PDF vs Word: What's the difference

PDF and Word are two of the most commonly used formats for documents; however, the two formats are meant for different purposes when using the document. You may find yourself using the Word format in the process of writing a report, working on a proposal, editing an assignment, or working with your colleagues. The PDF format usually becomes relevant once the document becomes ready for printing, submission, archiving, or sharing.

Knowing the difference between PDF vs Word will help you avoid formatting issues and pick the right format depending on the task. The core difference boils down to flexibility versus consistency: Word is flexible, while PDF is consistent.

Therefore, under what circumstances do we need to use PDF, and when should we go for Word? The following is an analysis of both file types in regard to their actual usage.

PDF vs Word: The Main Difference

The easiest way to understand the differences between PDF vs Word is to take into account the main goals that are set before each type of file. Word files can be regarded as working documents that enable you to edit a document, change the format, add comments, and do much more.

A PDF is normally used when the document is nearing completion. This allows it to maintain the integrity of the page design and layout.

A typical document workflow looks like this:

Word → Create and revise → PDF → Finalize and share

This does not mean, however, that PDF documents cannot be edited and Word documents cannot be shared. They share overlapping capabilities in many respects. The point here is that Word allows for more flexibility in making changes while PDF enables more consistency in presentation.

What Is a PDF File?

PDF means Portable Document Format. This is a document format that will ensure the look of the document remains constant whenever the file is opened using any computer, phone, or tablet. A PDF can be composed of text, images, hyperlinks, forms, and signatures. Common usage of PDF documents includes bills, contracts, reports, certificates, e-books, and CVs. There are numerous PDF software programs that can be used to manipulate such files.

What Is a Word Document?

A Word document refers to a document that is used in the writing and editing of data. Mostly, Word documents utilize the .docx extension, while in rare cases, .doc is used. It allows you to edit text, choose different fonts, include pictures, make tables, and even change layouts. Track changes and comments are some of the options available in Word. Examples of Word documents include assignment documents, reports, and resumes, among others.

PDF vs Word: Key Differences

Even though both the PDF and Word formats support the inclusion of text, graphics, tables, and other elements within documents, their use varies due to differences in editing, formatting, collaboration, printing, and sharing.

Main Purpose

PDF Format: Best for showing, distributing, and archiving the final version of a document.

Microsoft Word: Best for producing, writing, and editing documents.

Editing

PDF: Editable using PDF editor software, but not easily modifiable.

Microsoft Word: Allows users to easily modify text, formatting, pictures, and document structure.

Layout

PDF: More consistently retains the page layout and appearance on all devices.

Microsoft Word: The layout might differ according to different software or font settings.

Collaboration

PDF: Useful for reviewing, annotation, and distribution of the completed documents.

Microsoft Word: Collaborative use is easier since users can edit documents, add comments, and see modifications.

Viewing

PDF: Viewable on all computers, smartphones, tablets, and web browsers.

Microsoft Word: Viewable only in Microsoft Word or some other software for DOC or DOCX file formats.

Printing

PDF: More suitable for printing if you want to print it out with its intended page layout.

Word: The results after printing may sometimes vary due to fonts, margins, page settings, and software used.

Security

PDF: Has the ability to add passwords, encryption, and digital signatures, among others.

Word: Offers password protection and other document permissions too.

File Extension

PDF: Uses the .pdf file format extension.

Word: Uses .docx for new documents, while .doc is used by older Word documents .doc)

Best Use

PDF: More suitable for final reports, invoices, contracts, resumes, certifications, and other documents that are meant to be shared.

Word: More suitable for drafts, assignments, reports, proposals, and other documents that require editing.

Neither of the two formats is superior in all scenarios. Word is generally superior in the creation of content and editing, while PDF is superior in sharing documents.

Which Format Is Better for Editing and Collaboration?

In most cases, Word will be more appropriate for developing documents than Excel because it offers an editing platform where users can easily change content, layout of pages, movement of images, alteration of tables, styling, and reorganization of entire sections. Collaboration is another major advantage. Comments and Track Changes allow reviewers to suggest revisions while keeping a record of modifications.

Editing of PDF files is done differently. PDFs can actually be edited, highlighted, annotated, signed, filled, and organized using appropriate tools. Take, for instance, PDFEditly, which offers web-based tools for editing existing text, adding new text, altering fonts, highlighting text, inserting images, and organizing pages. Also, you can convert, merge, or split any type of document in it.

For extensive rewriting, however, an editable Word document usually provides a smoother workflow.

Which Format Is Better for Sharing and Printing?

PDF generally has the advantage once a document is finished.

Think of a well-formatted resume with specific font types, margins, headings, and spacing. In the event that the document formatting changes when the recipient opens it, the end product may not look like how you wanted it to be.

