Free operating system a win for Apple
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The Best Mac Antivirus Software for 2024
The Best Mac Antivirus Protection Deals This Week**Deals are selected by our commerce team
Earlier this year, Microsoft researchers discovered a Mac security exploit they called “undeletable.” Hackers found a way to slip malware into Macs via pirated software torrents. And ransomware targeted Apple’s proprietary chips for the first time. The myth that Macs don’t need antivirus protection is busted. It’s not a question of whether you should install an antivirus app. It’s a question of which Mac antivirus app suits you best.
We've tested dozens, and what follows are our top recommendations, along with buying advice to find the right antivirus software for your needs.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac Best for Set-and-Forget Protection Why We Picked ItIndependent antivirus labs put macOS antivirus tools to the test, reporting scores that let us know which ones are the most effective. Both AV-Test and AV-Comparatives give Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac a perfect score, and it earned very good scores in my hands-on tests. In the default Autopilot mode, it does its work while keeping user interaction to a minimum.
This antivirus doesn’t boast the immense feature collection found in its Windows equivalent, but it still goes well beyond the average macOS antivirus. Its tracker-blocking system actively prevents advertisers and others from tracking web surfing activity in your browsers, and, like its Windows counterpart, it actively protects against ransomware. A VPN (virtual private network) gets installed with the antivirus and lets you protect 200MB per day of web traffic (for a separate fee, you can remove that bandwidth cap and unlock other features). In addition to the Web Protection that steers you away from malicious and dangerous web pages, Bitdefender’s Traffic Light browser extension marks up search results with green and red icons to flag safe and dangerous pages.
Who It’s ForSuppose that antivirus protection isn’t a hobby for you; it’s a chore. You want the best, but you don’t want to hear about every little event. Bitdefender’s Autopilot achieves that set-and-forget goal, letting you spend your online time doing things you actually enjoy while lab-certified protection goes on in the background.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall Norton 360 Deluxe for Mac Best Bonus Features Why We Picked ItNorton 360 Deluxe is a powerful cross-platform security suite, and Norton 360 Deluxe for Mac goes well beyond antivirus basics. The independent labs verify its effectiveness—AV-Test, the one lab whose latest report includes Norton, gave it a perfect score. It also earned a very good score in my own hands-on testing against phishing frauds.
Like Bitdefender, Norton gives Mac users a VPN along with antivirus protection. But unlike Bitdefender, Norton doesn’t require an extra fee. Out of the box, the VPN has no limits on bandwidth or features. With Norton, you also get a cross-platform password manager, a two-way firewall, and a cleanup tool that, among other things, helps you identify duplicates and near-duplicates in your videos and images.
Who It’s ForSome folks just want the cheapest item available, while others are happy to pay a little more and get a lot more. Is that you? A Norton 360 Deluxe subscription costs more than many, but it gets you five cross-platform security licenses, five no-limits VPN licenses, and 50GB of storage for online (Windows) backups. It’s a bonus feature bonanza bargain.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall Avast One for Mac Best for VPN Users Why We Picked ItIt’s always nice to know that the experts think you’ve made a good choice; the lab-testing experts think Avast One is just about perfect. At least, it takes the highest possible scores in the latest reports from two labs. It does well in my own tests, earning a phishing protection score within a hair of perfect and 85% detection of Windows-focused malware.
But this program goes well beyond simple antivirus protection. For starters, it includes a full-powered VPN with no limits on bandwidth or features. It also offers unusual protection against browser fingerprinting, a technique for tracking your online activities even when you’ve engaged the traditional Do Not Track technology. Its people-centric user interface is a welcome change from big, dark rectangles. Data breach monitoring, a performance enhancement tool, and a cleanup system for your photos are among the other elements of this feature-rich offering.
Who It’s ForYou’re not a fan of shopping—you’d rather make one purchase and have everything you need. Avast One combines award-winning antivirus with no-limits VPN protection for your online traffic. To that dynamic duo, it adds an impressive collection of bonus features, all wrapped in a user interface that should brighten your day. Security shopping? Done!
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus for Mac Best for Buying American Why We Picked ItTotal Defense Essential Anti-Virus for Mac protects your Mac’s files and backups from ransomware, just like Bitdefender. It earns an excellent score in our phishing protection test, even better than Bitdefender's latest. It detects and deletes Windows malware, it offers Autopilot mode, and its browser extension marks up dangerous links in search results, just like Bitdefender. Coincidence? Nope. When Total Defense needed to extend protection into the macOS realm, the company simply licensed excellent Mac protection from Bitdefender.
