PDF2Go alternative for Mac users
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
PDF2Go's desktop app runs on Apple silicon Macs and does most jobs offline, but it needs a credit-based plan after the trial and a few tools still use its servers. FileDial is a fully offline Mac alternative with matching tools for compress, convert, OCR, booklets and read-aloud, for $20 once. PDF2Go's free web plan suits occasional, non-sensitive files.
Why people look for a PDF2Go alternative
- Uploaded files can stay on PDF2Go's servers for up to 72 hours before physical deletion, longer than most rivals.
- The free plan has limited file processing and no batch processing; batch and large files need a paid plan.
- The desktop app is free to try only; after the trial you need a plan that includes it, and some of its tools still go online.
- Paid plans run on monthly credits that reset each cycle, which is awkward to budget for irregular use.
About PDF2Go: An online PDF editor and converter from QaamGo with browser extensions, a desktop app and an iPhone and iPad app. Platforms: Web; browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge; desktop app for Windows, Linux and Apple silicon Macs; iPhone and iPad. Price: Free plan with limited file processing and no batch. Paid Starter, Pro and Business plans use a monthly credit pool shared by 2, 5 or 20 users; extra users EUR 5 each per month. Plan prices are shown dynamically and we could not read them.. Where files are processed: Web: stored in Europe with full-disk encryption; access is blocked after 24 hours and files are physically deleted within 72 hours at the latest, downloadable up to 10 times. Desktop: most apps run offline, a few need PDF2Go's servers.
Every PDF2Go tool, and its FileDial equivalent
| PDF2Go | FileDial (offline) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Compress PDF | Compress › Compress to size… | Squeezes images step by step; splits into parts if it can't get there |
| PDF to Word | Convert › PDF to Word | Layout kept in place; scans are OCRed |
| PDF to Excel | Convert › PDF to Excel | Tables split into cells, numbers stay numbers |
| PDF to Text AI | OCR › Extract text with OCR | Reads every page as an image and writes a .txt |
| PDF to EPUB | Convert › PDF to EPUB | Reflowable e-book; pages without text become pictures |
| PDF to Speech | Convert › Read aloud to audio… | M4A spoken with the system voice; scans need OCR first |
| Create Booklet from PDF | Pages › Booklet | Two pages per landscape sheet in fold order |
| PDF Page Layout | Pages › 2 pages per sheet | Landscape A4 sheets |
| Change page size | Pages › Resize to Letter | New copy; links and form fields are flattened |
| OCR PDF AI | OCR › Make searchable | Adds an invisible text layer to pages without text |
| Repair PDF | Sign & Lock › Repair PDF | Rebuilds a damaged or truncated PDF |
| Redact PDF | Sign & Lock › Find and redact personal info… | Redacted copy plus a .txt of what kinds were removed |
| Summarize PDF | Convert › Summarize | Writes a summary .txt with Apple Intelligence on the Mac |
| Chat With PDF | Convert › Ask a question… | Writes the answer and the sentence it came from to a .txt |
| Compare PDFs | Combine › Compare two PDFs | Report PDF with removed text in red, added in green |
| PDF to PDF/A | Convert › PDF to PDF/A | PDF/A-2b for archiving |
What FileDial does not replace:
- Validate PDF/A, Spellcheck PDF and Print Poster have no FileDial equivalent.
- Conversions from DjVu and from a webpage address to PDF are not in FileDial.
- Shared plans for 2 to 20 users, browser extensions and Zapier or Make integrations; FileDial is a single-user Mac app.
Details about PDF2Go come from its own website, checked 2026-11-09. FileDial tool names match the app exactly.
The best PDF2Go alternatives for Mac
1. FileDial
FileDial is our app. Every one of its 525 tools runs on the Mac with Wi-Fi off, including the AI-style ones: Convert › Summarize and Convert › Ask a question… use Apple Intelligence on the Mac. You pick tools from a dial in Finder, and results are saved beside the original.
- Nothing uploaded, ever
- No credits to track
- Batch on every tool
- Not free after the 1-day trial
- Needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple silicon Mac (M1 or newer)
- No team seats or integrations
2. PDF2Go Desktop
PDF2Go's app installs on Apple silicon Macs, Windows and Linux. It says most apps work offline and files stay with you, while a few tools need its servers and are marked in the app.
