. Smallpdf
Need to secure your sensitive PDF documents?
Smallpdf provides a “Protect PDF” tool designed to encrypt your files, addressing your need for robust security. This means you can safeguard confidential information effectively.
Dealing with data security and compliance can be a significant headache, especially when sharing documents externally. Smallpdf offers 256-bit TLS encryption, ensuring secure information transfer for your files.
This protects your data every step of the way.
Smallpdf helps you address these security challenges by focusing on ease of use and compliance. Their “Protect PDF” tool, combined with 256-bit TLS encryption, directly supports your need for secure document handling.
You can manage documents from a single platform, which includes features like storing, managing, and sharing files securely across devices. This allows you to maintain control over your sensitive PDFs. Additionally, Smallpdf is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and GDPR, CCPA, and nFADP compliant, addressing crucial regulatory concerns for your organization. This suite of features ensures your documents are protected while maintaining audit readiness.
Protecting your PDFs has never been simpler.
Key features:
- Secure Document Protection: Use the “Protect PDF” tool to encrypt your files with robust 256-bit TLS encryption, ensuring data privacy and secure information transfer.
- Compliance Readiness: Smallpdf is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and nFADP, helping your organization meet critical security and privacy regulations.
- Integrated Document Management: Store, manage, and share files securely across devices directly from their web platform, streamlining your workflows while maintaining high security standards.
Learn more about Smallpdf features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Smallpdf offers critical features like robust 256-bit TLS encryption and compliance certifications (ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, CCPA, nFADP) making it a suitable choice for IT directors seeking the best PDF encryption software. Its integrated platform and secure sharing capabilities directly address your team’s needs for secure, efficient document workflows.
6. Sejda
Struggling with document security and compliance complexities?
Sejda offers robust PDF protection capabilities, enabling you to safeguard sensitive information.
This means you can protect your files with passwords and permissions, giving you granular control over who can access and what they can do with your documents. The result is peace of mind, knowing your critical data is secure.
Sejda helps simplify your PDF workflows.
You can easily protect files with passwords and permissions, ensuring your sensitive information remains confidential. This includes setting specific restrictions like preventing modifying, printing, or copying text and graphics.
Your team can manage external sharing with confidence by applying these customizable security settings to each document. Additionally, Sejda offers an “Unlock” feature to remove restrictions or passwords from PDF files, providing flexibility when needed. Plus, with options for online or offline use, you can maintain security whether in the cloud or directly from your desktop.
Your secure document management is now streamlined.
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Key features:
- Protect PDF files with password: Add a strong password and set permissions to restrict actions like modifying, printing, or copying content from your documents.
- Unlock PDF restrictions and password: Remove existing security restrictions and passwords from PDF files when access needs to be broadened or changed.
- Flatten fillable PDFs: Convert interactive fillable PDF forms into read-only documents, ensuring that data is preserved and cannot be altered after completion.
Learn more about Sejda features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Sejda stands out as a strong contender for the best PDF encryption software, particularly for IT directors focused on balancing security with usability. Its “Protect” and “Unlock” features directly address compliance and access control challenges, making it an excellent choice for securing your documents while maintaining efficient workflows.
7. UPDF
Is your sensitive PDF data truly secure?
IT directors know protecting documents means more than basic passwords; you need robust encryption tools. UPDF provides comprehensive features to secure your PDFs effectively.
This software helps safeguard your crucial information through encrypted file storage and secure data transmission, ensuring your sensitive documents remain protected from interception. It’s designed to give you peace of mind.
It’s time to truly protect your digital assets.
UPDF solves the complex challenge of securing PDFs with advanced encryption capabilities, providing a robust solution for your organization’s data privacy needs.
For instance, UPDF offers secure cloud storage with encrypted backups in US and European data centers, and it leverages SSL/TLS-based HTTPS encryption for secure file transfer, guarding your documents during transit. This means you can confidently share files externally knowing they are protected.
Additionally, all PDF tools within UPDF are available for offline use, safeguarding your sensitive information from online threats, while its AI server (powered by GPT-4.1) operates on US servers and understands your information without collecting personal data, further reinforcing your privacy.
The result is comprehensive document protection.
Key features:
- Secure Cloud Storage: Encrypted file storage and backups in data centers located in the US and Europe, ensuring your data is safe and compliant.
- Secure Data Transmission: SSL/TLS-based HTTPS encryption guarantees secure file transfer, protecting your documents from interception during sharing.
- Offline PDF Tools: All essential PDF functionalities are available offline, providing robust security for sensitive information against online vulnerabilities.
Learn more about UPDF features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: UPDF provides a comprehensive suite of features, including secure cloud storage, SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission, and offline tools, making it an excellent choice for any IT director seeking the best PDF encryption software to secure sensitive documents and maintain audit readiness.
8. iLovePDF
Worried about unauthorized access to sensitive documents?
Protecting your PDFs is crucial, and iLovePDF directly addresses this with its “Protect PDF” feature. This means you can easily encrypt documents.
You can prevent unauthorized access and safeguard confidential information, ensuring only approved individuals can view your files. Encrypting PDF documents is simpler than ever.
Secure your documents with confidence.
iLovePDF empowers you to password-protect your PDF files, adding a vital layer of security. This directly combats your concerns about data breaches and maintaining audit readiness.
You can also unlock PDF files, giving you the freedom to use your PDFs as you want, which is perfect for managing access permissions for your team. Additionally, its “Redact PDF” tool allows you to permanently remove sensitive information, ensuring total privacy.
This comprehensive approach helps reduce vulnerability exposure and supports compliance requirements, all while maintaining user efficiency through its intuitive design.
Keep your digital documents safe.
Key features:
- Protect PDF files with a password to encrypt documents and prevent unauthorized access, ensuring your confidential information remains secure.
- Unlock PDF password security giving you the freedom to use your PDFs as desired, perfect for managing access rights and ensuring flexible document use.
- Redact text and graphics to permanently remove sensitive information from a PDF, helping you maintain privacy and ensure compliance.
Learn more about iLovePDF features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: iLovePDF provides essential security features like “Protect PDF” and “Unlock PDF” to address the core challenges of securing documents. Its straightforward encryption and redaction capabilities make it a strong contender for the best PDF encryption software, balancing robust protection with ease of use for IT directors.
Conclusion
Worried about your PDF security?
Choosing the wrong tool leaves your company exposed. It’s a constant battle for IT directors to balance powerful security with simple workflows.
According to IBM, the global average cost of a data breach now exceeds $4.88 million. The financial risk of a single leak is simply too high to leave to chance.
So what’s the most effective solution?
From my research, Locklizard is the clear winner. It moves beyond weak passwords, offering true DRM protection that controls your documents anywhere they go.
While we’re discussing robust security, understanding how to fortify your mobile devices is equally important. My guide on best mobile device management software offers valuable perspectives.
I was most impressed by its ability to block screenshots and revoke access instantly. It’s the best pdf encryption software for maintaining absolute control after sharing.
I highly recommend you start a free trial of Locklizard to see how it can safeguard your most critical business documents.
You’ll gain complete control and confidence.