Bitdefender gets perfect scores from two antivirus testing labs, but the labs make it very clear that their results apply only to the tested app. We can guess that Total Defense would also excel in these tests, but we don’t have hard results. Total Defense also doesn't bring along Bitdefender's VPN component, which is admittedly quite limited unless you pay extra for its premium edition.
Who It’s ForBitdefender is proudly based in Romania, even featuring dragon-wolf images from the ancient Dacian peoples of the region. Total Defense has headquarters in Minnesota, promises US-based tech support, and was spun off from another US company, Computer Associates (now CA Technologies). The main reason to buy Total Defense rather than going straight to Bitdefender is if you’ve got a strong “Buy American” goal.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac Best for Unusual Bonus Features Why We Picked ItFiguring out how well an antivirus works isn’t a task for the average user; you need to call in the experts. The experts at AV-Test and AV-Comparatives both give Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac a perfect score. In my hands-on testing, it finished a full scan more quickly than the average, and it earned another perfect score in my hands-on phishing protection test.
This app is loaded with features beyond just antivirus. Its social network scan ensures you’ve configured your accounts properly for privacy. It fends off ransomware attacks by banning all unauthorized changes to protected files. A warning system helps prevent misuse of your Mac’s camera and microphone. The latest edition adds new privacy and utility tools, though some require a separate payment for full functionality.
There is one catch. As with Trend Micro’s Windows antivirus, you don’t get any volume discount for multiple installations. Want to protect five Macs? Just multiply the $39.95 subscription price by five, or purchase Trend Micro’s top-tier security suite.
Who It’s ForNot everyone lives surrounded by a gaggle of computing devices. A Trend Micro subscription offers award-winning protection for your (single) Mac, along with an impressive and growing array of bonus features. If you’ve got many Macs to monitor, you should look elsewhere.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall McAfee Total Protection for Mac Best for Multi-Device Households Why We Picked ItMcAfee AntiVirus Plus for Mac is the Mac-oriented manifestation of the cross-platform McAfee AntiVirus Plus. With your McAfee subscription, you can install antivirus protection for every Mac in your household, as well as every Windows, Android, iOS, or ChromeOS device. For a modern household brimming with devices, McAfee can be an amazing bargain, and it comes with a guarantee. If malware gets past McAfee’s protective shield, the company’s experts will fix the problem remotely or, if they can't, give your money back.
McAfee’s antivirus efficacy is backed by a guarantee, but not at present by lab results. The labs haven’t included McAfee in testing for some years, though it regularly received certification when they did rate it. In my own platform-independent phishing protection test, McAfee managed 97% detection both on macOS and Windows, and its WebAdvisor component also helps you avoid malware-hosting pages and other online dangers.
Who It’s ForIf you’re the security guru for a house full of Mac users, you’ll save by setting them all up with McAfee’s antivirus protection. As a bonus, you can also protect your crew’s devices that run other operating systems, Windows, Android, iOS, or even ChromeOS.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall Clario Best for Non-Techie Users Why We Picked ItIf you’re a security tech expert, phrases like browser hardening and sandbox virtualization make you happy. The rest of the population may prefer Clario’s unusually human-centric interface, with live chat help built right in and always available. Rather than confronting you with a dizzying set of configuration options, it quizzes you about your feelings and preferences, configuring itself accordingly. And if you want to raise your Mac tech cred, you can take a collection of in-app classes.
Along with all this handholding, it does scan for malware—quickly, too! If it finds a threat, the default option is to work through the problem with a live chat agent. Alas, the independent labs I follow don’t include Clario in their testing. Its Chrome-only online protection earned a decent score in my hands-on phishing protection test, though nowhere near the top. And here’s a nice surprise—Clario includes a basic VPN, invoked automatically when you choose actions such as online banking.
