We have examined a ton of instruments for working with PDFs, and here is our listing of the perfect PDF editors for Mac. AI instruments included.
How to decide on the perfect PDF editor for Mac
In case you attempt to discover a “one dimension suits all” editor, your makes an attempt will fail inside ten minutes. There are a whole bunch, a whole bunch of instruments on the market. Some are higher for e-signatures, some for working with pictures, and a few work properly on a cellphone.
That is why the proper query is: How to decide on the perfect PDF editor in your wants? On this analysis, we centered on roughly common apps, every masking a major a part of the common person’s wants: commenting on a file, highlighting textual content, sorting pages, OCR and modifying textual content, and so forth.
What was taken under consideration throughout the choice course of? Initially, ease of use, performance, distinctive options, and safety.
On this listing, you may discover each well-known manufacturers and those who might appear to be no-names (however do not be prejudiced towards them. Promise, they’re simply nearly as good). Every of them is nice in its manner and may change into your go-to app.
The most effective PDF editor software program for Mac
If you would like a fast choice, here is a desk that can assist you select the perfect Mac PDF editor. Discover a extra detailed overview beneath.
|
App |
Greatest for |
Notable options |
Limitations |
Worth |
|
NitroPDF |
All PDF duties: modifying, OCR, encryption, and so forth. |
Complete toolset, direct textual content modifying, OCR |
Free trial restricted to 7 days |
A part of Setapp subscription ($9.99/month for 240+ apps) |
|
Apple Preview |
Viewing information, primary modifying, redaction |
Constructed-in, redaction characteristic, helpful notes |
No textual content modifying characteristic. Freezes with massive information |
Free |
|
LibreOffice |
Workplace suite capabilities past PDF |
Helps many extensions. Helps edit and format textual content. |
Outdated interface, not excellent for collaboration |
Free |
|
ABBYY FineReader Professional |
OCR and changing PDF |
Superior OCR. Works with multilingual information |
Different options are restricted. Trial is restricted as much as 100 pages inside 7 days |
€69 per yr after trial |
|
Small PDF |
Cloud storage and processing of PDFs |
Mosaic of options for working with PDFs |
Works with web connection solely. No desktop app for macOS. Restricted free model |
$12 per thirty days after trial |
|
Skim |
Easy file annotation |
Wonderful annotation capabilities |
No OCR, no textual content modifying |
Free |
|
Adobe Acrobat Reader |
Intensive modifying, rearranging, and changing options |
OCR, modifying, merging, splitting, encrypting, e-signing |
Restricted performance within the free model, advanced interface |
$24/month |
|
iLovePDF |
Occasional modifying of non-private PDF information |
On-line service with numerous instruments for easy edits |
Privateness considerations |
Free or €7/month for Premium model |
|
Extra instruments |
||||
|
PDF Search |
Looking throughout a number of PDF information |
Searches for associated phrases, predicts typos |
Extremely specialised and centered completely on search |
A part of Setapp subscription ($9.99/month for 240+ apps) |
|
PDF Squeezer |
Lowering PDF file dimension |
As much as 90% dimension discount, particularly efficient for image-heavy information |
The picture high quality could also be diminished |
A part of Setapp subscription ($9.99/month for 240+ apps) |
|
PDF Friends |
Embedding AI into PDF information |
Creates a chat together with your PDF, solutions questions on content material |
Extremely specialised and centered completely on AI options |
A part of Setapp subscription ($9.99/month for 240+ apps) |
1. NitroPDF – a complete PDF editor for macOS
Greatest for: The go-to app for all PDF duties: modifying, OCR, encryption, and extra. The most effective (and most cost-effective) various to Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Limitations: Free trial is restricted to 7 days (then – $9.99/month on Setapp + greater than 240 different apps).
Let’s begin with the app that at the moment opens PDF information by default on a lot of our colleagues’ computer systems – Nitro PDF Professional. It could remind you of a field of instruments in a grandfather’s storage: you’ll be able to’t keep in mind what’s in it, but it surely undoubtedly has every part that you must repair a faucet or construct an intergalactic spaceship.
With Nitro PDF Professional, you’ll be able to simply edit, convert, annotate a file (and observe feedback by creator), file audio notes, rearrange pages, add an digital signature, and extra.
