Business • Updated on July.30, 2020
- Adobe Pdf Editor For Mac Free Download
- Pdf Editor For Mac Adobe Flash Player
- Adobe Pdf Editor For Mac Free
Editor's note: After another round of testing, we stand by our picks. We also added a little information about our thoughts on online PDF editors.
PDF is a necessity in macOS. Without PDF, you can't easily create & share portable documents. In fact, almost every native macOS application lets you export content into PDF.
Preview in Mac is a great PDF viewer and annotator, but it's not enough for editing. Normally, people got to convert the PDF file to something else and do the editing after. That isn't the most convenient option either.
That is why a fully-fledged PDF editor for Mac is a necessity indeed! Unlike the common thought, there is an impressive variety of PDF editing programs to choose from.
- If you are looking for a free Mac PDF editor so you can add or change text in a PDF, add your signature, add comments, redact information, or just to combine lots of PDFs, rotate pages, reduce the.
- Preview (Built-in App on Mac) The Preview app built in your Mac lets you add text to PDFs, highlight.
- Extended: Best PDF Editor for Mac. Of course, when it comes to professional Mac PDF Editor for mac, the best-known tool is Adobe Acrobat, and no wonder: Adobe Systems created the PDF standard. However, Acrobat is not so affordable for many PDF users, and not all.
- Easy to use free online PDF editor to edit PDF files No registration or installation needed edit documents directly in your internet browser! Linux and Mac devices. As it is browser-based, you can edit PDF online with mobile devices. No installation or registration is necessary.
And, Adobe Acrobat Pro is most people's go-to option.
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Why Adobe Acrobat Pro DC Isn't Enough?
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC has been the standard for PDF editing for quite a long time. Considering that Adobe built the format, it's quite not surprising. Anyway, it's not really a great reason to keep using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC as the macOS PDF editor.
The Good: Acrobat Pro DC is undoubtedly one of the powerful PDF solutions out there. You can get the best of the Adobe ecosystem as well. If you use Adobe Reader to view PDF documents, you can have the benefits of a familiar UI as well.
Only with Adobe Acrobat Reader you can view, sign, collect and track feedback, and share PDFs for free. And when you want to do more, subscribe to Acrobat Pro DC. Then you can edit.
The Bad: Even then, Acrobat Pro DC does not offer the best User Interface in town. Sure, it gets the job done, but that's not enough. We cannot recommend Acrobat Pro DC when you want to edit multiple documents and manage everything with ease.
The Ugly: Acrobat Pro DC is damn expensive. It comes with a monthly subscription charge of $14.99. Adobe Pro 2017, an older, standalone version, is available for a hefty price-tag of $449. These rates are way beyond what a normal user can afford.
We believe these reasons are enough for anyone to look for an Adobe Acrobat alternative — or one better PDF editor for Mac.
What about Online PDF Editors?
Online PDF editors are the next best choice that people make when they can't afford Acrobat Pro DC. It's an awesome option too — until you lose the internet connection. The problem with online editors is that you'd need a fast, reliable Internet connection at all times.
There are also some security concerns. You basically have to upload the PDF document to a third-party server for editing it. It's not the ideal option when you are dealing with confidential files. Besides, not all online PDF editors are offering satisfactory features. A lot of them ask for paid subscriptions as well.
Personally speaking, I think online PDF editors are just good for page management of PDF documents. If you need deeper editing or bulk editing, you can't count on them. More importantly, most people like to edit their files in a native environment, which isn't the case with most online PDF editors.
So, it makes sense to check out some of the actual native macOS PDF editors out there.
How to Choose the Alternative to Acrobat Pro DC
As we said, there are a huge number of PDF editors for macOS. As always, we wanted to pick the best ones. To navigate through the immense collection of options, we had a proper criteria as well.
- The PDF Editor must have a Simple User Interface. It must be non-distracting as well as focused. We always recommend a UI that works well with single-document and multi-document management.
- Easy & Advanced PDF Editing is a must-have option in a PDF tool. Automated selection recognition is great since it enables easy editing of other components like images, boxes, shapes and signatures.
- Security of the PDF documents is also an important concern. The PDF editor should have an option to enable the basic security features. For instance, there must be a way to password-protect PDF.
- Feature-rich: The ideal PDF editor shouldhave additional features as well. On top of the list are Optical Character Recognition and Digital Signing. You may, indeed, go for a minimal editor, though.
- Price: Not everyone wants to or cannot spend around $100 on a PDF editor. So, we have included a variety of PDF editors that come with varying price tags.
So, we have chosen the best Mac PDF editors based on this criteria.
The Pick: PDF Expert — the Fastest, Easiest & Made-for-All
PDF Expert is a fast, robust and beautiful PDF editor. If you are looking for a feature-rich PDF editor that is available on multiple platforms, PDF Expert could be the right candidate. We chose PDF Expert as the best pick after testing it for more than a few weeks.
After the testing period, this tool has become our go-to option for editing PDF documents with ease. The package has some downsides and room for improvement, of course. Even then, we believe PDF Expert must be your first choice if seamless editing is your priority.