Who It’s ForYou know that you’re supposed to protect your Macs with an antivirus utility, but you’ve been put off by the highly technical nature of the ones you’ve tried. Enter Clario. It’s all about you and your needs, not about antivirus details. In the rare event that it does encounter a malware attack, you’re not alone; you can work through the event with always-on tech support.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall Intego Mac Internet Security Best for Mac-Centric Households Why We Picked ItMost antivirus utilities for macOS come from companies that established their bona fides in the Windows realm. Intego, by contrast, has been supplying macOS-specific security since 1997. Its latest release, Intego Mac Internet Security, has frequently been certified by AV-Comparatives for protection against macOS malware, though it just missed the cutoff in the most recent report. In the past, it has also received certification from AV-Test. Intego detects malware that targets Windows and Linux, so your Mac doesn’t become a malware-carrying Typhoid Mary.
In addition to the VirusBarrier antivirus component, Intego features a firewall called NetBarrier. You tell the firewall what sort of network you’re using (Home, Work, or Public Hotspot), and it controls network communication appropriately.
Who It’s ForDoes using an antivirus app developed as an afterthought by a Windows-focused company make you feel like a second-class citizen? Would you prefer to support a security company that’s always been proudly Mac-oriented? If so, Intego is just what you’re looking for.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall Malwarebytes for Mac Premium Best for Simple Antivirus Protection Why We Picked ItWhen malware gets past your antivirus or keeps you from installing antivirus, who do you call? Malwarebytes isn’t just a Windows product. You can run a cleanup scan on your Macs for free, just as you can on your PCs. Even better, install Malwarebytes for Mac Premium and get ongoing real-time protection to fend off any new attacks. Without scores from the independent labs, it’s riding on the company’s reputation, but that’s an impressive reputation. And its Browser Guard extension earned near-perfect scores in our hands-on testing.
Who It’s ForIf Malwarebytes Premium provides your Windows antivirus protection, going for the Mac edition is a no-brainer. Your licenses are interchangeable.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan Firewall Webroot Antivirus for Mac Best for Speedy Scanning Why We Picked ItJust like its Windows equivalent, Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus for Mac is a tiny package that scans for malware at blazing speed. More than most, it strongly resembles its Windows version, the main difference being the absence of a button for firewall protection.
The independent labs haven’t reported on Webroot’s macOS protection lately. In the past, it has earned 100% protection in our hands-on phishing test, but its most recent score dropped to 93%. Likewise, when we challenged it with a collection of Windows malware, its score dropped from 97% to 90%. These are still good scores, just not at the top. On the plus side, like Total Defense, Webroot offers tech support that’s entirely US-based.
Another change is the removal of the useful option for remote monitoring and control. Previously, you could log in remotely, check security status, and even run a scan. Useful features that remain include a system analyzer to check your Mac’s overall status, a secure deletion tool to permanently wipe sensitive files, and a system optimizer to clear junk files and otherwise speed up performance.
Who It’s ForDo you prefer small, tight, speedy solutions over ponderous, slow-loading downloads? Install Webroot, and it will immediately get busy protecting your Mac. The fact that it packs some handy bonus features into its tiny package just makes things better.
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Name Value On-Demand Malware Scan On-Access Malware Scan Website Rating Malicious URL Blocking Phishing Protection Behavior-Based Detection Vulnerability Scan FirewallBuying Guide: The Best Mac Antivirus Software for 2024
How Much Does Mac Antivirus Cost?As with Windows antivirus tools, the most common price is just under $40 per year for a single license. ProtectWorks is unusual in that a single $29.95 payment lets you protect all the Macs in your household with no subscription needed. McAfee goes beyond that with a $64.99 per year subscription that protects all your Macs, PCs, Android, and iOS devices. For $60 per year, Sophos Home Premium lets you install and remotely manage protection on 10 Macs or PCs. At the high end, you pay $99.99 per year for a three-license subscription to Intego Mac Internet Security X9 or Airo Antivirus for Mac.
Which Mac Antivirus Has the Best Malware Protection?When you go to select a new washer, refrigerator, or other appliance, chances are good you research it first. User reviews can be helpful if you discard the very best and worst of them. However, actual test results published by an independent lab give you more reliable information. Two large labs include macOS antivirus apps in their testing, but the number of apps in each test varies. When we first rounded up Mac antivirus apps, we only selected those with at least one certification, but at present, many of them don't appear in either lab's test results.
The researchers at AV-Test Institute evaluate Mac antivirus tools on three criteria: protection, performance, and usability. An app can earn up to six points for each. Protection against malware protection is essential, of course. A low impact on performance is also important. A high usability score reflects a small number of false positives, legitimate programs, and valid websites identified as dangerous. In the latest report, all but one of the tested apps achieved a perfect 18 points, all six points for all three criteria.
