• Filed to: Mac Tutorials
FormulatePro helps you open and write on PDF documents. You can fill out any PDF form document, drop in graphics, scribble with the mouse or a tablet, save and print. A free and open source OCR software, FreeOCR runs on Google’s Tesseract OCR PDF engine, one of the leading OCR technologies, the latest version being Tesseract V3. The software runs specifically on Windows operating system computers, with the newest version of the software (v5.4.1) supports multiple versions. If you already own Microsoft Word 2019, 2016, or 2013, then skip all the suggested programs below: you have a great PDF editor at your disposal right now. Just open the PDF as you would any Word document, give the program a few minutes to convert the PDF, and then edit away. This also works in Google Docs.
PDF is the de facto standard for electronic document sharing or distribution. There are many PDF utilities to choose from when you want to create, edit, and view PDF documents, but here's a look. PDF was propriety of Adobe till 2008, after that it was released as an open standard for all. It is not easy to find a free PDF editor that lets you not only edit the text and add images but also create an entire new PDF document. There are some best open source pdf editors, which does the job easily.
Most of the tools that are created using the open source license are targeted at Windows users. This may seem to be so when you come to PDF editors. However, there are PDF editors hat have been specifically created for the Mac. The great thing about open source software is that it is free and is still under development. This means that future versions will have more features and they will not cot you any cash. Some of these PDF editors have very powerful features despite being developed on an open source license. Open source PDF editor for Mac can also perform just as well as some of the premium variations. One should not frown upon open source PDF editors, but try out those put in this list and be amazed. Besides, PDFelement Pro is a perfect PDF editor you can try.
Part 1. Top 5 Open Source PDF Editor for Mac
#1. Skim
Skim is primarily a PDF reader for Mac but it allows you to make some edits to PDF files. With the help of the open source PDF editor for Mac, you can add notes and make annotations to PDF files. It is a great tool for making presentations in PDF format. One can also add boxes and circles to a PDF file in order to emphasize something. The box can also be filled with white to create a white space for adding new text to the file.
Pros:
- The tool is easy to use and has quite a number of followers due to this.
- One can highlight and annotate text in order o emphasize a point.
- Can add white space for typing over in case one wants to change an entire paragraph or page.
- It is light and will not use up a lot of your system resources even when you load large PDF files.
Cons:
- The editing features are rather limited and it is not suitable for advanced PDF editing.
#2. Foxit
Foxit is primarily a PDF reader, but it is also an open source PDF editor for Mac that has some editing capability. You can add multimedia levels and make notes on PDF files. You can also run JavaScript on the file and secure the text. You can also select different blocks of text in order to edit. Editing with this tool can be somewhat tedious since every sentence is taken as a text box. You would have to go text box by text box, from the start of the page right to the end. This is a tool that enables you to see how many people read your document thanks to the connected signature feature.
Pros:
- It is easy to use.
- It allows for added multimedia levels.
- It can be used to annotate text.
- It has the ability to secure text.
- It has the ability to open protected PDF documents, which is quite a feat.
Cons:
- Every sentence is a text box, which makes the editing of a page to be very tedious.
#3. Scribus
Scribus is a cross-platform editing tool that is primarily a text editor. It can be also used as an open source PDF editor on Mac to edit PDF files. You can add text and images, but you cannot edit the original text. You have to create white space so you can write over the original text. Apart from just editing our PDF files, you can now do prepress operations using Scribus. Get your PDF files edited and then print out the color separations ready for the printing press. You can also create a PDF right from the start using this program. Scribus actually has some very powerful editing features locked beneath s very simple exterior. Make sure you give it a try and see how great it can be.
Pros:
- Can create a new PDF document.
- Can do prepress operations.
- Has a simple user interface.
- Gives you more control over the editing functions.
Cons:
- The fact that you cannot edit the existing content but have to write over it.
