The best PDF editor for Mac depends on what you need it to do: Adobe Acrobat Pro has the deepest feature set for teams, pdf.net is the browser-based option with nothing to install, and Apple's built-in Preview handles basic edits for free.

Every Mac user eventually needs to edit, sign, or compress a PDF, and the tool you pick changes how much time that costs you. Some editors reflow text cleanly and match fonts automatically; others only let you slap a text box on top of the page.

We ran the same test file through five Mac PDF editors to see which ones actually deliver. Read on to see how they compare on editing accuracy, annotation, e-signatures, AI tools, and pricing.

Four out of five editors in this comparison reflow edited text within a line, but none of them reflow text automatically across pages.

Adobe Acrobat Pro is the most complete Mac PDF editor in this roundup, but it's also the priciest, at up to $19.99 a month.

pdf.net is the only fully browser-based option here, with AI tools built in and with a starting plan of $0.95 for 14-day limited access.

Apple's Preview is free and handles basic markup well, but it can't edit body text, match fonts, or replace images.

Only Adobe Acrobat Pro, Foxit PDF Editor, and pdf.net let you request a signature from someone else; PDF Expert and Preview only support self-signing.

How We Evaluated the Best PDF Editors for Mac

We evaluated the best PDF editors for Mac by running one standard test file through each tool and recording exactly what worked, what broke, and what changed line by line. Every result came from tracking the following six things for each tool:

 reflowed within a line, whether the font matched automatically, and whether a replaced image kept its original resolution.

 Reordering, deleting, merging, splitting, and extracting pages.

 Highlighting, underlining, strikethrough, sticky notes, and freehand drawing.

 Whether form fields were auto-detected, and whether we could self-sign or request a signature from someone else.

 Whether the editor includes an AI assistant, and what it can actually do.

 Whether the tool runs online, offline, or both, whether it has a dedicated iOS/iPadOS app, and how much cloud storage comes included.

Here's how the five PDF editors for Mac stack up at a glance, followed by a closer look at what each one does well and where it falls short.

Ranked from most complete to simplest, here's what stood out about each one.

 of the five. Edited text reflowed correctly within its lines, and the font matched automatically. A replaced image kept its original resolution, all without extra steps. Form fields were auto-detected. It's one of three editors here that let you 

 from someone else rather than only signing yourself.

Acrobat AI handles Q&A, summaries, and content drafting, though full access requires a separate AI plan on top of the subscription. Also, 

 includes 100GB of cloud storage, more than any other tool in this roundup. Pricing starts at $14.99 a month for the Standard plan or $19.99 for Pro, with a 7-day trial on the Pro tier; the highest cost here, and the interface takes longer to learn than the rest.

 if you need a PDF editor that works without an internet connection, and you don't mind paying the most for the deepest toolset.

, and it matches Adobe on editing accuracy: text reflows correctly, fonts match automatically, and a replaced image keeps its resolution. Its PDF Copilot AI tool handles semantic search, quick information retrieval, and 

Signing has a gap, though; self-signing works, but there's 

 from someone else. Pricing is $79.99 a year, or a $139.99 one-time lifetime purchase that avoids a subscription entirely, with a 7-day trial either way.

There's no built-in cloud storage; PDF Expert 

relies on your Mac's local storage plus third-party sync

 through iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

PDF Expert suits Mac users who want Adobe-level editing accuracy without a subscription and who don't need to 

 in this comparison, so there's nothing to install on your Mac. It matches Adobe and PDF Expert on the core editing checks: 

 reflows correctly, fonts match, and image replacements keep their resolution. It's also one of only three tools that let you request a signature from someone else, not just 

 from text, all included at every paid tier. Plans start at $0.95 for 14 days of limited access, $1.95 for 14 days of full access, or $24.95 a month billed annually.

A private cloud document library is included + 

 for teams, and there's no dedicated iOS/iPadOS app since everything runs through the browser.

pdf.net is best for Mac users who want desktop-level editing accuracy without installing software, especially if you switch between devices or need to request signatures from other people.

