PitStop Pro – Faster, Smarter PDF Preflight and Editing
The Essential Acrobat Plugin for Print-Ready PDFs
PitStop Pro is the industry-standard Adobe Acrobat plugin that eliminates PDF problems before they cost you time and money. 130,000+ print shops rely on it to catch and fix PDF problems before they hit the press.
Preflight: Automatically check and fix your PDFs before they go to print
Preflighting checks if a PDF is truly print-ready – catching hidden issues that could cause delays, reprints, or poor results on press.
PitStop Pro automates this process: it detects errors, applies automatic fixes, and generates a detailed report with visual highlights and clickable jump points.
PitStop Pro catches and fixes:
Missing or unembedded fonts
Find missing and corrupt fonts.
Low-resolution images
Flags images below your desired minimum resolution, highlights their location and helps you replace or resample them.
Incorrect color spaces and ink coverage
Converts RGB or Spot colors to CMYK, Convert Color to Black, use DeviceLink conversion and checks for ink coverages issues
Missing bleed
Automatically adds bleed around pages and irregular shapes that lack proper bleed zones.
Transparency and overprint problems
Detect transparent objects and white objects set to overprint to avoid later printing issues.
Hidden or problematic content
Detects hidden objects, invisible text or layers that may unintentionally print or make your file unnecessary heavy. Your RIP will love it!
Incorrect document size or layout
Checks document size, orientation and content placement.
Deep PDF insights
- Track down the exact source of preflight errors.
- Find risky elements like live transparencies or incorrect color spaces.
- Simplify complex file structures and hidden content that could cause problems.
- Inspect any object for detailed information: fonts, resolution, color modes, paths, and more.
The Inspector gives you X-ray vision into problem files, helping you solve issues that would otherwise require guesswork.
Find and fix hidden errors in complex files using Inspector
Some PDF problems need your expert eye. That's where PitStop Pro's Inspector becomes your troubleshooting superpower.
Edit any PDF like you have the original file
Edit directly in PDF
Last-minute client change? A typo in the file? No need to chase down the source file or go back to the creative application. With PitStop Pro, you can edit directly in the PDF like you are in the original design tool. Fast, easy, safe for print.
Don’t break your PDF printability
Other tools may destroy the printability of your PDFs when you edit them: fonts no longer embedded, color spaces removed, metadata stripped, transparency misinterpreted…, PitStop Pro edits natively, preserving everything that matters for print.
Protect yourself with versioning
Need to show exactly what changed and when?
PitStop Pro’s Certified PDF format gives you version tracking and preflight information. You are never left guessing or defending what happened to a file.
Some examples:
- Text: Fix typos, change fonts, convert to outlines, move elements
- Images: Resample, apply curves, adjust brightness/contrast, compress, sharpen, resize, …
- Vectors: Move, resize, adjust fill and stroke color, edit path, combine, create new shapes, …
- Colors: Configure color management settings and convert or remap colors to different color spaces.
- Layers: Create and select named layers, assign objects to layers, or flatten the entire layer structure.
- Pages: Adjust page size, trim boxes, add bleed, scale full documents
- Batch Changes: Apply edits across entire documents instantly
- And more...
Automate Everything: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Stop doing the same edits over and over. PitStop Pro turns your repetitive work into one-click automation.
- Start immediately with dozens of pre-built Action Lists and Preflight Profiles for common fixes. No setup required.
- Create your own automations by recording your own manual operations once and then applying them to thousands of files in a consistent manner. Design flexible workflows with configurable parameters, allowing a single recorded automation to adapt to different job requirements and file specifications.
Acrobat is great for office documents. PitStop is the best for printing.
PitStop Pro works as a plugin inside Adobe Acrobat (Standard and Pro), adding professional print capabilities to your existing workflow. No need to learn new software or change how you work.
Here's what PitStop Pro adds:
| Adobe Acrobat | PitStop Pro |
|---|---|
| Limited options for document visualization. | Several advanced viewing modes as “Show wireframe”, “Show objects outside the Mediabox”, “Speed up image display”, “Hide annotations”… |
| Limited option for manual editing of objects on the document | Adds endless list of manual tools and commands for late minute fixes on the file (move, duplicate, outline texts, set overprints…). |
| Scattered and limited UX/UI for reporting or modifying objects’ properties | The Inspector collects every info you need into single panel so that you don’t have to jump between places to places |
| Limited to no tools for adding content to the page. | Extends limited capabilities of Acrobat to creating manually or automatically new content such as vector shapes or lines, overlaying external documents… |
| No “record” feature to turn redundant operations into ready-made macros. | Lets you “record” your manual operations and turn the result into an Action List you can recall any time |
| The preflight tool has no debugging feature for building complex automation macros | The Action List Visualizer allows to execute Action Lists line by line for easier debugging of Action Lists |
| No concept of a color library | Comes with the most recent PANTONE Color libraries, and you can create your own custom color for further reuse. |
| Releases, while frequent, haven’t brought much print-related features | Releases a new version every 4 month with new features, improvements and bug fixes to keep on solving your most problematic production challenges |
Scale beyond individual files
For higher-volume operations, PitStop Pro integrates with enterprise automation tools.
The result
You can process more files with fewer people, faster turnaround and consistent quality across all jobs.
