The Best Open Source Adobe Acrobat Reader AlternativesTop PDF Readers and other similar apps like Adobe Acrobat Reader

The best open source alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader is SumatraPDF. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Reader and many of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Reader are Okular, Evince, Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) and MuPDF.

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Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives are mainly PDF Readers, but if you're looking for Ebook Readers or PDF Editors you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Windows, Open Source, Linux, Windows + Open Source, Free, Android and Android + Open Source. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Alternatives list

  1. SumatraPDF icon

    SumatraPDF

     1664 likes
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    This free, open-source viewer for Windows supports multiple formats like PDF, eBooks (ePub, Mobi), CHM, and Comic Books (CBZ, CBR). Prioritizing simplicity and speed, it offers a lightweight, portable design with a minimalist interface, catering to users seeking fast and efficient document viewing.

    108 SumatraPDF alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    SumatraPDF screenshot 1
     
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    35
    358
    Comments about SumatraPDF as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Comment summary: SumatraPDF is praised for being lightweight, fast, and efficient, with a straightforward, clutter-free interface. It's seen as a great alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader due to its minimal system resource usage, lack of bloatware, and open-source nature. However, users note that it lacks certain features such as annotations, editing forms, and printing in a booklet format. Users highlight its speed and ability to run from a USB drive, but remark that its user interface is dated.
    Top Positive Comment
    Atoshi
    12

    It's nowhere as vulnerable to attacks as Adobe Reader, doesn't execute embedded JS, and renders documents blazingly fast

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    47

    Sumatra does not support editing forms and adding annotations.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    taggg
    Positive
    0

    No bloat. Open source. Just read PDFs like the static documents they are meant to be.

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    3 of 35 comments
    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    SumatraPDF icon

    • Most users think SumatraPDF is a great Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative.

    • SumatraPDF is the most popular Windows alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

    • SumatraPDF is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

    • SumatraPDF is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • SumatraPDF is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  2. Okular icon

    Okular

     480 likes
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    Multi-platform document viewer offering extensive format support, including PDF, comics, images, EPUB, and Markdown, with annotation tools, sidebar previews, text-to-speech, DRM management, cross-platform compatibility, and integration with KDE Frameworks libraries.

    113 Okular alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • KDE Plasma
    • Snapcraft
    • Linux Mobile
    • Flathub
    • Haiku
    Okular screenshot 1
     
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    11
    112
    Comments about Okular as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Top Positive Comment
    karlossss1996
    4

    It's very fast free pdf reader with some useful editing functions.

    Top Negative Comment
    Notiz_Me
    1

    Doesn't have the ability to print in booklet format.

    KimiBCN
    Positive
    0

    It's a good alternative to Acrobat Reader. But it doesn't have any PDF editing features. You can't rotate images either.

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    3 of 11 comments
    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    Okular icon

    • Most users think Okular is a great Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative.

    • Okular is the most popular Linux alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

    • Okular is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Okular is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  4. Evince icon

    Evince

     459 likes
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    Evince (or GNOME Document Viewer) is a document viewer for multiple document formats: PDF, Postscript, djvu, tiff, dvi, XPS, SyncTex support with gedit, comics books (cbr,cbz,cb7 and cbt) and others. See Supported Document Formats for details.

    115 Evince alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flathub
    • GNOME
    Evince screenshot 1
     
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    5
    92
    Comments about Evince as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Top Positive Comment
    Jatan Mehta
    3

    Fast and simple. Allows images to be saved from the right-click context menu.

    guoiewbvc923
    Positive
    0

    For me this is the best PDF reader as it allows you to view PDF files and not much more. If you need more features than just viewing PDF's this is not for you.

    Hasan Yildiz
    Positive
    0

    Free, easy-to-use interface. Easily edit files.

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    3 of 5 comments
    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    Evince icon

    • Most users think Evince is a great Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative.

    • Evince is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Evince is Minimalistic and Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  5. Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) icon

    Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js)

     165 likes
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    PDF Viewer (aka pdf.js) is a new revolutionary extension using web standard technologies that allows you to display within Mozilla Firefox almost all PDF files found on the web without a plugin.

