Adobe Acrobat Reader DC software is the free global standard for reliably viewing, printing, and commenting on PDF documents. And now, it's connected to the Adobe Document Cloud − making it easier than ever to work across computers and mobile devices.
First released in 1993, Adobe Reader can be found on countless home, school, and businesses computers around the world. This free PDF viewer is available in most major languages, and its comprehensive support for the PDF file format is often used as a reference point for other PDF applications to meet. But just because Adobe Reader is the most widespread PDF viewer on Mac and other operating systems doesn’t necessarily have to mean that it’s also the best.
The goal of this article is to examine what makes Adobe Reader, and more specifically Adobe Reader for Mac, so popular and compare it to select PDF reader for Mac applications to see if it’s really as good as its download and user statistics would suggest.
Best Features of Adobe Reader for Mac
- Adobe Reader for Mac is a capable PDF viewer that allows you to view, print, and annotate PDF files for free. If you register with Adobe, you can connect Adobe Reader for Mac to Adobe Document Cloud, which is a suite of cloud-based software applications from Adobe Systems that provides PDF-related services, including conversion and document exchange.
For example, EchoSign lets users send, e-sign, track, and file documents online; ExportPDF makes it possible to convert PDF files into editable Word or Excel documents; and Adobe Send is an alternative to email attachments and FTP sites for sending, sharing, and tracking large files. Adobe Document Cloud is fully localized in English, German, French, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish.
- Apart from the cloud, Adobe Reader for Mac also supports your mobile devices, allowing you to work with PDF files on your iPad or iPhone thanks to the free Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app. Just like its Adobe Reader for Mac, the mobile app supports Adobe Document Cloud, annotating, digital signatures, text editing, and more.
- Wanting to take the mobile PDF experience to the next level, Adobe also released the Adobe Scan and Fill & Sign mobile apps. Adobe Scan quickly scans any documents and turns them into versatile Adobe PDFs, while the Fill & Sign mobile app lets you fill, sign, and send any form electronically from any mobile device.
- Adobe Reader for Mac can also convert PDF files to Word documents with a single click. This is particularly useful in the business world, where documents are often shared as PDF files for compatibility reasons, only to be edited multiple times as they are passed around.
- Another feature aimed at businesses and institutional users is the possibility to extend Adobe Reader for Mac using the free Acrobat SDK. This set of tools contains header files, type libraries, simple utilities, sample code, and documentation, and it helps software developers interact with Acrobat technology, allowing for inter-application communication and the creation of plugins and scripts.
As you can see, Adobe Reader for Mac is a highly capable PDF viewer, so it might surprise you to learn that it’s not even the most capable PDF application developed by Adobe, that would have to be Adobe Acrobat DC.
Steps on How to Download Adobe Reader for Mac
To download the free Adobe PDF reader for Mac, head to Adobe’s official website and follow our instructions:
- Select the “PDF & E-signatures” option from the menu at the top of the website.
- A pop-up menu will appear. Select “Reader DC” under Featured Products.
- Click on “Download now”.
- The download page should automatically suggest you Adobe Reader for Mac. If it doesn’t, click on “Do you have a different language or operating system?” and select the right version for your operating system.
- Pay special attention to the middle column, titled Optional offers. Unless you uncheck both offers, Adobe Reader for Mac will automatically install McAfee Security Scan Plus utility and McAfee Safe Connect.
- Click on “Install now” to download the Adobe Reader for Mac installer.
- Install Adobe Reader for Mac as you would any other Mac application.
Top Alternatives to Adobe Reader for Mac
Adobe Reader for Mac is often the only PDF application people know about, but there are actually many excellent alternatives, most free and some with more features than Adobe Reader for Mac.
1. Foxit Reader
Foxit Reader is a lightweight and fast PDF solution with a familiar user interface and plenty of features. Going being PDF viewing, Foxit Reader features ConnectedPDF, cutting-edge technology that powers document intelligence, security, and collaboration services for PDF files.
With ConnectedPDF, users can grant and revoke access to the document, grant specific readers with specific document access rights, track document usage, view all versions of the document in an intuitive document version tree, and share content quickly, easily, and securely by generating a file link and sending it via email or to social media, among many other things.
Because Foxit Reader utilizes a familiar ribbon toolbar, learning about its capabilities and accessing all of its features is effortless. PDF compatibility isn’t a problem with Foxit Reader. You can leverage existing forms and workflow with standard PDF (Acroforms) and XFA (XML Form Architecture) form filling, and open any PDF file without being greeted with an indecipherable mess of letters and numbers.