In the latest macOS malware test by AV-Comparatives, more than half the charted programs scored 100%. This lab, too, included a test using malware aimed at Windows. Yes, these samples can't affect a computer running macOS, but they could conceivably escape to Windows machines on the network. All the apps we follow scored 100% against Windows malware. This lab also runs a test using PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications). Most Mac antivirus tools came in at or near 100% against these less virulent annoyances.
Results in macOS-specific tests have a much smaller point spread than tests of Windows antivirus utilities. It's good that many programs in the chart received at least one certification for Mac protection. Even better, some received two certifications. Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, and Trend Micro all received top scores from both labs.
Which Mac Antivirus Has the Best Phishing Protection?When we test malware protection on Windows, we use live malware inside an isolated virtual machine. We've coded several analysis tools over the years to help with this testing. Little of that testing regimen carries over to the Mac.
Phishing, however, isn't platform-specific, and neither is our antiphishing test. Phishing websites imitate secure sites, everything from banks and finance sites to gaming and dating sites. If you enter your credentials at the fake login page, you've given the phisher access to your account. And it doesn't matter if you are browsing on a PC, a Mac, or an internet-aware rowing machine.
The wily malefactors who create phishing sites are in the business of deception, and they constantly change and update their techniques, hoping to evade detection. If one fraudulent site gets blacklisted or shut down by the authorities, they simply pop up with a new one. That being the case, we try to use the very newest phishing URLs for testing, scraping them from phishing-focused websites.
We launch each URL simultaneously in four browsers. One is Safari or Chrome on the Mac, protected by the Mac antivirus that's under test. The other three use the protection built into Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Discarding any that don't fit the phishing profile and any that don't load correctly in all four browsers, we report the phishing detection rate as well as the difference between its detection rate and that of the other three test systems.
Most of the apps in this roundup beat the combined average of the three browsers. McAfee and Trend Micro own this test, with 100% detection.
Which Mac Antivirus Has the Best Ransomware Protection?The scourge of ransomware is on the rise. While ransomware attacks are more common on Windows devices, Macs have suffered as well. Of course, any antivirus utility should handle ransomware just as it handles spyware, Trojans, viruses, and other malware types. Since the consequences of missing a ransomware attack are so great, some antivirus utilities add components with the sole purpose of preventing ransomware attacks.
We've observed a wide variety of ransomware protection techniques on Windows. These include blocking unauthorized access to user documents, detecting ransomware based on its activity, and recovering encrypted files from backup. Of the programs listed here, Avast, Bitdefender, and Trend Micro offer a ransomware component that blocks unauthorized modification of protected documents.
Bitdefender's Safe Files feature prevents all unauthorized access to your documents, including your Time Machine backups. Trend Micro offers multiple layers of Windows ransomware protection. Folder Shield, which, like Safe Files, prevents unauthorized document access, is the only layer that made its way to the macOS edition.
Sophos Home Premium includes the same CryptoGuard behavior-based ransomware protection found in its Windows equivalent. Our Windows test systems are virtual machines, so we feel free to release real-world ransomware for testing. We just roll back the virtual machine to a clean snapshot after testing. We don't have the option to do that on the physical Mac testbed, so we just have to figure since it worked on Windows, it probably works on macOS.
Which Mac Antivirus Has the Best Spyware Protection?Any kind of malware problem is unpleasant, but spyware may be the most unnerving. Imagine some creeper secretly peeking at you through your Mac's webcam! Other types of spying include logging keystrokes to capture your passwords, sending Trojans to steal your data, and watching your online activities to build a profile. As with ransomware protection, we've observed more features specifically devoted to spyware protection on Windows-based antivirus tools than on the Mac, but a few programs in this collection do pay special attention to spyware.
Sophos Home Premium offers substantial protection for the webcam and microphone. You get a notification any time an untrusted program attempts to access either; you can allow access or stop the program. There's also an option to whitelist a program, so you don't get a popup every time you use your off-brand video chat tool.
Which Mac Antivirus Has the Best Bonus Features?Many antivirus tools on Windows boast a ton of bonus features, packing in everything from tune-up utilities to VPNs. That behavior seems less common on the macOS side, though Norton includes a VPN with no bandwidth limits. Even so, some vendors don't have a standalone Mac antivirus, opting instead to offer a full security suite as the baseline level of protection, and a few others include suite-like bonus features in the basic antivirus.
