Discover the Best PDF Editors for Mac in 2025

Mac users often need a reliable PDF editor to modify documents, add annotations, sign forms, or even convert PDFs into different formats. While macOS includes Preview, which offers basic PDF editing, it lacks advanced features like text editing, OCR, and form creation.

In this article, we’ll explore the best PDF editors for Mac, both free and paid, that provide powerful tools for handling PDF documents. Additionally, for developers looking to integrate PDF editing into Mac applications, we will introduce IronPDF, a C# library for PDF manipulation.

1. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Best for: Professional-grade PDF editing and advanced features

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is the industry standard for PDF editing and offers the most comprehensive set of tools. It allows Mac users to edit text and images, create and fill forms, convert PDFs, and apply OCR to scanned documents.

Although it is a paid tool, its free trial and extensive feature set make it the best choice for professionals handling PDFs daily.

Key Features:

• Edit text and images in PDFs seamlessly
• Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, and other formats
• Apply OCR to scanned documents
• Advanced form creation and signing tools
• Cloud integration with Adobe Document Cloud

2. PDF Expert

Best for: Fast and intuitive PDF editing on Mac

PDF Expert is a lightweight yet powerful PDF editor designed specifically for macOS. It offers a clean, user-friendly interface while supporting text editing, annotations, form filling, and document signing.

Unlike Adobe Acrobat, PDF Expert is a one-time purchase rather than a subscription, making it a great choice for Mac users who need a balance between functionality and affordability.

Key Features:

• Edit text, images, and links in PDFs
• Sign and fill PDF forms easily
• Merge and split PDF documents
• Sync with iCloud and Dropbox
• One-time purchase (no recurring fees)

3. Preview (Built-in on macOS)

Best for: Basic PDF editing and annotation

Preview is Apple’s default PDF viewer, and while it lacks advanced editing capabilities, it is completely free and includes useful tools for annotations, signing documents, and basic modifications.

If you only need to highlight text, add notes, or sign PDFs, Preview is a great built-in option. However, it does not allow editing of existing text or applying OCR to scanned documents.

Key Features:

• Free and pre-installed on macOS
• Annotate PDFs with highlights and notes
• Sign documents using a trackpad or camera
• Fill out PDF forms easily
• Limited editing capabilities

4. PDFelement for Mac

Best for: Affordable alternative to Adobe Acrobat

PDFelement is a budget-friendly PDF editor that offers powerful text editing, OCR, and file conversion at a lower price compared to Adobe Acrobat. It provides an easy-to-use interface and supports batch processing, making it ideal for users who work with multiple PDFs regularly.

Key Features:

• Edit text and images in PDFs
• Convert PDFs to various formats
• Apply OCR for scanned document editing
• Create and edit PDF forms
• One-time purchase option available

An Alternative for C# Developers: IronPDF

If you’re a developer looking to edit PDFs programmatically on macOS, IronPDF is an excellent option. It is a C# PDF library that allows developers to create, modify, and process PDFs in .NET applications.

Unlike traditional PDF editors, IronPDF is designed for automation, making it perfect for businesses that need to handle bulk PDF processing, document generation, and digital workflows. Whether you need to generate invoices, process reports, or extract data from PDFs, IronPDF provides a powerful API that simplifies PDF manipulation in C#.

Why Choose IronPDF?

• Edit text, images, and annotations using C#
• Convert HTML to PDF with full formatting
• Extract and manipulate existing PDF content
• Apply OCR to recognize text in scanned documents
• Generate PDFs from templates dynamically
• Supports macOS via .NET Core and .NET 6+
• Enterprise-grade performance and security

For a detailed guide on how to use IronPDF on macOS, please visit this page: IronPDF Support for macOS with .NET Core. To edit PDF files check out this complete tutorial: How to Edit a PDF in C#.

With its developer-friendly API and extensive functionality, IronPDF is a great choice for Mac developers who need programmatic PDF control in their .NET applications.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a Mac user looking for a feature-rich PDF editor, Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, PDF Expert, PDFelement, and Preview are among the best options, each catering to different needs and budgets.

However, if you’re a developer needing automated PDF editing, IronPDF provides a robust and flexible solution for integrating PDF manipulation into macOS applications.

Would you like to explore IronPDF further? Try it for free today! Download the free trial version and experience powerful PDF generation, conversion, and manipulation in your .NET applications.

For more details, visit the IronPDF official website.