NAPS2
Scan documents, arrange pages, and create searchable PDFs with a focused desktop scanning app.GetGPL-2.0+
PDF tools
Open-source PDF tools for Mac to merge, split, reorder, compress, annotate, scan and OCR documents on your own computer.
Preview on the Mac can read and mark up PDFs, but many everyday tasks need more: merging and splitting files, reordering pages, compressing, converting, running OCR on scans or writing on a page with a pen.
The tools below handle those jobs locally, so documents do not have to be uploaded to a web service. Check which operations each app covers, whether it processes files in batches, and whether OCR or scanning is included if you work with paper documents.
All Apps
6 free, open-source apps
OffPDF
An offline PDF toolbox for merging, splitting, converting, compressing, editing and OCR without uploading files.GetMIT
PDFsam Basic
Split, merge, rotate, and reorganize PDF documents with a desktop toolkit.GetAGPL-3.0
PDFx
Lay out several PDFs on one canvas, reorder them, and save the set as one file that still opens as a normal PDF.GetMIT
Skim
A PDF reader and note-taker for macOS with highlights, notes, snapshots, presentations and LaTeX SyncTeX support.GetBSD-3-Clause
Xournal++
Take handwritten notes, sketch diagrams, and annotate PDF documents with pen-based tools.GetGPL-2.0