12 Best Tools to Create Interactive PDFs

Companies have been using PDF format for ages to produce promotional material and business content, despite its limited features. Since it’s easy to share, maintains high quality, and opens on any device, many prefer it for catalogs, magazines, presentations, and portfolios.

Now, you can make your flat PDF even more eye-catching by adding hyperlinks, clickable images, hotspots, and fillable forms. They are called interactive elements that instantly grab the reader’s attention and generate more engagement.

In this article, I’ve put together a list of the 12 best tools for you that offer the above features. They are easy to use and can help you create visually appealing interactive PDF documents.

Let’s explore them one by one.

1. PDF Filler

PDF Filler is a cloud-based editor that allows you to create interactive documents for multiple purposes.

You can convert PDF into a fillable form, add and remove texts, include a signing field, and annotate the document. You can also erase and redact any text to keep the information confidential.

The platform has several flexible sharing options and security features to make PDFs accessible and secure. You can attach your OneDrive to store files, add two-factor authentication to protect documents, and integrate it with popular CRMs like Salesforce to streamline your workflows.

Another best function of PDF Filler is virtual faxing. You can connect your official number to the app and use it to send and receive faxes.

Here are its core features.

Features

• PDF editor and convertor.
• Robust customization.
• E-signature.
• Two-factor authentication.
• Integration with OneDrive and Google.
• Team collaboration.
• Mobile friendly.

Price

PDF Filler’s monthly prices range between $8 and $15. You’ll get a 30-day free trial to explore the app.

2.  Bit.ai

Bit.ai is a document collaboration tool that makes it easier to create, manage, and share interactive PDFs with teams and clients.

It provides stunning form templates to get you started, but you can produce tailored docs with media files and hyperlinks as well.

You can add responsive tables to the document, attach videos and images, and even embed custom codes to tailor your content. You can also give your clients access to the files to get feedback and improve your services.

With Bit.ai, you can essentially build your workspace, collaborate with teams, design interactive PDFs, and track your document. It’s an ideal app for business proposals, case studies, white papers, roadmaps, and presentations.

Here are its core features.

Features

• Pre-defined Templates.
• Supports Image, text, file, link, and media.
• Automatic Lead capturing form.
• PDF management.
• Custom branding.
• Link Tracking.
• Secure.
• Team collaboration.

Price

Bit.ai starter plan is free. You may need to upgrade the monthly plan for $8 a month to get all features.

3. Adobe InDesign

Indesign is a product of Adobe Creative Cloud that lets you produce stunning brochures, magazines, presentations, and interactive documents.

It’s a desktop app that was originally launched for marketing print material, but later it extended its functions and added interactive elements to offer versatile solutions. Now, it’s the first tool people choose to create PDFs.

You can use Indesign to add a shopping cart URL to the product image, paste clickable CTAs to the document, and attach a Google map to provide the store location. You can also transform images into buttons so that when someone clicks on an item photo, the relevant description appears.

The app shares pre-defined layouts and personalization options to help you build professionally designed interactive pages.

Here’re Indesign’s core features.

Features

• Hotspots, clickable CTAs.
• Fillable forms.
• Rollover pop-ups.
• Hyperlinking.
• Personalization.
• Preview.
• Stock templates.

Price

Adobe charges $21 a month for its InDesign app.

4. Wondershare PDF Element

Wondershare is an all-in-one creative suite that offers a diverse range of visual editing and utility solutions. But one of its product ranges also includes PDFs that allow you to build interactive fillable forms.

It has a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easier for you to add text fields to the document.

You can embed clickable boxes for email collection, attach a drop-down menu and checkboxes for multiple choices, and insert a hyperlink to lead readers to your desired page.

What’s more, you can create PDF documents from scratch and use annotations to make them more engaging.

It’s the best app for interactive customer surveys, questionnaires, and official content.

Here are Wondershare PDF element’s core features.

Features

• Separate app for desktop and mobile.
• PDF editor.
• Interactive forms.
• Image and annotations.
• Theme personalization.
• Import and export option.
• E-signature feature.
• Watermark.

Price

Wondershare PDF plan costs $80 per year. You can also try it for free to explore the software.

5. Canva

Canva is a go-to graphic designing app to create visually appealing banners, social media posts, presentations, and pretty much any graphical content. But you can also use it to make your PDF document interactive.

It provides a link embedding feature that allows you to attach a website, YouTube, or any URL to selected text or image.

It may sound pretty basic, but you’d be surprised what you can do with it, particularly, when you couple it with Canva’s other graphic elements.

With some creativity, you can convert any page into an interactive document, whether it’s a pitch deck, resume, or catalog.

Let me summarize Canva’s core features.

Features

• A diverse range of templates and stock images.
• Multiple sharing and download formats, including Website launch.
• Hyperlinking.
• Videos, audio, and graphics elements.
• Interactive PDF embedding code.
• Animation effect.
• Brand kit.
• Team collaboration.

Price

Canva’s individual plan is free. To onboard your team and unlock the brand kit, you can upgrade it to a pro plan for $13 a month.

6. Issuu

Issuu is a publishing platform that generates flipbooks, interactive marketing material, and visual stories for you.

You can bring life to your books with an animated page-turner, uplift your magazine quality with videos, and create clickable catalogs to boost sales. You can also auto-extract stories from your magazines and turns them into individual articles.

What’s great about Issuu is the full package deal it offers. It doesn’t just provide you with tools to build interactive PDFs; it allows you to promote and sell your magazines as well.

It makes Issuu incredibly appealing to those who self-publish their books.

Here are its core features.