Recommended by Our EditorsA typical personal firewall component blocks attacks coming in from the internet and also manages network permissions for programs installed on your Mac. Intego, McAfee, and Norton each include a firewall component.
Parental control is another common suite component. With Sophos and Trend Micro, a content filter can block access to websites matching unwanted categories.
What Is the Best Free Antivirus for Mac?There's another angle to the variation in Mac antivirus pricing. How about paying nothing at all? Avast One Essential for Mac, AVG AntiVirus for Mac, and Avira Free Antivirus for Mac are free for personal use. The best commercial antivirus utilities offer more protection, but if you can't afford the best, at least install a free antivirus.
What Is the Best Antivirus for Mac?Many of the apps covered in this roundup earned certification from at least one independent testing lab; some managed two certifications. There are no bad choices here as far as basic antivirus protection goes. Even so, a few stand out.
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac not only achieved lab certification, but it also earned the maximum score on every test. Norton 360 Deluxe for Mac is a full security suite, also has certification from one lab, and its features include a no-limits VPN. These two are our Editors' Choice winners for Mac antivirus protection.
However, these aren't the only choices. Look over our reviews, pick the antivirus that suits you best, and get your Mac protected. Once you've done that, you should also consider installing a Mac VPN. While an antivirus protects you, your devices, and your data locally, a VPN extends that protection to your online activities, protecting both your security and your privacy.
Editors’ Note: Based on the increasing censure and criticism of Kaspersky by US government agencies, foreign agencies, and informed third parties, we can no longer recommend Kaspersky’s products. We continue to evaluate these products on their merits and report on them for those who wish to decide for themselves.
Best PDF editors 2024: Our top picks
It’s likely that you regularly come across or work with PDF files—they’re ubiquitous in our modern cross-platform world. Most of the time, when viewing a PDF, you can enjoy free software that allows you to read or comment on these files. But what if you need to edit them as well? That’s where a PDF editor comes in.
The best PDF editors allows you to edit, create, alter, and convert PDF files just like you would with any other text document. Adobe Acrobat is the most famous option for most people. But while it’s excellent both in features and utility, it’s also pretty expensive. Thankfully, in recent years a whole host of third-party PDF editors have sprung up in order to provide less expensive alternatives.
Here at PCWorld we’ve tested many of these top PDF editors and curated a list of the very best. With different use cases in mind, we’ve included picks for the best overall, best budget option, and even a recommendation for the best free PDF editor—because sometimes you just don’t want to pay for the basics. Check out our recommendations below to find the best PDF editor for you.
Update 12/18/2023: To include Foxit PDF Editor 13 as our new choice for best overall PDF editor runner-up. Read more about this excellent alternative to Acrobat in our summary below.
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC – Best overall
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Price When Reviewed: $19.90/mo I $239.88/yr
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC remains the industry standard for good reason. Its rich combination of creation, editing, reviewing, and security features are mimicked by the best alternative options, but we feel Acrobat still does it best. Its recent interface redesign makes it much easier to navigate through its robust toolset than the nested menus of yore, and its cloud subscription option puts its advanced features within reach of more individuals and small businesses. (See how it compares to the Adobe Acrobat Standard DC.)
Though many of its features are available in other, cheaper PDF editors, Acrobat is still the editor against which all others are judged.
Read our full Adobe Acrobat Pro DC reviewFoxit PDF Editor 13 – Best overall runner-up
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Price When Reviewed: $179.99 (Standard version, perpetual license)
Foxit PDF Editor 13 hits all the right notes for a premium PDF editor and can even take on the formidable Adobe Acrobat. It’s packed with features that are sure to please power users—all the requisite content editing tools; review and markup features; form fill and signing support; and robust security options for sensitive documents, such as permissions, password protection, and data redaction. It supports tons of file formats, and adding hyperlinks, images, and files to a PDF is trouble-free.
Indeed, ease-of-use is one of Foxit’s great strengths. The program uses a Microsoft Office-style ribbon interface which groups tasks in a familiar and intuitive interface, making for a seamless integration with your workflow. It also provides ChatGPT integration so you can easily get help with your documents from an AI assistant. Yes, it’s priced on the higher side for a PDF editor, but with all it has going for it, Nitro PDF Pro more than earns its keep. Plus, you can try it out for free for seven days to see if you like it before making a commitment. If you’re looking for an Acrobat replacement, you won’t find many better.
