The answer is definite YES! Today we are going to check out two free and open source ways to combine PDFs into one document on your computer.

1. pdfsam

pdfsam is an open source tool (GPL license) designed to handle PDF files. It’s released in 2 versions, basic and enhanced. pdfsam basic version allows you to split your PDF documents into chapters, single pages, etc, also merge many PDF documents or subsections of them. And pdfsam enhanced version has the functions of decrypting PDF documents and extract attachments from your PDF documents, etc.

Maybe it is because its open source software, it is not intuitive at all to a civilian. But don’t worry, I will have more details how to use it. To start with, you need to choose a Plugin. So, we’re going to choose the Merge/Extract plugin. Then we’ll click the Add button and add the files that we want to combine (click the image to make it bigger). You then have a chance to change the order if you’d like. Go down to the bottom of the screen and either type or hit Browse to select your destination file/folder. At last, hit the Run button. When it finishes, you will have the combined PDF file.

2. pdftk

If PDF is electronic paper, then pdftk is an electronic staple-remover, hole-punch, binder, secret-decoder-ring, and X-Ray-glasses. Pdftk is a simple tool for doing everyday things with PDF documents including merging PDF documents and split PDF pages into a new document.

pdftk allows you to manipulate PDF easily and freely. It reports on PDF metrics such as metadata, bookmarks, and page Labels. It does not require Acrobat, and it runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD and Solaris. With it, you can even modify a PDF file on Mac.

Compared with pdfsam, it is much simpler for the newer. Download pdftk, unzip the .exe file somewhere, go to the directory where your documents are, and issue a command similar to this:

pdftk Scan.pdf Scan1.pdf cat output Combinedpdftk.pdf

Here’s a screenshot of it in action:

I could have also just thrown everything together into one PDF:

As you can see, pdftk is a pretty powerful little application that.

So, these have been two free ways to combine PDFs on your computer. You don’t need to send any of your money on a commercial third party software. Enjoy what they do on your PDF files!