7 Best PDF to EPUB Converters in 2019 for Mac, Windows and Mobile

7 Best PDF to EPUB Converters in 2019 for Mac, Windows and Mobile

2019-07-10 09:27:00 / Posted by to Convert PDF Follow @ lily jones

EPUB is one of the most popular ebook formats, widely supported by devices and software like computers, iOS and Android devices, Kobo eReaders, Apple Books, FBReader, etc. The best way to convert PDF files to reflowable EPUB ebooks for comfortable reading is to use PDF to EPUB converter software. Here is a list of the top 7 best PDF to EPUB converters, along with reviews, tutorials and tips.

The best PDF to EPUB converters for desktop

What makes a good PDF to EPUB reader converter?

  • Ease of use We expect it to be easy to use, even for new users. Advantages like a simple intuitive interface and support for dragging and dropping files will provide great user experience.
  • High-quality conversion The conversion result is the most important thing. In addition to transforming PDF files into valid EPUB ebooks, the best PDF to EPUB converter should have the ability to retain the original layout, formatting and other elements.
  • High-speed conversion Efficiency is equally important. Things like fast conversion and batch conversion feature will make such a converter stand out.
  • OCR function The best PDF to EPUB converter should be able to convert any types of PDFs, including the scanned ones, to text-based EPUB format, in order to provide the best possible reading experience on ebook readers. An OCR feature is almost essential.
  • Versatility An EPUB converter will be more worth having if it has other useful features such as the ability to convert PDF to other formats like Word and PowerPoint.

The above are the basic criteria we considered when we picked the best tool to convert PDF to EPUB format.

#1 Enolsoft PDF Converter with OCR

OS: macOS 10.10 Yosemite or later

Enolsoft PDF Converter with OCR for Mac is a PDF converter, OCR tool and PDF image extractor all rolled into one. You can use it as an effective PDF to EPUB converter for Mac and enjoy the following benefits.

  • Convert any PDF files to searchable EPUB with high quality
  • Also offer other 15 output formats like .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, .jpg, etc.
  • Support conversion of large PDFs (e.g. 20 MB, 50 MB or higher)
  • Keep the original images, layout, tables, hyperlinks and more
  • Provide a batch conversion mode
  • Do OCR with 27 recognition languages like English, German and Arabic
  • Extract images from PDF

Free Download

Step 1. Download and install Enolsoft PDF Converter with OCR. Launch it. Drag one or more PDF files into the app.

Step 2. Click the format dropdown list and select the option to EPUB.

batch convert PDF to EPUB on Mac

Step 3. Click the Convert button in the lower right corner of the interface. Select a location on your Mac to store the exported ebook. Click Save.

Pro tips

The whole process only takes three easy steps. Here are tips to help you get the best conversion results.

Only convert selected pages

By default, the best PDF to EPUB converter for Mac will apply the conversion to all pages of a PDF file. To convert certain pages, you need to select the option Range, specify page range and hit the Return key. For example, you can enter 1,5,9-19.

Convert scanned PDF to EPUB with desirable result

When it comes to converting image-based PDFs, you can adjust OCR recognition based on your need. Click Advanced Settings. The app has automatically detected and identified every piece of content in your PDF, such as text, images and tables. Now you can manually resize a recognition area by dragging the border, remove an area by selecting it and pressing Backspace, and manually re-identify content by using the Mark tools.

adjust OCR recognition when converting scanned PDF to EPUB

#2 Calibre

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Open-source and cross-platform, Calibre enables users to transform PDF to EPUB and MOBI ebooks for free. In addition to being the best free PDF to EPUB converter, it also offers an impressive list of other feature. For example, you can use it to view ebooks, convert them between different formats and backup your library. A portable version is also available.

Step 1. Open Calibre on your computer. Drag a PDF into the app. Alternatively; you can also add files by going to the menu bar and clicking Add books.

Step 2. Highlight the PDF file you’ve just imported. In the tool bar, select Convert books.

Step 3. The Convert window will pop up, providing an array of options for ebook conversion and optimization. Click the Output format dropdown list in the upper right corner and select EPUB.

use Calibre to convert PDF to EPUB

Step 4. Click OK to start the conversion from PDF to EPUB. Once the process is completed, you can click the hyperlinked text Click to open in the right panel of the main window and find the converted ebook.

Note: When it comes to non-searchable PDFs, Calibre can only convert them to image-based EPUB, often with blurry and unrecognizable content. To perfectly handle scanned PDFs and alike, it’s recommended to use professional software like Enolsoft PDF Converter with OCR.

Pro tips

Do bulk conversion

Open this free best PDF to EPUB converter Select all the PDFs you’d like to convert. From the menu bar, click the dropdown icon next to Convert books and choose Bulk convert. Select EPUB as the output format and click OK.

PDF to ePub batch converter

Tweak settings for PDF to EPUB conversion in Calibre

With some PDF files, if you use the default settings, the output will probably be horrible, with misplaced text and wrong formatting. You can improve the situation by customizing settings. Note that in many cases, it will still end up producing a poor result despite the effort. To fix line breaks after conversion, go to Convert window > Heuristic processing. Select the checkbox before Enable heuristic processing and convert again. To convert PDF to EPUB with cover preserving its original aspect ratio, click EPUB output and enable the corresponding option.

