Cisdem PDFMaster: A simple PDF editor

With so many industries embracing paperless procedures, document editors have become more essential than ever. Finding the right software for your Mac can be cumbersome, though, as there are dozens of reputable PDF editors for Mac out there.

One of the options you may come across during your hunt is that from EaseUS. While the company’s own PDF editor is exclusive to Windows, its website offers PDFMaster for macOS—developed by its partner Cisdem.

So, keep in mind that the screenshots and feature descriptions highlighted on the EaseUS website do not reflect those of Cisdem PDFMaster. If you’ve used EaseUS’ PDF editor for Windows, you won’t be getting the same set of tools on the Mac version since the two apps are completely different.

Pricing and availability

Cisdem PDFMaster for Mac (aka EaseUS PDF Editor for Mac) is offered through multiple channels, including Apple’s App Store, the aforementioned EaseUS website, and Cisdem’s official website. Each of the three versions features distinct functionality, user interface, and price. In this particular review, we will be looking at the version downloaded from EaseUS.

You can grab a copy of Cisdem PDFMaster from the EaseUS website for free. Once its 14-day trial expires, you will have to pay $89.95 once or $59.95 per year to continue using the software. Those with short-term PDF editing needs may have to look elsewhere, as the macOS version doesn’t provide a monthly subscription plan. It’s also worth noting that Cisdem PDFMaster doesn’t offer a mobile version for iOS and iPadOS users. So, you will be limited to getting work done from your Mac.

See our top free PDF editors for Mac.

First impressions

When launching Cisdem PDFMaster on your Mac, you’ll be greeted by a minimalistic user interface. It features modern-looking buttons and labels and doesn’t bloat the app with unnecessarily complex options.

Once you load a PDF document in the app, the toolbar it surfaces is similarly straightforward and easy to grasp. It’s ideal for beginners with limited tech knowledge rather than those seeking an advanced PDF editor.

Cisdem PDFMaster’s features

While Cisdem PDFMaster’s feature set is somewhat limited compared to more professional apps, it generally gets the job done for those with casual PDF editing needs. As you’d expect, you get to edit the text in the document, allowing you to add or remove words, change the font, insert links, move things around, etc.

The software also supports extensive annotation, including shape insertion, highlighting, underlining, striking through, leaving comments, guiding with arrows, and so on. Like other popular PDF editors, you also get to insert images, stamps, and digital signatures.

Other neat tools include watermarking, document cropping, conversion to multiple file formats, size shrinking, optical character recognition (OCR), redaction, page reorganization, PDF comparisons, area calculations, and much more.

While most of the features above work reliably for me, I’ve encountered some hiccups when using other tools. For example, exporting a PDF after password-protecting it didn’t actually secure it, and I could still open the document without entering the assigned password. Otherwise, the app does what it does well.

Should you buy Cisdem PDFMaster or EaseUS PDF Editor for Mac

Cisdem PDFMaster for macOS is a decent app for those looking to make casual adjustments to their documents. While the app offers the commonly sought functionalities, it misses out on the more advanced customizations that pro users may need.

If you edit PDF files professionally, Cisdem’s solution may be somewhat lacking. Similarly, if you tend to hand off tasks between your Mac and iDevices, PDFMaster isn’t the app to pick. The software makes more sense for those planning to make minor tweaks to personal documents or annotate other people’s submissions to provide feedback.

We were just a bit confused by the fact that EaseUS is also packaging this up as its Mac PDF solution.