PDF Expert comes from Readdle Inc, a developer who makes wonderful apps for Apple devices. Many of the products, including the Spark email app, are popular on iOS and macOS. So, in terms of security and privacy, you don't have to worry at all.
Here are a few reasons why we think PDF Expert is your best choice at PDF editing on Mac.
Intuitive User Interface
As you can see, PDF Expert offers a clean and intuitive User Interface. You can simply drag-and-drop a file to get started. From the top-left side of the window, you can open options like Bookmarks, Thumbnails, Outline, and Annotation. Unlike the other PDF editors, we have tried, this one doesn't scare us with the big number of toolbars.
Instead, everything is organized very efficiently. So, whenever you want a particular feature, you can access that single module. Altogether, we love this UI so much.
Easy PDF Editing
PDF Expert lets you edit PDF documents without any fail. There are actually four main options in the toolbar — Text, Image, Link and Redact. Making things easier than ever, PDF Expert automatically detects the type of content you've selected. If you've selected an image, for instance, you will see options to rotate, replace, export and crop the photograph.
Like the same way, you edit other parts of the PDF document. The Redact feature is also quite helpful, which works in a single click. I've found this feature really useful while sharing confidential data with friends.
Smart Annotation & Page Management
You get some smart Annotation features in this package. You can fill out content, provide signatures digitally and export all your annotations with ease. You can add signatures using text, trackpad or by even uploading an image of the signature. Either way, you get awesome results. PDF Expert has a page manager, with options such as Add Page, Append File, Copy, Paste, Rotate, Delete and Share.
You can easily arrange multiple pages by dragging and dropping them. You can also extract individual pages from a complete PDF document. Altogether, it checks all the important boxes.
Multi-Platform Support
PDF Expert is available for both macOS and iOS. It also enables content-sync between the devices, you know. If you want to access documents that you created using PDF Expert for macOS, you can easily do it from an iPhone or iPad. You can download the apps from the App Store, and everything is kept in sync. It's a great way to access cloud storage; everything is done via iCloud.
It's as seamless as it gets. I always love a software product when it can offer the same amazing UX on iPhone and Mac. PDF Expert does exactly that.
Enhanced Security & Utilities
PDF Expert has an in-built method for password-protecting PDF files as well. This is a great way to secure your PDF file without further complication. It's so simple that you can go to File –> Set Password and pick the password of your choice. You can also use it to reduce the file size of a PDF file.
When we checked, PDF Expert was able to reduce the file size by 75%, which is quite a great deal. Because you get Touch Bar support, accessing these options is easy as a piece of cake.
What Could be Better
There are a few things that we didn't like in PDF Expert. We understand that PDF Expert is a minimalistic PDF editor but it has left out some basic features as well.
- You cannot create PDF documents using PDF Expert. You can technically add a new page in the PDF file and add text, but that's something inefficient. We'd have really loved to see some additional set of PDF creation features in the program.
- PDF Expert could have included a basic version of Optical Character Recognition. It's disappointing that the program does not even support plug-ins, which can bring in the feature. It lacks other types of plug-ins as well.
- There are only four editing options in PDF Expert. At times, these may not be enough for most people. We'd have loved to see some extra toolbars in there.
- It would be better if PDF Expert had better options for bulk actions. As of now, that's NIL.
Also, PDF Expert lacks options for customization and control. The features are basic — very basic, at times.
Availability & pricing
PDF Expert is available for macOS and iOS. You can download the Mac version from the official website and the iOS version from App Store.
PDF Expert for macOS is priced at $79.99 while the iOS version can be bought for $9.99. If you ask us, both apps have been priced quite reasonably. The PDF Expert license actually lets you run the app on 3 Macs.
Verdict
Pros
- Simple design and UI
- Smart editing options
- Multiplatform Support
Cons
- Lacks advanced features
- Cannot create PDF Files
If you are looking for a simple yet effective PDF editor for Mac, PDF Expert is the best option. It brings all the necessary editing features, never compromising the performance as well. It isn't for you if you want technical features like OCR, though. Overall, for the price you're paying, PDF Expert is worth it.
Upgrade Pick: PDFpenPro – The Most Powerful
There are times when you need more than a basic PDF editor. PDFpenPro is the best choice for that occasion. It comes with a great set of features inside, including the option to create awesome PDF files. If you can spend more for a comprehensive PDF suite, PDFpenPro could be a potential option.
Unlike the top pick we suggested for most people, PDFpenPro is made for advanced users, it is an upgraded version of the PDFpen software. You get a lot more options than simply changing the text or adding some comments. We think it's suitable for you if you have to handle too many PDF documents.
Precise Control UI
PDFpenPro has been designed to create PDF files with precision. The UI has been optimized for professionals. When you open the program, you can see the blank screen where you can insert content like text, images, shapes and others. Like we saw in PDF Expert, PDFpenPro too offers different viewing options. It has a multi-tabbed UI for managing multiple files as well.
Nevertheless, we should admit that the UI isn't that intuitive. We needed time to figure out how the tools work. It also lacks automated recognition options.
