Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2020: Price & Where to Buy

Adobe Acrobat comes in more versions than most people realise, and the naming doesn’t help — Acrobat X Pro, Acrobat Pro DC 2019, Acrobat Pro DC 2020, plus whatever Adobe is currently selling as a subscription. If you just want to know which one to buy and what it costs, here’s the short version.

What Acrobat Pro DC 2020 actually gives you

Acrobat Pro DC 2020 is Adobe’s Document Cloud version of Acrobat — the same PDF software most offices use, with the full editing toolkit: creating PDFs, editing text and images inside them, combining multiple files into one, converting to and from Word/Excel/PowerPoint, and sending documents out for e-signature. It’s a one-time purchase for a perpetual key, not a subscription, so there’s no monthly fee.

How it compares to Acrobat X Pro and DC 2019

All three are genuine, one-time-payment Acrobat licences for 1 Windows PC — the difference is which release you’re getting:

Acrobat X Pro — the older, pre-Document-Cloud version. Covers the core PDF editing and conversion tasks. The cheapest of the three.
Acrobat Pro DC 2019 — the Document Cloud version, adds e-signature and more built-in editing tools than X Pro. Mid-price.
Acrobat Pro DC 2020 — the newer Document Cloud release. Same core toolkit as DC 2019, with the latest updates Adobe shipped for the DC line. The best pick if you want the most current version without moving to a subscription.

If you’re choosing between them: go with X Pro if all you need is basic PDF creation and editing on a budget. Go with DC 2020 if you want the fullest, most current Document Cloud feature set as a one-time purchase.

How activation works

Like our other Acrobat licences, this is a perpetual key activated by applying for a trial version of the software — the download link is provided with your order, and you activate the trial with your key. There’s no ongoing Adobe ID subscription to manage.

Is a one-time Acrobat licence better than Adobe’s subscription?

Depends what you need. Adobe now sells Acrobat mostly as a subscription, billed monthly or yearly, which makes sense if you want the absolute newest cloud features and don’t mind recurring payments. A perpetual key like DC 2020 makes more sense if you’d rather pay once and keep using the software — the key doesn’t expire and keeps working even if you replace your PC’s hardware or move to a new laptop.

Frequently asked questions

Does Acrobat Pro DC 2020 work on Mac?

No — this key is for 1 Windows PC.

Do I need Acrobat Reader as well?

No, Acrobat Pro DC 2020 includes everything Acrobat Reader does (viewing and printing PDFs) plus the full editing, conversion and e-signature toolkit.

Will I keep getting updates?

You get the updates Adobe ships for the DC line after activation, the same as any Acrobat Pro DC licence.

How fast is delivery?

Instant after payment, same as our other software licences.

System requirements

Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
2GB of RAM minimum (4GB recommended for heavier PDF editing)
4.5GB of available hard disk space
1024×768 screen resolution or higher
Internet connection required to download the trial and activate

Common activation issues (and fixes)

The trial won’t install

Usually means an older, conflicting version of Acrobat or Acrobat Reader is already on the machine. Uninstall existing Acrobat products first, restart, then install the trial fresh.

The key isn’t accepted

Double-check you’re entering it into the trial version of Acrobat Pro DC 2020 specifically, not a different Acrobat product or an older/newer version — the key is matched to this exact release.

Acrobat asks to sign in with an Adobe ID

That’s normal — you still need a free Adobe ID to activate, even on a one-time perpetual licence. It’s just for activation and doesn’t involve any recurring billing.

Who this version is really for

If you’re editing contracts, forms, or reports that started life as a Word or Excel file and need to leave your desk as a clean, locked-down PDF, DC 2020 covers that end to end — conversion, editing, and e-signature in one licence. If all you ever do is fill in the occasional form or read PDFs, free tools like Acrobat Reader already do that, and paying for Pro DC 2020 wouldn’t be worth it.

Price comparison: all three Acrobat licences

Acrobat X Pro – €49 — core PDF creation, editing and conversion. No e-signature workflow.
Acrobat Pro DC 2019 – €69 — Document Cloud toolkit, e-signature included.
Acrobat Pro DC 2020 – €79 — same DC toolkit as 2019, with the later updates Adobe shipped for the line.

The €10 gap between DC 2019 and DC 2020 is small enough that, unless budget is genuinely tight, it’s usually worth taking the newer one. The bigger decision is X Pro versus either DC version — that €20–€30 difference buys you e-signature and a more modern editing toolkit, which is worth it for anyone sending documents out for approval or signing regularly.

Looking for something else? Browse all our Adobe licences.