The PDF format, from Adobe, has become a standard in computing and has become the main, and we could say, only format for share any type of document over the internet. Being a standard format, like the .zip format for compressing files, opening files in this format requires no application to be installed.
However, things get complicated when we want edit your content, since unlike the .docx format of Microsoft Word, it is not intended to be edited, but only to be shared. Fortunately, there are applications that allow us to edit the content of PDF files on a Mac.
Next, we show you the best applications for edit PDF on Mac, applications that we are going to group into two categories: free and paid. As the free solutions are always the most demanded, mainly by users who have specific needs, we are going to start with these.
Free PDF editors for Mac
preview
Ok, the native macOS Preview app not a PDF file editor, but it is an excellent option to consider if the only thing we want is to add text notes in files with PDF format.
If your needs do not involve modifying a complete document in this format, but instead you just want to add some That another correction, it is not necessary to resort to other applications, especially, if it is a very specific case and it is not usual in your day to day.
LibreOffice Draw
The set of free tools that LibreOffice makes available to us and with which we can create any type of document, includes the Draw application, a Image editor compatible with Adobe format.
With this app, we can edit PDF files to modify its content and later re-export it to the same format to preserve the modifications.
For download LibreOfficeDraw, we must download the entire set of applications through the siguiente link.
Professional PDF
PDF Professional Suite is an application that not only allows us edit PDF files, but also allows us to create it from any format.
This application provides a complete range of functions for annotate, view, fill in forms, sign, edit, markup, outline, merge, split, compress… In addition, it also allows us to convert PDF files into Word/HTML/TXT/PNG/JPG files.
The Professional PDF application is available for your download completely free in the Mac App Store via the following link.
Inkscape
Although Inkscape is a drawing tool, we can also use it as PDF file editor, as long as, when opening the document, we check the option Import text as text in the conversion process. Once we have edited the document, we can export it again to PDF format.
If the PDF document you have to edit, include any image you want to manipulate, the application you need, if you don't use an image editor regularly or want to waste as little time as possible, is Inkscape.
You can download inkscape totally free for mac through this link. This application is also available, also completely free of charge, for Windows and Linux.
Skim
Skim is a free application that extends the capabilities of the macOS Preview app. This application was designed as a tool for viewing and annotating scientific articles (known as papers). The program can be used to view any PDF file.
The worst thing about this app is its interface, an interface that really takes some time to do to be able to work comfortably with it on a day-to-day basis.
With Skim, we can view PDF files full screen, add and edit notes in the document, export notes as text, it is compatible with Spotlight, it allows us to highlight the most important text, it includes intelligent cropping tools...
We can download Skim for free through this link.
Paid PDF editors on Mac
PDF Expert
One of the applications more complete Available on the Mac App Store is PDF Expert, an app from the same developers as the Spark mail client. With this application, we can edit any type of document as well as create them, add protections, certifications...
PDF Expert: Edit PDF It is priced at 79,99 euros on the Mac App Store.
Adobe Acrobat
Being Adobe the creator of the PDF format, one of the best applications to work with this type of file is Adobe Acrobat. With this application, we can not only edit files in PDF format, but we can also create them, add fields to fill in already created documents, protect documents with a password, include a certificate...
In order to use Adobe Acrobat Adobe Creative Cloud subscription required, so unless you regularly use this application, it is not worth paying the monthly subscription.
PDFElement – PDF Editor and OCR
PDFElement is another interesting application to take into account, as long as you usually work with files in this format, since it is necessary pay a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription. The only advantage compared to the one offered by Adobe Acrobat is that it is cheaper.
With PDFElement we can edit PDF files, add marks and annotations of all kinds, create PDF files from other file formats, create and fill in forms of all kinds, sign PDF, group documents...
Online PDF editors
Smallpdf
Although it is not a comfortable method and does not invite to maintain privacy, another interesting solution when editing PDF files is found on the web Smallpdf.
Smallpdf is a web-based PDF editor that allows us to edit files in this format. It offers a free trial and the Pro version requires a monthly subscription and has a browser extension.
PDFescape
Another online option available to edit files is found at PDFescape, a completely free solution that does notallows you to edit files up to 10 MB or 100 pages. It is also available through an extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge...
Thanks to this website, we can edit, create and view documents in PDF format, add annotations, fill in forms and access documents that are password protected, as long as we know it.