#4. Inkscape
Although Inkscape is a graphics tool, it is also able to edit PDF files. You can open PDF files and edit the images and text. Each sentence of the text is taken as a text box. This makes it quite challenging when you want to use it for editing large text areas. Editing a paragraph would means clicking on each sentence, changing it, and then moving to the next. This means that text does not flow and the results could be a bit odd. However, when it comes to editing the images in a PDF file, this is perhaps the best that you can get.
Pros:
- It is the best for editing images within a PDF file.
- It opens up any PDF file, even when they are protected.
- Ideal for converting PDF files into images.
Cons:
- Each sentence is a text box and this makes it challenging and awkward when editing paragraphs.
#5. Formulate Pro for Mac
Formulate Pro For Mac (best Open Source Pdf Editor For Mac)
Formulate Pro for Mac has been said to be one of the best open source PDF editors for Mac. It comes with very powerful features. You are able to redact your PDF files and add text on top. It also merges several PDF files into one and rearranges the pages. The tool is able to use OCR to turned scanned documents into editable text. You may create a PDF file from scratch using this tool, and then add special security measures including a digital signature.
Pros:
- It has the ability to create PDF files right from the start, which brings out the creativity in you.
- It can be used to create a digital signature for added protection of your work.
- It is able to convert other files into PDF and maintain the overall look.
- You can easily use the tool thanks to the simple user interface.
- You can edit images, text, and complete pages. This means that you can change the order of pages.
Cons:
- It cannot convert documents to ePub, and that limits its ability to provide all eBooks.
Part 2. The Best PDF Editor for Mac (10.15 Catalina Included)
PDFelement Pro for Mac (macOS 10.15 Catalina included) is a powerful PDF editor for Mac and allows you to edit every part of a PDF file, thanks to some of its wonderful features. Every elements of the PDF file will be editable, giving you full control over how the file will be in the end.
Steps to edit PDF files using PDFelement Pro for Mac (Including macOS 10.15 Catalina)
- Step 1: Download and install PDFelement Pro for Mac on your Mac
- Step 2: Click on 'Open File' button to import PDF files to the program.
- Step 3: Open the 'Edit' menu and choose the editing tools to edit texts, images, links and pages in PDF files with ease.
Why Choose PDFelement Pro to Edit PDF Files on Mac
With the help of PDFelement Pro, you can also change the order of the pages, delete some of them and do a lot more. Place your own digital ID on the PDF and also change the metadata. Scan printed document and turn them into editable text through OCR. Here are some of the other great features that can be found in this tool:
- Starting off with a blank file, you can create your own PDF files. The tool also allows you to get files of other formats and convert them to PDF.
- No more seeking out PDF Form templates on template sites. You simply have to create your own. You can also edit and fill out PDF forms from other sources.
- Add security to your PDF documents with a digital signature. You will get a digital ID which you will use to secure all your PDF files
- The PDF tool has a user interface that is easy to navigate and find editing features. This makes it fast and easy to use.
- The tool allows you to edit scanned documents and turn them into PDF files that can be edited. This is called the OCR process.
• Filed to: PDF Editor
Is there an open source PDF editor?
What is the best open source PDF editor?
You can find open-source PDF editors online that are created via open source licensing. A community develops an open source PDF editor, and you are welcome to add to it if you are familiar with software coding. These free and open source PDF editors are beneficial tools to have at your disposal. If you are looking for a stable open source PDF editor, read the article below. Or, you can try to use another great PDF editor, PDFelement Pro.
Part 1. Top 5 Free and Open Source PDF Editor
1. LibreOffice
LibreOffice is a free and powerful office suite, as well as an open source PDF editor for Windows. This open-source PDF editor was created to be like Microsoft Word so that it can open and edit PDF files easily. The editing of PDF files is relatively easy. It can help you to edit text and images. You can also white-out some areas and then add text on top. The open-source PDF editor is quite an advanced word processor, but its ability to edit PDF is somewhat limited. However, it will still do the basics, and it is an open source PDF editor for Windows, so it is always available to edit your PDF files.
Pros:
- It opens PDF files easily.
- It can be used to edit other file formats and convert them to PDF.
- You can add a digital signature to your work.
- It can add and delete PDF pages.