Organize, optimize, and finalize your documents so they’re ready for submission or sharing.



Manage Your PDFs Online with Ease

, with the same editing accuracy Adobe and PDF Expert showed: text reflowed properly, fonts matched, and image edits kept their resolution. Its AI toolkit is the broadest of the five, including a local AI mode that processes documents without sending them to the cloud, alongside PDF Chat, translation, and 

Requesting a signature from someone else requires the Editor+ plan or Foxit eSign; the base Editor plan only covers self-signing. Pricing runs $129.99 a year for Editor or $159.99 for Editor+, with a 14-day trial. Foxit DMS cloud storage is included with no stated cap, though it's worth reviewing 

CISA and the NSA's joint guidance on securing cloud services

 before storing sensitive files in any editor's cloud.

, it's best for Mac users who want Adobe-level features with unlimited cloud storage and don't mind paying extra for the full request-signature and AI toolkit.

. Even though it works offline only, it did gain a dedicated app on iOS and iPadOS starting with 

It can't reflow edited text or match fonts automatically; Preview 

 on top of the page, so existing body text can't be edited in place, and it can't replace an image while preserving resolution.

, annotation, and self-signing all work without issue. There's no AI assistant and no option to request a signature from someone else. As for cloud storage, it relies on the Mac's iCloud Drive.

Preview is a solid choice if you only need to view PDFs, 

, add markup, or self-sign a document occasionally, and you don't want to pay for a dedicated editor.

How to Choose the Best PDF Editor for Your Mac

Choosing the best PDF editor for Mac depends on which trade-offs fit how you actually work:

 Adobe Acrobat Pro, PDF Expert, and Foxit PDF Editor work without an internet connection, so they're the safer choice if you travel often or handle documents on unreliable networks.

, which matters if you switch between a work Mac and a personal one, or you're using a device where you can't install software.

 PDF Expert's $139.99 lifetime purchase is the only one-time option among the paid tools; everything else bills monthly or annually, except Preview which is free.

You collect signatures from other people, not just your own.

 support requesting a signature from someone else.

 Foxit's toolkit is the broadest, including a local mode that skips the cloud entirely; pdf.net bundles chat, summarization, and PDF generation at every paid tier; Adobe's Acrobat AI needs a separate plan for full access.

Security and accessibility matter for your documents.

 Check that whichever editor you pick supports 

. Also, if forms are part of your workflow, it's worth confirming the editor can 

The best PDF editor for Mac depends on how you work. Adobe Acrobat Pro delivers the most complete toolset if you need offline access and don't mind the higher price, while Foxit matches it feature-for-feature with unlimited cloud storage. PDF Expert is the strongest one-time-purchase option if you don't need to request signatures from others.

If you'd rather skip the install entirely, pdf.net gives you the same editing accuracy we saw from the desktop apps, plus AI tools and signature requests, directly in your Mac's browser. And if your needs are simple, Preview remains a solid free starting point.

#1. What is the best free PDF editor for Mac?

Preview is the best free PDF editor for Mac because it's built into every Mac at no cost. It handles page operations, annotation, and self-signing well, but it can't reflow edited text, match fonts, or replace images. For those, you'll need a paid tool like pdf.net or Adobe Acrobat Pro.

#2. Can I edit a PDF on Mac without installing software?

Yes, you can edit a PDF on Mac without installing software by using an online PDF editor like pdf.net. It matches desktop apps like Adobe Acrobat Pro on text reflow, font matching, and image replacement, so you get the same editing accuracy without downloading anything.

#3. Which PDF editor is best for editing text on a Mac, not just annotating?

Adobe Acrobat Pro, PDF Expert, pdf.net, and Foxit PDF Editor all reflowed edited text correctly and matched fonts automatically. Preview only lets you 

 boxes on top of a page, so it can't replace existing body text the way the other four editors can.

