What is the best free PDF Editor for Mac? - PDF Editor for Mac

Preview is good for reviewing PDF files, but not so much with editing (refer on the current issue encountered when saving edited PDF files thru preview:

Why did Preview lock my PDF after I edite… - Apple Community

Kurt Lang wrote:

Explain how you followed a link that was redacted at least 5 days ago.

It would still have been in the notification email.

The only "FREE" pdf editor for a MAC is Apple's preview as far as I know.

Acrobat Reader is free but it does not really edit - it is useful to fill in forms.

You have to pay a license fee or an annual subscription fee for most PDF editors.

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Some nice finds there that didn't exist just a couple of years ago. As you noted, the first three are very basic. And I can't think of anything clumsier than doing PDF editing online. But it's an option.

Never heard of Foxit PDF Editor before (and I checked out at least 20 editors - or claimed to be editors - when switching from Acrobat Pro and the full Adobe CC suite). Very nicely done app, but yikes!, $110 per year subscription. And subscriptions were, and still are my number one reason to disregard an app.

PDF Expert has definitely improved to an editor that actually edits. Before, all it did was annotations and exporting PDFs to a different format, like a Word document. But still, it's an $80 per year subscription. You can choose the lifetime $140 option, but that excludes all later upgrades and features. You get what you get at the time you purchase it and nothing more.

Though to be fair, Master PDF Editor is kind of the same. You get updates for year, and those end unless you pay for another year's worth. But like PDF Expert's lifetime option, at least what you last have keeps working.

Cisdem PDFMaster is very similar to Adobe in terms of user experience. It is also a full-featured PDF software that covers functions such as PDF annotation, PDF editing, PDF conversion, PDF merging and splitting pages, PDF document protection, OCR image to text, etc. Cisdem PDFMaster also has a very useful feature, which is that you can use the tts function to listen to your PDF. You can also set rules to protect the document. It offer a 7 day freetrial for all it’s function, you just need to enter a email address.

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Hello. My PDF needs beyond what Acrobat Reader provides is mostly page management . . . extracting, adding, deleting, etc. Like Kurt, I'm subscription averse, so any thoughts on a PDF product that is well done for MacOS? TY.

There are no true editors that are free. The best you can do are one-time cost options. Those would be Master PDF Editor, or PDF Expert. See OliviaMarsh's post on page 1 of this topic. She provided a link to PDF Expert. And I gave one for Master PDF Editor.

You personally did not offend me. If anything, it's the number of people who upvoted your post as if none of this has been covered before. It has - multiple times in this only 2 page topic.

And yet users tag your post like it's brand new, never seen before information. And bad information at that by a person (the one in your link), who knows little to nothing about actual PDF editing needs. He gave Preview the number 1 choice? An app that can't actually edit anything?

The answer remains the same no matter how many sites say otherwise. There are no free editors. Editors are complex and difficult to write. No vendor/programmer who spends weeks - months or more - writing and testing such an app is going to give it away for free.

Thank you for the link I have to sign online documents and I was worried only for this I have to purchase $7 monthly subscription for pdf expert. Pdfgear is perfect for my needs thanks once again for saving my $7

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Possible, if you've left your computer on for several days, and your browser open to this page of the topic without moving. Otherwise, the forums will immediately update the content.

In general; Preview can place signatures, though pretty clumsily as you must draw one a trackpad, or take a photo of your signature. The free Acrobat Reader can also place signatures, and much more easily as you can point it to any JPEG image of your signature on your Mac.

Thanks, OliviaMarsh, I'm a new Mac OS user and my needs for manipulating PDF files are very basic. I didn't realize that its built in "Preview" APP supports rotating PDF images. That is my personal main use for an editor. You saved me a lot of money with that tip. Gracias.

Master PDF Editor looks great and they offer perpetual license, which is even better. Unfortunately the software is not compatible with my old MacBook Pro running Big Sur. Does anyone know where I could get the old version of Master PDF Editor?

See OliviaMarsh's post just above your post on page 1 of this topic, and my reply after.

I don’t know what your reply was. I’ve been an Adobe user for many years. I was hoping seriously to find a free one. I cancelled my subscription.

I've been an Adobe profession for many many years...but am not doing as much work. I do NOT want to pay subscription anymore..Thanks though.