PDF helps mitigate this situation since it maintains the page layout. It is therefore very ideal for resumes, contracts, invoices, certifications, handbooks, reports, brochures, and documents meant to be printed.

Word is still ideal if you are sending the document for the recipient to modify it. If you send a proposal to a colleague to make modifications, Word is ideal. But if you are sending the finalized proposal to a client, PDF may be ideal.

PDF or Word? Choose Based on What You're Doing

The decision of whether to use PDF and Word should be based on what the document will be used for. The use of Word is more appropriate during the creation and alteration of a document, whereas PDF can be used when the document is complete.

Choose Word when you need to:

• Create a new document.
• Update the contents regularly.
• Work on a draft collaboratively.
• Get comments on the document.
• Keep track of revisions.
• Ask someone else to edit the contents.

Choose PDF when you need to:

• Need to send your resume.
• Want to send an invoice to your customer.
• Want to send a contract.
• Maintain the formatting of the document.
• Need to print out the document.
• Have a report or presentation ready.

However, there are exceptions. For instance, the recruiter might specify that you should send a DOCX resume, and another colleague may ask for the editable version of your report.

A simple rule can help you decide: choose Word when the content still needs work and PDF when the document is ready to share or present.

Can You Convert Between PDF and Word?

Yes. The conversion of these formats is necessary since the role of a particular document can change throughout its life cycle.

The conversion of PDF to Word format is necessary when a user receives a PDF but needs to edit or reuse the information contained within. It will not be necessary to retype all the information using a PDF to Word converter.

PDFEditly offers a browser-based PDF to Word converter as one of its available options. As claimed by the website, its converters work in browsers, and all files stay local to the user’s device as opposed to being transferred to the website servers.

This process may happen in the reverse order as well. After editing in Word, users need to convert documents back to PDF so they can be shared in the same way.

In practice:

PDF → Word = Make the content easier to edit

Word → PDF = Make the finished document easier to distribute consistently

Does Converting PDF to Word Change the Formatting?

The PDF to Word conversion will retain most of the contents from the original file, but it is not necessarily certain that the output will look exactly the same as the input file.

Simpler PDF files that only have simple paragraphs and simple formatting will be easier to convert back into an editable document. More complex document structures will pose challenges to conversion due to how documents are represented differently by the two formats.

Table structure, columnar layout, unique fonts, overlap, graphics, images, and exact page positioning might need some adjustment upon conversion. Scanned PDF files also pose challenges since they might only contain text images on their pages instead of selectable text. In such cases, OCR can recognize characters in the scanned PDF files. It is good to preview the output Word document before using it.

PDF vs Word: Which One Should You Choose?

The best option will depend on the state of your document.

Pick Word when your document still requires significant writing, rewriting, formatting, feedback, or collaboration. The fluid nature of its structure makes it easier to revise.

Pick PDF when your document is already prepared to be sent, printed, distributed, or archived and when presentation of your document is crucial.

Many professional processes do not actually favor one format over another. Both formats are used.

Your report can start off as a Word document, get revised a number of times, and end up as a PDF document that you finally send out. Knowing the difference between PDF vs Word, therefore, involves knowing when each of them is most useful.

Conclusion

The choice between PDF vs Word gets easier to make when you think about how you'll use the file. Word works well for creating, editing, formatting, and collaboration, but PDF works better for preservation of the presentation, printing, submission, and sharing of finished documents.

In most cases, the best way to go is to start with Word and use PDF for the end results. In situations where you already have a PDF and you need to edit it or change it to another format, PDFEditly can assist you with that task right in your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between PDF and Word?

However, there is one major difference between the two: the purpose for which they are used. The purpose of using Word documents is to create, edit, and format content, while PDFs are mainly used to preserve the final look of a document.

Is PDF better than Word?

Neither one is superior to the other in all cases. PDF is normally more useful when consistency in presentation and distribution is important, whereas Word is typically the better format for editing. It really comes down to the stage at which you are with your work.

Is PDF or Word better for a resume?

PDF format can be used in a final version of the resume since it allows keeping the layout, fonts, and page format as you have designed. Nonetheless, some companies might ask you to submit a resume in DOCX format; therefore, you should consider following their requirements.

Why should I use PDF instead of Word?

Select the PDF format for a ready-made file that will keep a consistent page appearance in any environment. It is especially convenient to use for sending invoices, contracts, reports, manuals, certificates, and finalized resumes, which do not require further editing on the recipient’s part.

Can I convert PDF to Word without losing formatting?

There is an option to convert PDF to Word, though it is not always possible to preserve formatting during the process. Simple text files will be converted more easily compared to complex tables, columns, images, fonts, and scanned pages, which may need some editing.