Advanced Editing Options
Adobe Pdf Editor For Mac Free Download
PDFpenPro checks all the boxes when it comes to editing PDF files. You can take care of a wide variety of content like text, images and others. All the editing options are included in the same toolbar. It's also easy to navigate between multiple pages of the document. We also loved the Precision Edit tool in PDFpen, which lets us select even the minute elements in a document and remove them easily.
When it comes to annotations, there are five different ways you can annotate documents using PDFpenPro. From simple drawing and scrabbling over the document, to adding your notes, comment boxes, links, bookmarks, or attachments. There is even an option to add an audio annotation, which is adding audio comments to the document. We also loved how you can use your iPad to bring richer content.
PDFpenPro allows you to turn websites into PDF in a single click. Thanks to the wider compatibility, you can export PDF files to Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint as well.
DocuSign Support
PDFpenPro is your upgrade pick if you have to deal with PDF signing a lot. Apart from the native option to put and manage signatures, the latest version now offers DocuSign integration. It means you can now make use of this signature-management system to request digital signs from others. Because DocuSign comes with full legal compatibility, you don't have to worry at all.
On any day, this powerful integration can help you save a few hours. Fan for mac. Personally speaking, this is one of the best signing options I have seen in a PDF editor.
Efficient Scanning & OCR
Optical Character Recognition is perhaps themost important advanced feature inside PDFpen. It has been designed to extract an impressive variety of data from sources like a scanned image. To use this feature, you can open the image in the software and begin the OCR option. In a few minutes, PDFpenPro will help you convert the content into editable text.
It's quite a time-saver and PDFpenPro offers great speeds too. PDFpenPro offers much control over the OCR process. You can decide the quality and resolution with ease.
Availability & Pricing
PDFpenPro is available for both macOS and iOS.
PDFpenPro costs $124.95. Still, you can download a free trial from Smilesoftware and get a single license that can register only on one Mac.
You can actually find its standard version, PDFpen, on Setapp.
Verdict
Pros
- Advanced PDF Editing
- OCR and DocuSign support
- Versatile Editing Control
Cons
- UI could be better
- An expensive package
PDFpenPro is made for professionals, and there's a steep learning curve. Even then, PDFpenPro offers many features you can't find in other tools. The best example would be OCR, which works great in this program. It is just that you should be ready to pay something extra.
Other Apps We Considered
Here are some of the top apps we considered as the best Mac PDF editor. They did not, however, make it to the top list.
Preview
Preview is the pre-built PDF and image viewer in macOS. It's something that you can securely use for viewing and annotating PDF documents. The best part? It's quite integrated to the system that you get the maximum level of performance. The main limitation here is that Preview does not actually let you edit the PDF files. It has a bunch of effective options for annotation.
You can do a few things like adding text and shapes to the document. Once done, Preview can neatly export the files to PDF as well. Considering that you are not paying anything to get this program, we'd love to keep it aside. So, if you just want to bring some annotations and text boxes to a PDF document — without affecting the existing text —, Preview would be fine.
Preview is free and is built into macOS.
Are you looking for a fully-fledged suite for OCR? Then, ABBYY FineReader Pro for Mac is a great choice for. The problem is that you cannot expect standard features here. The whole program has been made for OCR needs, an area in which you can expect the best results. In just a few seconds, the program would convert a scanned image to editable text.
As far as OCR technology is concerned, ABBYY FineReader Pro for Mac works just great. It was able to do the OCR for even some of the low-quality images we'd tried. But, of course, if you have a better-quality image, the results would be better. We would not recommend the program for standard editing needs, though. The price tag is relatively higher too.
ABBYY FineReader Pro for Mac is available for $119.00.
Foxit PhantomPDF
Foxit PhantomPDF is one of the smoothest PDF editors we've seen so far. It packs so many features into a smaller-looking tool. Nevertheless, compared to other PDF editors we've covered, Foxit PhantomPDF comes with a larger footprint. Multitasking is not easy when you have Foxit PhantomPDF running in background. It also checks the boxes of OCR and automated recognition.
It's comparatively easier to do PDF editing in Foxit PhantomPDF. We think, however, that the AI could be an impressive one. As of now, the User Interface looks so rudimentary and you will need some time to get used to the deal. Keep that aside, Foxit PhantomPDF is a great PDF editor for teams as well. It has options for real-time collaboration features.
Foxit PhantomPDF is available for Windows and macOS. It has a hefty price tag of $99.95 for Mac.
Kdan PDF Reader Pro
Kdan PDF Reader is another app which makes it to our list of PDF editors for Mac. It is quite popular with over 44,000 App Store ratings. It provides a wide range of document functions for business and daily life. It has both desktop and mobile apps, so you can work anytime, anywhere. It provides you with the feature to create and edit PDFs with features such as handwritten comments, highlighting, striking through, underlining texts, and more.
The highlight of this app is the Robust Reading Engine which provides you with a comfortable reading experience with features such as smooth page scrolling and the option to change the theme and page background so that your eyes don't strain up.
Kdan PDF Reader's individual plan can be purchased at $59.99 for a year.
