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Mac has always been the go-to platform for many creative professionals, students, and business persons all over the globe. The platform’s ability to offer the latest technologies for editing and creating content is enormous. To make sure your documents are visually appealing and easy to read, you need the best editor out there. Tools like PDF editors for Mac, which offer powerful functionality for marking up text, editing graphics and more, are a must-have.
PDF or Portable Document Format is a well-known file type that is commonly used for sharing large amounts of data and text in an electronic form. Adobe, the creators of PDF, provides the official software tool for this purpose. However, there are several high-quality PDF editors that can be used on a Mac to edit, modify, annotate, and organize PDF files without any complications.
In this blog post, we will discuss the top six PDF editors for Mac, their pros and cons, and our thoughts on each of them.
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What is a PDF Editor?
A PDF editor is a software tool that enables users to edit and manage PDF files. PDF editors offer an array of functionalities such as highlighting, markup, commenting, splitting, merging, and password-protection. They can also convert PDF files into different formats, such as Word documents or images. For Mac users, a PDF text editor is essential to make sure your documents are accurate and professional-looking.
Top 6 Best PDF Editors for Mac
Top 1: Adobe Acrobat DC
Adobe Acrobat DC is one of the most popular and feature-rich PDF editors available for Mac users. It provides a vast range of tools for reading, editing, and managing PDF files, such as adding comments, splitting and merging documents, and filling out forms. Adobe Acrobat DC also offers a cloud-based subscription service, which allows you to access your PDF files on any device.
Pros:
- Extensive PDF editing options, including annotations, formatting, and merge and split PDFs.
- The OCR (optical character recognition) feature helps to recognize high-quality scans and convert them into editable documents.
- The cloud service allows you to access your documents from any device.
Cons:
- Acrobat DC is relatively expensive compared to other PDF editors.
- The app can be a bit slow and buggy, especially when working with large PDF files.
- The interface can be a bit overwhelming, and some features can be hard to find.
Top 2: PDF Expert
PDF Expert is a great option for Mac users who are looking for a PDF editor that is easy to use and has a straightforward interface. It provides users with various tools to annotate, edit, and sign documents, and is designed to be user-friendly.
Pros:
- The interface is straightforward and easy to use, making it a perfect choice for beginners.
- Offers an extensive range of editing tools, including text editing, commenting, and redaction.
- Provides easy access to frequently used tools, like signatures and stamps.
Cons:
- The app is slightly priced higher compared to other PDF editors.
- Doesn’t offer as many advanced editing options as other PDF editors available.
- Some users have reported stability issues and crashes, especially with large files.
Top 3: Preview
If you’re reluctant to spend money on a PDF editor, preview is a built-in app in Apple computers which is a great option and provides basic editing functionality. It is intuitive to use and has many features that are perfect for simple document editing tasks.
Pros:
- The app is pre-installed on Mac Computers, making it easily available for users.
- The interface is user-friendly, and it offers several basic editing functions.
- View and navigate through documents and add annotations including shapes such as lines, ovals, and rectangles for illustration purposes.
Cons:
- It lacks advanced editing features such as OCR, redaction, and split or merge pages.
- Annotation and editing tools are limited, and PDF files can be only edited in the markup mode.
- Limited functionality makes it not the best choice for more complex editing tasks.
Top 4: Foxit PhantomPDF
Foxit PhantomPDF is a relatively new PDF editor for Mac users, but it has quickly gained popularity among professionals. It provides users with an extensive range of features like PDF conversion, annotation, commenting, and security.
Pros:
- Allows specialized annotation, such as drawing and highlighting or underlining text.
- Batch PDF conversion enables personalized fast document conversion tools.
- Offers OCR capabilities and redaction features to help black out sensitive information.
Cons:
- The software has relatively higher pricing compared to other PDF editors for macOS available.
- The user interface can be difficult to navigate.
- The text editing capabilities are limited, which may lead to inconsistent formatting.
Top 5: Nitro PDF Reader
Nitro PDF Reader is among the best PDF editors that is free to use however, users can upgrade to Nitro PDF Pro to access more advanced features. The software boasts an easy-to-understand interface, as well as tools to view, edit, and sign PDFs.
Pros:
- The free version offers a lot of features necessary for basic PDF editing.
- The app is equipped with a good range of tools for annotations and form-fillings.
- The drag-and-drop feature to edit PDF files makes editing and moving pages easy.
Cons:
- The software comes with the limited ability to edit original text directly in PDF files.
- The software can get slow while working on large files.
- The final exported PDF can sometimes be differently formatted compared to original PDF.
Top 6: PDFpen Pro
PDFpen Pro is an easy-to-use PDF editor, focused on tasks like annotation, form filling, and highlighting. It has fantastic features for stamps, watermarks and even adding and removing objects. With its ability to create interactive PDF forms, the PDFpen Pro is a popular choice for businesses and organizations.
Pros:
- The app is user-friendly, with an intuitive and clean interface.
- The ability to fill out and save interactive PDF forms, and security options such as password protection.
- Multi-page document handling and signature recognition technology make security and handling effortless.
Cons:
- Text editing functionality is restricted compared to other editors.
- The standard version is light on features, and additional features are only available in the Pro upgrade.
- The app requires good processing power, which may run slowly with large files.
Our Thoughts on PDF Editors for Mac
After an extensive review of the top six PDF editors for Mac, we’ve come to the conclusion that Adobe Acrobat DC is the best PDF editor for Mac users. Adobe Acrobat DC has an extensive range of features, including advanced editing functions and cloud connectivity, making it an ideal choice for professionals working with PDFs regularly.
However, PDF editors can be expensive, and if you’re looking for a more affordable option, we recommend PDF Expert for its user-friendly interface and extensive range of editing options.
Q: What is the difference between a PDF editor and a PDF converter?
A: A PDF editor is a tool that allows you to modify, add, or erase contents in a PDF document, while a PDF converter is a software that allows you to convert PDF files to different file formats.
Q: Is it possible to password-protect a PDF document using these PDF editors?
A: Yes, almost all PDF editors can password-protect PDF documents to make them secure.
Q: Can these PDF editors handle large PDF files, or will they become slow?
A: One of the primary limitations of PDF editors is they become slower when dealing with large PDF files. If you’re working with extensive documents, it’s a good idea to have a fast device with a good processor.
Q: Are these PDF editors also available on Windows platforms?
A: Most of the PDF editors mentioned in this article are cross-platform, which means that they are also available on Windows platforms.
Q: Can I add audio or video to a PDF using these editors?
A: Yes, some PDF editors provide the ability to add audio, video, and multimedia features to your PDF documents, for example, Adobe Acrobat DC.
In Conclusion
PDF editors have now become essential tools for professionals and students, given their convenience and the ability to make necessary changes to PDF files. Each of the editors discussed in this article has its pros and cons. Although Adobe Acrobat DC offers the most comprehensive features and capabilities, it’s also the most expensive. On the other hand, PDF Expert is a more cost-effective option for simple editing tasks.
Ultimately, the choice will depend on your specific needs, budget, and usage frequency. We hope that our reviews of the top six PDF editors for Mac will help you make an informed decision the next time you require a PDF editor.