Alternative Pdf Reader/writer For Pc And Mac

PDF-XChange is another Adobe-alternative in today's Hive that boasts snappy load times and basic functionality that outpaces the basic functionality of Adobe Reader. ISkysoft PDF Editor 6 Professional - The Best Alternative PDF Reader for Mac to Adobe Acrobat Reader iSkysoft PDF Editor 6 Professional for Mac is a professional PDF editor which can also play the role of best Mac PDF reader and editor. Voted the best PDF reader in a previous Hive Five, PDF-XChange is a lightweight, fast PDF reader with a long feature list, including page markup, exporting the document or pages to images, text.

Aug 28,2019 • Filed to: Mac Tutorials

'Is there a reliable PDF reader for Mac?'

Mac users have a number of PDF reader programs to choose from, including Adobe Reader for Mac and Preview. But if you want a better PDF reading experience, you might want to use a more robust and powerful PDF program. In this article, we’ve compiled the top 12 free PDF reader for Mac tools including PDFelement Pro, which offers more features than a simple PDF reader.

Part 1: Top 12 Best PDF Reader Tools for Mac

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1. PDFelement Pro - The Best Alternative PDF Reader to Adobe Acrobat for Mac

As high-quality as Adobe Reader is due to its constant updates and improvements, you can also look into alternative programs that can perform many of the same tasks. PDFelement Pro for Mac, as the best alternative PDF Reader to Adobe Acrobat for Mac, acts as both a PDF editor and reader that provides you full functions for PDF editing and a better experience reading PDF on Mac. This tool lets you add text, images, bookmarks, and more to your PDF. In addition, a user can also highlight text, underline, use strike-through features on the text and crop PDF pages on Mac. Watermarks can also be used to protect your PDF files on Mac. You can even edit and convert scanned PDF files with PDFelement Pro.

Key Features of this PDF Reader:

  • Add, delete or edit text, images, graphics, links, watermarks, and more.
  • Convert PDF to Word and other formats, or create PDFs from Webpages, images, and text files.
  • Quickly mark up and annotate PDFs with various annotation tools.
  • Combine or split PDFs, organize pages, and easily fill out PDF forms.
  • Edit and convert scanned or image-based PDFs using the OCR feature.
  • Easily add watermarks, passwords, and signature to PDF documents.

2. Skim - A Popular and Well-developed PDF Reader for Mac

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Skim is a popular PDF Reader on Mac that is tailored towards scientific purposes, although it can also be used to view other types of documents as well. This free PDF reader software is designed to be customizable for individual use, and is handy for notes and previews. The reason why Skim is one of the most popular options is because it includes easy-to-use and visually impressive reading modes.

Key Features:

  • Single swipe highlight mode for easy use
  • AppleScript support
  • Ability to preview internal links

3. Adobe Reader for Mac - A Widely Used Free PDF Reader

You can download Adobe Reader on Mac for free and set it as your default PDF reader. Adobe Reader for Mac is considered the industry standard. Adobe is still a very well respected product on the market, as they are constantly making improvements and upgrades to the program, but there are other options that offer many of the same features at a lower price and without without complicated licensing agreements.

Key Features:

  • Fast and easy to use
  • Established platform worldwide
  • Considered industry standard
  • Well developed and supported

4. Free PDF Reader - A Simple to Use Mac PDF Rreader

This is another very popular Free PDF Reader for Mac. It includes many excellent features, and is designed to be easy to navigate and simple to use. The software claims to have 150million users, which indicates a tried and tested package, and offers some impressive features including:

Key Features:

  • Multi document viewing feature
  • Rotate and Zoom facility
  • Exporting and conversion capabilities
  • Advanced printing options

5. Haihaisoft Reader for Mac - A Small Size Free PDF Reader for Mac

A prominent feature of Haihaisoft for Mac is its small size at only 3MB ; this compact PDF Reader for Mac takes up much less space than other programs like Adobe Reader (see below). The package covers a wide range of languages and is designed for ease of use, while it is also well supported and has been developed for use on a number of platforms. Interesting features include:

Key Features:

  • Instant launch time
  • No background net connection for added security
  • Opens all PDF documents
  • Protection with DRM-X

6. PDFSam - A New Free PDF Reader for Mac

PDFSam is a relatively new release that has been met with mixed reviews. This free PDF reader for Mac is designed for splitting and merging documents, hence why it is called 'SAM'. Some users report problems while using the application, though generally it is reported to be user-friendly and quick for the average user.

Key Features:

  • Split and Merge – (SAM)
  • Extract sections as separate PDFs
  • Reorder pages when needed
  • Compose documents by dragging and dropping

7. PDF Info - An Easy-to-use Free PDF Reader

PDF Info is specifically designed for viewing information stored in PDF documents, rather than actually creating new ones. While it is limited in its operation, it is easy to use and designed in a basic and uncluttered style.

Key Features:

  • Easy to install and use
  • Quick operation
  • View info in PDF
  • Very small download size

8. Read Right - A Flexible Free PDF Reader

Read Right is a clever product, designed to tackle the increasing numbers of smaller notebook type laptops. It’s most beneficial feature is that it automatically rotates the screen to fit – book style – on a handheld device, making it much more convenient to use.

Key Features:

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  • Multiple navigation options
  • Zoom control for expansion
  • Possible white on black text option for readers
  • Returns to the same page after interruption

9. Open Office 3 - A Versatile Free PDF Reader

The latest version of this popular and very versatile Open Office PDF reader is designed for business and personal users to read PDF files on Mac. It includes an impressive new array of features that have been improved and refined. It continues to be one of the leading free PDF readers for Mac on the market.

Key Features Includes:

  • Abilityt to import Microsoft Office file types
  • Advanced features for note taking
  • Chart creation tools
  • The ability to export and share spreadsheets

10. PDF Lab - A Well-developed Free PDF Reader

Designed to facilitate the manipulation of documents, PDF Lab is a well-developed and tested platform that is popular with a variety of users. A simple and user-friendly interface lets you use this tool as a PDF viewer. It can be updated through a regular software update, although at times you may have to do manual step-by-step updates.

Key Features:

  • Insert images and blank pages
  • Create new PDFs
  • Split documents into several different files
  • Encrypt documents for security

11. Formulate Pro - A Simple Free PDF Reader

This is an easy-to-use and popular program, Formulate Pro does not have a ton of features, but it is a basic and effective tool for amending documents. This tool is not designed for creation of PDFs, but it is certainly an effective reader.

Key Features:

  • Open and edit existing PDFs
  • Add graphics and other images
  • Write using the cursor
  • Print out PDFs

12. PDFView - An Impressive Free PDF Reader

PDFView offers a range of impressive features within a compact and easy to use package. It comes highly recommended by many users, and is a great way to read PDF documents. However, one issues is that it is no longer being developed, which means it might not be the best choice for a full-time PDF reader.

Key Features:

  • Has many customizable settings
  • Fit document to maximum screen size
  • Zoom in and out on PDFs
  • More features than Preview

Part 2: Troubleshooting on Opening and Reading PDFs in macOS

Many people experience problems when trying to open or read PDFs on Mac. This is due to a variety of reasons, but luckily this problem is usually quite an easy one to solve in just a matter of minutes. Here are the three main reasons why you may have a problem reading a PDF on Mac, and what you can do to solve the problem.

Question 1. Your Web Browser needs Updating

Solution: This is one of the most common problemsthat can prevent you from being able to read a PDF. Not all not all browsers update automatically, and it could be that yours needs a manual update. You can usually run a regular software update, but other times you may be required to update manually through the menu. An outdated browser may be the issue, in which case you may need to update your browser to resolve the issue. You can then make annotations and markups within your document.

Question 2. Your Browser is not Compatible

Solution: This issue depends on your operating system. If you are running OS 10.5 x, as many are, you will find that the later versions of Safari, for example, are non-compatible with your operating system. This will lead to you being unable to open PDFs, as well as a number of other problems. It is recommended that users with this operating system try using Firefox instead, as that may solve the problem.

Question 3. Check the Adobe Reader Plug-in

Solution: This problem also affects many users. If you are opening your PDF with Adobe Reader, the Adobe Reader Plug-in can be problematic, especially if it is an automatic launch when you enter your browser. The trick is to delete the plug-in (just the plug in, not Adobe Reader itself). Try using Adobe Reader as a stand-alone program rather than having it run within your browser, and the problem should be solved. You can also re-install the plug-in if necessary.

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Sep 04,2019 • Filed to: PDF Editor

'Is there any alternative to Adobe Acrobat and can help me to edit, merge and sign PDF?' 'What is the best free alternative for Adobe Acrobat?' Adobe Acrobat is famous but it is too expensive and complicated. If you find Adobe Acrobat not working and want to find other program like Adobe, complex and expensive, you can look at here top 16 Adobe Acrobat alternatives, which help you to edit PDF on Mac and Windows with ease including PDFelement Pro.

The Best Adobe Acrobat Alternative for Mac (macOS 10.14) and Windows

#1. PDFelement Pro

As a suitable alternative to Adobe Acrobat, you can download PDFelement Pro. This cheaper alternative to Acrabat comes with the facility of letting you edit your PDF documents in a broad scope as it is done in Office Word processor. It also lets you convert PDF documents to Word documents, Excel, HTML, PPT, EPUB, Images and more.

Pros:

  • Edit native and scanned PDF by adding, deleting or changing text, images, and others in PDF.
  • Annotate or mark up PDF with text boxes, sticky notes or freehand drawings.
  • Convert standard and scanned PDF to Word, PPT, Excel, Images, HTML, and other formats.
  • Create PDF from existing PDF, Webpages, HTML, and Text files.
  • Quickly sign PDF and make comments. Decrypt or encrypt PDFs.
  • Combine, compress or split PDF documents.
  • Fill out PDF and create PDF from many free PDF form templates.

Cons:

  • No cons observed so far.

#2. Nitro Pro (Windows)

Nitro Pro is another Adobe Acrobat alternative that is gaining popularity when it comes to handling documents. The software comes with integrated Internet cloud facilities. It helps users to make new documents, edit them and share them with others easily both offline and online.

Price: $ 183.58

    Pros:
  • The documents created on Nitro Pro are PDF documents that can be opened from any PDF reader, and on any mobile device too.
  • The Nitro Cloud feature lets users sign and share documents with users of different browsers.

  • Cons:
  • Nitro Pro 9 provides no facility for PDF indexing.
  • It OCR facility malfunctions when it comes to big-sized documents.

#3. iSkysoft PDF Converter Pro (Mac and Windows)

iSkysoft PDF Converter Pro for Mac (or iSkysoft PDF Converter Pro for Windows) can also be a highly recommended Adobe Acrobat alternative, which helps you to convert native and scanned PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, EPUT, and other formats.

Price: $ 79.95

    Pros:
  • Convert PDF to Word, Excel, EPUB, PPT and more with simple drag-n-drop.
  • Preserve 100% original formatting and layout, and keep the hyperlinks and notes.
  • Convert more than 200 files at once and enable partial conversion.
  • Allow you to convert scanned and encrypted PDF files.

#4. Foxit PDF Editor (Windows)

Foxit PDF Editor is a smooth-working PDF editing program. When it comes to PDF editing Foxit's facilities match that of word processing softwares. This PDF editor locates test boxes automatically and lets users edit paragraphs within the text boxes.

Price: $ 99

    Pros:
  • It allows users to split or join text blocks to edit easily, where users can resize or move text blocks to get a definite layout.
  • Its image editing capabilities are also better incorporated.

  • Cons:
  • It comes with a detached plug-in facility that needs to be installed separately.
  • The process to update the plug-in is not clear.

#5. PDF Studio (Mac, Windows, Linux)

PDF Studio is a user-friendly Adobe Acrobat alternative that comes at half the price of Adobe Acrobat. It includes all the editing and extra features that a good PDF editing system has, while being in compliance with the PDF document standards.

Price: $ 89

    Pros:
  • It can annotate PDF documents, besides being able to make PDFs out of Word documents, images and other texts.
  • It includes document support in the form of Google Drive SharePoint.

  • Cons:
  • Its trial version cones with a watermark.
  • There is no provision of 'Undo', besides, it also doesn't work with common trackpad commands like shrink or zoom.

#6. PDFpen (Mac)

PDFpen is a PDF editing software that is compatible with the Mac OS, and has the added advantage of reasonably priced. It has the common features of a PDF editor like making changes or correcting typos in the main text document, besides it also lets users add texts, signatures and images.

Price: $ 59.95

    Pros:
  • It has the ability to export Ms-Word files to the PDF format.
  • It can scan images with OCR and turn it into a text document.

  • Cons:
  • It has some functional issues like pages can occasionally seem out of focus. Long documents take longer time to load.
  • It also does not have features like Page Labelling.

#7. PDFClerk Pro (Mac)

PDFClerk Pro is a software known for its high-speed functionality when it comes to handling PDF documents. It comes with various interesting features where you can also make a PDF document in other foreign languages where it can be read from right to left as in Hebrew or Arabic. It gives you more layout options than most other softwares.

Price: $ 48.00

    Pros:
  • Letting users resize pages or even entire documents to another page size, and also letting them shift the content of the pages if necessary.
  • Permitting users to export single pages in the bitmap (png, jpg etc.) format, or even make audio files from a text's document.

  • Cons:
  • Page mark-up tools are absent.
  • Visually the interface is not quite appealing.

#8. PDF Signet (Mac)

PDF signet is a Mac Adobe Acrobat alternative. It lets its users sign PDF documents with a X.509 certificate in a user-friendly manner. The app also lets users verify signatures by simply dropping the concerned PDF file into the app.

Price: $ 10

    Pros:
  • It allows users to place their signatures digitally on PDF files through any device.
  • The certificate for signing can be employed easily from the Keychain.
  • It also automatically signs documents as you make them.
  • It also confirms the validity of existing signatures.

  • Cons:
  • Limited to a certain area of functionality in PDF documents.
  • It is only compatible on the OS X 10.7 or later versions of the system.

#9. Infix PDF Editor (Mac and Windows)

Infix PDF Editor is an Adobe Acrobat alternative that edits PDF files in the manner of a word-processing software. Hence it is simple and highly functional when it comes to reformatting edited documents. From altering texts, font sizes and images, reutilizing and editing PDF files without needing the source file to filling in forms Infix PDF Editor is a resourceful software.

Price: $ 99

    Pros:
  • Its software akin to that of a word-processor makes it really easy to use, sans any complex functions.
  • It can copy text and images between PDF files.
  • It has the feature to Search and replace, not only in individual files but across multiple files simultaneously.

  • Cons:
  • When filling forms users will find a watermark appearing on the final document.
  • Quite a few features are missing in its Standard and Advanced mode.

#10. deskPDF Creator (Mac and Windows)

Powered by Docudesk, deskPDF gives users the facility to convert documents of any format to PDF files. Compatible with both the Mac and Windows operating systems, this software contains easy-to-use but significant features like a drag-and-drop option to convert files to the PDF format, besides watermarking, merging, PDF file security provisions and custom profile workflows.

Price:$ 34.95

    Pros:
  • It comes installed with a virtual printer that assists in converting any file that has the 'Print' option to the PDF format.
  • The PDF Preview feature facilitates users to view the file before it is printed, and even lets them rotate or remove pages if they require to.
  • A swifter PDF creation engine ensures greater facilities. Users can select between making PDFs in quality formats or optimized small-sized PDFs that can be shared online or through emails.

  • Cons:
  • A nag screen that disturbs users in the trial version.
  • Complicated advanced features that users take time to understand.