Automate high-volume production with Pitstop Server
Set up "hot folders" (ex. FTP) or mailboxes that automatically process files the moment they arrive. No manual intervention needed: files are checked, corrected and routed automatically based on your rules.
Optimize your workflow with real-time insights
Track your prepress operation in real-time with PitStop Pro's dashboard:
- Files processed and errors fixed across all installations
- Common problem patterns that indicate workflow issues
- Trend analysis to predict and prevent future problems
- And more…
You can use these insights to identify repetitive issues, create targeted automation and continuously improve your workflows.
Worried about a steep learning curve?
Don't be!
PitStop Pro is designed so that even if you are new to prepress automation, you will get print-ready PDFs fast.
Get started fast with:
- Pre-built Action Lists ready to use
- Intuitive visual editing
- Step-by-step debugger
- Clear visual feedback
And if you need help:
- Comprehensive manuals and training
- Large user community
- Expert support team that knows print production
Built for your industry
PitStop Pro adapts to the specific challenges of different print segments:
Commercial print
- Ensure printability with ready-made Preflight Profiles following the latest Industry Standards (PDF/X, Ghent Work Group)
- Quickly identify and fix color type of the document to save printer clicks
- Easily resize PDF to different formats either preserving ratio or having spaces.
- Convert documents to real Black in a blink of an eye
- Enjoy flexible automation to adapt quickly from job types to job types
Wide format & signage
- Turn customers into Print-ready files by adding grommets, hems or pockets
- Apply dedicated Preflight Profile to Wide Format (viewing distance…)
- Enjoy advanced features for Cut lines optimization to avoid double cut lines, restore cut lines from filled shapes or reduce the number of nodes.
- Add bleed around contours for irregular shapes.
- Create approval sheets to get customers validate the job before you print a/o cut expensive materials.
Publishing
- Ensure document complies to your specifications: size, fonts, colors
- Check for page numbering or add them if needed
- Create specific versions of your product (subscribers, teachers…)
- Apply specific controls to covers, interiors or inserts
- Advanced color management and color conversion options for consistent results across different substrates
- Compress PDF files and distribute your documents online, even making excerpts for digital distribution platforms
Packaging & labels
- Ensure produt dimensions are correct and report if needed
- Derive a dieline from the label tracing a path on the fly
- Restore dielines turned into filled shapes thankd to our patented Fill to Stroke technology
- Optimise dielines to remove redundant paths and extra points
- Inset/offset dielines and decide if bleed must be added or left white
- Check for Processing Steps compliance
- Check for Esko barcodes and report issues
- Add structural lines (crease, cutlines) with dedicated Actions.
Every industry has unique requirements. PitStop Pro's flexible automation and customizable checks adapt to your specific production needs.
Pitstop Pro keeps getting better
PitStop Pro has been evolving for over 25 years with regular updates and feature additions that have made prepress work more productive for over 130,000 professionals across the globe. Yes. PitStop Pro can do that too.
Recent features added:
- Fill to stroke: Auto-recover cutlines that were converted to filled shapes
- Contour bleed: Add bleed to complex shapes instantly
- Visual checking: Detect missing key images or logos using our AI technology
- Advanced automation: Add colorbars, trim marks, barcodes, variable text, page numbering, object alignment, and more
5 reasons print professionals like you choose PitStop Pro
1. Stop losing money on PDF problems
Reprints, delays and manual fixes eat into your margins. PitStop Pro catches costly errors before they reach the press. Fewer reprints mean less wasted paper, ink and machine time. Better for your bottom line and the environment.
2. Achieve faster PDF workflows
Handle more jobs without additional staff. Automated preflight checks, one-click fixes and batch processing mean you spend less time troubleshooting and more time delivering.
3. Built for print
Every feature is designed specifically for print production, not general document editing. It understands print requirements, color management, and production workflows.
4. Proven readability
Used by leading print shops across commercial printing, packaging, labels, publishing and signage. When your reputation is on the line, you need tools that work.
5. Continuous innovation
Regular updates add new capabilities that keep pace with industry changes and your evolving needs.
Ready to eliminate PDF Problems?
- Full-featured version
- No credit card required
- Test it with your actual files
Ready to get started? Get your PitStop Pro subscription
Join the print professionals who've made PDF problems a thing of the past. See why PitStop Pro has been the industry standard for over 25 years.
Available in multiple languages and for both Mac and Windows.
Monthly subscription
or $ 480 per year
- Cancel your subscription anytime
- All upgrades included - Forever!
- Access to all online training modules to get the most out of PitStop
Yearly subscription
or $ 480 per year
- No hassle every month, just get 1 bill
- Save € 136 - Every year!
- All upgrades included - Forever!
- Access to tech support experts via support portal.
- Access to all online training modules to get the most out of PitStop
Get a free trial
30 days free trial
Try free for 30 days
- All features included
- No credit card required
- Access to all online basic training modules to get started with PitStop
Got an old license? Trade-in for a subscription today and get a 50% discount and save up to 240 euro!
You’ll get immediate access to the latest version.
Still prefer a permanent license key, or floating and volume licenses, instead of a subscription?
Reach out to our Resellers to get a license.
All prices are subject to applicable local taxes. List prices are subject to change without notice.