I have a Win 10 system along with Word 2000. If I want to convert a Word doc to a PDF, I click on Print and then select the "Print to PDF" option. Word then converts the doc to a PDF, and I can print the PDF or not.
Don't know what system you have though, so this might not apply to you.
Also, I use
PDF995 on one of my other computers. I didn't pay the $19.99 for it so I have to put up with a 10-second nag screen but that's the price for being the cheap SOB that I am...