PDF is one of the most popular formats for exchanging documents on the Internet. PDF (Portable Document Format) was once an exclusive Adobe format but then it was liberalized so everyone can create PDF files without copyright restrictions. In the latest version of Microsoft Office you can save a PDF document. Virtual printers are programs that install a fake printer on your computer for the purpose of converting a document or web page to PDF file. Pretended in the sense that the printer does not really exist, only the Windows PC believes it. These programs are used to save any type of document in PDF format by taking advantage of the printing functionality that any program that opens text files on the computer has.
So, to create a pdf from a Word document, a web page, an Excel table or whatever you want, just press the Print button and choose the printer, not the default and real one but the virtual PDF Printer that then starts the program to save a new file.
NOTE: On a Windows 10 PC you do not need to install a PDF printing program because you can save every document or image in PDF thanks to a function already integrated in Windows 10.
There are many free programs to create pdf, but only a few can be considered " best virtual printers ".
Some of them are in fact limited versions of paid programs while others contain advertisements. Furthermore, between a virtual printer and the other there are differences in options and the created pdf file can be more or less large or optimized, protected, etc. It is therefore necessary to exclude from the list some famous programs such as PrimoPDF and CutePDF that bring sponsor programs with them to the limit of spyware.
I also exclude the famous pdf995 because the free version is a bit limited.
The best free programs that install a virtual printer on Windows to create a pdf from a document or web page are:
1) PDFCreator is perhaps the best of free (open source) virtual printers, with a really simple interface and also many advanced options for experts. The great thing about PDFCreator is that it also has a server installer that can be configured on the print server and then used across a corporate or home network, without having to install it on every single computer. If you don't need all the features of BullZip, this may be the best option for a small business network.
Among the additional functions: you can protect the document with a password, you can merge multiple files together, you can set a different quality, you can put a digital signature and you can create a PDF file or even a PNG, JPG, TIFF, BMP, PCX, PS, EPS.
2) BullZip PDF Printer is a very simple program but full of important features for a pdf printer : ability to password protect PDF files, ability to encrypt PDF files, ability to add a waterwark (a recognition watermark), ability to merge multiple PDFs and merge them into one, ability to choose the quality of the output (and therefore minimize the size) and ability to modify the metadata. BullZip PDF Printer is also in Italian and creates PDF, PNG, JPG, TIFF, BMP, PCX, PS, EPS files. Compared to other programs, it is not free for everyone but only for personal or commercial use for up to 10 users.
3) doPDF was my favorite program a few years ago to convert Office files to PDF, today I could say that there is better.
It is a fast tool that generates smaller and compressed PDF files with settings for choosing visual quality.
4) Doro PDF Writer is an easy-to-use virtual printer, an intuitive program that allows you to protect PDF documents.
5) PDF Printer (PdfSvg) allows you to see a print preview and has no other additional options.
6) PDF reDirect is a more complex program for beginners but with many useful preferences to customize the creation of the file, encrypt it and merge multiple PDFs into one.
7) pdf24 Creator allows you to create PDF or print documents and web pages in PNG, JPG, TIFF, BMP, PCX, PS, EPS format.
It supports encryption and allows you to put a digital signature. You can print with 4 different qualities, which is very useful for choosing the file size and displaying the images. PDF24 Creator is one of the best for simplicity and functions .
8) qvPDF is an open source, free program that creates pdfs also password protected and encrypted.
You can also put a watermark or logo on top of it and there are options to increase the quality or not.
9) ImagePrinter and PDFlite, lacking in options but simple programs to use.
The three best programs to create pdf for free are therefore PDF Creator, BullZip PDF Printer and PDF24 Creator.
If you have a different opinion, leave a comment!
In another article, the best programs to manage and work pdf and those to open pdf on the pc
