In some circles, PDF files manipulation is an absolute necessity. It’s very easy to find a free PDF Viewer such as the official Adobe PDF Viewer, but many people think that to edit PDF files, they must purchase the Adobe paid app. That’s not true, and here’s a list of the best PDF editors you can find on Mac.
- Best Pdf For Mac
- Pdf Reader On Mac
- The Best Pdf Editor For Linux
- Download Pdf Editor For Mac
- The Best Pdf Editor App
- What Is The Best Pdf Editor For Mac
We've tested the following trial and free versions of some of the best known PDF editors for Mac, read on to find out which one is best for you. While the Acrobat Reader app isn’t an editor. PDF Expert is the best PDF writer for Mac. You can easily edit text, images and links. It will automatically detect the font, size, and opacity of the original text, so you can make edits easily. Top 5 Best PDF Reader for Mac of 2018: Must check. If yes, then iSkysoft PDF Editor is the best suitable pdf viewer for you. It includes features such as editing, signing and pacing watermarks, converting and also editing. This tool is used by companies like IBM, Nike etc to upload and edit several documents at the same time.
Advertising1/ Mac OS Preview (Free, built-in Mac OS)
That seems like a “duh”, but many people don’t know that Preview can edit PDFs because they think it’s just a viewer. As a viewer, I think it’s great and fast, but it offers nearly most of the most common features people need:
- Select and Add Text
- Add shapes
- Add notes
- Add Signature (including via Webcam scan)
- Fill forms
- Insert pages
- Edit metadata
- Add web links
In addition to the fact that Preview is built-in, it is also faster than the Adobe app. I haven’t tried the older versions, but the current one (from the publication date) works well for the most basic tasks.
Some people have pointed out that it would be great to be able to sign using the touchpad, and I agree, but I have a signature file around, so it doesn’t bother me much — overall, this is the “best” option for most people. Here’s how it looks in action:
2/ PDFescape Online (free for small files, $2.99/mo otherwise)
This is not really a “Mac” app, but since PDFescape also works online, Mac users can go for it. It’s an online web editor that lets people create and edit PDF files. If you don’t mind uploading your file to the site, it’s possible to edit existing files too.
The user interface is extremely basic, but it’s one of the cheapest ways to edit PDF files (<10MB), so you can try it for free (ad-supported) if Preview does not do it for you. If you have to pay, the starter cost of $2.99/mo is a low barrier to try out and see if it does what you need: essentially, it would let you upload larger PDF files.
3/ PDFPen ($75, trial available)
PDFPen isn’t free, but it costs less than the Adobe Acrobat PDF editing software. The app can create/edit PDF files and even has an optical character recognition (OCR) function.
PDFPen is one of the closest apps to the official Adobe one regarding functionality, and in recent years, its creators have made it very proficient for a group who care about digitally signed documents. This means that you can verify the authenticity of a PDF, which came to you, and others in your team will be able to verify yours.
PDFPen also supports file attachments and annotations in PDF files and is smart enough to extract them for a quick skimming. It is also possible to add record audio annotations into a PDF you’re that working on. MS Office users will appreciate the high-quality PDF to Word converter.
The PDFPen Pro version offers more options, many of which are mostly related to OCR, form-filling, and automatic field generation – compare the two (official link).
4/ Adobe Acrobat Pro ($13/mo+, trial available)
Of course, the most complete and guaranteed 100% compatible with the latest functionalities remains the official Adobe Acrobat PDF Editor. Although many competitors can get close, no-one can claim to be 100% equal to the original. It makes sense because Adobe drives the functionalities, but also the form factor and specifications, so clones will always be one step behind.
I can say that I don’t edit PDF files at a level for which I care, and I suspect that the overwhelming majority is just like me. However, it’s important to realize that there’s a gap, which will always be present. If you always need to live on the bleeding edge of PDF – check the subscription model from Adobe (official site), it will guarantee that you can access the latest version.
5/ Skim (Free, annotations)
Skim is a free (open-source ) PDF reader which lets you add/edit notes and has some cropping functions. It’s not a true PDF “editor”, but it keeps coming back in conversations, so it’s probably a good thing to know that it exists, especially since it’s free.
Beware of freemium offerings presented as free
As I was checking for free PDF editors for Mac, I was a bit disappointed that Google listed many paid apps as “free” in the top results. It’s understandable why it did it, but it’s quite frustrating.
For example, iSkysoft PDF Editor is a paid app, but you can access a trial version, but by the time users get to it, they are already furious for landing on a page about a supposedly “free” app…we do not like this approach.
Wondershare PDF Editor Pro is another one. Listed in the “Free PDF Editor” in Google’s search results, it is a paid app ($69 on Amazon).
The reviews are mixed, especially for the most recent version, but I didn’t like that the company did not make it clear enough that it was a paid app, and that it was trying too hard to get people to download, possibly waste time, and discover that they have to pay.
That said, some folks are really happy with the OCR feature, while many left lower scores on their review. If you want to take a chance, at least you know that it’s out there.
