Not sure what others you've tried.
I began using
https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf-editor/ when Adobe became too intrusive.
(Self-initiating software, which an owner can't shut down, should be considered a virus.)
(Internet virus sources should be investigated and prosecuted.)
(Thus, Adobe software should be prosecuted.)
Foxit updater does run automatically in the background, but kill it once with cntrl/alt/del AKA win task manager.