PDF-Equilibrist is a free, open-source desktop PDF editor built in Python with PyQt6 and PyMuPDF. It runs entirely locally — no cloud, no telemetry, no account required — and lets you read, edit, convert, annotate and protect your PDF documents.
Zoom, rotation, multi-tab and multi-page navigation.
Text editing, watermarks, signatures and stamps.
Highlight, strikethrough, underline, text boxes.
Insert, split, merge, reverse.
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images, Office → PDF, image → PDF, local OCR, batch processing.
AES-256 encryption and decryption.
Unlike online PDF tools that send your files to third-party servers, PDF-Equilibrist runs all its processing 100% locally.
The application also embeds its own security audit tool, accessible in one click from the interface:
- SAST analysis of the source code via Bandit.
- Dependency checking against known vulnerabilities via the OSV API.
🌐 Official website: pdf-equilibrist.org
📦 Windows — download the latest installer from the GitHub Releases.
🐧 Arch Linux (AUR):
yay -S pdf-equilibrist
# or: paru -S pdf-equilibrist→ AUR page
🐧 Ubuntu / Debian (PPA):
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:paulwoisard/pdf-equilibrist
sudo apt update
sudo apt install pdf-equilibrist🐧 Fedora (COPR):
sudo dnf copr enable paullux/PDF-Equilibrist
sudo dnf install pdf-equilibrist- Create a compatible Python environment (
>=3.12). - Install dependencies:
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt- Run the application:
python src/pdf_equilibrist/main.py- The NSIS install script lives in
installer/PDF-Equilibrist.nsi. - Build artifacts must not be tracked in the source repository.
- Build outputs are ignored via
.gitignore.
Source documentation lives in the docs/ folder.
Does PDF‑Equilibrist send my files to the Internet?
No. All processing is performed locally on your machine. No file ever leaves your workstation.
Is PDF‑Equilibrist free?
Yes, completely free and open source, distributed under the GNU GPL v3 license.
Does PDF‑Equilibrist replace Adobe Acrobat?
For many common uses — editing, annotation, conversion, protection — yes. It requires no subscription or account.
Which operating systems are supported?
Windows (.exe installer), Arch Linux (AUR), Ubuntu (PPA) and Fedora (COPR).
Are administrator rights required to install it?
No. The Windows installer installs in the user profile without UAC elevation.
Is the source code auditable?
Yes. The code is published on GitHub and dependencies are automatically checked against known vulnerabilities.
Does PDF‑Equilibrist modify my original PDF file?
Non-destructive editing. PDF‑Equilibrist never writes to your original file — all edits happen on an in-memory working copy. Your source PDF stays untouched unless you explicitly choose to overwrite it; otherwise, export under a new name and the original is preserved.
This project is distributed under the GNU GPL v3.0 license (or later). See LICENSE.md.