Read our full Foxit PDF Editor reviewEaseUS PDF editor – Best budget option
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Price When Reviewed: Free I $29.95/mo I $49.95/yr I $79.95/lifetime
EaseUs might not have the name recognition of some of the other editors on this list, but it’s more than capable of holding its own in the crowded PDF editor market. It provides all of the essential tools for managing PDF files without any of the elaborate or hard-to-understand features. It allows users to jump right in to their toolset and get straight to editing with only what they need.
While EaseUS’s features are great, they are also pretty standard fare among PDF editors. What makes it stand out is its affordable price—it’s a great value for those who regularly edit PDFs and don’t want to pay out the nose. EaseUS also offers a fully functional free version (with embedded watermarks on your edited documents) so users can take it for a spin to see if it meets their needs before they commit to paying any money.
Read our full EaseUS PDF Editor reviewPDF Candy – Best free option
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Price When Reviewed: Free
PDF Candy is the rare free PDF editor that offers a lot of the features you’d typically have to pay for. We’re talking scanning, multiple file-conversion options, and OCR functionality. All of this combines to make PDF Candy stand out among the multitude of lesser free PDF editors. It does have a bit of a wonky interface, but once you get the hang of it you’re off and running.
Unfortunately, while the free version has access to the expansive toolset of the paid version, you’re limited to one PDF task per hour. If you want unfettered access, you need to shell out $6 per month, or $48 per year.
Read our full PDF Candy reviewPDF Expert – Best full-featured editor for Apple devices
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Price When Reviewed: Free 7-day trial, then $79.99 annually
PDF Expert is an excellent editor that fits seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem, making it our pick for Macs, iPads, and iPhone users.
While macOS does include a PDF editor in its Preview app, iOS devices don’t have a native PDF editor and PDF Expert fills that gap nicely. It has a clean and intuitive interface and offers a plethora of easy-to-use editing options such as page management, converting scanned files into editable documents, and conversion to other file formats, among other things. The pricing plan is also considerably cheaper than most of the other top picks, meaning this is a no-brainer for Apple users.
Read our full PDF Expert (iOS) reviewApple Preview PDF editor – Best free option for Mac users
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Price When Reviewed: Built into macOS
Mac users needn’t look beyond the macOS for their PDF editing needs, since there is a full set of PDF markup tools already available at their disposal in Apple Preview. It has the chops to handle most personal and business PDF editing needs, including encryption, password protection, and permissions for files.
Apple Preview’s PDF features and capabilities are impressive and should be all you need for most common editing tasks. The drawback, of course, is that only Mac users can take advantage of them.
Read our full Apple Preview PDF editor reviewpdfFiller – Best web-based editor
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Price When Reviewed: $8 per month (annual commitment) I $20 per month (cancel at any time)
pdfFiller is a browser-based PDF editor that allows you do to just about everything PDF-related—editing, securing, sharing, creating, and storing PDF files—all from its intuitive and simple web interface. Its design is similar to a desktop app, with the toolbar across the top, and document thumbnails along the side, so it’s very easy to select the page you want to work on and perform the desired function, be it adding, deleting, or copying/pasting text; changing font style, size, and color; and so on. A standard set of markup tools is also available. It has a surprisingly deep set of features for both personal and business use. For instance the Premium plan offers an impressive legal document library, as well as SignNow support.
While incredibly versatile, not all of pdfFiller’s advanced features will suit everyone. Fortunately, there are three subscription tiers, which gives users a way to meet their editing needs without paying extra for unnecessary features: Basic for $8/mo; Plus for $12/mo; Premium for $15/mo with an annual commitment. Month-to-month options are also available, but at a higher cost, of course.
Read our full pdfFiller review A word about online PDF editorsWhy spend a chunk of change on a desktop editor when free online PDF editors abound? The simple answer is because you get what you pay for. Generally, free online editors will let you add text and comments, merge and split documents, and convert files to and from PDF. With rare exception, however, they won’t let you edit existing text and many have file-size and page-volume restrictions. And a lot of them will watermark your edited document. For these reasons, web PDF editors are best reserved for simple, fast editing jobs. Call in these big dogs for anything more demanding.