That said, some folks are happy with the OCR feature, while many left lower scores on their review. If you want to take a chance, at least you know that it’s out there.
Conclusion
You may be disappointed by the lack of “great” free PDF editors for Mac. However, PDF editors are complicated pieces of software, and they replace an expensive option from Adobe. If the price is too close to Adobe’s offering, it seems smarter just going for the real thing.
If the savings are substantial and if the replacement gets the job done, there’s no harm in saving a few bucks. If you need to edit PDF files as a one-time task, you may want to check for subscription models from Adobe and others. It may end up being cheaper.
Filed in Apple. Read more about Apps and Pdf.
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PDF (Portable Document Format) is one of the standard format for carrying your documents. PDF documents are more secured and easily accessible than other document file formats. PDF format is mostly used in case of printing the documents because there is no chance for change in alignment of the document. Therefore many people prefer PDF documents for carrying and printing their files.
Mac OS X have default PDF reader called “PDF Viewer” which helps to open the PDF documents. Today I’m going to list you another 12 alternative PDF Readers and PDF Editors for your Mac OS X. I categorized these applications into paid and free versions to let you find the one you need easily.
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Type: Free Version
Skim is a PDF reader and note-taker f0r Mac OS X. It has plenty of in-built features to view PDF files in your mac. It supports for apple remote control and you can download PDF files remotely using this application. You can sync some external applications like La TeX, Sync TeX, PDF Sync, etc. (Download Skim PDF Reader)
Type: Free Version
Gnostice is the developer of Free PDF Reader. It is a free, fast and portable application for your mac platform. Using this application you can export your PDF document as popular image formats. The application is portable so that you can carry in your flash drive. (Download Free PDF Reader)
Image Via Softpedia
Best Pdf For Mac
Type: Free Version
Haihaisoft PDF Reader is an extremely fast and rich feature set. You can read PDF documents protected by DRM-X platform using this application. One of the light weighted and highly secured application for your macbook. It won’t connect to internet without user’s permission. (Download Haihaisoft PDF Reader)
Type: Free Version
Adobe reader is one of the famous and most commonly used PDF Reader for all the leading operating systems. Adobe reader is available for most of the mobile platforms and it has lot of options to edit and print your PDF documents. Even browser add-ons are available from adobe reader to view and save your favorite PDF documents online. (Download Adobe Reader for Mac)
![What Is The Best Pdf Editor And Reader For Mac What Is The Best Pdf Editor And Reader For Mac](/uploads/1/2/6/1/126173931/922293590.png)
Type: Free Version
Pdf Reader On Mac
PDF Sam is the abbreviation of PDF Split and Merge. It is one of the best PDF Reader and especially editor for your PDF documents in mac. You can view, edit and add pages to your PDF document. Also you can set rights and permissions to your PDF documents to secure it. (Download PDF Sam)
Type: Free Version
The Best Pdf Editor For Linux
PDF Info is a specialized application used only for PDF editing. Click source button to select the file from your hard disk. You can set password, change producer, creator, author, title, etc. It is mainly available for editing and you can preview your document before publishing. (Download PDF Info)
Type: Free Version
Read Right is a free, light weight PDF Reader for small portables. Documents can be opened quickly, automatically rotated and scaled to full screen easily. Read Right is a free software developed under GNU General Public License. (Download Read Right)
Type: Free Version
Download Pdf Editor For Mac
Open Office is one of the best open source application from sun microsystems. Using Open Office Impress you can import, view and edit your PDF documents. It includes both import and export features. Open office helps you to download your PDF document as a Hybrid PDF so that you can edit your PDF in future using open office. (Download Open Office 3)
Type: Free Version
PDF Lab lets you edit and create your own customized PDF documents. You can insert images, create new pages, insert blank pages, etc. Also you can insert watermark in your PDF documents using this application. (Download PDF Lab)
Type: Free Version
Formulate Pro helps you to view and edit your PDF documents in mac. You can edit any type of PDF documents in formulate pro also it gives lot of options in editing your document. You can add watermark, graphics, fill registration forms, etc by using this application. (Download Formulate Pro)
The Best Pdf Editor App
Type: Paid
PDF Pen Pro is an PDF reader which is specialized for editing your PDF documents. You can fill PDF registration forms using this application. Three main features of PDF Pen Pro is you can convert a website into a PDF document, you can create your own PDF forms and you can organize a PDF report with table. It is available for download in app store (Download PDF Pen Pro)
What Is The Best Pdf Editor For Mac
Type: Paid
PDF Signer comes mainly for filling registration forms in PDF formats. It has in-built tools and options to fill various types of registration forms and application forms in your PDF documents. You can add signatures and watermark easily using this application. You can download this app for mac in app store. (Download Here)
These are some best alternatives to do more with your PDF reading, writing and editing in Mac OS X. If you have any more better software to suggest then please do leave the name of the software in comment below. Thanks for reading and please do share this article with your friends and followers in Facebook, Twitter and Google+.