The Bottom Line Clock for mac screensaver.
So, these are the best Mac PDF editors you can find today. We have tried to suggest PDF editors that work well for particular needs. We hope it helps you choose the right one. If you are still confused and want a PDF editor that's easy and effective, you can go with our pick, PDF Expert. As far as you don't need anything fancy out there, that choice won't go wrong. However, if you think you need more features and a better UI to manage documents, we recommend PDFpenPro, which packs some powerful features too.
2020-10-27 10:56:49 • Filed to: Choose Right Mac Software • Proven solutions
You are wondering how to access a free Mac PDF editor, or how to choose the right PDF editor for Mac? Below, we'll cover 10 commonly used PDF editor Mac, all of which are compatible with macOS 10.15 Catalina. By reading this list, you will be able to determine the most cost-effective Mac PDF editing software that also best meets your business needs.
Top 10 PDF Editor Mac
1. PDFelement
PDFelement is a PDF solution integrate with a variety of convenient and practical features for editing, conversion, annotation, OCR, form processing and digital signatures.
This well-rounded PDF editing software is popular among users and has a step up above the competition due its excellent form field recognition and data extraction technology.
Unique Features:
- Fully compatible with macOS 10.15 Catalina.
- Powerful PDF editing and annotation tools that allow for a smooth editing experience.
- It has robust PDF creation and conversion features.
- It allows you to fill and sign PDF forms easily.
Pros:
Pros of this program include clear function classification, a complete set of PDF tools, OCR and batch processing, high compatibility with all operating systems, simple user experience, and interface, and the ability for document conversions.
Cons:
Because of its focus on simplicity, it has less advanced features than programs like Adobe Acrobat. You can download a free trial version to test and purchase the full version after testing.
Supported Systems: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
Other Benefits:
- A smooth and simple interface design
The full functionalities can be enjoyed by both Windows and Mac users. - A better experience with PDF forms
The automatic form recognition feature enables you to create an editable form with just one click. - PDF editing tools
You can export data from paper or electronic forms into an editable Excel form. - Intelligent and smooth editing features.
A better PDF editing experience lets you keep the fonts and formatting of your original file while converting it. - It can convert standard PDF file format to longer-lasting PDF / A format for a longer archiving period.
2. Acrobat for Mac
Acrobat is also a powerful tool. As the world's best desktop PDF solution, the brand new look of Acrobat will blow your mind. It also includes a mobile version that lets you fill in, sign, and share PDFs on any device at any location. However, Adobe Acrobat XI has ended support, meaning you might need to turn to an Acrobat alternative if you are looking for dedicated support. Click here to discover the best Acrobat alternative options.
Unique Features:
- Fast document comparison.
- It supports operational procedures for review and approval.
- Automatic form field recognition.
- Create a PDF from Office formats quickly and easily.
Pros:
It has stable functionalities, high efficiency, and high compatibility.
Cons:
It has a lot of advanced features that are complicated and difficult to use for beginners. Plus, the bloated features mean it comes at a higher cost, and you need to pay in order to use the full version.
Supported Systems: Windows, Mac, iOS
Price: $179.88 / Year
More Introduction:
- An attractive user interface that supports touch functionality
Fully compatible with mobile devices and supports touch functionality with a user-friendly interface. - Work anytime, anywhere.
Acrobat has all the tools needed for converting, editing, and signing a PDF anytime and anywhere. You can start a document at work, modify it during the transit ride home, and then send it for approval from the comfort of your living room. - Edit any file any time
You won't need to spend your valuable time re-creating new documents. Simply export or convert your file into an easily editable format.
3. PDF Expert
PDF Expert is one of Readdle's premium Apps. It has been the leading producer of PDF processing software on the iOS platform for quite some time. Since the launch of PDF Expert on the Mac platform in 2015, it has become the best application on the Mac App Store in 2015 and has been recommended by Apple editors.
Unique Features:
- Fast speed for page organization and functionalities
- Fluent in adding annotations and editing
- Simple text and image editing functions
Pros:
It possesses excellent reading experience, simple operation, and easy to use. Plus, it has a nice user interface.
Cons:
It has fewer features than other PDF editors, and PDF compatibility could be improved.
Supported Systems: Mac, iOS
Price: $59.99
More Introduction:
- Professional reading experience
There are smooth scrolling and a quick search function. Choose your favorite layout and complete any task quickly and easily. - Editing PDFs is seamless.
PDF Expert for Mac helps you format text and paragraphs easily. It will automatically detect fonts, and editing a PDF document is as easy as using any other program to edit a document. - Fill in and sign PDF forms effortlessly.
Fill PDF forms easily, such as application forms, tax reports, shopping lists, you name it. You can sign a contract by using a legally valid personal e-signature in just a few clicks. - Integration, sharing, and collaboration
Add notes or comments to easily collaborate with colleagues. You can also use a password to protect your sensitive files and documents. - Compatibility with iPhone, iPad, and more
PDF Expert is compatible with all Apple platform products: Mac, iPad, and iPhone. It allows you to transfer documents across these devices seamlessly. Your work can be done anytime and anywhere.