What to look for in a PDF editorPDF editors come in a variety of flavors, offering varying feature sets—from basic functionality to power-user tools. It’s important to know what features best match your workflow before you commit to a PDF editor.
Create, convert, and export PDFsThe most fundamental function of a PDF editor is to make PDFs, either from scratch, scanned hard copies, or by converting digital documents. A good PDF editor should be able to transform a variety of file types—from Microsoft Office formats to images to HTML—and do so seamlessly, preserving the original formatting. It should also include OCR technology to make the PDF text searchable and editable. Likewise, a good PDF editor must be able to export PDFs into other editable formats such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, HTML, or plain text, maintaining the original files hyperlinks, images, and other elements.
Content editingAnother bit of magic that PDF editors unlock is the ability to modify text; insert, resize, and move images; and reorganize pages in the PDF. A good one will perform these tasks as easily as in a text document or slide deck, allowing in-line editing, dragging-and dropping graphics, and adding or removing hyperlinks.
Review and annotateA good PDF editor should also let you or anyone else using it add comments and other annotations to PDF files during review. It should have tools to mark up both text documents and graphic-heavy files like webpages. Common options include sticky notes, callout boxes, highlighting, freehand drawing tools, and stamps with messages like “approved,” “revised,” and “confidential.”
SecurityAll businesses deal with documents containing sensitive data. Look for a PDF editor that includes security features that allow access for authorized eyes only. Good options will usually offer several levels of security, including password protection, permissions setting, and content redaction, which “blacks out” selected text and images. Most PDF editors will also offer one or more ways to electronically sign documents.
Mobile supportWhile deep PDF editing is best done on a desktop, it’s nice to be able to review and annotate files when you’re out and about. While PDFs can typically be reviewed in any PDF reader or editor, regardless of which one they were created in, consider looking for an editor that has a dedicated mobile app, is optimized for mobile devices, or allows cloud access to features through a mobile browser.
One of the great things about a PDF is that it can be read and edited in any PDF program regardless of which one it was created in. So beyond the features outlined here, let your personal preferences guide you in making your decision.
FAQ 1. What is the difference between a PDF document and a PDF form?While there are a number of different types of PDF file formats, they all fall under the umbrella term of PDF documents. A PDF form is a type of PDF document that has editable form fields a user can fill out. Typically, parts of the document are static and can’t be changed in a PDF form, such as questions in a survey or instructions about filling out the form. In a PDF form, the content fields a user fills out are open to editing and can offer a list of possible answer options or can be written in freely.
2. Are PDF documents and Word files different?Yes. They are two entirely different document formats. While you can export from one file format to another, they are not the same. Word file formats are usually used for word processing, editing, and making changes to text. PDF documents on the other hand, are most often utilized for viewing, sharing, and printing. Additionally, Word files are read and write and contain some version of the “.doc” file format. Whereas PDF files are typically read-only and contain the “.pdf” file format.
3. Can you protect PDF documents from being edited by other people?Yes. If you have a PDF document that you don’t want anyone else to edit, you can protect the file. You can do this by opening the file in Acrobat, for instance, and clicking Tools > Protect. Then you have a few options as to whether you want to simply restrict editing with a password, or if you want to encrypt the file for further safety. Once you choose how you want to protect the PDF document, you can set a password and save.
4. Can you merge PDFs with a free PDF editor?As a matter of fact, many free PDF editors allow you to merge two or more PDFs into one document. Such is the case with our top free pick PDF Candy. Open up the PDF editor application or website in your browser and search for the Merge option. It will then ask you to add the files of all PDFs you wish to merge. Once the files have been added, arrange the page order and alignment before proceeding with the merge. Afterwards, all of your previously PDF files will be merged into one new PDF document.
5. Does Google have a free PDF editor?Yes and no. Google doesn’t provide a designated free PDF editor itself, but there are third-party Chrome extensions that you can use to help get the job done. Alternatively, you can make use of Google Drive to edit a PDF document. Simply upload the document onto your Google Drive and then select the file and right-click and select Open with > Google Docs. The file will be opened as an editable Google Docs text document. Then just make your edits and when you’re finished click File > Download >PDF Document to revert it back to a PDF file.
This method is a quick and easy way to edit a simple PDF document, but be careful as Google Docs can run into formatting issues if your original document has complex visual formatting such as tables and graphs. In this case, it is best to use a designated free or premium PDF editor.