7 Best PDF Reader for Mac in 2025 | 30+ Tested PDF Tools

Part 1: Which PDF Reader for Mac Is Best in 2025?

When choosing the best PDF reader for Mac in 2025, I focused on key factors like functionality, ease of use, and overall user experience. While it's hard to cover every detail, the table below gives you a quick overview of what each PDF reader offers. It’s a simple way to compare the top tools at a glance before diving into each one in detail.

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Part 2: 7 Best PDF Reader for Mac in 2025

Now that you’ve seen a quick comparison of the top PDF readers for Mac, let’s take a closer look at each one.

1. Preview

Best Free Built-in Option

Preview is Apple’s default PDF viewer for macOS, pre-installed on every Mac device. It’s lightweight, fast, and supports basic PDF tasks like reading, highlighting, annotating, and signing documents. Though not designed for heavy editing, it’s a reliable PDF reader for MacBook users who need quick access to PDFs without downloading extra software.

Its seamless integration with macOS makes it one of the most user-friendly options for everyday PDF viewing.

• Platform Support: macOS only
• Pricing: Free (pre-installed on all Mac devices)

My experience with Preview:

Preview is incredibly fast and simple to use since it’s built into macOS. It handles basic PDF tasks like annotations and signing smoothly. However, it lacks advanced features, so it’s perfect for casual users who need a lightweight viewer.

Key Features:

• Native PDF reader for Mac OS X with no installation required.
• Supports annotation, highlighting, signatures, and form filling.
• Seamless integration with macOS for file preview and quick edits.
• Lightweight pdf viewer for MacBook with no extra cost.

2. Adobe Acrobat Reader

Best For Viewing Complex PDFs

Adobe Acrobat Reader has been a long-standing industry standard in the PDF world. Developed by Adobe—the creator of the PDF format itself—this PDF reader Mac OS X option is known for its compatibility and robust document rendering. While the free version is focused on viewing and annotating, many advanced features require a paid upgrade.

It’s often preferred by enterprise users and professionals who handle complex forms or secure files, making it a popular pdf viewer mac users still trust in 2025.

• Platform Support: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
• Pricing: Free version, Premium $29.99/month

My experience with Adobe Acrobat Reader:

Adobe Acrobat Reader offers powerful features and reliable performance. I found the OCR and form filling especially useful for professional documents. The interface can feel heavy sometimes, but its broad compatibility and cloud syncing make it worth it.

Key Features:

• Industry-leading PDF reader Mac OS X tool with advanced editing features.
• View, comment, fill, sign, and even convert PDFs.
• Cloud syncing with Adobe Document Cloud for cross-device access.
• Built-in OCR for scanned document text recognition.

3. Tenorshare PDNob

Best Smart & Lightweight PDF Reader

Tenorshare PDNob PDF Editor is an emerging but powerful solution in the Mac PDF software space. Built with modern users in mind, it combines AI-powered OCR, fast document loading, and rich annotation tools. As a rising contender in the macOS PDF reader category, PDNob stands out for its balance of simplicity and smart features.

For users looking for a PDF reader for MacBook that supports conversion, compression, editing, and secure sharing - all in one clean interface - PDNob is a solid choice. Whether you're handling academic documents or business reports, it offers everything needed from a pdf viewer for mac without the bloat of heavier tools.

My experience with Tenorshare PDNob PDF Editor:

PDNob impressed me with its all-in-one capabilities, especially the OCR that worked well on scanned files. The batch processing saved me time when handling many documents. It’s a bit complex at first but powerful for serious PDF work on Mac.

Key Features:

• All-in-one Mac PDF viewer with editing, converting, and organizing tools.
• Supports PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, Image, and more.
• Annotate, merge, split, compress, and password-protect PDFs.
• World-leading OCR technology to extract text from scanned files.

4. PDF Expert

Best PDF Reader For Mac Users

PDF Expert is a premium PDF viewer Mac users love for its sleek, Mac-native design and smooth user experience. Developed by Readdle, a Ukraine-based software company, it’s tailored specifically for macOS. It supports editing, signing, and syncing across Apple devices.

Its intuitive layout and fast performance have made it a favorite among professionals and students who need a PDF reader mac OS X alternative to Adobe. If you need something visually polished and powerful, PDF Expert delivers.

• Platform Support: macOS, iOS
• Pricing: Free trial, Subscription $79.99/year

My experience with PDF Expert:

PDF Expert’s sleek design and smooth scrolling make reading large PDFs a breeze. Editing text and images is intuitive, and syncing with my iPhone was seamless. The subscription price is a downside, but the user experience is top-notch.

