The past few years have seen a number of interesting developments happen in the PDF industry.
Learn more about this data through the PDF market growth statistics below or see our other article on email marketing trends.
Market Size & Growth
The global PDF software market shows sustained growth, thanks to remote work and the need for secure document handling.
The following statistics highlight the current market value and projected growth trajectory of the PDF industry through 2033:
- The global PDF software market was valued at USD 2.15 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 5.72 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 11.47%.
Source: Business Research Insights
- The PDF editor software market is expected to grow from USD 3.97 billion in 2024 to USD 17.71 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 18.09%.
Source: Business Research Insights
- The PDF reader software market was valued at USD 1.96 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 4.69 billion by 2031 at a CAGR of 13.3%.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
- Another estimate puts the global PDF software market at USD 2.16 billion in 2024, also projected to reach USD 5.73 billion by 2033.
Source: Global Growth Insights
- Demand is driven by increasing digitization and remote work adoption, two major drivers accelerating PDF software growth.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
Regional Insights
Growth patterns of PDF usage and evaluation vary by region.
North America leads in enterprise adoption, while Asia Pacific shows the fastest growth due to expanding digital infrastructure.
Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East are also increasing investments in document security and cloud-based PDF solutions.
- North America: PDF software market valued at USD 740.48 million in 2024, projected to grow at 10.6% CAGR to 2031.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
- Europe: Market size of USD 555.36 million in 2024, with a CAGR of 10.9% through 2031.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
- Asia Pacific: Valued at USD 425.78 million in 2024, expected to grow at 14.4% CAGR through 2031.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
- South America: Market valued at USD 92.56 million in 2024, growing at 11.8% CAGR.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
- Middle East & Africa: Worth USD 37.02 million in 2024, expected CAGR of 12.1% through 2031.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
Technology & Innovation
PDF technology is evolving to meet the user demands of accessibility and AI automation.
The statistics below show how innovation is shaping the future of PDF software:
- Over 60% of businesses prefer cloud-based PDF solutions, citing scalability and flexibility as key benefits.
Source: Global Growth Insights
- PDF platforms are integrating AI and machine learning to improve document automation and smart editing features.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
- Mobile-friendly PDF tools are in high demand due to increased smartphone and tablet use for business tasks.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
- E-signature integration is now a default expectation in enterprise-level PDF solutions.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
- Security enhancements, including encryption and redaction tools, are driving user trust and market adoption.
Source: Cognitive Market Research
PDF Industry Security Statistics
Businesses rely on PDFs for contracts, records, and communications. This means that security is a critical concern across industries.
The following statistics reveal how industries are responding to the growing demand for secure PDF workflows:
- 68% of malware attacks using document formats in 2024 were delivered via PDFs, making it the most commonly exploited file type for phishing and ransomware delivery.
Source: Cisco Talos Threat Intelligence Report, 2025
- 94% of enterprises using PDF workflows report encrypting PDFs before sharing externally, especially in legal, healthcare, and finance sectors.
Source: Foxit Software Security Survey, 2024
- Only 36% of employees know how to properly use redaction tools in PDFs, leading to frequent accidental data leaks (e.g., from unredacted metadata).
Source: Ponemon Institute: State of Document Security Report, 2025
- 53% of IT security incidents involving PDFs in corporate settings are due to insecure document sharing practices, such as emailing unprotected files.
Source: Cybersecurity Ventures Document Risk Survey, 2025
- Organizations that use PDF Digital Rights Management (DRM) report a 70% reduction in unauthorized access incidents, especially in industries with strict compliance requirements.
Source: IDC Secure Content Management Forecast, 2025
PDF Use at Home
PDFs play a key role in how families handle everyday documents like bills, family records and children’s school work.
The data below highlights just how embedded PDF usage has become in modern home life:
- 76% of home computer users regularly use PDFs for personal record-keeping, including bills, warranties, insurance documents, and medical files.
Source: Adobe Digital Habits Survey, 2025
- 64% of parents report using PDFs for school-related activities, such as downloading assignments, submitting forms, or storing permission slips.
Source: Pew Research Center: Families & Digital Tools Report, 2025
- 58% of individuals preparing tax returns at home use fillable PDF forms provided by the IRS or local tax agencies.
Source: IRS Filing Data and Consumer Behavior Analysis, 2025
- 72% of at-home learners (students in online courses or self-paced programs) rely on PDFs as their primary file format for reading and submitting coursework.
Source: Coursera & edX Platform Analytics Report, 2025
- 45% of home users use PDF tools for scanning, archiving, or digitizing physical documents (e.g., recipes, family records, or handwritten notes).
Source: Nitro PDF Consumer Trends Study, 2025
PDF Industry Security
In 2025, PDF security is a top concern for organizations and individuals, thanks to phishing attacks and issues with access control.
Here are the latest data-driven insights into the state of PDF security:
- 40% of PDF breaches in enterprise environments occur due to improper permissions, such as publicly accessible shared links or unprotected cloud storage.
Source: IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, 2025
- 85% of data protection officers (DPOs) recommend using PDF/A and digital signatures for compliance with GDPR and HIPAA in document retention policies.
Source: European Data Protection Board (EDPB) Compliance Outlook, 2025
- 61% of companies use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for accessing encrypted PDF files within internal document workflows.
Source: Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Report, 2025
- Over 50% of phishing attacks that bypass initial filters in 2024–2025 involved PDF attachments with embedded links or scripts.
Source: Proofpoint State of Email Security Report, 2025
- 76% of large enterprises have implemented document lifecycle security tools that track PDF access, edits, and sharing history for auditing purposes.
Source: Gartner Secure Document Management Survey, 2025
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