2. Okular
Okular is a universal document viewer developed by KDE, an international free software community that develops free and open source software. Apart from Mac, Okular also runs on Linux, Windows, and *BSD. It supports PDF, Postscript, DjVu, CHM, XPS, ePub, and several other document file formats. Okular is a suitable Adobe Reader Mac alternative for those who only want to open PDF files and aren’t concerned with their editing.
To use Okular on Mac, you first need to install KDE. You can learn how to do so on this page. We recommend using Homebrew, a package manager for macOS.
3. Skim
Skim is a compact yet capable PDF reader and note-taker for macOS. It was designed to help Mac users read scientific papers in PDF, but you can, of course, use it to open and read any PDF file you want. Its features include text highlighting, making snapshots for easy reference, navigating using the table of contents or thumbnails, convenient reading in full screen, magnification, smart cropping tools, Spotlight support, and more.
Bonus: Disk Drill
None of the PDF applications we’ve mentioned so far support one critical feature: PDF recovery. To recover your lost or deleted PDF files, you need to install a dedicated data recovery application, and Disk Drill for Mac is easy to recommend. Unlike many other data recovery applications, Disk Drill is extremely easy to use, featuring a signature one-click data recovery process that makes data recovery absolutely effortless. Apart from its ease of use, Disk Drill also stands out with its support for over 200 file formats and most storage devices.
Your Companion for Deleted Files Recovery
Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac Versus Adobe Acrobat DC
Adobe Acrobat DC is a complete PDF viewing and editing solution packed with best-in-class tools to satisfy all PDF needs. Whereas Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac is aimed chiefly at the consumers of PDF files, Adobe Acrobat is aimed at the authors of PDF files.
You can use it to easily scan and transform any document into an editable PDF file, compile multiple PDFs into a single one, or convert files into rich PDFs in a single click. Let’s say your boss sends you a year old white-paper that she would like to be updated. Instead of having to recreate the whole thing from scratch, you can simply open it in Adobe Acrobat DC and individually edit each element of the document.
Versions
Adobe Acrobat DC is available in two versions: Pro and Standard. Compared to the Standard version, the Pro version adds one-click creation of rich PDFs from the Acrobat ribbon in Word, the option to add or edit text in a PDF on your iPad, the ability to scan paper to PDFs you can edit instantly with fonts that match the original and compare two versions of a PDF using an easy-to-scan results summary of all differences, and it also supports the creation and validation of PDFs based on WCAG 2.0 and PDF/UA accessibility standards.
Price
As you might expect, Adobe Acrobat DC, both Pro and Standard, isn’t free. Individuals can purchase Acrobat Pro DC for €18.14 if they pay annually or for €30.24 if they pay monthly. Adobe Acrobat Standard DC costs €15.72 a month when paid annually or €27.82 when paid monthly. Adobe also sells Acrobat DC for teams and enterprises with several extra features, including advanced 24/7 tech support.
Just by reading what features Adobe Acrobat DC brings to the table, it should be obvious to you whether you need it or not. Generally, everyone who works with PDFs on a regular basis should consider upgrading to Adobe Acrobat DC from Adobe Acrobat Reader Mac.
Sep 03,2019 • Filed to: Compare of Mac Software • Proven solutions
Like to have an Adobe Reader alternative for Mac computer to read PDF files? Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac has various features for viewing PDFs, however, it requires users to purchase its various functions. Therefore, if you are looking for great alternatives to free Abode Reader for Mac, let this post help you with choosing the right one! This article will also tell you how to read and edit with the best Adobe Reader for Mac alternative.
5 Best Adobe Reader for Mac Alternative
1. PDFelement
PDFelement is a smart application for iMac, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air to read PDF files, draw attention to PDF content, change text, edit pages, and fill out PDF forms. It is compatible with macOS X 10.10, 10.11, 10.12, 10.13 and 10.14 Mojave. And unlike Adobe Reader for Mac, it responds faster when you open a PDF file with it.
PDFelement is undoubtedly the best Adobe Reader for Mac competitor. Not only is it the most cost-efficient, but also incredibly feature rich to cater to business as well as individual needs. Whether it is paragraph editing or changing various aspects of the font, PDFelement can be referred to as the superhero of PDF editing.
Features:
- Edit PDF files with complete ease
- Create and fill forms
- Layered security features
- Put your stamp on the PDF file
- Share your files without any trouble
- Split and merge pages and much more
Pros:
- Annotate PDF files easily
- Create forms and save templates
- Password protection
- Put watermark on the file
- Ability to sign PDF files
- Convert, merge and split files with ease
Supported Systems: Mac, iOS, Windows, Android
Price:$69
Download this Mac Adobe Reader alternative to have a try.
