Skim review (2026): is it any good?
Free PDF reader and note-taker for Mac, built for papers
Skim report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for reading and annotating papers on a Mac
Skim is a free, open-source PDF reader for macOS built for reading and annotating scientific papers, with LaTeX and BibDesk links. It does not edit text or fill in forms, and it runs on Mac only.
Who Skim is for
- Fits if you read and mark up papers on a Mac, especially with LaTeX or BibDesk
- Works for anyone who wants a free annotator and not an editor
Who Skim is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows, Linux or a phone, as it runs on Mac only
- Too light for editing text or filling in forms, since neither is listed
- Watch out: support is a wiki, mailing lists and bug trackers, not a help desk
- Tight if your Mac is old, because the current version needs macOS 10.13
Why Skim gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree to download and use, with no paid tier, so it sits well under the cheapest quarter of PDF tools.
- AFree plan and trialThe whole app is free, with nothing held back.
- CFeaturesNotes, highlights, snapshots, a reading bar and AppleScript. It does that job fully, but it is a smaller one: the listing shows no text editing or form filling.
- BEase of useNo store rating is on record, but it is a program you install and open, with nothing to set up.
- DPlatforms and integrationsmacOS only, version 1.7.19 needing macOS 10.13 or higher. There is no Windows, phone or web version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Skim's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Skim? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/skim#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/skim.svg" alt="Skim: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Skim stands among PDF editors
Skim's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 31 of the 45 other PDF editors we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 39 of 45) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Skim has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 46 PDF editors we grade, cut by the letter each got. Skim’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 31 of 45, level with 14
- AFree plan and trialAbove 39 of 45, level with 6
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 45, level with 24
- BEase of useAbove 11 of 45, level with 32
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 45, level with 4
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 32 PDF editors. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Skim, or make your own?
Keep it
Skim is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 31 of the 45 other PDF editors we grade.
What you could make
- Highlights and notes: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Editing the text inside a PDF without breaking its layout.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, BibDesk, LaTeX and SyncTeX among them.
What this rests on. Skim’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Skim?
Skim is a free, open-source PDF reader for macOS made for reading and annotating scientific papers. It supports notes, highlights, snapshots and a reading bar, and it links with LaTeX and BibDesk. It annotates documents; it is not an editor for changing the existing text or pages.
Worth knowing
- Mac only; current version 1.7.19 needs macOS 10.13 or higher, with older versions listed for older systems.
- It is a reader and annotator, with no listed tools for editing existing text or filling in forms.
- Support runs through a wiki, mailing lists and bug trackers rather than a company help desk.
Key features
- Notes and highlights
- Add and edit notes, highlight text with one-swipe modes, and view all notes and highlights in one list.
- Snapshots and reading bar
- Keep snapshots of other parts of a document for reference and focus a line at a time with a reading bar.
- Navigation
- Move around with the table of contents or thumbnails, with a visual history and previews of internal links.
- Presentations
- Present a PDF full screen with built-in transitions, and crop pages with the smart cropping tools.
- Export and scripting
- Export notes as text and automate with extensive AppleScript support.
- LaTeX and reference tools
- Works with LaTeX through SyncTeX and PDFSync, and integrates with BibDesk and other third-party apps.
Skim pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Skim is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Everything: the whole app is free to download and use.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Skim | $0 | Free to download; the site lists no paid plans or licence fees. |
Read from skim-app.sourceforge.io on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Skim before you buy.
Works with
- BibDesk
- LaTeX
- SyncTeX
- PDFSync
- AppleScript
Skim alternatives
- Skim vs PDF Expert
Free plan · from $79.99/yr
- Skim vs PDF Reader Pro
Free plan · from $59.99/yr
- Skim vs Xodo
Free plan · from $7.99/mo
- Skim vs PDFgear
Free
- Skim vs PDF Annotator
Free trial · from $79.95 one-time
Common questions
Does Skim have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Skim is listed for macOS.
Does Skim have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Skim is listed for macOS.
Is Skim open source?
Yes. Skim is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.