Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Google Docs VS PDFsam Basic

Compare Google Docs VS PDFsam Basic and see what are their differences

Google Docs logo Google Docs

Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

PDFsam Basic logo PDFsam Basic

A free and open source software to merge, split, rotate and extract pages from PDF files
  • Google Docs Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-16
  • PDFsam Basic Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-27

Google Docs features and specs

  • Accessibility
    Google Docs can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, allowing for easy access to documents from anywhere.
  • Collaboration
    Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, making real-time collaboration easy and efficient.
  • Auto-Save
    Documents are automatically saved to Google Drive, reducing the risk of data loss due to unexpected issues.
  • Version History
    Allows users to see the revision history of a document and revert to previous versions if necessary.
  • Cost
    Google Docs is free to use, which is advantageous for individuals and organizations looking to cut down on software expenses.
  • Integrations
    Seamlessly integrates with other Google services (Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Drive) and third-party applications.
  • Add-ons
    Offers a variety of add-ons to enhance functionality, such as grammar checkers, templates, and other productivity tools.

Possible disadvantages of Google Docs

  • Internet Dependency
    Requires an internet connection for full functionality, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity or during outages.
  • Limited Offline Access
    Although offline access is available, it requires planning and setup; the experience is not as seamless as online use.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Storing sensitive information on Google’s servers can raise privacy and data security concerns for some users and organizations.
  • Feature Limitations
    While Google Docs provides robust basic functionality, it may lack some advanced features found in other word processing software like Microsoft Word.
  • Formatting Issues
    Some users may experience formatting inconsistencies, especially when exporting documents to other formats or printing.
  • Storage Limitations
    Free accounts are limited to a certain amount of storage space on Google Drive, necessitating payment for additional space should it be required.
  • Performance
    Occasionally, performance may be sluggish with very large documents or during peak usage times.

PDFsam Basic features and specs

  • Cost
    PDFsam Basic is free to use, making it accessible for users who need basic PDF capabilities without financial investment.
  • Simplicity
    Offers a straightforward interface that is easy to navigate, even for users with minimal technical expertise.
  • Functionality
    Provides essential PDF operations like splitting, merging, rotating, and extracting pages, meeting the needs of most basic users.
  • Cross-Platform
    Available on multiple operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring broad accessibility.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source application, PDFsam allows users to inspect and modify the source code, ensuring transparency and customization.

Possible disadvantages of PDFsam Basic

  • Advanced Features
    Lacks advanced PDF editing features found in paid software like text editing, form filling, or OCR.
  • Performance
    May not handle very large PDF files as efficiently as some paid alternatives, potentially leading to slower processing times.
  • User Support
    Limited user support options compared to professional paid versions, which may offer dedicated customer service.
  • Interface
    Although functional, the user interface can be seen as basic or outdated, lacking the polished look of some commercial software.

Analysis of Google Docs

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Google Docs is highly regarded as a versatile and user-friendly word processing tool.

Why this product is good

  • Google Docs is popular due to its real-time collaboration features, ease of accessibility from any device with internet connectivity, and seamless integration with other Google Workspace apps. It is especially valued for its intuitive interface, comprehensive set of editing tools, and automatic saving feature which enhances productivity.

Recommended for

  • Students for note-taking and assignments.
  • Professionals collaborating on documents and reports.
  • Small to large teams working remotely.
  • Freelancers needing reliable word processing software.
  • Anyone looking for a free, cloud-based word processing solution.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Google Docs and PDFsam Basic)
PDF Tools
87 87%
13% 13
PDF Editor
89 89%
11% 11
PDF Creator
90 90%
10% 10
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Google Docs and PDFsam Basic. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Google Docs and PDFsam Basic

Google Docs Reviews

Top 12 Online Collaboration Tools for Smart Working
Users can share meeting notes or create project briefs collectively with one click. They can also choose from a variety of formats, such as Nifty Docs, Google Docs, Presentation, or Spreadsheet, and sync with their Google Drive! Google Docs, as a crucial component within Google Workspace, facilitates teamwork and accessibility, offering document management capabilities...
Source: niftypm.com
Best 25 Software Documentation Tools 2023
Google Docs allows users to create, edit, share and collaborate on documents in real-time, online and is accessible from any device. It's a powerful and collaborative documentation tool that offers a wide range of features and it is widely used by individuals, teams and organizations.
Source: www.uphint.com
The 11 Best Slite Alternatives in 2022- Free Tools Included!
“Intuitive layout, integration with other Google services/offerings and hosting in the cloud make Google Docs arguably the best way for small teams with far-flung members to generate collaborative documents quickly. Four years ago, using Google Docs to author, edit and review documents was a nonstarter due to missing features found in word processing software. Today, many...
Source: remoteverse.com
EasyContent vs Google Docs
Google Docs require external tools to make it appropriate for collaborative content production. It's often upgraded to GSuite (which consists of multiple apps in one package) or paired with project management platforms like Asana and Trello. This means you'll need to manage multiple apps and platforms, adding overhead to your content production process.
Source: easycontent.io

PDFsam Basic Reviews

We have no reviews of PDFsam Basic yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PDFsam Basic seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Google Docs mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Google Docs yet. Tracking of Google Docs recommendations started around Mar 2021.

PDFsam Basic mentions (6)

  • PDF-Merger
    It looks good and seems easy to use, however its function might already be covered by PDFSam Basic (also open-source). Source: about 2 years ago
  • concerned about work being stolen - plagiarism
    Free and open-source solution for pdf merging: https://pdfsam.org/pdfsam-basic/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Service Manual Generac Guardian 24Kw G0072101
    Since PDFs are provided. You can build (merge) one using a tool such as PDFSam. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Need a cheap PDF Editor....Is Ashampoo legit?
    If I understand correctly, you want to merge PDFs basically. I think PDF Sam Basic (open-source too I think) and Sejda Desktop might work, depending on how many PDFs you need to edit every day. Source: about 3 years ago
  • LPT: If you need to edit PDF documents such as split, merge, extract, etc. and don't want to pay for expensive software, you should know about pdfsam.org, a free and open source application which allows you to edit PDF documents offline, and protects your privacy.
    Edit functions such as split, merge, extract, mix and rotate are all free. Yes, they have a premium version, but the free version is definitely way more than a glorified viewer: https://pdfsam.org/pdfsam-basic/. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Google Docs and PDFsam Basic, you can also consider the following products

Adobe Acrobat DC - Make your job easier with Adobe Acrobat DC, the trusted PDF creator. Use Acrobat to convert, edit and sign PDF files at your desk or on the go.

Foxit PhantomPDF - Edit PDF files with our feature-rich PDF Editor. Download Foxit PDF Editor to convert, sign, scan / OCR & more. A speedy PDF Editor alternative to Adobe Acrobat.

Wondershare PDFelement - All-in-one PDF editor

Microsoft Word - Microsoft Word is a commercial word document processor for Windows.

Foxit Reader - Foxit Reader is a free and light-weight multi-platform PDF document viewer.

Pages - Pages for Mac is a word processor that offers tools needed to create documents.