Preston had the first chance after two minutes when Stephen Elliott and Chris Sedgwick combined on the right-hand side and Billy Jones crossed for Elliott to hit a 12-yard shot which was saved.
Plymouth took the lead in the 13th minute when Paul Gallagher, who was on-loan at Preston last season, took a left-wing corner.
Andy Lonergan missed the ball and Youl Mawene couldn't clear allowing Jamie Mackie to slam a shot home into the bottom right-hand corner of the net from inside the six-yard box.
The strike ended the Pilgrims' run of 556 minutes without a goal away from Home Park.
Jones had an effort saved and then Elliott cut in from the left before having a shot kept out by the Plymouth keeper.
Chris Clark and then Ross Wallace had efforts saved before David McNamee fell to the ground and had to be stretchered off after half-an-hour and was replaced by substitute Mathias Doumbe.
Elliott had another shot saved from a tight angle and then Eddie Nolan had a cross that was saved.
Two minutes before the break Preston equalised when Barry Nicholson found Wallace on the left. His cross went over Craig Cathcart and found Jon Parkin who hit a close-range volley low and left-footed home.
At the start of the second half Gallagher, Clark and then Elliott all had efforts saved.
Parkin had another effort kept out before Nicholson's powerful shot was tipped over the bar.
Preston pressed hard for a winner and Paul McKenna and then Parkin went close but the match eventually ended all-square.