#3 Aiseesoft PDF to ePub Converter

OS: Windows, macOS

As one of the best PDF to EPUB converters available for both Windows and Mac users, this app is especially designed for the purpose of converting PDF for EPUB readers.

Step 1. Open the app. Add files by dragging and dropping. You can also import files or folders by clicking the Add File(s) dropdown menu.

Step 2. EPUB is the default and only provided output format, so there is no need to select a format. In the Output Folder section, select a destination location to keep the output ebook.

Step 3. If needed, you can click the Rename button to edit the name of your ebook. In the lower right corner of the interface, you can specify page range for the conversion.

Aiseesoft PDF to ePub Converter

Step 4. Click the big Start button to perform the conversion.

Note: In the tests, this tool failed to keep the tables of contents of some PDFs.

Pro tip

Click the Preferences button and you can configure settings to get better result for image PDFs. Go to the OCR tab. There are three modes: Accuracy, Balanced and Speed. If your scanned PDF is in a foreign language, say, Japanese, you need to select the language. Otherwise, the conversion won’t work properly.

The best online PDF to EPUB converters

OS: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, etc.

Desktop converters are powerful, versatile and fast. They can work offline, which ensures utmost information security. They tend to be better choices than their online counterparts. That being said, online EPUB converters also have their advantages.

  • Require no software installation
  • Super easy to access and use
  • Highly compatible with various platforms and devices
  • Decent conversion result with simple native PDFs

#1 online-convert.com

Another one of the best PDF to EPUB converter online services is online-convert.com. Users can easily upload PDF files for conversion. In addition to EPUB, it also support other 8 ebook formats such as Sony LRF and FB2.

Step 1. Visit https://ebook.online-convert.com/convert-to-epub. Upload a PDF document from your computer or Dropbox or Google Drive.

best online PDF to EPUB converter

Step 2. Once the file is uploaded completely. You can click Start conversion button to do the conversion.

In the Optional settings section of the best PDF to EPUB converter online, you can easily customize the conversion. If you don’t know which format an ebook reader supports, you can click the Target ebook reader list and select your device. Also, there are options allowing you to add borders and change font, among others, which can be useful.

To have better conversion experience and still enjoy free service, you can register for free. There are of course some limits. For example, the maximum file size is 100 MB. To reduce the limit and enjoy fast conversion, you can upgrade to premium user.

#2 Zamzar

Zamzar provides an easy instant solution for PDF conversion online and can convert PDF to 16 ebook formats such as EPUB, MOBI and AZW.

Step 1. Go to https://www.zamzar.com/convert/pdf-to-epub/. Upload one or more PDFs by clicking Add Files button. In the Files to Convert section, you can see the list of PDFs uploaded successfully.

Step 2. Click the Choose Format dropdown list and select the output format you need. In this case, we choose EPUB.

convert PDF to EPUB ebook online using Zamzar

Step 3. Click Convert Now. The progress bar will inform you of the conversion process. Once it’s done, you will be redirected to the download page. Click Download to save the ebook to your device.

You can use Zamzar PDF to EPUB converter for free, but with the limit of 2 conversions per day. To have unlimited conversions with faster speed, you can sign up for one of their paid plans. If your PDF file is searchable and has simple layout, this free online service will do a decent job of converting it to a valid EPUB book. However, if it’s complex and image-rich, it’s recommended to use professional tools. Although the table of contents won’t go missing after conversion, it won’t work properly anymore.

The best PDF to EPUB converters for mobile devices

#1 Ebook Converter

OS: Android

As the best PDF to EPUB converter for Android, it supports almost all common ebook formats. You only need to import a PDF, select the EPUB as the output format and tap the Convert button. It’s that easy.

PDF to EPUB converter for Android

It also offers minor features, and you can easily edit book tile and add your own cover. Note that the app doesn’t work offline. The conversion speed depends on the Internet connection and PDF file size. Once the conversion is finished, the original PDF file will be deleted from the service’s server. The converted ebook will be deleted one hour later.

If your PDF is image-rich with complicated layout, mobile apps like this one is not the best choice. You can do the conversion on computer and then transfer the ebook to Android phone for reading.

#2 The Ebook Converter

OS: iOS

To do a conversion from PDF to EPUB on iPhone or iPad, this app can help. It’s free to use with in-app purchase provided. As the name suggests, it’s designed to convert files and documents to read on ebook readers. It only takes three steps. Upload your PDF, select the output format and tap the conversion button. In addition to PDF, it also supports some other input formats such as AZW, DOCX, HTML and TXT.

best PDF to EPUB converter for iPhone

As it works on a cloud server, Internet connection is needed. If your document contains something confidential or you’d rather convert offline, then you can ignore this app and choose a safer solution.

Conclusion

The tools listed above are either free or provide free trial. If you have no idea which is the best PDF to EPUB converter for you, you can easily try them out. If you have the source document, say, a Word document, from which the PDF is generated, it’s recommended to directly convert the source file to EPUB.