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.
- 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.
- Hence, we bring you the Best 3 PDF Editor apps for Mac OS X which will let you edit PDF on your Mac OS device. Top 3 Free PDF Editor Apps for Mac OS X – PDF Editor # 1 – Preview (In-built into Mac OS X) Editing PDF Files with Preview in Mac OS X. What’s more better than using a default app inbuilt into your Mac OS itself to edit PDF files.
- Yes, Preview – the default PDF viewer app of Mac OS X has an inbuilt feature by virtue of which you can easily edit the PDF files. You can add annotations, highlight text, strikethrough (delete text), as well as even sign the documents using your Mac touchpad to write and sign documents.
- PDF Expert for Mac is a usable PDF editor allowing for robust and fast editing, annotating and reading of PDFs. It comes with various features such as: Ability to annotate text, form filling.
5 Best PDF Editors for Mac OS to Download in 2018 PDF editing is an essential feature and it is often used for creating business presentations and other documents however there are not many apps that do this correctly. Best PDF Editor For Mac 1. Skim is a free PDF editor/reader for Mac and it is also called note-taker for Mac OS X. It is very helpful in reading PDFs due to its design.
1/ 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.
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PDF documents are ones that are viewed in the same way no matter what device you're using. They don't rely on application software that may not come preinstalled on your device, so can be viewed by anyone. They're a great way to save on printing and paper and can be made editable if desired.
But which programme do you use to edit PDF files? With so many choices we wouldn't blame you for finding it difficult to decide which one to use. We've rounded up five of the best to help make the decision a whole lot easier.
PDFelement 6 for Mac
PDFelement 6 for Mac by PDFelement focuses on PDF document solutions. It comes with a variety of useful features that combine editing, creating, converting, annotating, password protecting and signing. It has a clean and easy-to-use interface, and Microsoft Word fans in particular will feel right at home and shouldn't have too many problems picking up and learning the features.
You can create a PDF from scratch and edit it just as you would a Word document, or you can load an already created PDF document with a simple click of the 'edit' button. You can load up Word, Excel and PowerPoint files too, so you're not limited to just PDFs. Also you can try the PDFelement 6 for iOS version here, it's totally free.
Here's a closer look at PDFelement's user interface:
The homepage provides quick access to the various features of PDFelement, everything is clearly laid out and easy to find.
PDFelement 6 provides a simple document browsing interface with easy-to-find tools
When in editing mode, PDFelement allows you to change the text and images, and you can easily retain the layout of the original document using the line and paragraph editing feature.
The page organisation screen lets you move pages around within a document, add new pages or even delete ones you don't need anymore.
PDFelement also provides rich annotation features, such as highlighting areas of text, putting a strikethrough through others, or drawing and circling points of interest.
If the document you're creating is of high importance, then you can put a password on it to make sure it's not available to everyone. You can have separate passwords to allow others to view and to edit your PDF document.
PDFelement provides a wealth of document conversion formats, such as Microsoft Office, Pages, ePub and many. Documents can even be converted to ones that can be easily shared on social media.
Pros:
- Editing experience is similar to that of Microsoft Office software
- Powerful PDF conversion
- Clear interface
- Wide compatibility
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Interface details need to be optimised further
$69 for 1 year license, $79 for perpetual license
Click here to download PDFelement 6 for Mac
PDFelement 6 Pro for Mac
PDFelement also offers a more in-depth version of its PDF editing software called PDFelement 6 Pro for Mac. It commands an extra £30 over the regular version, costing £86 but adds a range of extra features.
PDFelement 6 Pro comes with all the same basic functions as the regular version, such as editing text and adding images, but the extra features include being able to turn non-fillable forms from Word, Excel or other Office applications into fillable PDF forms, all by clicking a single button. The Pro version can also be used to create PDFs from all manner of file types, including .rft and .txt text files.
Another feature that is only available with the Pro version of PDFelement 6 is being able to create and edit PDF files from scanned documents and if you're a business looking to get software for an entire company, Wondershare can offer the Pro version with a volume discount.
The Pro version of PDFelement adds a redact function, which lets you delete hidden information as well as a PDF/A file save mode. The preservation of PDF/A ensures you keep the original formatting even if the document is viewed and edited several times after. This is particularly useful in law-related professions.