Key Features:

• Sleek, intuitive UI optimized for macOS users.
• Fast document rendering and smooth scrolling—ideal for reading large PDFs.
• Edit text, images, links, and outline structures.
• Synchronization with iPhone and iPad.

5. Skim PDF Reader

Best For Students and Researchers

Skim is an open-source PDF viewer mac enthusiasts and academics often rely on. Originally designed for reading and annotating scientific papers in PDF format, it’s still widely used in educational settings. It doesn’t come with the bells and whistles of paid editors, but for those focused on reading and note-taking, it’s a simple yet effective PDF reader for MacBook.

Skim is lightweight, distraction-free, and completely free—perfect for researchers and students alike.

• Platform Support: macOS only
• Pricing: Free (open-source)

My experience with Skim PDF Reader:

Skim is a great tool for students and researchers. Its note-taking and bookmarking are excellent for managing academic PDFs. It’s lightweight and fast, though the interface feels a bit outdated compared to modern apps.

Key Features:

• Open-source PDF viewer for Mac OS X focused on academic use.
• Robust note-taking and bookmarking features.
• Export annotations for research or study sharing.
• Lightweight and efficient, ideal for student use.

6. Foxit PDF Reader

Best Collaborative PDF Reader

Foxit is a fast, secure, and feature-rich PDF reader Mac users trust as a leaner alternative to Adobe. It has built a strong global reputation, especially in enterprise and government sectors. The Mac version offers a wide set of tools including viewing, commenting, form filling, and digital signatures.

It also integrates cloud storage options, making it ideal for collaboration. Foxit is great for users looking for a PDF viewer for macOS that’s lighter than Adobe but still powerful.

• Platform Support: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
• Pricing: Free, Pro $129.99/year

My experience with Foxit PDF Reader:

Foxit Reader is fast and secure, perfect for team collaboration. I appreciated the cloud integration and security options. Some features are hidden behind a paywall, and occasionally the interface can be complex, but it’s reliable overall.

Key Features:

• Enterprise-level Mac PDF reader with collaboration tools.
• View, annotate, and share PDFs securely.
• Integrates with cloud storage services like Google Drive and OneDrive.
• Support for JavaScript forms and digital signatures.

7. PDFgear

Best Free PDF Reader

PDFgear is a newer player in the mac PDF reader market, but it’s gaining popularity due to its fully free offering and simple UI. Unlike many freemium tools, PDFgear provides editing, conversion, and annotation tools at no cost. It’s especially attractive for budget-conscious users who still want solid functionality.

If you're searching for a free PDF reader for mac that doesn’t bombard you with upgrade prompts, PDFgear is a refreshing option.

• Platform Support: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
• Pricing: Completely free

My experience with PDFgear:

PDFgear surprised me with its free AI chatbot, which helps summarize documents quickly. The offline functionality across devices is very convenient. It’s a newer tool, so some advanced features are missing, but it’s great for casual users.

Key Features:

• Free pdf reader Mac OS X with editing, converting, and AI chat features.
• No registration or watermark restrictions.
• Includes AI PDF chatbot for summarizing or querying documents.
• Works completely offline on Mac, Windows, and iOS.

3: Frequently Asked Questions

Does Mac have a built-in PDF reader?

Yes, macOS includes a built-in PDF reader called Preview. Preview lets you open and view PDFs and images, while also offering basic editing and markup tools.

What is the best PDF app for Mac?

For basic PDF reading on Mac, Apple’s free Preview app usually suffices. For advanced features like editing or digital signatures, try Adobe Acrobat Reader, PDF Expert, or Tenorshare PDNob PDF Editor. PDFelement, Foxit PDF Editor, and KDAN PDF Reader are also good alternatives.

What is the best free PDF reader for Mac?

The best free PDF reader for Mac is Apple’s Preview, offering fast, reliable viewing with basic editing at no cost. For advanced free options, Adobe Acrobat Reader and PDFgear—with AI features and no watermarks—are excellent choices.

Conclusion

We covered the best PDF readers for Mac, from Apple’s free Preview to advanced tools like Adobe Acrobat Reader and PDFgear. For powerful editing and OCR, Tenorshare PDNob stands out as a reliable choice. It combines ease of use with professional features to meet all your PDF needs.

Our experts carefully evaluate dozens of productivity apps yearly. We focus on real-world performance to help you pick tools that boost your efficiency. Honest, straightforward reviews you can rely on.

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• Convert PDF to 30+ formats like Word, Excel, and images
• Edit text, images, watermarks, links, and backgrounds for PDF
• 99% OCR precision for making scanned PDFs editable and searchable

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