Get the best PDF Expert alternative now - PDFelement.
4. PDFpenPro
PDFpenPro is a professional program heavily influenced by Preview. It is fully compatible with macOS X for PDF documents. It keeps the original operation processing feature of Preview, which fits more user's operating habits and is more convenient for a beginner user. There are also functional enhancements. You can add signatures, text, and images, as well as make changes, correct typos, and perform OCR on scanned documents. It allows you to fill and create fillable forms, as well as convert PDF to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.
Pdf Editor For Mac Adobe Flash Player
Unique Features:
- Simple form field creation
- Intuitive annotation properties
Pros:
It meets basic PDF editing needs, and the operating experience is similar to that of Preview.
Cons:
Not all languages are supported, such as Chinese. It also has weak text and page editing capabilities compared to other programs.
Adobe Pdf Editor For Mac Free
Unique Features: Mac, iOS
Price: $124.95
More Introduction:
- Generic PDF editing tools
You can use PDFpenPro to add text and signatures, amend the text, and use OCR for scanned documents. - Make interactive PDF forms for Mac and Windows.
You may create an interactive form by using check boxes, text boxes, radio buttons, and interactive signature fields. - Exports MS Office formats to PDF
It allows you to export a PDF to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and save as a PDF/A format. - Store your PDF in the cloud
You can edit your PDF at any time and can use the PDFpen on an iPad or iPhone to edit a PDF seamlessly over iCloud or Dropbox.
5. Preview
As a built-in PDF software on Mac, Preview allows for the limited ability to read and browse PDF formats, as well as make simple annotations. It can meet your primary requirement of reading and editing PDFs. But if you have more advanced PDF editing needs, Preview will not be suitable.
Pros:
Build-in system, more preview formats, and read files fluently.
Cons:
Poor compatibility, lack of professional functions, and PDF content can only be edited in the most basic ways.
Supported Systems: Mac
Price: Free
KeePassX (for Linux / Mac OS X) KeePassXC (for Linux / Mac OS X) Note that KeePass 2.x runs under Linux / Mac OS X, too; see Running KeePass under Mono. For developers: KeePassJava2 (library for Java) Icons: No trailing icon = compatible with both KeePass 1.x and 2.x. = compatible with KeePass 1.x only. = compatible with KeePass 2.x only. Download one of the KeePass application ZIP packages above, unpack it and move the contents into your 'Applications' folder. For more ways to run KeePass 2.x on Mac OS X (especially how to run the latest version of KeePass 2.x), see the following discussion thread. Download KeePass for free. A lightweight and easy-to-use password manager. KeePass Password Safe is a free, open source, lightweight, and easy-to-use password manager for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X, with ports for Android, iPhone/iPad and other mobile devices. With so many passwords to remember and the need to vary passwords to protect your valuable data, it's nice to have KeePass to manage. Keepass download for mac. A free, open-source, KeePass-compatible password manager for macOS. Download for macOS Version 0.7.12 for macOS 10.10 and later. MacPass behaves just the way a macOS app should. Open files in individual windows or use tabs to use a single window.
More Introduction:
- Quick annotation
- You can quickly arrange pages by dragging and dropping thumbnails
- The camera is able to recognize handwritten signatures quickly.
Learn more about Preview here >>
6. Skim
Skim is a free Mac PDF editor. It functions like Preview, offering markup tools that help highlight important PDF content. You can also add and edit notes, crop PDF files, and more.
- View PDF files.
- Add and edit notes.
- Highlight text.
- Take snapshots of PDF files.
- Give presentations with built-in transitions.
7. PDF Nomad
PDF Nomad is unique editing software that provides a number of editing tools. The software supports the editing of images and texts in PDFs. It also allows you to arrange, split, and merge PDF pages in a document. Some of the tools in this software also make it easier for you to rotate, scale, and crop PDF files.
Pros:
- It can be used to edit all aspects of PDF files, including images.
- It comes with an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature that makes editing scanned PDFs very easy.
- You can use it to annotate a PDF document.
Cons:
- The free version lacks many features, and at $75 the pro version is somewhat expensive compared to others.
8. Master PDF Editor for Mac
Master PDF Editor is PDF editing software for Mac that comes with loads of features allowing you to convert PDF to numerous other file types and edit just about any aspect of your PDF document.
Pros:
- It can be used to edit both text and images.
- You can convert PDFs to other formats, including Word and Excel.
- It works with Linux.
Advanced Editing Options
Adobe Pdf Editor For Mac Free Download
PDFpenPro checks all the boxes when it comes to editing PDF files. You can take care of a wide variety of content like text, images and others. All the editing options are included in the same toolbar. It's also easy to navigate between multiple pages of the document. We also loved the Precision Edit tool in PDFpen, which lets us select even the minute elements in a document and remove them easily.
When it comes to annotations, there are five different ways you can annotate documents using PDFpenPro. From simple drawing and scrabbling over the document, to adding your notes, comment boxes, links, bookmarks, or attachments. There is even an option to add an audio annotation, which is adding audio comments to the document. We also loved how you can use your iPad to bring richer content.