Features

• Flipping effect.
• Automation.
• Video and link attachment.
• Multiple sharing and download options, including GIF.
• Visual stories.
• Analytics.
• Marketing and sales feature.
• SEO friendly.
• Mobile responsive.

Price

Issuu’s basic plan is free, but to get interactive features, you may have to subscribe to its monthly paid plans. They cost between $19 to $269, depending upon the number of users.

7. Jotform

Jotform is an advanced form builder that lets you produce fillable PDF forms for any purpose.

It provides a flexible editor that allows you to both create PDF docs from scratch, and convert a pre-designed page into an interactive file.  It also shares editable text field templates for basic contact information, which saves you from manually designing each field just to add an email or a phone field to the document.

You can build quick forms from pre-defined fillable fields, add tailored questions to make your content targeted, and select your preferred color scheme to make it visually appealing. JotForm offers all the essential elements you’d need to create a professional form.

Here are its core features.

Features

• Fillable PDF forms.
• Custom branding.
• Image and text embed.
• Bulk email sends.
• Multiple sharing features.
• Integration with third-party payment apps.
• Supports Acrobat.

Price

Jotform starter plan is free, while its premium plans cost $24 to $79 a month.

8. Foxit

Foxit is an all-in-one PDF solution that offers you an easy way to design fillable forms and add an e-signature field to your document.

With this tool, you can edit PDFs, attach interactive elements, redact sensitive information and distribute files in bulk.

Its interactive features comprise multiple text fields, a drop-down menu, push buttons, and e-signature boxes. But you can also generate fillable forms automatically and add specific formats like date layouts to refine your document.

Suffice to say, Foxit makes your PDF editable, engaging, and accessible.

Here’re its core features.

Feature

• PDF reader and editor.
• Text fields and e-signature box.
• Automatically render flat form fillable.
• Date format text field.
• Dropdown menu.
• Annotation and comments.
• Data protection.
• File convertor.

Price

Foxit shares separate quotes for each product. Currently, its interactive form and E-Sign plan cost a minimum of $110 per year.

9. Flippingbook

Flippingbook provides you with tools to quickly convert your flat PDF into an interactive e-book.

You can automatically generate a flipping effect, create a clickable table of content, covert images into links, and add videos and GIFs.

It further offers a publish-ready lead capturing form to help you publish your content as a lead magnet and collect contact information from your prospective customers. You can also get insights into your book performance to see which page readers find most engaging.

With Flippingbook, you can design not only interactive e-books, but share them across online platforms to increase visibility.

Here’re its core features.

Features

• Automated flipbook generation.
• Clickable images and CTAs.
• Media and link embed.
• Branding and personalization.
• Password protection.
• Pre-defined lead capture form.
• Multiple sharing options.
• Team collaboration.
• Analytics.
• Integrations.

Price

Flippingbook charges a minimum of $44 a month from individuals and $247 from companies.

10. Publuu

Publuu, like Flippingbook, also create interactive e-book, magazine, and brochures to boost readers’ interest.

It’s a PDF conversion app that generates a 3D page-turner effect and animates your static content with images, hotspots, and audio files.

You can design tailored lead forms to capture more customers, send interactive newsletters via emails, and track your document to measure your performance. It provides privacy features to help you protect your content, so you can control who can access your file.

What makes Publuu distinct though is the Kiosk option. You can essentially create your own web page or app for your digital publications. It comes in handy when you want a professional space to showcase your books.

Here are Publuu’s core features.

Features

• PDF conversion to flipbook.
• Interactive Hotspots, images, and audio links.
• Custom lead generation forms.
• Personalization.
• Your own web and app Kiosk.
• Privacy protection.
• Statistics and tracking.
• Mobile friendly.

Price

Publuu’s basic plan costs $7 a month.

11. PDF Escape

If you’re looking for a simple app for interactive documents, PDF Escape is ideal for you.

It offers a free editor that lets you design a static page and convert it into a fillable form.

You can embed large text fields in your document for in-detailed feedback, attach checkboxes and a drop-down menu for the questionnaire, and add buttons to encourage action.

You can also import pre-designed files and lay interactive elements over them to build complex brand forms.

It’s incredibly easy to use and provides beginner-friendly to create an interactive PDF.

Here are its core features.

Features

• Checkbox, drop-down menu, and paragraph.
• Form fields.
• Clickable CTAs.
• Annotation and basic edition.
• Flat PDF creation.
• Sharing option.
• Password protection.

Price

PDF Escape is free to use, but you can upgrade the plan to get access to an Ad-free editor for $3 per month.

12. FlipSnack

FlipSnack is specially designed for digital catalogs and proposals.

It provides 26 different types of layout templates, a flipping effect to animate your static pages, and an automation function to quickly design your booklet.

You can add videos and 3D images to amplify the animation effect, attach external links and shopping cart buttons, tag products for more visibility and include forms to gather emails.

With this tool, you can create a full-fledged slideshow of your products and share it on your social networks to boost engagement.

It is a great app for interactive magazines, online portfolios, and single-page marketing material.

Here are FlipSnack’s core features.

Features

• Page flipping effect.
• Clickable buttons.
• Video, GIF, and audio options.
• Email forms.
• Multiple sharing options.
• Custom branding and personalization.
• Automations.
• Team management.
• Analytics.

Price

Flipsnack shares three monthly plans starting from $14.

Conclusion

Interactive PDF offers an efficient and cost-effective way to design engaging promotional publications and build fillable forms to receive quick feedback.

You can use them to improve your reader’s experience and comparatively drive better results.

Try out the interactive PDF tools and impress your readers with visually appealing content.