PDF Toolbox vs PDF Expert
Which PDF tool fits your workflow? Free cross-platform tool vs premium Mac app.
| Feature | PDF Toolbox | PDF Expert |
|---|---|---|
| Compress PDF | ✅ | ✅ |
| Merge PDF | ✅ | ✅ |
| Split PDF | ✅ | ✅ |
| PDF to JPG | ✅ | ✅ |
| JPG to PDF | ✅ | ✅ |
| PDF to Word | ✅ | ✅ |
| Protect PDF (password) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Annotate & highlight | Basic | ✅ Advanced |
| Price | Free | $79.99/year |
| Platform | Any browser | macOS/iOS only |
| Works offline | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Open source | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
PDF Toolbox Pros
- Works on any device (Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile)
- Completely free
- No installation
- Open source
PDF Expert Pros
- Beautiful Mac-native UI
- Advanced annotation and editing
- Smooth Apple Pencil support on iPad
- Excellent reading experience
Verdict
PDF Expert is the best PDF editor on Mac — if you need to annotate, fill forms, and edit content. But for quick conversions, compression, and merging, PDF Toolbox is free, works on any device, and doesn't lock you into the Apple ecosystem.