PDFelement 6 Pro provides form field creation and property modification features, while also supporting automatic recognition of form fields and bulk data extraction. These all help to improve the data processing speed.
Pros:
- Bulk form data extraction
- Batch PDF custom tag data extraction
- Accurate OCR scanned document recognition
$99 for 1 year license, $159 for perpetual license (Now $129 for a limited time)
Click here to download PDFelement 6 Pro for Mac
Adobe Acrobat DC
Adobe, the company responsible for many professional work tools and even inventing the PDF, has its own editing programme called Acrobat DC.
DC stands for Document Cloud, and it means you can save your files in the cloud so you can take them wherever you go, and they can be accessed by others for collaboration. Acrobat DC is a subscription based service, with prices starting from £13.14 per month. However that version is for Windows only, for Mac (and the Pro version), you'll need to pay £15.17 per month.
Either version of Acrobat includes Adobe Scan, a mobile app that lets you scan any document using your smartphone camera and convert it to PDF, while a compare files tool lets you view two versions of the same PDF side-by-side to easily spot any differences.
Adobe Acrobat DC also offers e-signing capabilities on more than a billion devices, so if you've got a PDF that needs a signature on it, Acrobat DC will be able to help you out. Over a 12 month period, Adobe Acrobat costs over £100 more than the standard version of PDFelement 6 for Mac and doesn't offer many exclusive features.
The main interface of Acrobat has clearly defined left, middle and right columns that help to make PDF processing quick and easy.
In editing mode, you can quickly change text and images, and if it's a scanned document, OCR will automatically detect it and convert it to an editable document. You can also add watermarks, headers and footers and change the background of the document when editing.
You're able to leave comments on text in Acrobat, but the property settings are well hidden and tricky to find (select the added comment>right click>property settings)
With Adobe Acrobat, you can call upon a wide range of form fields for fast interactive form creation
Pros:
- Fully functional, product stability
- Quick document comparison function
- Form field automatic recognition
- Create PDFs with Office compatibility
- High compatibility, high professionalism
Cons:
- Some features hidden deep within the software
- Expensive
- Bloated features
Price: £15.17 per month
Click here to download Adobe Acrobat DC
PDF Expert
Best Pdf App For Mac
PDF Expert is one of Readdle's premium apps, which was a leader in PDF processing on iOS. The Mac version launched in 2015 to great reviews and a high recommendation from Apple's editors.
It demands a one-off payment of £55, but with it, you can change the reading settings of PDF document to help give your eyes a rest, with day, night and sepia filters available to choose from.
It's also easy to search for and within documents using the comprehensive search tool and you can even annotate documents. If you happen to be editing on an iPad Pro, you can even use the Apple Pencil.
When editing text on a Mac, PDF Expert will automatically detect the font, size and opacity so you can simply replace any text and, like many of the other editors, you can use it to sign documents digitally. Edited PDFs can be uploaded to all manner of cloud storage drives, such as Dropbox and Google Drive, where they can be accessed by others to carry on working.
PDF Expert has a much more stylish interface than the other editors in this list, helping it to stand out against the competition
Best Pdf Editor App For Mac
With PDF Expert, you're able to add comments to and annotate documents
The page layout screen clearly shows the order of pages within a PDF file. From here, you can adjust the order, add new pages or delete unwanted ones
PDF Expert offers simple text and image editing functions, and it also has a helpful function that lets you remove hidden information
Pros:
- Easy to use with good user interface
- Fast page organising function
- Smooth annotation when adding and editing features
- Simple text and image editing functions
- PDF flattening
Cons:
- Few functional modules
- PDF compatibility could be improved
Price: $59.99
Click here to download PDF Expert
Preview
Preview is the pre-installed tool that comes with every Apple Mac. While it's primarily used to view images, it can also be used to view and edit PDFs.
The number of editing functions isn't as vast as the other editors on this list, but it can be used to highlight text, add various shapes and add in notes. You can also add a digital signature using Preview, either via a connected trackpad, or by writing it on paper and holding it up to the Mac's built-in camera.
Pros:
- Pre-installed, free
- Multi-format view
- Fast comment annotation function
- Quick thumbnail drag and drop feature
- Quick camera recognition of handwritten signatures
Cons:
- Poor PDF compatibility
- No PDF content editor
Best Free Pdf Editor App For Mac
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