# Skim review (2026): is it any good? > Free PDF reader and note-taker for Mac, built for papers Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. 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. - **Category:** PDF Editors - **Made by:** Skim project (SourceForge) - **Website:** https://skim-app.sourceforge.io/ - **Runs on:** macOS - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you use Windows, Linux or a phone, as it runs on Mac only. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, Skim is free to use. - **Pricing model:** 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 https://skim-app.sourceforge.io/ on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Skim before buying. ## 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. ## Good for - Researchers reading and annotating papers on a Mac - LaTeX users who need synced source and PDF views - Anyone who wants a free annotation tool ## 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. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.8 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. 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. - **Value for money: A.** Free to download and use, with no paid tier, so it sits well under the cheapest quarter of PDF tools. - **Free plan and trial: A.** The whole app is free, with nothing held back. - **Features: C.** Notes, 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. - **Ease of use: B.** No store rating is on record, but it is a program you install and open, with nothing to set up. - **Platforms and integrations: D.** macOS only, version 1.7.19 needing macOS 10.13 or higher. There is no Windows, phone or web version. These are ToolGPA's own grades. 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. ## Where it 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. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/pdf-editors ## Keep it, 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. - You could make: Highlights and notes: an app builder makes these well. - You could not: Editing the text inside a PDF without breaking its layout. - You could not: A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page. - You could not: It plugs into other products, BibDesk, LaTeX and SyncTeX among them. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. ## Works with BibDesk, LaTeX, SyncTeX, PDFSync, AppleScript **Tags:** PDF editing, Highlights, Open source, Notes ## Alternatives - [PDF Expert](https://toolgpa.com/tools/pdf-expert): PDF reader and editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad from Readdle. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/pdf-expert-vs-skim) - [PDF Reader Pro](https://toolgpa.com/tools/pdf-reader-pro): PDF viewer and editor for Mac, Windows, mobile and web. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/pdf-reader-pro-vs-skim) - [Xodo](https://toolgpa.com/tools/xodo): PDF tools on web, desktop and mobile, sold separately or as a suite. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/skim-vs-xodo) - [PDFgear](https://toolgpa.com/tools/pdfgear): Free PDF editor for desktop, mobile and web with an AI copilot. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/pdfgear-vs-skim) - [PDF Annotator](https://toolgpa.com/tools/pdf-annotator): Windows PDF markup and note-taking app sold as a perpetual license. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/pdf-annotator-vs-skim) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://skim-app.sourceforge.io/ - https://sourceforge.net/projects/skim-app/ Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/skim Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).