Compare software

Preview vs Adobe Acrobat Reader: catalog facts
Preview	Adobe Acrobat Reader
Free Included with macOS at no extra cost.	Freemium Free to use; editing and conversion require a paid Adobe Acrobat subscription.
macOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Already installed on every Mac Handles both PDFs and images	Faithful rendering of complex PDFs and forms Form filling, signing and annotation included free
macOS only No advanced editing of PDF text or OCR tools like dedicated editors	Frequent prompts to upgrade to paid Acrobat Large install compared with lightweight readers
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Closed source	Closed source
License: Proprietary	License: Proprietary
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.