PDFpenPro allows you to turn websites into PDF in a single click. Thanks to the wider compatibility, you can export PDF files to Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint as well.
DocuSign Support
PDFpenPro is your upgrade pick if you have to deal with PDF signing a lot. Apart from the native option to put and manage signatures, the latest version now offers DocuSign integration. It means you can now make use of this signature-management system to request digital signs from others. Because DocuSign comes with full legal compatibility, you don't have to worry at all.
On any day, this powerful integration can help you save a few hours. Fan for mac. Personally speaking, this is one of the best signing options I have seen in a PDF editor.
Efficient Scanning & OCR
Optical Character Recognition is perhaps themost important advanced feature inside PDFpen. It has been designed to extract an impressive variety of data from sources like a scanned image. To use this feature, you can open the image in the software and begin the OCR option. In a few minutes, PDFpenPro will help you convert the content into editable text.
It's quite a time-saver and PDFpenPro offers great speeds too. PDFpenPro offers much control over the OCR process. You can decide the quality and resolution with ease.
Availability & Pricing
PDFpenPro is available for both macOS and iOS.
PDFpenPro costs $124.95. Still, you can download a free trial from Smilesoftware and get a single license that can register only on one Mac.
You can actually find its standard version, PDFpen, on Setapp.
Verdict
Pros
- Advanced PDF Editing
- OCR and DocuSign support
- Versatile Editing Control
Cons
- UI could be better
- An expensive package
PDFpenPro is made for professionals, and there's a steep learning curve. Even then, PDFpenPro offers many features you can't find in other tools. The best example would be OCR, which works great in this program. It is just that you should be ready to pay something extra.
Other Apps We Considered
Here are some of the top apps we considered as the best Mac PDF editor. They did not, however, make it to the top list.
Preview
Preview is the pre-built PDF and image viewer in macOS. It's something that you can securely use for viewing and annotating PDF documents. The best part? It's quite integrated to the system that you get the maximum level of performance. The main limitation here is that Preview does not actually let you edit the PDF files. It has a bunch of effective options for annotation.
You can do a few things like adding text and shapes to the document. Once done, Preview can neatly export the files to PDF as well. Considering that you are not paying anything to get this program, we'd love to keep it aside. So, if you just want to bring some annotations and text boxes to a PDF document — without affecting the existing text —, Preview would be fine.
Preview is free and is built into macOS.
Are you looking for a fully-fledged suite for OCR? Then, ABBYY FineReader Pro for Mac is a great choice for. The problem is that you cannot expect standard features here. The whole program has been made for OCR needs, an area in which you can expect the best results. In just a few seconds, the program would convert a scanned image to editable text.
As far as OCR technology is concerned, ABBYY FineReader Pro for Mac works just great. It was able to do the OCR for even some of the low-quality images we'd tried. But, of course, if you have a better-quality image, the results would be better. We would not recommend the program for standard editing needs, though. The price tag is relatively higher too.
ABBYY FineReader Pro for Mac is available for $119.00.
Foxit PhantomPDF
Foxit PhantomPDF is one of the smoothest PDF editors we've seen so far. It packs so many features into a smaller-looking tool. Nevertheless, compared to other PDF editors we've covered, Foxit PhantomPDF comes with a larger footprint. Multitasking is not easy when you have Foxit PhantomPDF running in background. It also checks the boxes of OCR and automated recognition.
It's comparatively easier to do PDF editing in Foxit PhantomPDF. We think, however, that the AI could be an impressive one. As of now, the User Interface looks so rudimentary and you will need some time to get used to the deal. Keep that aside, Foxit PhantomPDF is a great PDF editor for teams as well. It has options for real-time collaboration features.
Foxit PhantomPDF is available for Windows and macOS. It has a hefty price tag of $99.95 for Mac.
Kdan PDF Reader Pro
Kdan PDF Reader is another app which makes it to our list of PDF editors for Mac. It is quite popular with over 44,000 App Store ratings. It provides a wide range of document functions for business and daily life. It has both desktop and mobile apps, so you can work anytime, anywhere. It provides you with the feature to create and edit PDFs with features such as handwritten comments, highlighting, striking through, underlining texts, and more.
The highlight of this app is the Robust Reading Engine which provides you with a comfortable reading experience with features such as smooth page scrolling and the option to change the theme and page background so that your eyes don't strain up.
Kdan PDF Reader's individual plan can be purchased at $59.99 for a year.
The Bottom Line Clock for mac screensaver.
So, these are the best Mac PDF editors you can find today. We have tried to suggest PDF editors that work well for particular needs. We hope it helps you choose the right one. If you are still confused and want a PDF editor that's easy and effective, you can go with our pick, PDF Expert. As far as you don't need anything fancy out there, that choice won't go wrong. However, if you think you need more features and a better UI to manage documents, we recommend PDFpenPro, which packs some powerful features too.
