RTF vs DOC vs DOCX vs PDF: What's the Difference?
Short version: RTF is a universal exchange format for formatted text, DOC/DOCX are working formats you edit in Word, and PDF is a finished, frozen page for sharing. Write in DOCX, exchange via RTF when old software demands it, share as PDF.
The comparison table
| RTF | DOC | DOCX | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 1987 | 1983 | 2007 | 1993 |
| Made by | Microsoft | Microsoft | Microsoft (ECMA/ISO standard) | Adobe (ISO standard) |
| Stores | Text + formatting as readable markup | Text + formatting in binary form | Text + formatting as XML in a zip | Finished pages, frozen layout |
| Meant for | Moving documents between programs | Editing in Word | Editing in Word and compatibles | Sharing and printing |
| Looks the same everywhere | No fonts and layout shift by program | No | No | Yes |
| Editable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not really |
| Still evolving | No spec frozen since 2008 | No replaced by DOCX | Yes | Yes |
RTF — the translator
Rich Text Format exists so that formatted documents survive the trip between different programs and platforms. It is plain text with formatting spelled out, which makes it universally readable and slightly heavier than DOC. Its specification has not changed since version 1.9.1 in 2008 — and that stability is the feature. You meet RTF today mostly as an output of old systems and as an input everything still accepts.
DOC and DOCX — the workshop
DOC is the classic binary Word format; DOCX replaced it in 2007 as an open XML-based standard. DOCX files are smaller, less corruption-prone, and store more (smart fields, modern table features). These are formats you work in, but what the reader sees still depends on their software, which is why a DOCX resume can arrive looking nothing like it did on your screen.
PDF — the finished product
PDF stores the page itself: every glyph, position, and image, fixed. That is why a contract in PDF looks identical on any device and why institutions ask for it. The trade-off is editability: PDF is the format you hand out, not the one you draft in.
So which one do I use?
- Drafting or editing a document: DOCX, or RTF if the other side's software is old.
- Sending something official: PDF, always.
- Received an RTF and need to send it on: convert it to PDF; it takes two clicks.
Have an RTF that needs to become a PDF? Two clicks, nothing uploaded.
Get RTF to PDF for Chrome — freeFrequently asked questions
Is DOCX better than RTF?
For documents you keep working on, yes — DOCX stores richer formatting in smaller files and is the native format of modern Word. RTF's advantage is different: it is understood by virtually every word processor ever made, including old ones, which is why it still shows up as an exchange format.
Why does RTF still exist?
Because it does one job well: moving formatted text between different programs and decades of software. Old business systems, databases and documentation tools still export RTF, and every word processor still opens it, so the format refuses to die.
Can a PDF be edited like a Word document?
Not really. PDF is a fixed-layout format meant for finished documents; you can annotate it or fill forms, and dedicated tools can make limited edits, but rewriting content is done in the source document — then re-exported to PDF.
Which format should I use to send a resume or contract?
PDF. It freezes the layout so the document looks identical on the recipient's device, it cannot silently reflow, and every device opens it. Sending DOCX or RTF risks the formatting falling apart on their software.
How do I change an RTF document into one of the other formats?
Save As in Word or LibreOffice converts RTF to DOCX or PDF. For a quick, upload-free RTF to PDF conversion in the browser, use the free RTF to PDF extension.
Sources
Next: What is an RTF file? · Convert RTF to PDF without uploading it