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ExifTool vs Preview

Professional comparison and analysis to help you choose the right software solution for your needs.

ExifTool icon
ExifTool
Preview icon
Preview

ExifTool vs Preview: The Verdict

⚡ Summary:

ExifTool: ExifTool is a free and open source software utility for reading, writing and editing metadata in image, audio and video files. It supports many different file types and metadata formats.

Preview: Preview is a free and open-source document viewer application for macOS. It allows quick viewing of multiple file formats including images, PDFs, Markdown files, Office documents, and more. Preview has basic editing capabilities and annotation tools for PDFs.

Both tools serve their respective audiences. Compare the features, pricing, and user ratings above to determine which best fits your needs.

Last updated: May 2026 · Comparison by Sugggest Editorial Team

Feature ExifTool Preview
Sugggest Score — —
Category Photos & Graphics Office & Productivity
Pricing Open Source Open Source

Product Overview

ExifTool
ExifTool

Description: ExifTool is a free and open source software utility for reading, writing and editing metadata in image, audio and video files. It supports many different file types and metadata formats.

Type: software

Pricing: Open Source

Preview
Preview

Description: Preview is a free and open-source document viewer application for macOS. It allows quick viewing of multiple file formats including images, PDFs, Markdown files, Office documents, and more. Preview has basic editing capabilities and annotation tools for PDFs.

Type: software

Pricing: Open Source

Key Features Comparison

ExifTool
ExifTool Features
  • Read and write metadata in image, video, audio and PDF files
  • Support for many different file formats like JPEG, TIFF, PNG, MP3, MP4, etc.
  • Edit metadata like EXIF, IPTC, XMP, ICC Profile, Photoshop IRB, JFIF, GeoTIFF, etc.
  • Command line interface and API for integration into scripts and programs
  • Platform independent - works on Windows, Mac, Linux
  • Extract thumbnail images
  • Lossless rotation and flipping of images
  • Add or remove metadata without changing original files
  • Rename files and directories based on metadata
Preview
Preview Features
  • View PDFs, images, text files and more
  • Annotate PDFs with shapes, text boxes, signatures
  • Basic image editing tools
  • Fill out and sign PDF forms
  • Combine PDFs and export as PDF or other formats
  • Tabbed interface to view multiple files
  • Quick Look support to preview files
  • Built-in screen capture tool

Pros & Cons Analysis

ExifTool
ExifTool

Pros

  • Free and open source
  • Very versatile - supports many file types and metadata formats
  • Actively developed and maintained
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Can be automated via command line and APIs
  • Lightweight and fast

Cons

  • Command line interface has a learning curve
  • No native graphical user interface
  • Metadata support can be complex for beginners
  • Requires some technical knowledge to use advanced features
Preview
Preview

Pros

  • Free and included with macOS
  • Fast and lightweight
  • Supports many common file formats
  • Useful annotation and editing tools
  • Easy to use interface

Cons

  • Limited functionality compared to paid alternatives
  • Lacks advanced PDF editing features
  • No OCR for scanning text in images
  • No collaboration tools

Pricing Comparison

ExifTool
ExifTool
  • Open Source
Preview
Preview
  • Open Source

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Learn More About Each Product

ExifTool
ExifTool
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →
Preview
Preview
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →

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