PDF24 for Mac: what to use instead of PDF24 Creator
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
There is no PDF24 Creator for Mac: PDF24 says its desktop app installs only on Windows. On a Mac you can use the free PDF24 web tools, which upload files to servers in Germany, or a native app. FileDial is the closest offline match, with the same core tools for $20 once. If uploading is fine, PDF24 online is free with no artificial limits.
Why people look for a PDF24 Tools alternative
- PDF24 Creator, the offline version, cannot be installed on a Mac; PDF24 says Linux and Mac are not supported.
- Every task on the web tools uploads your file, even though PDF24 deletes it after an hour.
- The web tools need an internet connection, which rules them out on a plane or a locked-down network.
- Working through a browser one tool at a time is slower than acting on files straight from Finder.
About PDF24 Tools: A free, ad-supported set of online PDF tools from Geek Software, with a free Windows desktop app called PDF24 Creator. Platforms: Web (any OS, including Mac); PDF24 Creator for Windows 10 and 11 only. Price: Free. PDF24 says the tools are 100% free, funded by advertising, with no artificial limits.. Where files are processed: Web: uploaded over SSL to servers in Germany and deleted automatically after one hour. PDF24 Creator on Windows keeps files on your PC.
Every PDF24 Tools tool, and its FileDial equivalent
| PDF24 Tools | FileDial (offline) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Merge PDF | Combine › Merge PDFs | One new PDF, in selection order |
| Split PDF | Organize › Split every page | One PDF per page |
| Compress PDF | Compress › Compress PDF (light) | Images at 200 dpi, text stays selectable |
| Edit PDF | Pages › Edit PDF… | Text, images, shapes and drawing, saved as a new copy |
| Sign PDF | Sign & Lock › Place signature… | Image signature, not a certificate signature |
| Images to PDF | Combine › Images to PDF | One page per image, sized to the image |
| PDF to Images | Convert › PDF to PNG | One PNG per page, 150 dpi |
| Extract PDF images | Convert › Extract images | Every embedded picture as its own file |
| Protect PDF | Sign & Lock › Add password… | New copy beside the original |
| Unlock PDF | Sign & Lock › Remove password… | New copy beside the original |
| Rotate PDF pages | Organize › Rotate all 180° | New copy beside the original |
| Remove PDF pages | Organize › Delete pages… | New copy beside the original |
| Rearrange PDF pages | Organize › Reorder pages… | "5, 1-4" moves page 5 to the front |
| PDF OCR | OCR › Make searchable | Adds an invisible text layer to pages without text |
| Add page numbers | Pages › Page numbers with format… | New copy; links and form fields are flattened |
| Compare PDFs | Combine › Compare two PDFs | Report PDF with removed text in red, added in green |
What FileDial does not replace:
- PDF24's web tools are completely free; FileDial costs $20 after a 1-day trial.
- Webpage to PDF from a URL, PDF Overlay and Web optimize PDF have no FileDial equivalent.
- PDF24 works from any browser on any computer, including Intel Macs and Chromebooks.
Details about PDF24 Tools come from its own website, checked 2026-11-09. FileDial tool names match the app exactly.
The best PDF24 Tools alternatives for Mac
1. FileDial
FileDial is our app. Where PDF24 Creator gives Windows users an offline toolbox, FileDial does the same on a Mac, from a dial in Finder. It has 155 PDF tools, and a 42 MB PDF was compressed or OCR'd in about 2 seconds on a MacBook.
- Offline, nothing uploaded
- Works on many files at once
- Covers photos, video and audio too
- Not free after the 1-day trial
- Needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple silicon Mac (M1 or newer)
- Not free, unlike PDF24
2. PDF24 Tools (web)
PDF24's online tools work in Safari or any browser on a Mac. PDF24 says files travel over SSL to servers in Germany and are deleted after one hour, and it places no artificial limits on use.