How to Use the Best Adobe Reader Alternative for Mac
1. Fill and Save PDF Forms
Adobe Reader cannot save filled PDF forms on computer. It only lets you fill out a form for printing. As the best Mac Adobe Reader for Mac, PDFelement not only lets you fill a form, but also save forms with data filled. So after filling the form, you can email forms to people without going through the procedure of printing, scanning, and sending.
2. Change PDF text, images, and pages
If you like, you're capable of adding new text, correcting typos, adjusting images on a PDF file. With simple clicks, you're able to insert, extract and delete PDF pages, merge and split PDF files. And these are not available on Adobe Reader for Mac, but its alternative.
3. Convert PDF to Word Doc
To reuse PDF content, click 'File' > 'Export To' > 'Word' to export PDF to Microsoft Word. After the conversion, you can copy text and rearrange the content.
4. Display PDF documents in 4 modes
Adobe Reader for Macintosh display PDF documents in 2 modes: single and single continuous. As the best Adobe Reader for Mac, PDFelement lets you view PDF files in 4 modes: single, single continuous, facing, and facing continuous. For me, facing is really help when you need to check the info side by side.
5. A range of annotation tools to draw attention to PDF content
Of course, with Adobe Reader for Mac, you can highlight, underline, strikethrough PDF text, add sticky note and text box to comment the idea. Actually, PDFelement offers more intuitive tools to do the job. Besides those mentioned tools, you can also draw circles, clouds, arrows, etc.
2) PDF Expert
PDF Expert is a known name when it comes to a software that can read and edit PDF files on Mac. It is a professional tool that can be used for adding bookmarks, editing various aspects of your PDF file. The Adobe Reader for Mac alternative is fully capable of adding highlights to the text, edit the images in the file as well as apply watermarks on it.
Features:
- Add or remove images, text, watermarks etc.
- Implement signatures or passwords easily
- Split or merge PDF files
- Fill various forms in PDF format
- Capability to markup as well as annotate
Pros:
- Supports a variety of file formats
- Equipped with professional tools
- Neat and clean interface
Cons:
- Not very easy to use
- Does not have a setup wizard
- Features of the software are not very clear
- No OCR technology
Supported Systems: Mac, iOS
Price: $79.99
3) Skim
Skim is indeed a fully developed and well-rounded Adobe Reader for Mac alternative software that can be used for viewing and editing PDF files. It can be used for professional as well as scientific purposes. The software allows you to customize itself according to individual usage. The software can be used for providing previews and taking notes, amongst other things.
Features:
- Zoom in various elements using magnifying tool
- Preview facility for links in the file
- Support for AppleScript
- Ability to highlight using swipe mode
- Can export the notes in text format
Pros:
- Pinch zooming facility
- Ability to take snapshots
- Extra tools for lengthy PDF files
- Choose the colour of annotations
Cons:
- Does not save texts in forms
- Does not have OCR function
- Not available for Windows Operating System
- Some tools don't work
- Bugs need to be fixed
Supported Systems: Mac
Price: Free
4) Free PDF Reader
If you are looking for a free Adobe Reader for Mac alternative and simple PDF viewer, then Free PDF Reader can be the software for you. The software provides navigation that is effortless and is currently being used by more than 150 million users, as claimed by the company. It is a full-fledged PDF reader tool packaged with a variety of features while keeping it as simplistic as possible.
Features:
- Can be used to view various docs
- Ability to zoom the text
- Rotate the text in the file
- Various capacities for printing text
Pros:
- View PDF files in clear format
- A tutorial is available
- Guides on each step of installation
- Save the file for future use
- Small size of the download
Cons:
- Does not have editing features
- No advanced options available
- There are various ads
- No integration with other software
Supported Systems: Mac, Windows
Price: Free
Acrobat Reader For Mac Osx
5) Haihaisoft Reader for Mac
Hiahaisoft is an Adobe Reader for Mac alternative that is distinguished from other PDF reader and editors because of its small size. The total size of the installer amounts to only 3MB. Which is, of course significantly lower than another PDF reader such as Adobe Reader. The software has been designed while keeping the ease of use in mind, along with support for an assortment of languages.
Adobe Acrobat Reader Free Download For Mac
Features:
- View all kinds of PDF documents
- Takes no time in switching on
- Read-protect your document
- Doesn't need a constant internet connection
Pros:
- Reading all kinds of PDFs is easy
- Very small installation size
- Responsive and clutter free design
- Various security and privacy features
Cons:
- Printing PDFs create only blank pages
- Does not comply with PDF file's DRM
- Not very fast and stable
- Doesn't have many advanced features
Supported Systems: Mac, Windows
Price: 90 days fully functional free trial; Basic account- $50 per month; Premier account- $120 per month
Free DownloadFree Download or Buy PDFelementBuy PDFelement right now!