#4. Which PDF editors are compatible with macOS Sonoma or Ventura?

 and Ventura. However, your best choice is Preview, which is built into Mac and naturally remains compatible as Apple updates.

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You can cite a PDF in APA, MLA, or Chicago citation style; each has its own rules on what elements to include and how to format the reference.

You can cite a PDF using the APA, MLA, or Chicago citation style. Citing sources correctly allows readers to trace where information comes from and ensures that original authors receive proper credit.

Although this is a common format for research papers, reports, and articles, the citation process focuses on the type of source, not the file format itself. In this guide, you will learn how to reference PDFs, along with practical tips, PDF citation examples, and common mistakes to avoid.

To cite a PDF, you can choose APA, MLA, or Chicago style; each has its own rules about what elements to include and how to format them.

APA citation includes the author, date, title, and source; all the citations are compiled on a separate page at the end of the document titled 

page, and they each have the author, title of the source, title of the container, contributor, version, number, publisher, publication date, and location of the source.

The Chicago style has two systems, one uses footnotes and endnotes, while the other uses parentheses.

When citing PDFs, make sure you avoid mixing up citation styles, using incorrect punctuation, and forgetting to match in-text citations; tools like Zotero, Mendeley, and MyBib can help you cite PDFs more easily.

reference to information that comes from a 

It’s used in academic writing, research papers, blog posts, and professional reports to help readers 

, verify claims, and explore the topic further. Proper citations also give credit to the original author and help 

There are several styles you can choose from to reference a PDF: 

. Each has its formatting rules for listing authors, titles, dates, and URLs.

Let’s explore the abovementioned styles of citing PDFs in more detail:

 is widely used in the social sciences, including psychology, marketing, education, and business. The reference includes:

 (usually, the publisher or organization, followed by the URL)

element depends on the type of work you are referencing:

. The source typically includes the journal name, volume, issue number, and page range. For example: Smith, J. A., & Lee, R. (2020). Remote work communication strategies. 

, 50(5), 245–260. https://example.com/article.pdf

The source typically includes the magazine name, volume, issue number, and page number in the source section. For example: Leo, L. (2010, June 15). Guess what’s in this cereal. 

. The source typically includes the website or publication name, followed by the URL. For example: Chen, A. (2026, February 13). How to Write on a PDF: Add Text, Notes & Annotations Easily. 

. https://pdf.net/blog/how-to-write-on-pdf

You should use an in-text citation for every reference you have cited in APA style. An APA PDF in-text citation follows the author-date format used throughout APA writing. This means including the 

author’s last name and the publication year in parentheses 

 Smith (2020) explains that remote work has changed communication patterns.

When citing PDFs in APA style, keep the following tips in mind:

 Place it on a new page at the end of your paper and center it at the top in bold.

 Order references by the first author’s last name.

 The entire reference list should be double-spaced with no extra lines between entries.

 The first line of each reference is flush left, and all following lines are indented by 0.5 inches.

 Use commas between author names, place periods after initials, and include a period after most reference elements. However, do not add a period after a DOI or URL at the end of a reference.

 The reference structure depends on the document type, such as a journal article, book, report, or webpage, not the fact that it is a PDF.

humanities, including literature and language studies. 

As with APA, MLA does not treat a PDF as a separate source type; instead, the citation format depends on the original type of work.

MLA citations typically include the following elements:

These elements are used to build a citation in the 

. Entries are listed alphabetically by the author's last name and use a hanging indent.

placed in parentheses and includes the author’s last name and the page number

 where the information appears, such as (Lyons 27). If the PDF does not include 

, you can simply use the author’s last name, like (Ouellette).

 the title of the work is used in the in-text citation instead. The formatting of the title depends on the type of source. Use quotation marks for shorter works such as articles, essays, or chapters, and italics for longer works such as books, reports, or websites.

Additionally, if the title is long, shorten it to the main noun phrase and remove articles such as 

The Practical Guide to Digital Publishing, 

should be shortened in-text citation as (

 42). Here are additional tips to follow when citing a PDF in MLA style:

Format dates as day, month, year, without separating commas.

