Adobe Acrobat Classic Review: A New Lighter Version of Acrobat Pro

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC has long been the best PDF editor for Macs which isn’t much of a surprise since Adobe invented the PDF format.

However, nowadays it’s subscription only – you can’t buy a standalone version of it anymore.

A subscription for Acrobat Pro DC currently costs $19.99 per month or it’s also included as part of an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.

However, Adobe has now given users another option – Acrobat Classic.

Adobe Acrobat Classic offers a straightforward, one-time purchase PDF editor for all those who prefer not to sign up for yet another subscription.

There are a few catches to be aware of though as we’ll explain.

In this review, we’ll take a look at this new version of Acrobat, focusing on what it can do, its usability on macOS, and who it’s right for.

What is Adobe Acrobat Classic?

Acrobat Classic is an updated version of Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020 which was the last version of Acrobat that Adobe sold with a perpetual license.

Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020 is discontinued for individual sale although Adobe has stated that it will sell volume licenses to businesses until November 30th 2024 (apart from Australia and New Zealand where this has already ended).

The new Classic version still includes all the features in Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020 plus a whole new interface with features such as improved tagging features, the ability to star a document, hybrid/border-less table detection and more.

It doesn’t however include Adobe’s Cloud services.

Unlike Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (the “DC” stands for Document Cloud) which requires a subscription and offers continuous updates, Cloud features and Creative Cloud integrations, Acrobat Classic is more limited.

It receives only security updates, without access to the latest features that Adobe might roll out in the future.

It also lacks the Creative Cloud integration with Adobe’s suite of apps and of course, there’s no AI in it.

The upside of this is that there’s no messing around having to create an Adobe account to use it – you can just download and install it immediately.

Classic is therefore basically a “lite” version of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC but without the monthly subscription or sign-up fuss.

For more details on the differences between Adobe Acrobat Classic and Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, we have a full comparison here.

Key Features of Adobe Acrobat Classic for Mac

1. PDF Creation and Editing:
   Like the Pro version, Acrobat Classic allows Mac users to create PDFs from various file types, merge multiple documents into one, and perform basic edits like adding text, images, and links. While it handles standard editing tasks well, it lacks some of the more advanced editing capabilities found in Acrobat Pro DC.
2. Convert PDFs to Other Formats & OCR:
   The Classic version has many conversion features, allowing users to convert PDFs into Word, Excel, and PowerPoint among others. You can also perform OCR scans on documents to make them editable or searchable.
3. Form Creation and Signing:
   For Mac users who need to create fillable forms such as applications forms or questionnaires, Acrobat Classic offers basic form creation tools. You can add text fields, checkboxes, and other interactive elements. It also supports basic e-signing, though it doesn’t provide the advanced Cloud management and signature tracking tools of Acrobat Pro DC.

1. Document Management: The Classic version of Acrobat allows you to star important documents to make them easier to find. Just add a star to them and you can find them via the starred column on the left.

1. Security Features:
   Adobe Acrobat Classic also has the ability to password-protect documents and apply permissions to restrict printing or editing. This keeps sensitive information secure, which is an important for those that work with confidential PDFs. It also supports Microsoft Purview Information Protection which is Microsoft’s proprietary digital document rights management system. These can be linked with Microsoft Sovereign Cloud although you need to modify your Mac’s registry with Terminal to do so.
2. Mac Integration:
   Acrobat Classic has a Mac desktop app and can only be used offline. There’s no web access and no mobile version either. However, the desktop app integrates well with macOS, supporting features like Quick Look for previewing PDFs and compatibility with Preview. Apart from this though, it doesn’t offer any specific Mac-only enhancements and it can still be a bit slow when working with very large files of complex PDFs.

Other enhancements in Adobe Acrobat Classic compared to the older standalone 2020 version are:

• The ability to edit rotated tables
• Background and overlapping object support in PowerPoint
• Subscript and Header detection in Microsoft Word
• The ability to easily extract discontinuous pages or pages that need to be removed from a PDF document.

Acrobat Classic System Requirements

The Classic version works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. The exact minimum system requirements are:

Pricing

Adobe Acrobat Classic for Mac is priced at a one-time cost of $540.

This differs from the old Acrobat Pro 2020 one time purchase version which was a perpetual license costing around the same but with no limit.

This will definitely come as a disappointment for those that want a perpetual license although it still works out cheaper than paying $19.99 a month for Acrobat Pro DC over three years.

Is Adobe Acrobat Classic Worth It?

For Mac users who require only the essential PDF features of Acrobat Pro DC and don’t want another subscription, Acrobat Classic is worth considering.

The desktop app is well integrated with macOS and covers the basics without the need for a subscription.

However, if you’re looking for Cloud integration with regular updates and advanced PDF editing features you may find it limited.

The three year limit on the license is also a downside considering there are other one time purchase PDF editors for Macs that don’t impose limits.

FAQs

1. Can I upgrade from Adobe Acrobat Classic to Acrobat Pro DC?
Yes, you can upgrade to Acrobat Pro DC at any time if you find that you need additional features or access to cloud services.

2. How does Adobe Acrobat Classic perform on newer macOS versions?
Acrobat Classic is officially compatible with the latest versions of macOS up to Sonoma, though it’s always best to check Adobe’s website for the most recent compatibility updates. Adobe hasn’t listed macOS Sequoia yet as compatible but we can confirm that Adobe Classic does work in it.

3. Does Acrobat Classic support Apple Silicon Macs?
Yes, Adobe has optimized its applications for Apple Silicon, and Acrobat Classic runs efficiently on M-chip series Macs.

4. Is there a free trial available for Acrobat Classic?
Adobe does not offer a free trial for the Classic version. You can however explore the Pro DC trial if you want to test out Acrobat features before committing to a purchase.

5. What happens if I need a feature that Acrobat Classic doesn’t have?
If you find yourself needing more advanced features, such as advanced e-signature tools or cloud storage, you’ll have to upgrade to Acrobat Pro DC.