2020-10-27 10:56:49 • Filed to: Choose Right Mac Software • Proven solutions
You are wondering how to access a free Mac PDF editor, or how to choose the right PDF editor for Mac? Below, we'll cover 10 commonly used PDF editor Mac, all of which are compatible with macOS 10.15 Catalina. By reading this list, you will be able to determine the most cost-effective Mac PDF editing software that also best meets your business needs.
Top 10 PDF Editor Mac
1. PDFelement
PDFelement is a PDF solution integrate with a variety of convenient and practical features for editing, conversion, annotation, OCR, form processing and digital signatures.
This well-rounded PDF editing software is popular among users and has a step up above the competition due its excellent form field recognition and data extraction technology.
Unique Features:
- Fully compatible with macOS 10.15 Catalina.
- Powerful PDF editing and annotation tools that allow for a smooth editing experience.
- It has robust PDF creation and conversion features.
- It allows you to fill and sign PDF forms easily.
Pros:
Pros of this program include clear function classification, a complete set of PDF tools, OCR and batch processing, high compatibility with all operating systems, simple user experience, and interface, and the ability for document conversions.
Cons:
Because of its focus on simplicity, it has less advanced features than programs like Adobe Acrobat. You can download a free trial version to test and purchase the full version after testing.
Supported Systems: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
Other Benefits:
- A smooth and simple interface design
The full functionalities can be enjoyed by both Windows and Mac users. - A better experience with PDF forms
The automatic form recognition feature enables you to create an editable form with just one click. - PDF editing tools
You can export data from paper or electronic forms into an editable Excel form. - Intelligent and smooth editing features.
A better PDF editing experience lets you keep the fonts and formatting of your original file while converting it. - It can convert standard PDF file format to longer-lasting PDF / A format for a longer archiving period.
2. Acrobat for Mac
Acrobat is also a powerful tool. As the world's best desktop PDF solution, the brand new look of Acrobat will blow your mind. It also includes a mobile version that lets you fill in, sign, and share PDFs on any device at any location. However, Adobe Acrobat XI has ended support, meaning you might need to turn to an Acrobat alternative if you are looking for dedicated support. Click here to discover the best Acrobat alternative options.
Unique Features:
- Fast document comparison.
- It supports operational procedures for review and approval.
- Automatic form field recognition.
- Create a PDF from Office formats quickly and easily.
Pros:
It has stable functionalities, high efficiency, and high compatibility.
Cons:
It has a lot of advanced features that are complicated and difficult to use for beginners. Plus, the bloated features mean it comes at a higher cost, and you need to pay in order to use the full version.
Supported Systems: Windows, Mac, iOS
Price: $179.88 / Year
More Introduction:
- An attractive user interface that supports touch functionality
Fully compatible with mobile devices and supports touch functionality with a user-friendly interface. - Work anytime, anywhere.
Acrobat has all the tools needed for converting, editing, and signing a PDF anytime and anywhere. You can start a document at work, modify it during the transit ride home, and then send it for approval from the comfort of your living room. - Edit any file any time
You won't need to spend your valuable time re-creating new documents. Simply export or convert your file into an easily editable format.
3. PDF Expert
PDF Expert is one of Readdle's premium Apps. It has been the leading producer of PDF processing software on the iOS platform for quite some time. Since the launch of PDF Expert on the Mac platform in 2015, it has become the best application on the Mac App Store in 2015 and has been recommended by Apple editors.
Unique Features:
- Fast speed for page organization and functionalities
- Fluent in adding annotations and editing
- Simple text and image editing functions
Pros:
It possesses excellent reading experience, simple operation, and easy to use. Plus, it has a nice user interface.
Cons:
It has fewer features than other PDF editors, and PDF compatibility could be improved.
Supported Systems: Mac, iOS
Price: $59.99
More Introduction:
- Professional reading experience
There are smooth scrolling and a quick search function. Choose your favorite layout and complete any task quickly and easily. - Editing PDFs is seamless.
PDF Expert for Mac helps you format text and paragraphs easily. It will automatically detect fonts, and editing a PDF document is as easy as using any other program to edit a document. - Fill in and sign PDF forms effortlessly.
Fill PDF forms easily, such as application forms, tax reports, shopping lists, you name it. You can sign a contract by using a legally valid personal e-signature in just a few clicks. - Integration, sharing, and collaboration
Add notes or comments to easily collaborate with colleagues. You can also use a password to protect your sensitive files and documents. - Compatibility with iPhone, iPad, and more
PDF Expert is compatible with all Apple platform products: Mac, iPad, and iPhone. It allows you to transfer documents across these devices seamlessly. Your work can be done anytime and anywhere.
Get the best PDF Expert alternative now - PDFelement.
4. PDFpenPro
PDFpenPro is a professional program heavily influenced by Preview. It is fully compatible with macOS X for PDF documents. It keeps the original operation processing feature of Preview, which fits more user's operating habits and is more convenient for a beginner user. There are also functional enhancements. You can add signatures, text, and images, as well as make changes, correct typos, and perform OCR on scanned documents. It allows you to fill and create fillable forms, as well as convert PDF to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.
