Best PDF reader for Mac of 2018

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Whenever you’re sent an important document via email – maybe a contract or an invoice – it’s likely that it will be in PDF format. Adobe invented the PDF back in 1993, so it’s not only one of the most commonly used files, but a veteran file format, too.

The main aim of the PDF (Portable Document Format) is to send important information to another person quickly and easily. Despite the fact that this file type is so old, its capabilities haven’t changed much over the years. It’s still a highly versatile way to combine text and multimedia within one document.

Another reason why PDF files have become commonplace in today’s interconnected world is that they work with almost all applications, hardware and operating systems. These documents use the PostScript language, which makes it possible to display a range of text fonts, graphics and other media in a single, universal file.

Of course, while virtually all operating systems support PDFs, that’s not to say they can handle everything that pertains to this file format. Upon receiving a PDF, you should be able to view it in your browser without any trouble, but what if you want to print the file out, for example? Fonts or other formatting may not come out quite right, and these elements aren’t exactly easily tweaked from the OS level.

However, that’s why PDF readers exist: not only do these apps allow you to easily view and print PDFs, but they often give you tools to pull off more advanced tricks like editing, converting or sharing these documents with ease. In this article, we’ve picked out five of the best PDF reader apps for Mac users.

• We’ve also highlighted the best free PDF readers

PDF Reader Premium

Available to download directly from the Mac App Store, PDF Reader Premium from Kdan Software is one of the most powerful and popular PDF management tools for Apple computers. It functions as a file manager, file converter and page editor.

With the software, you can easily edit PDF files by adding freehand writing, text boxes, sticky notes, hyperlinks and annotations. And to ensure that important documents don’t get mixed up, you’re able to label them by adding tags and color-coding. What’s more, to keep track of all your saved files, you can make use of an import history feature.

The app works with iCloud, too, meaning you can back up and access saved documents on an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. There’s even compatibility with Dropbox, so you can easily import documents from devices that run on other operating systems.

Overall, you should find the app smooth and quick to use. It’s powered by a proprietary rendering engine, which aims to ensure that large files are processed and loaded without any lag. Currently, the app costs $59.99 (£42), although there is a free version that you can try before you purchase.

• You can download PDF Reader Premium here

iSkysoft PDF Editor

If you’re looking for a powerful business-targeted document management tool for the Mac, then it’s definitely worth checking out iSkysoft PDF Editor. The software makes it a breeze to create, edit, convert, sign and watermark PDF documents.

Used by the likes of IBM, Pfizer, Colliers International and Nike, the app is one of the most versatile PDF management tools out there. It offers some nifty time-saving capabilities like batch processing, which is handy if you have a host of documents that need uploading and editing at the same time. So, for example, you can convert, number and watermark hundreds of identical PDFs.

You also get optical character recognition (OCR) here, allowing you to scan and turn PDF documents into editable and searchable files. Furthermore, you can add signatures to electronic documents, which is handy in many areas of business.

And if you’re working with documents that contain sensitive data, as is likely the case, you’ll appreciate the security features iSkysoft has implemented, including the ability to password protect documents. A single license costs $99.95 (£72), but there is a free trial available to give the product a spin first.

• You can download iSkysoft PDF Editor here

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Adobe not only invented the trusty PDF document in the first place, but the company has also created some top-notch apps to manage them. Acrobat Pro DC is a great example, and it supports both Windows and Mac devices. The software allows you to create, edit and convert PDF files with ease.

Whether you happen to be using a desktop PC, laptop or tablet, Acrobat lets you turn any paper document into a PDF file. You just have to snap a photo of the piece of paper and upload it to Adobe’s platform, then you can subsequently edit it. Acrobat also lets you convert PDFs into any Microsoft Office file format, preserving all fonts and formatting.

Thanks to integration with Excel, you can even edit data in scanned tables, making it easier to edit and analyze financial data. Just like Kdan Software’s PDF Reader Premium, you can keep track of the changes you and your colleagues make to PDF documents.

Acrobat is capable of detecting the differences between two versions of the same PDF, too. You can sign up for a business plan for £15.17 ($21) a month, which gives you the option to add more team members in the future. 

• You can download Adobe Acrobat Pro DC here

PDF Expert

PDF Expert is a robust and easy-to-use solution for managing business documents. And with a four-and-a-half star rating in the Mac App Store, it seems to be one of the most popular options out there for Mac users. The software gives you the ability to read, edit and annotate PDF documents from a central dashboard.

One of the great things about PDF Expert is that it’s fast and slick to use. Thanks to smooth scrolling and a fast search function, you can quickly find what you’re looking for across multiple PDF files.

This app lets you edit images, text and links, plus the software can automatically detect fonts, size and opacity of writing. Plus, if you happen to own an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, you can add annotations and notes to documents on-the-go. Like most PDF apps out there, PDF Expert comes with a free download option, but the premium plan costs £54.49 ($75).

• You can download PDF Expert here

PDFelement

Wondershare has developed a Mac version of the popular PDFelement app, which is positioned as an easy way to edit PDF documents. It gives you the tools to add text, images, links, backgrounds, watermarks, headers and footers to PDF documents.

The software provides an extensive selection of PDF editing options. Not only can you add text to documents, but you can also tweak the font type, size and style. There’s the ability to rotate, extract, replace and crop images too.

PDFelement is a great option for teams in particular, with powerful collaborative capabilities, letting you add sticky notes, comments, text boxes and more. And you can use the tool to fill out business documents such as contracts and tax forms. The software costs $59.95 (£42), but once again, you can sign up for a free trial.

• You can download PDFelement here

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