Many individuals are impressed by the flexibility to edit textual content immediately in a PDF file, a characteristic not present in most different apps. It really works in a breeze: OCR (if essential), choose, edit, change font and dimension – executed!
Tip: If in case you have tons of PDF information in your Mac, attempt the PDF Search software. It searches for data throughout all information however does not depend on your precise question. It checks for associated phrases and a number of combos of phrases, predicts potential typos, and extra.
2. Apple Preview PDF reader for Mac – built-in and free
Greatest for: Viewing information, primary modifying, and redaction (hiding delicate data behind a black bar).
Limits: Unattainable to edit textual content. Freezes when processing massive information.
Preview is a built-in app from Apple and is solely free. However do not take it with no consideration.
For starters, it is the one app you may want if all you do is view information and add the occasional remark. There isn’t any level in looking for a extra refined or superior app.
Second, there are nonetheless some hidden gems in Preview. For instance, the button for redacting textual content is all the time at your fingertips. Additionally, there are helpful sticky notes. The textual content written on them is just not seen till you unfold them. It is handy and does not muddle the file with lengthy, sloppy feedback.
The one factor that may get in the way in which of working in Preview (and in different editors, to be sincere) is the file dimension. It is an actual thorn within the facet relating to sharing – at the very least as a result of e-mail attachments are restricted to 25MB.
So, if that you must shrink your information, attempt PDF Squeezer. It reduces the file dimension by as much as 90%. Essentially the most noticeable adjustments will likely be in PDFs containing many pictures. Listed here are the outcomes of our shrinking check (with medium compression within the settings).
- A PDF with largely textual content: 63 MB – 44 MB (30% discount)
- A PDF primarily containing pictures: 63 MB – 2 MB (96% discount).
Clearly, the standard of the photographs is barely diminished. Nonetheless, this high quality is greater than sufficient for previewing or collaborating on an in-progress model of a file.
3. LibreOffice – a free workplace suite
Greatest for: Those that want an app that may do extra than simply PDF, together with phrase processing, spreadsheets, displays, vector graphics and flowcharts, databases, and components modifying.
Limitations: Outdated interface. Not excellent for collaboration.
“Am I again in 2003?” – that is what you are prone to assume while you first have a look at LibreOffice, a free PDF editor for Mac. However the outdated interface hides some fairly good performance – and it is fully free.
LibreOffice is an workplace suite that works with many extensions, and PDF is only one of them. Right here, you’ll be able to edit and format textual content, spotlight or underline separate fragments, and even insert a 3D form (in case you want a torus or half-sphere determine in your paper).
A significant inconvenience is the lack to annotate the doc conveniently. You’ll be able to both touch upon the complete web page or add a speech bubble that can muddle your PDF as a result of it does not match sufficient textual content.
4. ABBYY FineReader Professional for Mac – OCR superhero
Greatest for: OCR and changing PDF to searchable/image-only PDF, FB2, XLSX, CSV, and so forth.
Limitations: Different options are restricted. Trial is restricted (acknowledges as much as 100 pages inside 7 days), then prices €69 per yr.
If there’s a higher OCR software on the earth, we have not seen it but. ABBYY FineReader Professional acknowledges texts in pure, synthetic (reminiscent of Esperanto, Ido), and formal (C/C++, Pascal, chemical and mathematical formulation, and so forth.) languages. It really works with multilingual information and even understands paperwork printed in Gothic (Fractur) between 1800 and 1920.
Furthermore, you do not want a scanner to scan with ABBYY FineReader Professional. You’ll be able to join your iPhone, and the digicam pictures will likely be despatched on to the app in your Mac.
In fact, the app will make errors or omissions within the acknowledged textual content if the picture is blurry, however this does not overshadow its usefulness in any manner.
The one factor you would possibly need to add to Abbyy FineReader is a little bit little bit of AI to research the content material of paperwork. So attempt combining it with the PDF Friends app. It creates a chat between you and your PDF file and solutions your questions in regards to the content material. You’ll be able to ask it to summarize the doc, draw conclusions in regards to the product it describes, and so forth. Think about your PDF can speak – and chat with it!
5. Smallpdf– a set of on-line instruments
Greatest for: Those that need to retailer and course of their PDFs within the cloud.
Limitations: Should be on-line to work. No desktop app for macOS. Restricted free model (7 days), then $12 per thirty days.
