6 Ways to Convert PDF to CSV on Mac or Windows (Bank Statement Incl.)

CSV, is the short term of “comma-separated values”, used to store tabular data. While PDF, is a standard format widely applied in our work. You may have a PDF bank statement and want to convert to CSV, by doing so, you will be able to make further use of these data or contents.

Converting PDF bank statement to CSV can be quite easy, here, according to test results, we list 6 easy ways to convert PDF files, including PDF bank statement files, to CSV on Mac or on Windows PC.

Best Way to Convert PDF Bank Statement to CSV (Mac & Windows)

A Few Words about PDF to CSV Converter

To tell you the truth, I have been dealing with PDF files for my whole career life, but I haven’t come across any standalone software designed to convert PDF to CSV directly. So, I did a study these days, but found only one PDF to CSV converter software---Bank2CSV.

And I don't recommend paying for such a tool, it is mainly designed to convert your bank files to Excel or CSV with a lifetime price $149.99. A PDF to Excel converter with lower price but with extended features can perform such a conversion too, is it a better choice? This is also the reason why most of our users prefer to convert PDF to CSV with a PDF to Excel converter. As for the best PDF to CSV converter, we have spent some days to pick and test, and finally Cisdem PDF Converter OCR come as the winner. 

Cisdem PDF Converter OCR, is an all-round PDF Converter, integrating the capability to convert, create PDF files on mac. As for its conversion feature, it allows users to convert any type of PDF, native, scanned or protected and images to 15+ formats, including Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Text, Keynote, Pages, HTML, ePub, etc., with original file layout and formatting highly retained.

Main Features of Cisdem PDF Converter OCR

• Convert native PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ePub, Keynote, Pages, Text, RTFD, images
• OCR scanned PDF and images to searchable PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Text, ePub and other editable formats
• Batch convert and OCR PDFs
• Recognize many file languages
• Create PDF from Word, PowerPoint, ePub, Text, HTML, CHM, images

How to Convert PDF to CSV on Mac or Windows?

• Step 1. Download and install Cisdem PDF Converter OCR.
  Free Download   Free Download
• Step 2. Add single or multiple PDF bank statement for conversion. You can drag and drop to import, or click “+” to add files.
• Step 3. Prepare for PDF to CSV conversion on mac. Once the PDF bank statement files are imported, choose page range, turn OCR button ON, then choose output as Excel. (The Excel output format is only available when OCR is ON).
• Step 4. Click “Convert” to change PDF to Excel on mac.
• Step 5. Open the Excel file in Microsoft Excel, go to File>Save as, choose output as CSV, then save the file.

Tips: How to OCR PDF or Images to CSV on Mac

For users who want to convert scanned PDF or images to CSV, Cisdem PDF Converter for Mac also helps. With its OCR feature and advanced settings, users can convert image-based files editable and they won't need to retype all these PDF contents in a CSV file.

Here we’ll show how to OCR PDF to CSV on Mac with Cisdem

• Step 1. Upload single or multiple scanned PDF files into Cisdem.
• Step 2. Choose File language and output as Excel.
  When users upload a JPG or other image for conversion, the program will turn OCR function ON by default. If you import a scanned PDF, turn the OCR button before conversion.
• Step 3. (Optional) For more accurate OCR results, you can click the Advanced Settings. You will find each part is marked in a colorful box, they are either recognized as Text, Table or Image. You can manually adjust the OCR applied zone, to make sure each part of the file is marked adequately, for example, if you want to recognize a part as text instead of table, remove the original mark box, click on “Text”, then drag a box to mark that specific part and this part will be outputted as Text without original formatting.
• Step 4. Convert scanned PDF, JPG or images to Excel on mac.
• Step 5. Open Excel, go to File>Save as, and choose CSV as the output.

Convert PDF to CSV on Mac Free

For mac users, there is a free solution to convert PDF to CSV on Mac, using Preview.

Preview is a macOS application to open, edit and convert PDF or images, it can read PDF files. In other words, you can open a PDF bank statement in Preview, then copy and paste the tables or data to a CSV document.

Steps to Convert PDF to CSV on Mac Free

1. Open the PDF file with Preview.
2. Select the tables or wanted parts, right click to choose Copy.
3. Paste the copied contents to a CSV file, or to a Excel file and save as CSV later on your mac.

Disadvantages:

• Cannot batch convert PDF to CSV
• Cannot convert scanned PDF to CSV
• Formatting may be lost

Convert PDF to CSV Online Free

Like any one of you who want to convert PDF to CSV online free, I searched in Google and tested all the top-ranked online free PDF to CSV converters, but the results surprised me.

Do Online Free PDF to CSV Converters Help?

No!

All the online free PDF to CSV Converters do allow users to export PDF as CSV directly, but the conversion results are absolutely useless. 

I tested in Zamzar, Convertio, Sejda, aconvert, all claim to be able to export PDF as CSV, but in the converted CSV file, I only got numerous weird symbols or question marks, nothing useful. So, we can conclude that, at present, there is no good online free PDF to CSV converter to export PDF as CSV directly.

2 Online Free Tools to Convert PDF to CSV

But, does this mean we cannot convert PDF to CSV for free? No, we can utilize PDF to Excel converters, then save the file as CSV in Excel, as we do when utilizing a desktop program. Here are 2 tools to convert PDF to CSV free with good results:

#1 smallpdf

An online free platform helping users to deal with all kinds of PDF tasks, such as compress, convert, merge, edit and sign.

Steps to Convert PDF to CSV Online Free with Smallpdf

• Step 1. Go to smallpdf.
• Step 2. Upload PDF from your folder for conversion.
• Step 3. Click on the “Download File”.
• Step 4. Open Excel, go to File >Save as, and choose CSV as output.

#2 ilovepdf

Another platform allowing users to merge, split, compress, convert PDFs for free. Also, users can rotate, unlock, even add page number or watermark to a PDF.

Steps to Convert PDF to CSV Online Free with ilovepdf

• Step 1. Go to ilovepdf.
• Step 2. Click on “Select PDF file” to upload PDF for conversion.
• Step 3. Click “Convert to Excel”.
• Step 4. Click “Download Excel”.
• Step 5. Open the Excel file, go to File> Save as, and choose CSV as output.

PDF Bank Statement to CSV with Adobe Acrobat

If you have installed Adobe, you can absolutely export PDF as Excel spreadsheet first, then save the file in CSV format, like any other PDF to CSV converters. Adobe Acrobat is both available on Mac and Windows platform.

Follow the steps to convert PDF to CSV with Adobe Acrobat

1. Open PDF with Adobe Acrobat DC.
2. Go to Tool> Export PDF.
3. Choose output as Spreadsheet, then click “Export” to convert PDF to Excel on mac.
4. Open the Excel file, go to File>Save as, choose CSV as output format.

Pros:

• No batch conversion

Conclusion

No matter you are going to use a free or paid PDF to CSV converter, the one finally brings you good results is the good one. But according to my personal experience and feedback from other users, a professional PDF to CSV converter can obtain better results and make the job easier. Have a try, before any commercial decision you will have to make.