    82 Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Google Chrome
    • Opera
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) screenshot 1
     
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    5
    45
    Comments about Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Top Positive Comment
    ab1
    1

    It takes dozens of seconds to open a 20MB PDF on a mid-class smartphone.

    Top Negative Comment
    Joseph Cameron
    -1

    pdf.js cannot be used to annotate documents or fill forms.

    ulahcherubim
    Positive
    1

    pdf.js now supports annotating and filling forms.

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    3 of 5 comments
    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) icon

    • Most users think Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) is a great Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative.

    • Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  6. MuPDF icon

    MuPDF

     157 likes
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    MuPDF offers a highly versatile PDF, XPS, and eBook interpreter, customizable as a renderer, viewer, or toolkit. Features include digital signatures, redactions, form filling, annotations, and page manipulation, ideal for mobile, eBooks, and embedded apps supporting Java, C++, and Python.

    89 MuPDF alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • F-Droid
    • Xfce
    MuPDF screenshot 1
     
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    3
    40
    Comments about MuPDF as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Pro Daddy
    Negative
    3

    It doesn't have several major features that adobe reader has. MuPDF just open files that's all. no options at all, no resizing, no editing, no change in view, there is nothing.

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    If reading PDFs is all you need, this app is just wonderful. No editing tools or other bloat.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    malcmerlyn
    Negative
    -4

    Not available on Apple Store (Ipad 6, ios 17.5.1)

    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    MuPDF icon

    • Most users think MuPDF is a great Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative.

    • MuPDF is the most popular Android alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

    • MuPDF is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • MuPDF is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  7. Xournal++ icon

    Xournal++

     185 likes
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    Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation using pen input and pressure sensitivity, shape drawing, customizable toolbar layouts, image insertion, audio recording, multi-language options, LaTeX integration, and complete export in PDF or PNG formats across all platforms.

    54 Xournal++ alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Xournal++ screenshot 1
     
  9. Linwood Butterfly icon

    Linwood Butterfly

     41 likes
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    Butterfly is a note-taking app where your ideas come first. You can paint, add texts, and export them easily on every device. This app works on android, windows, linux, and in the web.

    44 Linwood Butterfly alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • AltStore
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    Linwood Butterfly screenshot 1
     

    • Linwood Butterfly is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

    • Linwood Butterfly is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Linwood Butterfly is Customizable and Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  10. Document Viewer icon

    Document Viewer

     50 likes
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    Document Viewer is a highly customizable document viewer for Android, fork of the last GPL version of EBookDroid .

    150 Document Viewer alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid
    library view
    settings
     
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    2
    18
    Comments about Document Viewer as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Guest
    Positive
    3

    open source, fast, lightweight, support for many formats, many available settings

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    -1

    For android smartphones, its the best choice as it is opensource and has many features.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    Document Viewer icon

    • Most users think Document Viewer is a great Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative.

    • Document Viewer is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Document Viewer is Customizable and Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  11. Sioyek icon

    Sioyek

     22 likes
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    Sioyek is a PDF viewer with minimal interface optimized for reading research papers and technical books.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Main view
     
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    1
    Comments about Sioyek as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Barrett
    Positive
    1

    It's a minimalist PDF reader for programmers and other such nerds. Includes dark mode, keyboard navigation, and a minimalist UI that allows for great focus.

    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    Sioyek icon
    • Sioyek is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
  12. MJ PDF Reader icon

    MJ PDF Reader

     28 likes
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    A totally free of cost and ads PDF documents reader.

    70 MJ PDF Reader alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
    MJ PDF Reader screenshot 1
    MJ PDF Reader screenshot 2
    MJ PDF Reader screenshot 3
     
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    1
    Comments about MJ PDF Reader as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Port5000
    Positive
    0

    Much more simpler UI, it has all you'd need to open and view pdf files without any kind of registration or tracking or any ads

    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    MJ PDF Reader icon
    • MJ PDF Reader is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • MJ PDF Reader is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  13. Papers icon

    Papers

     12 likes
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    A document viewer for the GNOME desktop. You can view, search or annotate documents in many different formats.

    66 Papers alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • GNOME
    • Flatpak
    A clear, simple Ul
     
12 of 38 Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives