What is the best pdf editor software on mac?

While Preview is an excellent, lightweight viewer and is surprisingly capable for basic annotations and signing, it is not a good PDF editor available on macOS because its editing capabilities are fundamentally limited and non-destructive; you cannot truly edit existing text or objects in place like in a word processor, but can only add annotation layers on top, which breaks workflows requiring permanent text changes, precise layout adjustments, form creation, or reliable compatibility with professional and legal documents where the underlying content must be alterable.

Best 3 PDF Editors on Mac

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC: The most powerful and complete solution. Unmatched editing, form creation, prepress, and compliance tools. It's a subscription and can be overkill for many. Choose this if: You need the absolute most powerful tool for professional use and don't mind the subscription cost.

PDF Expert by Readdle: Often called "Acrobat's biggest rival." Exceptionally fast and fluid native Mac app. Perfect for 90% of users: excellent editing, form filling, combining, annotations, and a sensible UI. One-time purchase for the core app. Choose this if: You want the best blend of power, speed, and a native Mac feel without a subscription.

Prizmo: A fantastic, underrated Mac-first option. Its superpower is best-in-class OCR and scanning features, along with very capable editing, annotation, and voice-over accessibility tools. One-time purchase. Choose this if: You work with a lot of scanned documents and want a beautifully designed native app.