Cons:
- It is a bit limited when it comes to editing PDF files instead of editing other text files.
- It can be a bit glitch when working with large PDF files.
2. INKSCAPE
The INKSCAPE is an open-source vector graphics editor similar to Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, Freehand, or Xara X. It is one of the best open source PDF editors. If you are a web designer, graphic designer, illustrator, or free-hand sketch artist, you may need to create vector images for your next project. Inkscape is the right tool to help with this task. It can be used to read, edit, and extract information from any PDF file. If you are experienced at editing PDFs, this is a great open source PDF editor to have.
Pros:
- It can edit every part of a PDF file, including adding and removing images, text, and links.
- It can be extended with scripting to have even more functionalities.
Cons:
- It isn't effortless to use.
- Sometimes it will be saved as blank pages after you edit and save it.
3. PDFSam Basic
PDFSam is an open source PDF editor for Windows that offers one open-source PDF editors and one commercial one. PDF Basic is a tool that allows you to merge, split, extract pages, rotate, and mix PDF files. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Free and open source since 2006. PDF visual is a tool that allows you to see your PDF document in the form of pages visually. PDFSam Enhanced is the commercial version, which has all the powerful editing features you require. If you need an free and open source PDF editor, you can choose PDFSam Basic.
Pros:
- The open-source PDF editor will enable you to organize your PDF pages visually.
- You can change the order of the PDF pages.
- You can mix and merge PDF pages, split and extract PDF pages.
- You may be able to rotate and save single or multiple pages.
Which Is The Best Pdf Editor For Mac
Cons:
- Sometimes the visual document composer will show erroneous information.
- The open-source PDF editor requires Java to run.
- It has a steep learning curve and can be a bit confusing for beginners.
4. PDF Architect Free
PDF Architect Free is an open source PDF editor created by PDF Forge. You can use it to create PDF files from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more than 300 file formats. It will make the PDF file editable's essential elements and is a great open course PDF editor to have on your list. This open-source PDF editor is available for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7.
Pros:
- It has advanced editing features.
- It can use OCR to make scanned pages editable so that they can be saved as PDF.
- It allows you to add a digital signature to your PDF files.
- It allows you to create forms and also fill and edit existing ones.
- It can merge several PDF files into one.
- It allows you to edit the metadata of the PDF file to provide security.
Cons:
- The free version will leave a watermark on your work. You have to buy a license to remove the watermark.
5. Apache Open Office Draw
Apache Open Office Draw is another open source PDF editor for Windows that is slowly gaining popularity. It is one of the best open-source PDF editors that lead open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases, and more. It is primarily a graphics open-source PDF editor used to draw diagrams, graphs, and other images, but it can also be used to edit PDF files. You import your PDF file as a graphic, and then you add text on top of it. The PDF can then be saved as a new document. This is an open-source PDF editor, and therefore comes from a reputable developer.
Pros:
- It works on multiple platforms.
- It has many editing features available.
- It has a feature for checking to spell.
- It is excellent for adding graphics to a PDF file.
Cons:
- When you're loading a large PDF file it operates slowly.
- Some functions will impede your workflow, such as the Excel feature.
- Some errors show up when working with large PDF files.
Part 2. PDFelement: A Great Alternative to Open Source PDF Editor
PDFelement Pro is an exceptional PDF editor for Windows and Mac, and it has some very advanced PDF editing features. More than edit PDF files easily, it can convert PDF, merge PDF, OCR scanned PDF, secure PDF, sign PDF, and more. Now, follow the 3 steps below, and you can edit your PDF file easily.
3 steps to edit PDF files using PDFelement Pro
Step 1: Download and install PDFelement Pro on your computer.
Step 2: Drag and drop your PDF files into the program or click on the 'Open File' button to import PDF files.
Step 3: Click on the 'Edit' button to edit PDF text, images, links, and pages easily.
Conclusion
To sum up, this article provides you 6 awsome PDF editors, 5 of them are open source PDF editor. If you want to enjoy more interesting functions to deal with your PDF documents, you can try a great PDF editor, PDFelement.