 Like 15 June 2009; some publications use seasons instead of months, which should be written as 

 In MLA, months are shortened in citations except for 

 If an online source does not list a publication date, or if the webpage content may change over time, include the date you accessed the source.

 MLA shortens page numbers to avoid repetition. For example: 

 DOI links should be written as https://doi.org/ followed by the DOI number.

 is widely used in history, publishing, and some social science disciplines. It supports two citation systems:

. Sources are marked in the text with a superscript number, which corresponds to a footnote or endnote containing the full citation. All sources are also listed in a bibliography at the end of the document, arranged alphabetically by the author’s last name.

 Sources are cited directly in the text using parentheses that include the author’s last name and the year of publication. Each in-text citation corresponds to a full reference in a reference list at the end of the document.

Here are examples of the Chicago style PDF citation using the Notes and Bibliography system by type of work:

Liliana Xu, Interior Georgetown (Pantheon Books, 2020), 45.

 V. R. Hubert, “The Idyllic Island: A Study of Scandinavian Life,” Sociological Review 10, no. 5 (1925): 310, EBSCOhost.

“About Yale: Yale Facts,” Yale University, accessed March 10, 2025, https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts.

And these examples follow the Author-Date system:

Xu, Liliana. Interior Georgetown. Pantheon Books, 2020.

Hubert, V. R. 1925. “The Idyllic Island: A Study of Scandinavian Life.” Sociological Review 10 (5): 305–15. EBSCOhost.

 Google. 2020. “Privacy Policy.” Privacy & Terms. Effective May 15. https://policies.google.com/privacy.

These are the tips to remember when citing a PDF using the Chicago style citation:

Choose the appropriate Chicago citation system.

 The Notes and Bibliography system is commonly used in the humanities, while the Author-Date system is more common in the sciences and social sciences.

Use shortened notes after the first citation.

 In the Notes and Bibliography system, the first footnote contains the full citation, while later notes use a shortened version with the author’s last name, shortened title, and page number.

 In the Notes and Bibliography system, citations in the text are marked with superscript numbers. You can create superscripts by pressing “Ctrl” and “.” on Windows or “Cmd” and “.” on Mac.

How to Cite Online PDFs vs. Downloaded PDFs

for citing online PDFs vs. downloaded PDFs

 is essentially the same in most citation styles. What matters is the 

 you are citing, not whether the file was viewed online or saved to your device.

, include the standard publication details such as the author, title, and date, along with a 

, use the same citation format for the source type, such as a book, article, or report. If the document originally came from a website or database, include the 

4 Tools You Can Use to Help You Cite PDFs

There are tools you can use to help you cite PDFs online; these scan the document details, pull publication information, and format the citation according to common styles. These are:

Mendeley combines reference management with PDF organization. After importing a file, the software identifies the author, title, and publication details for you. You can 

 while generating citations in multiple styles.

Citation Machine is a web-based tool that helps generate citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, and other formats. You can paste a URL or manually enter the details from a PDF, and the tool will format one for you.

MyBib is an online citation generator that lets you upload a PDF, enter a DOI, or paste a link to create a citation quickly. The platform also helps organize sources into projects and export complete reference lists.

Zotero is a research and reference management tool that lets you upload PDFs and automatically extract citation information such as the author, title, and publication date.

Chat with your documents to instantly locate the author, date, and title you need.

Find Citation Details Faster With AI

Here are some common errors when citing PDFs and how to avoid them:

Since there are many citation styles, it is easy to get them mixed up. However, this can raise concerns about the content of your PDF and your professionalism as the author by extension. Using the correct citation style consistently also helps 

Citation styles use specific punctuation rules for commas, periods, italics, and quotation marks; not following them can make your PDF appear unprofessional. You should always follow punctuation guidelines to a T and check official PDF citation examples if needed.

Forgetting to match in-text citations with references. 