- Same tools as the website
- Cross-platform
- Most jobs offline
- Paid plan required after the trial
- Not every tool is offline
- No Intel Mac build
3. PDF2Go (web, free plan)
The free web plan opens most PDF2Go apps without an account, but processing is limited and batch is not included. Uploaded files are blocked after 24 hours and deleted within 72.
- Free, any browser
- Very broad tool list
- Files kept up to 72 hours
- No batch on the free plan
4. Preview (built into macOS)
Preview merges, rotates, deletes pages, signs and can password-protect PDFs. It does not convert to Word, EPUB or audio.
- Free and offline
- No sign-in
- No conversions or OCR
- Edits in place
PDF2Go on a Mac in 2026
PDF2Go started as a website, and that is still how most people use it. It now also offers a desktop app for Windows, Linux and Apple silicon Macs, plus an iPhone and iPad app. Its download page says most apps work offline and your files stay with you, but a few still need PDF2Go's servers. Intel Mac owners are pointed back to the website.
The web version keeps files longer than most competitors. PDF2Go's privacy policy says access is blocked after 24 hours, optionally immediately, and that files are physically deleted after 72 hours at the latest. A generated file can be downloaded up to 10 times in that window.
Credits versus a one-time licence
PDF2Go's paid plans are built around a monthly credit pool shared by everyone on the plan, from 2 users on Starter to 20 on Business. Credits reset at the start of each billing cycle and do not roll over, though purchased add-on credits do. That suits a small office with steady volume. It suits someone with three busy weeks a year less well.
FileDial is $20 once for 2 Macs, with no credits or seats. The trade-off is that it is a single-user Mac app, not a team service.
Turn a PDF into an audiobook or booklet offline
Two PDF2Go tools that people often search for by name are PDF to Speech and Create Booklet. Both have direct FileDial equivalents.
- Select a PDF in Finder and hold the right Option key.
- For audio, release on Convert › Read aloud to audio… to get an M4A spoken with the system voice. Run OCR › Make searchable first if the PDF is a scan.
- For printing, release on Pages › Booklet instead; print the result double-sided, flipping on the short edge, then fold.
- Both results are saved as new files beside the original.
Where PDF2Go does more
PDF2Go has tools FileDial lacks, including Validate PDF/A, Spellcheck PDF, Print Poster and DjVu to PDF. It also offers browser extensions, Zapier and Make integrations and shared team plans. If those matter, PDF2Go's desktop app on an Apple silicon Mac is a reasonable middle ground between the web and a fully offline tool.
For compression, the two approaches differ in a useful way. FileDial's Compress › Compress to size… takes a target and squeezes images step by step, splitting the file into parts if it cannot get there, which is handy for upload portals with a hard limit. A 42 MB PDF was compressed in about 2 seconds on a MacBook.
Questions
Does PDF2Go have a Mac app?
Yes. PDF2Go's download page offers a desktop app for macOS on Apple silicon only, alongside Windows and Linux. It is free to try, then needs a plan that includes the desktop app. Most of its tools work offline, while a few still use PDF2Go's servers.
How long does PDF2Go keep my files?
PDF2Go's privacy policy says access to uploaded files is blocked after 24 hours, or immediately if you choose, and files are physically deleted after 72 hours at the latest. No backups are made, and data is stored in Europe. Files sent through its browser extension follow the same rules.
Is there a free PDF2Go alternative for Mac?
Preview, built into macOS, is free and handles merging, rotating, deleting pages, signing and passwords offline. It cannot convert PDFs to Word, EPUB or audio, and it has no OCR. FileDial does those offline but costs $20 once after its 1-day trial. PDF2Go's own free web plan is another option for files you are happy to upload.
Can FileDial summarize a PDF like PDF2Go's AI tools?
Yes, on the Mac. Convert › Summarize writes a summary text file and Convert › Ask a question… writes an answer with the sentence it came from, both using Apple Intelligence on the Mac rather than an online service. It answers one question per run, so it is less conversational than a chat window.