Looking for a best PDF converter for Mac

I'm on the hunt for a best PDF converter for Mac (macOS Sonoma) and I'm hoping to get some recommendations from you all. I need a tool that can efficiently convert PDFs to various formats like Word, Excel, and maybe even JPEG, without losing the original layout and formatting. It's essential that the software is user-friendly and ideally, I'd prefer something that doesn't break the bank. If any of you have experience with PDF converters that work well on macOS, I’d really appreciate your insights.

MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 2023)

Posted on Apr 25, 2024 12:55 AM

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8 replies

Apr 25, 2024 8:50 AM in response to Shiro208

Shiro208 wrote:

I'm on the hunt for a best PDF converter for Mac (macOS Sonoma) and I'm hoping to get some recommendations from you all. I need a tool that can efficiently convert PDFs to various formats like Word, Excel, and maybe even JPEG, without losing the original layout and formatting. It's essential that the software is user-friendly and ideally, I'd prefer something that doesn't break the bank. If any of you have experience with PDF converters that work well on macOS, I’d really appreciate your insights.

The best one is Adobe Acrobat (full version , not Reader).

May 17, 2024 3:13 AM in response to Shiro208

Looking for a good PDF converter for Mac can definitely be a bit of a hunt, but I've got a couple of suggestions that might fit the bill for your macOS Sonoma setup.


  1. PDF Expert - This one is super user-friendly and pretty robust in terms of features. It does a great job of maintaining the layout and formatting when you convert PDFs to Word or Excel, and it can handle JPEG conversions too. It's not the cheapest option out there, but it strikes a good balance between cost and functionality.
  2. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC - If you're looking for something with a bit more power under the hood, Adobe's offering is top-notch. It's a bit pricey, but it's packed with features and converts PDFs to pretty much any format you can think of without a hitch.
  3. Preview - Now, if you're looking for something more budget-friendly, don't forget about macOS's built-in Preview app. It's pretty basic and doesn’t convert to Word or Excel, but it can export PDFs to JPEG right out of the box.
  4. Smallpdf - This is an online option that's quite handy and user-friendly. It handles conversions to Word, Excel, and JPEG and generally keeps the formatting intact. Plus, there’s a free version if you’re okay with limited features, or a reasonably priced pro version for more robust needs.


Hopefully, one of these fits what you're looking for!

Apr 25, 2024 1:10 AM in response to Shiro208

Sure thing! One of the best PDF converters for Mac that I've come across is "PDFsam Basic." It's a straightforward and reliable tool that offers a range of conversion options without costing you a dime.


PDFsam Basic as the best PDF converters for Mac, it can help you easily convert PDFs to various formats like Word, Excel, and even split or merge PDF files if you need to. It's pretty user-friendly, so you won't need to be a tech wizard to figure it out.

Apr 25, 2024 1:22 AM in response to Shiro208

Preview on Mac is a versatile PDF conversion app that allows users to view and edit various types of files, including PDFs. One of the key features of Preview is its ability to convert files to and from PDF format. You can try this free PDF converter on your Mac first.


To convert a file to PDF using Preview, simply open the file in the application and go to the "File" menu. From there, select "Export as PDF" and choose the desired location to save the converted file. This feature is particularly useful for converting documents, images, and other file types into a universally readable PDF format.


Additionally, Preview also has the capability to convert PDFs to other file formats. To do this, open the PDF in Preview and go to the "File" menu. From there, select "Export" and choose the desired file format from the dropdown menu. You can choose from popular formats such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and Microsoft Word.

Apr 25, 2024 2:47 AM in response to Shiro208

My suggestion is not using the online PDF converter. As far as I know, this type of service mostly restricts the PDF pages and you have to pay for a subscription to convert large PDF files on on your Mac.


Another concern is about the privacy and security. When you upload a PDF file to an online converter, you are essentially providing a third party with access to your document. There is a risk that your file could be intercepted or accessed by unauthorized parties.


It is generally recommended to use a trusted and secure desktop PDF converter on your Mac for converting PDF files, especially for sensitive or confidential documents. These applications offer more control over the conversion process and provide better security measures to protect your files.

Apr 25, 2024 3:19 AM in response to Shiro208

Sure thing! So, based on my own experience, I'd highly recommend checking out PDFGeeker for Mac. It's been my go-to PDF converter for a while now, especially on macOS Sonoma. It's super efficient at converting PDFs to Word, Excel, and even JPEG, without messing up the layout or formatting.


One thing I love about it is how user-friendly it is. Seriously, you don't need to be a tech genius to figure it out. Plus, it won't cost you an arm and a leg, which is always a bonus.


Give it a shot, and let me know how it goes!

May 17, 2024 3:54 AM in response to Shiro208

Adobe Acrobat is expensive and lags on Macbook pro according to my personal experience. For me, Acrobat is not the best PDF converter on Mac.


If the PDF has less pages and no confidential data in it, you can give a try for online pdf converter. For secure and bulk conversion, use a dedicated PDF converter on your Mac. Usually, you have to pay for a few bucks for that.


Besides, you have to use more sophisticated PDF converter for scanned PDF document (OCR).

May 17, 2024 6:47 AM in response to hiambrit

hiambrit wrote:

Adobe Acrobat is expensive and lags on Macbook pro according to my personal experience. For me, Acrobat is not the best PDF converter on Mac.

Adobe Acrobat doesn't lag on my MacBook Air with 8 gigs of RAM.


If the PDF has less pages and no confidential data in it, you can give a try for online pdf converter.

Definitely questionable security.


For secure and bulk conversion, use a dedicated PDF converter on your Mac. Usually, you have to pay for a few bucks for that.

But you don't recommend one?

Besides, you have to use more sophisticated PDF converter for scanned PDF document (OCR).

Which would that be?

Looking for a best PDF converter for Mac

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