Pdf Editor For Mac Adobe Flash Player
Unique Features:
- Simple form field creation
- Intuitive annotation properties
Pros:
It meets basic PDF editing needs, and the operating experience is similar to that of Preview.
Cons:
Not all languages are supported, such as Chinese. It also has weak text and page editing capabilities compared to other programs.
Adobe Pdf Editor For Mac Free
Unique Features: Mac, iOS
Price: $124.95
More Introduction:
- Generic PDF editing tools
You can use PDFpenPro to add text and signatures, amend the text, and use OCR for scanned documents. - Make interactive PDF forms for Mac and Windows.
You may create an interactive form by using check boxes, text boxes, radio buttons, and interactive signature fields. - Exports MS Office formats to PDF
It allows you to export a PDF to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and save as a PDF/A format. - Store your PDF in the cloud
You can edit your PDF at any time and can use the PDFpen on an iPad or iPhone to edit a PDF seamlessly over iCloud or Dropbox.
5. Preview
As a built-in PDF software on Mac, Preview allows for the limited ability to read and browse PDF formats, as well as make simple annotations. It can meet your primary requirement of reading and editing PDFs. But if you have more advanced PDF editing needs, Preview will not be suitable.
Pros:
Build-in system, more preview formats, and read files fluently.
Cons:
Poor compatibility, lack of professional functions, and PDF content can only be edited in the most basic ways.
Supported Systems: Mac
Price: Free
KeePassX (for Linux / Mac OS X) KeePassXC (for Linux / Mac OS X) Note that KeePass 2.x runs under Linux / Mac OS X, too; see Running KeePass under Mono. For developers: KeePassJava2 (library for Java) Icons: No trailing icon = compatible with both KeePass 1.x and 2.x. = compatible with KeePass 1.x only. = compatible with KeePass 2.x only. Download one of the KeePass application ZIP packages above, unpack it and move the contents into your 'Applications' folder. For more ways to run KeePass 2.x on Mac OS X (especially how to run the latest version of KeePass 2.x), see the following discussion thread. Download KeePass for free. A lightweight and easy-to-use password manager. KeePass Password Safe is a free, open source, lightweight, and easy-to-use password manager for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X, with ports for Android, iPhone/iPad and other mobile devices. With so many passwords to remember and the need to vary passwords to protect your valuable data, it's nice to have KeePass to manage. Keepass download for mac. A free, open-source, KeePass-compatible password manager for macOS. Download for macOS Version 0.7.12 for macOS 10.10 and later. MacPass behaves just the way a macOS app should. Open files in individual windows or use tabs to use a single window.
More Introduction:
- Quick annotation
- You can quickly arrange pages by dragging and dropping thumbnails
- The camera is able to recognize handwritten signatures quickly.
Learn more about Preview here >>
6. Skim
Skim is a free Mac PDF editor. It functions like Preview, offering markup tools that help highlight important PDF content. You can also add and edit notes, crop PDF files, and more.
- View PDF files.
- Add and edit notes.
- Highlight text.
- Take snapshots of PDF files.
- Give presentations with built-in transitions.
7. PDF Nomad
PDF Nomad is unique editing software that provides a number of editing tools. The software supports the editing of images and texts in PDFs. It also allows you to arrange, split, and merge PDF pages in a document. Some of the tools in this software also make it easier for you to rotate, scale, and crop PDF files.
Pros:
- It can be used to edit all aspects of PDF files, including images.
- It comes with an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature that makes editing scanned PDFs very easy.
- You can use it to annotate a PDF document.
Cons:
- The free version lacks many features, and at $75 the pro version is somewhat expensive compared to others.
8. Master PDF Editor for Mac
Master PDF Editor is PDF editing software for Mac that comes with loads of features allowing you to convert PDF to numerous other file types and edit just about any aspect of your PDF document.
Pros:
- It can be used to edit both text and images.
- You can convert PDFs to other formats, including Word and Excel.
- It works with Linux.
Cons:
- The complex interface makes it difficult to use for beginners.
- The free version has limited capabilities.
9. Scribus for Mac
Scribus is a free PDF editing software for Mac that can be used to open PDFs and even edit certain aspects of the PDF document. It is one of the easiest programs to use because the user interface is simple and clean. You can also use it to annotate PDF documents if you want to highlight and edit sections of the document you consider important.
Pros:
- It is very easy to use.
- It can be used to edit both text and images.
Cons:
- It can't be used to convert PDFs.
10. PDF Buddy
This is another online tool that can be very useful when you want to edit PDF documents. This PDF editing software for Mac comes with a lot of features that can be used to manipulate a PDF document in many ways. You can add text, add and remove images and even split and merge PDF files. It can also be used to add signatures to your PDF document.
Pros:
- It is free to use.
- It lets you make numerous edits to your PDF files.
- There is no limit to the size of the PDF file you can work with.
Cons:
- It sometimes fails to download the file after editing.
There you have it - the 10 Best Free PDF Editor Tools for Mac. Now that you've had time to research the best PDF editor for Mac, don't hesitate to try out PDFelement now to see if it's right for you!
Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!
Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!
Buy PDFelement right now!
Buy PDFelement right now!