Most buyers in 2018 faced this exact choice. Here is how v12 stacked up against Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (the subscription version).
If you already own it, keep using it for internal document creation. If you are buying a license today , do not pay for v12—buy version 14 or 15. If you find a free v12 license from a previous job, proceed with caution regarding security. nitro pdf pro version 12
Version 12’s redaction tool allows "Search and Redact." If you have a 200-page contract where every occurrence of "Social Security Number" must be blacked out, use Protect > Search and Redact > Find all phrases. Nitro will locate and black out every instance automatically. Most buyers in 2018 faced this exact choice