Alternatives to Preview

Apple's built-in macOS app for viewing, annotating, merging and signing PDFs and images. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

  • Preview

    Apple's built-in macOS app for viewing, annotating, merging and signing PDFs and images.

    FreeProprietarymacOS

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Preview.

  • PDF Expert

    Polished PDF reader and editor for macOS and iOS.

    FreemiumProprietarymacOSiOS

    PDF Expert adds genuine text and image editing and runs on iOS as well as macOS, but editing, OCR and conversion need a paid subscription or licence.

  • Adobe Acrobat

    Adobe's PDF software: the free Acrobat Reader for viewing and commenting, and paid Acrobat plans for editing and conversion.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSWebAndroidiOS

    Adobe Acrobat adds a free Reader on Windows, mobile and web, while text editing, PDF creation and conversion require a paid Standard or Pro subscription.

  • Skim

    macOS PDF reader and annotator built for reading papers.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOS

    Skim is a free open-source macOS reader focused on papers and LaTeX via SyncTeX, but it does not handle images and stores notes in its own format.

  • PDFgear

    A free PDF reader, editor and converter for desktop and mobile, with online tools and an AI assistant.

    FreeProprietaryWindowsmacOSAndroidiOSWeb

    PDFgear is a free editor and converter for macOS, Windows and mobile with no sign-up, adding PDF editing, though its AI features send content online.

  • Highlights

    A PDF reader for Mac, iPad and iPhone that turns annotations into exportable notes.

    FreemiumProprietarymacOSiOS

    Highlights focuses on annotating PDFs and exporting notes to Markdown on Mac, iPad and iPhone, with advanced features behind a subscription and no image handling.

  • UPDF

    A cross-platform PDF editor with annotation, OCR, conversion, redaction and built-in AI tools.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSAndroidiOSWeb

    UPDF adds text editing, OCR, conversion and redaction across desktop and mobile, but full features need a paid plan and AI tools use an online service.

  • PDF Reader Pro

    A commercial PDF reader and editor for annotating, converting, signing and organizing PDFs on desktop and mobile.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSAndroidiOS

    PDF Reader Pro adds editing, conversion, OCR and forms on Windows, macOS and mobile, though many features and AI tools require payment.

  • Foxit PDF Reader

    Free PDF reader with annotation, form filling and signing.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOS

    Foxit PDF Reader provides free annotation, form filling and signing on every major platform, but page content editing requires the paid Foxit PDF Editor.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Preview as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Lyn

    A lightweight macOS image browser and viewer with non-destructive editing, geotagging and sharing.

    PaidProprietarymacOS

    Preview is already installed on every Mac and free, handling images and PDFs with annotation and signing, but it lacks Lyn's curves, levels and geotagging.

  • PDF Arranger

    Drag PDF pages into the order you want, rotate them, crop them, and merge two files together.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinux

    Preview is built into macOS and handles merging and page arranging alongside annotating and signing, but is closed source.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.