- Free with no task caps
- Wide range of tools
- Servers in Germany
- Uploads every file
- Needs an internet connection
- Ad-supported
3. Sejda Desktop
Sejda Desktop installs on Intel and Apple silicon Macs and processes files locally. The free tier is limited to 3 tasks a day and 50 MB documents.
- Runs on Intel Macs
- Local processing
- 3 free tasks a day
- Subscription for unlimited use
4. Preview (built into macOS)
Preview covers the simplest PDF24 jobs offline: combining PDFs, deleting and rotating pages, signing and adding a password. It cannot OCR, convert to images in bulk or compare documents.
- Free and offline
- On every Mac
- No OCR or comparison
- Changes the file in place
Why there is no PDF24 Creator for Mac
PDF24 Creator is the reason many Windows users love PDF24: a free desktop app that keeps files on the PC. Its download page is direct about platforms, saying the Creator can only be installed on Windows and that Linux and Mac are not currently supported. Searching for a PDF24 Mac download will only turn up the web tools or unofficial wrappers.
So on a Mac you have two honest choices. Use PDF24 online, which is free and handles most jobs, or use a native Mac app if you want the files to stay on your machine.
PDF24 online: generous, but every file is uploaded
PDF24 deserves credit. It is free, it does not force a premium tier, and it says its servers are in Germany and that files are deleted after one hour. For a restaurant menu or a public brochure, it is hard to beat.
For sensitive files the question is different. Cybernews reported in July 2024 that two other online PDF services, PDF Pro and Help PDF, left storage open and exposed 89,062 user-uploaded files, including passports and contracts. Nothing suggests PDF24 has had such a problem, but an offline tool removes the risk category entirely.
Do PDF24's top three jobs offline in FileDial
Merge, compress and split are the first three tools on PDF24's homepage. Each is a single release on the dial.
- Merge: select several PDFs in Finder, hold the right Option key and release on Combine › Merge PDFs.
- Compress: select a PDF and release on Compress › Compress PDF (light) for gentle compression at 200 dpi, or Compress PDF for 144 dpi.
- Split: select a PDF and release on Organize › Split every page for one file per page, or Split by ranges… to choose the parts.
- Find each result beside the original, with its size before and after on the result card.
When PDF24 is the right call
If cost matters more than uploads, PDF24 online is free and FileDial is not. PDF24 also runs on Intel Macs, which FileDial does not support, and it has tools FileDial lacks, such as converting a live webpage to PDF and overlaying one PDF on another. Many people will reasonably use both: PDF24 for public documents and an offline app for private ones.
A practical rule: if you would be comfortable emailing the file to a stranger, PDF24 online is fine. If it holds an ID number, a signature, bank details or a client's data, process it on the Mac instead. FileDial's Sign & Lock › Find and redact personal info… can also find and black out that kind of detail before a file goes anywhere.
Questions
Can I download PDF24 Creator on a Mac?
No. PDF24 says PDF24 Creator can only be installed on Windows, and that Linux and Mac are not currently supported. Mac users can use PDF24's free online tools in a browser, or a native offline app such as FileDial, Sejda Desktop or Preview.
Is PDF24 safe for confidential documents?
PDF24 says transfers are SSL-secured, its servers are in Germany and files are deleted after one hour. That is a reasonable policy, but the file is still uploaded. For confidential documents, an app that processes files on your Mac avoids sending them anywhere.
Is PDF24 really free?
Yes. PDF24 describes its tools as 100% free, funded by advertising, with no artificial limits and no forced premium version. That makes it the cheapest option on this page. FileDial is paid: it has a 1-day free trial with every tool and no card, then costs $20 once for 2 Macs, with a 14-day refund.
Does PDF24 work offline on a Mac?
Not on a Mac. The offline PDF24 Creator is Windows only, and the web tools need an internet connection for every task. Every FileDial tool works with Wi-Fi off, so it keeps working on a plane or a restricted network, and Preview handles basic page edits offline too.