Including an in-text citation that does not appear in the reference list or listing a source that is never cited in the text is a common mistake authors make. To fix this, review your citations carefully and ensure that every in-text reference matches a full entry in the reference list, 

 to open, explore, and modify your document first! Our tool is one of the 

, and annotating documents directly in your browser easy.

Besides these features, our platform offers amazing AI-powered tools that allow you to 

 in seconds. These help you quickly understand the content, identify key details like authors and publication dates, and gather the information you need to create accurate citations.

Citing PDFs correctly comes down to understanding two things: the citation style you are using and the type of source contained in the PDF. Paying attention to details, such as punctuation, also helps ensure your references remain accurate and consistent.

When you use the guidelines, tools, and examples covered in this guide, you can confidently cite PDF sources and create clear, well-formatted reference lists in your work!

#1. How do you cite a PDF with no author or date?

You can cite a PDF with no author or date by starting the citation with the 

 instead of the author. If no publication date is listed, use “n.d.” to indicate “no date.”

. For example, if the scan is of a book chapter or article, cite the book or journal details rather than the scan itself, and include a URL if it was accessed online.

How to Cite a PDF Correctly: Complete Guide for Different Styles

Some popular Foxit alternatives include pdf.net, PDF-XChange Editor, Adobe Acrobat, Wondershare PDFelement, and more. 

While Foxit PDF Editor offers a range of tools for editing and managing PDFs, it’s not the best fit for every user. Alternatives such as pdf.net, PDF-XChange Editor, and Adobe Acrobat are often considered by users looking for different pricing or simpler interfaces, along with Wondershare PDFelement, Nitro PDF, and Smallpdf.

In this guide, we will look at the pros and cons of all these Foxit alternatives so you can determine which option works best for your workflow.

You may want to look for a Foxit alternative because of pricing concerns, feature limitations, compatibility issues, or workflow preferences.

The best option that works across different devices, as long as you have an Internet connection, is pdf.net, since it runs in your browser and requires no downloads.

Other comparable Foxit alternatives include PDF-XChange Editor, Adobe Acrobat, Wondershare PDFelement, and Nitro PDF.

To choose the right one for your needs, think about how you use PDFs, which features you require, and how much you are willing to spend.

You may want to look for a Foxit alternative because:

It may cost more than your workflow justifies.

 While Foxit is often marketed as an affordable 

, many of its useful features sit behind paid tiers and add-ons. If you only edit PDFs occasionally, paying $129.99 (Foxit Editor) or $159.99 (Foxit Editor+) may feel unnecessary.

It may include features you rarely use but still pay for.

 Foxit offers a wide range of tools, but you might not use all of them. For example, you may only need to merge files, add comments, or convert documents every now and then. In these cases, a simpler tool can often handle the same tasks without the extra complexity.

 If you need multiple licenses for a small business, subscription fees can become a noticeable expense.

Because Foxit includes many tools in one platform, the interface can appear crowded at first. If you mainly work with straightforward documents, navigating menus and toolbars may slow down tasks that should be simple.

You may need better compatibility with the tools you already use.

 Do you regularly store files in Google Drive, collaborate through Microsoft Office, or switch between devices? If Foxit does not connect easily with the platforms in your workflow, finding an alternative can make sharing, editing, and managing PDFs much more convenient.

Best 6 Foxit Alternatives for Small Businesses

Small businesses often need PDF tools that are 

easy to adopt, affordable, and practical for daily document tasks

. The best Foxit alternatives typically combine essential features like editing, e-signatures, file merging, and document conversion with integrations.

 are another plus, especially for businesses handling contracts, invoices, or sensitive files. Below are six options that balance usability, functionality, and cost efficiency for small business workflows.

best PDF editor for small businesses, freelancers, students, and everyday users

. It is fully browser-based, so you won’t have to worry about installing anything.

, including smartphones and tablets, as long as you have a reliable Internet connection. This means it’s handy even when you are out of the office and need to polish a 

Convert PDFs to and from different file formats, such as .DOCx, JPG, and PNG

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