#11. Proview (Mac)

Compatible with the Mac OS X, Proview is a PDF editor that employs a broad array of features to edit documents and also to create new PDF documents. With this software users can remove or add PDF files, or make changes to multiple parts of a PDF text. All its features are quick and easy to execute.

Price: $ 42.26

    Pros:
  • Comprehensive and interactive tools, with greater formatting features that includes transparency as well.
  • The tools of Trim, Bleed and art boxes, besides the capability of labelling multiple pages together.

  • Cons:
  • The fact that the documents edited by it trial version carry the watermark of 'Demo' across it.
  • Its inadequate features as compared to Acrobat X Pro.

#12. DigiSigner (free, Mac, Windows, Linux)

DigiSigner is a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat that is compatible with Mac, Windows and also the Linux operating system, and is used to see PDF files and create digital signatures on them employing the X.509 certificates. The application is capable of endorsing and handling complicated functions like multiple signing of documents, USB sticks, smart cards and key stores.

Price: Free

    Pros:
  • Its user-friendly interface, which can be either employed as a web device or an installed program.
  • The facility to let users make legally validated signatures on PDF documents for free, utilizing the X.509 certificate.

  • Cons:
  • Its small area of specialization where it yields restricted features on the particular aspect of signing documents.
  • The free edition is subject to only essential tools, whereas the paid application comes with greater facilities of time stamp, Smartcard/USB tokens, server support besides one year email assistance.

#13. PDFLab (free, Mac)

PDFLab is another free Adobe Acrobat alternative for Mac that permits users to divide and merge PDF files, besides letting them add images as well as blank pages. It also gives users the ease to build PDF documents by joining multiple images. Using it can be simple, as users only need to insert their files in a list, pick the pages, arrange them in a sequence and build a new PDF file.

Price: Free

    Pros:
  • It comes with functions that let users swiftly divide a document into multiple ones.
  • It also lets users password-protect files or decrypt them according to their needs.

  • Cons:
  • It is only compatible with a Mac OS.
  • It comes with limited features as compared to a full-blown PDF editor.

#14. Master PDF Editor (Mac, Windows, Linux)

The Master PDF Editor is a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat that handles PDF and XPS files well. Though there is a paid edition the demo edition also lets users access all its features that include editing PDF files with both images and texts. Users can also build XPS or PDF files besides converting files between the two formats.

Price:$ 49.95

    Pros:
  • Users can edit or insert bookmarks in PDF documents, as well as encrypt them employing the 128 bit encryption method.
  • Inserting PDF control tools like buttons, lists, checkboxes into the PDF files.

  • Cons:
  • The lack of a drag-and-drop tool.
  • The trial version has a watermark that is added to all edited PDF files.

#15. FreePDF (Free, Windows)

FreePDF is a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat for Windows that is generally used for seeing PDF files. FreePDF assists users in filling, signing and sending forms via email quickly. Its PDF viewer system is also integrated with features like page rotation, page snapshot, multi view mode etc. and lets users easily navigate through the PDF documents while making edits.

Price: Free

    Pros:
  • The text overlay tool that facilitates users to insert a text overlay in their PDF files, as well as the signature overlay tool.
  • It has improved form-filling tools in the form of the filling radio buttons.

  • Cons:
  • To some users it has inadequate PDF editing features when it comes to professional work.
  • It is only compatible with the Windows OS.

#16. PrimoPDF (free, Windows)

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PrimoPDF is a PDF building application that works smoothly with the Windows operating system. The PDF creation tool is rather quick and easy with the drag and drop feature that creates perfectly standardized PDF documents. Being free makes this software doubly popular for people to choose this as the ultimate PDF creation application.

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Price: Free

Alternative Pdf Reader/writer For Pc And Mac

    Pros:
  • It gives users the capability to password-protect files and design definite particulars to precisely edit files.
  • File conversion of files of different formats is just as simple with no reduction in quality with PrimoPDF.

  • Cons:
  • The user support links are often broken, and provide inconsistent support.
  • The design of the software is simplistic and riddled with advertisements for other software.