Smallpdf is just not actually an editor however a mosaic of options for working with PDFs. Within the on-line app, you choose one in every of dozens of choices (break up, merge, convert, unlock, edit, rotate, or shield), add a file, and full the duty.
The professionals? You get your explicit job executed shortly.
Cons? If in case you have two or extra duties (for instance, splitting pages and OCR), modifying turns into a large number. You do the primary stage of modifying, save the file, after which transfer on to the subsequent stage.
Will you discover these drawbacks? In case you need not edit your PDF extensively, no.
6. Skim – a high software for annotating your PDFs
Greatest for: Easy file annotation.
Limitations: No OCR, no means to edit textual content.
Skim is a primary Mac PDF reader, and it in all probability would not be on this listing with out its wonderful annotation capabilities.
Each change you make to a file and each observe you add is displayed in the fitting pane. You’ll be able to shortly bounce by the notes with out looking out the pages. In case you’re checking scholar work, reviewing articles, drafting authorized agreements, and so forth., this software might change into one in every of your favorites.
7. Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac – all-in-one PDF editor
Greatest for: Professionals whose work entails fixed and intensive modifying, rearranging, changing, and so forth. of PDF information.
Limitations: Restricted performance within the free model. A little bit difficult interface for a newbie. Might be expensive.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is the standard normal for PDFs because the format itself is Adobe’s brainchild. Acrobat Reader does all of it: acknowledges, edits, merges, splits, encrypts, e-signs, and so forth. Just lately, a beta model of an AI assistant was launched. It may summarize content material, reply questions on a file in a chat format, carry out duties based mostly on the file, and so forth.
So, if you happen to’re a professional and also you’re keen to pay about $24 a month for a subscription, get Acrobat Reader. If you would like roughly the identical performance however at a lower cost and with a less complicated interface, take a look at the #1 software on this listing – Nitro PDF Professional.
8. iLovePDF – a free on-line PDF modifying toolkit
Greatest for: Occasional modifying of non-private PDF information.
Limitations: Privateness considerations.
iLovePDF is a web based service for individuals who must edit PDF information as soon as in a blue moon. The web site consists of various particular person instruments: merge, break up, rearrange, watermark, and so forth. For advanced modifying, it is not appropriate. For infrequent duties, it is fairly good.
However keep in mind that each time you utilize this service, you add information to the web. Would you danger doing that together with your insurance coverage information, banking data, or employment contract? Hopefully not. That is undoubtedly not a spot for delicate paperwork.
Get a free trial of PDF software program for Macs
So you’ve gotten so much to select from, proper? In case you want primary performance (like highlighting textual content or including a remark), nearly any desktop app will do. For extra attention-grabbing duties, attempt extra thrilling instruments.
NitroPDF might be your all-in-one, easy-to-use PDF editor. If you wish to search by a bunch of information, attempt PDF Search. It seems for the data not solely by precise phrase but in addition by context. To shortly compress information by as much as 90% or extra, use PDF Squeezer. And to “embed” AI into your file, attempt PDF Friends.
You’ll be able to attempt all these apps at no cost on Setapp for 7 days. They’re out there in full model with no restrictions and no adverts. After that, the month-to-month subscription for these and 240+ different instruments is $9.99. Signal as much as examine them out.
FAQ
What’s the finest PDF editor app for Mac?
Essentially the most complete set of PDF modifying instruments is obtainable by NitroPDF ($9.99/month on Setapp + over 240 different apps) and Abode Acrobat Reader Professional ($23.99/month).
Does Mac have a PDF editor?
Sure, the Mac has a built-in Preview app for viewing and primary modifying of PDF information. You can also make notes, spotlight textual content, reorder pages, and extra. However you’ll be able to’t edit the textual content right here, and the app can lag when working with massive information.
How can I edit a PDF on a Mac?
For primary modifying, use the built-in Preview app. By default, your PDF mechanically opens in Preview while you double-click it (until you’ve got put in one other app by default). There, you’ll be able to add notes, spotlight textual content, rearrange pages, and extra. To edit the textual content in a PDF file, you may want a third-party software. Among the many free ones, you’ll be able to attempt Skim (though its characteristic set is slightly restricted). For extra superior options, attempt Nitro PDF Professional or Abode Acrobat Reader Professional.
