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Home » Mac » Top 5 Open Source PDF Editors for Mac in 2023 (macOS 14 Compatible)

Top 5 Open Source PDF Editors for Mac in 2023 (macOS 14 Compatible)

by / May 31, 2023

Various cloud-based document creation services have been launched over the last decade, and productivity apps have extended the reach of documents across devices and platforms! Despite the fact that a variety of tools exist to view and convert files to PDF documents directly from your device or web browser, many people regard PDF editing as a difficult operation requiring extensive knowledge. In this post, we decided to list the best open-source PDF editors for Mac. Here we will talk about the different PDF editors available for macOS and also talk about their nice features.

The List of Top 5 Open Souce PDF Editors for Mac

1. UPDF

One of the best open source PDF editors for Mac is UPDF for Mac. You can easily open, view, and edit PDF documents on Mac. You can add text, modify the text, delete text, and even add text with art effects to your PDF document. Also, you can easily add, crop, rotate, and replace the images of the PDF file. The user interface is simple to use, even for inexperienced users. You can easily read, edit, convert, OCR, protect and organize your PDF file.

open source pdf editor mac

Features:

  • You can edit the text and images on your PDFs.
  • It is easy for you to convert your PDFs into other file formats, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
  • The advanced OCR feature lets you transform scanned PDF documents into searchable and editable PDFs.
  • It has robust annotations tools, including highlights, sticky notes, text boxes, shapes, etc.
  • It is easy for you to protect your PDF files with a password.
  • You can organize the pages by adding, deleting, reordering, rotating pages, etc.

Pros:

  • A comprehensive set of PDF tools
  • Wide platform support: Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
  • Fast speed to open the large PDF file
  • High performance
  • Intuitive UI, optimized for improving your productivity

2. Formulate Pro for Mac

One of the greatest open source PDF editors for Mac is Formulate Pro. It has a lot of features that make it quite powerful. You can redact and add text to your PDF files. It also combines and rearranges pages from many PDF files into a single document. The program may convert scanned documents into editable text using optical character recognition (OCR). You can use this program to build a PDF file from scratch, then add security features like a digital signature.

open source pdf editor mac

Pros:

  • It can be used to make a digital signature to safeguard your work further.
  • It can convert other files to PDFs while maintaining the overall appearance.
  • You can edit images, text, and complete pages. This means that you can change the order of pages.

Cons:

  • It is unable to convert documents, limiting its capacity to offer all eBooks.
  • It's not free to edit PDFs.

3. Icecream PDF Split & Merge

If you're looking for a not-so-detailed but useful tool to view and edit PDF document pages, Icecream PDF Split & Merge is the best tool to check. The tool does not allow you to edit the contents of a PDF document, but you can use it to split, rearrange, and merge pages from different PDF files. You can have different PDF splitting modes, split by range, file encryption for security, etc.

macos pdf editor open source

Pros:

  1. Split a PDF file into single-page documents.
  2. Combine any PDF documents, including password-protected ones.

Cons:

  • Limited merging feature.
  • It has fewer features.

4. Preview - Easy Open Source PDF Editor Mac

open source pdf mac

Preview is the built-in PDF editor for macOS systems. You can easily mark up PDFs, edit images, and add text if you choose. Unlike most PDF editors, Apple Preview is actually built into your Mac and doesn't need to be downloaded separately.

You can use the system in your Mac to highlight text to draw attention to important parts of the contract in seconds. There is an annotation function, and the ability to add signatures and request signatures from other users.

Pros:

  • Electronically sign important documents
  • Merge, edit and convert PDFs
  • Add notes

Cons:

  • Does not have a user-friendly interface.
  • Only available for macOS
  • Lacks OCR

5. Skim for Mac

Skim is a Mac-only open-source PDF editor that lets you edit the PDF in any way you choose. You may also go over a file and make notes on it, as well as capture screenshots for future reference. You may also use the table of contents to move between pages and highlight text.

free open source pdf editor mac

Pros:

  • You can add notes and bookmarks.
  • It has a mode for presentation.

Cons:

  • It is only available for macOS.
  • There are no advanced features like OCR.
  • It has a very basic feature set and UI.

Comparison of the 5 Best Open Source PDF Editors For Mac

Want to find the best open-source PDF editor for your Mac? To make your selection easier, a table has been presented which covers all important details in the simplest way possible.

ToolOperating SystemPricingAdd New Text BoxEdit Original Text in PDFFeaturesRating
UPDFWindows, Mac, Android, iOSUS$39.99/Year
Perpetual Plan: US$59.99		YesYesAnnotate, Convert, OCR, Protect, Organize, Crop, Sign, Background, Watermarks, Bookmarking PDFs4.8/5
Formulate Pro for MacMacFreeYesNoOnly Basic Annotation and Filling Forms3.8/5
Icecream PDF Split & MergeWindows, MacLifetime License: US$19.95
Pro PDF Package: US$69		NoNoOnly Splitting and Merge3.4/5
PreviewMacFreeYesNoAnnotate, Sign, Protect, Bookmark3.0/5
Skim for MacMacFreeYesNoView, Annotate, Bookmark, and Password3.0/5

It is clear that UPDF offers diversity in features when compared with its competitors. While most fail to offer complete editing tools, they completely lack in being a proper PDF tool. UPDF, on the other hand, is a complete tool with all major functions that can make your PDF look perfect.

FAQs about Open Source PDF Editor for Mac

1. Is there a good free PDF editor for Mac?

No, in fact, there is no free Mac PDF editor. A lot people attract users' attention under the banner of free, actually they are still charge for the function.

However, there is a good and easy-to-use PDF editor for mac like UPDF. It's an all-in-one PDF editor that helps you edit, annotate, convert, protect, organize, crop, split, and compress PDF files with ease. Every function in UPDF is free totally, while the free version will add the watermark - "UPDF" into PDF files.

2. How do I make a PDF editable on a Mac for free?

With UPDF for Mac, you can easily make PDF editable with the OCR feature. It allows you to turn scanned PDF or image-based PDF into editable, and you can directly edit the text, images, and pages using UPDF.

Conclusion

Now all you need to do is choose your favorite and follow our guide to get what you want. If you are still frustrated with PDF editors for Mac, try using the best open-source PDF editor for Mac - UPDF. It provides excellent features for editing PDF files and adding desired text and images to PDF files. It also allows you to convert PDF to another format like Word or Excel among 14 popular formats. And then you can make any changes to the PDF files as you wish. Click the Free Download button and start using it today.