Adobe Acrobat DC AlternativesOnly apps categorised as PDF Readers

The best PDF Reader alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC is PDF-XChange Editor, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Adobe Acrobat DC and loads of them are PDF Readers so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting PDF Reader alternatives to Adobe Acrobat DC are PDF24 Creator, Nitro PDF , PDFgear and Stirling-PDF.

filter to find the best alternatives

Adobe Acrobat DC alternatives are mainly PDF Readers, but if you're looking for PDF Editors or E-signature Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Free, Linux, Windows + Free, Windows + Open Source, Windows and Mac + Free. 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 DC.
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Alternatives list

  1. PDF-XChange Editor icon

    PDF-XChange Editor

     170 likes
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    Feature-rich PDF editor offering direct content editing, ABBYY OCR, viewing, annotation, form filling, PDF merging, compression, and encryption. Operates efficiently offline, requiring no registration and no ads, while providing privacy-focused features and convenient portability.

    140 PDF-XChange Editor alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    • Wine
    Version 10 (2024)
     
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    15
    118
    Comments about PDF-XChange Editor as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC
    Comment summary: PDF-XChange Editor is praised for its customizable interface, speed, affordability, and extensive features, often compared favorably to Adobe Acrobat DC. Users appreciate its lifetime license and lower cost, but some find its OCR capabilities lacking, and a few struggle with features like text editing that Adobe handles better.
    Top Positive Comment
    munteanzeno
    3

    Can make small edits for free (comments, extra text). Search bar is simple and works well.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    0

    A lot of things that you can't do. Didn't worked well enough for me at all.

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

    Adding signature and adding text is available for free.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Show more comments
    3 of 15 comments
    Adobe Acrobat DC Icon
    PDF-XChange Editor icon

    • Most users think PDF-XChange Editor is a great Adobe Acrobat DC alternative.

    • PDF-XChange Editor is the most popular Windows alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC.

    • PDF-XChange Editor is the most popular free alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC.

    • PDF-XChange Editor is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat DC is Paid and Proprietary
    • PDF-XChange Editor is Customizable, Lightweight and Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat DC is not according to our users
  2. PDF24 Creator icon

    PDF24 Creator

     144 likes
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    PDF24 Creator is free and feature-filled PDF creation, merging and conversion tool for Windows. Its unique feature among the free PDF printer tools is an editor, which allows to easily assemble, create and modify PDF files with Drag & Drop.

    166 PDF24 Creator alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Main window
     
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    3
    36
    Comments about PDF24 Creator as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC
    zlelmefs
    Positive
    0

    It's actually free and has done everything I've needed it to do.

    G Downs
    Positive
    0

    PDF Creator is a great alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC. It has all the tools that the Adobe has but does it without trying to put a hole in your head! A great piece of work!

    Guest
    Positive
    3

    PDF editing features also available!

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Acrobat DC Icon
    PDF24 Creator icon

    • Most users think PDF24 Creator is a great Adobe Acrobat DC alternative.

    • PDF24 Creator is Free and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat DC is Paid and Proprietary
    • PDF24 Creator is LightweightAdobe Acrobat DC is not according to our users
  4. Nitro PDF icon

    Nitro PDF

     71 likes
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    Nitro offers comprehensive PDF solutions for editing, creating, and converting, alongside OCR and e-signature tools. Supports Mac, Windows, and iOS, providing a user-friendly interface with industry-standard security features. Ideal as an Adobe Acrobat alternative.

    167 Nitro PDF alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Nitro PDF screenshot 1
     
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    2
    44
    Comments about Nitro PDF as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC
    Bob Henry
    Negative
    -1

    This is by far the worst software purchase I can remember making. OCR sucks and is hardly useable. Reorganizing and merging documents are confusing and difficult.

    Stay well away from this one is my advice.

    chrisrosetech
    Positive
    0

    I have been using NitroPDF for several years. I think it is the best alternative to Adobe Acrobat software.

    The software has almost all the features, if not better features than Acrobat itself.

    I can create form fill documents, place stamps, edit and do much more with NitroPDF.

    The OCR function has worked really well for me on a second generation scanned document.

    I highly recommend NitroPDF and feel it's well worth the money.

    Adobe Acrobat DC Icon
    Nitro PDF icon

    • Most users think Nitro PDF is a great Adobe Acrobat DC alternative.

    • Nitro PDF is the most popular Mac, iPhone & iPad alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC.

    • Nitro PDF is the most popular commercial alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC.

    • Nitro PDF is Paid and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat DC is also Paid and Proprietary
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Foxit PDF Editor icon
    Foxit PDF Editor

    Comprehensive suite offering eSign, OCR, multi-platform editing, cloud integration, and robust security. Ideal for professional or personal use, facilitating collaboration while protecting content.

    https://www.foxit.com
    Learn More
  6. PDFgear icon

    PDFgear

     54 likes
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    Read, edit, convert, merge, and sign PDF files across devices, for completely free and without signing up.

    44 PDFgear alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    PDFgear screenshot 1
     
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    3
    10
    Comments about PDFgear as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC
    Shaz Shah
    Positive
    0

    It does an excellent job of converting my M$ docs. The OCR capabilities are really good and the ability to arrange pages (including splitting and merging with other PDFs) is another bonus. The install is lightweight in comparison to Adobe Acrobat and I've not had any stability issues... yet

    Ahmed Gamal
    Negative
    0

    The app does not support the Arabic language.

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

    Faster. No pop-ups trying to sell add ons.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Acrobat DC Icon
    PDFgear icon

    • Almost everyone thinks PDFgear is a great Adobe Acrobat DC alternative.

    • PDFgear is the most popular Web-based, Android & Android Tablet alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC.

    • PDFgear is Free and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat DC is Paid and Proprietary
    • PDFgear is LightweightAdobe Acrobat DC is not according to our users
  7. Stirling-PDF icon

    Stirling-PDF

     48 likes
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    locally hosted web application that allows you to perform various operations on PDF files.

    83 Stirling-PDF alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker Hub
    • Cloudron
    Stirling-PDF screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Comments about Stirling-PDF as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC
    KimiBCN
    Negative
    0

    It lacks many features and has bugs. The PDF open button sometimes disappears.

    Adobe Acrobat DC Icon
    Stirling-PDF icon

    • Stirling-PDF is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC.

    • Stirling-PDF is the most popular Open Source alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC.

    • Stirling-PDF is Freemium and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat DC is Paid and Proprietary
    • Stirling-PDF is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat DC is not according to our users
  8. PDF Expert icon

    PDF Expert

     37 likes
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    Read, annotate, and highlight PDFs, fill interactive forms with saved input, underline or strike through text, manage bookmarks, sync files from cloud services, and share documents. Compatible with Preview and Adobe Acrobat annotations, supporting extensive iOS features.

    126 PDF Expert alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once or Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    PDF Expert screenshot 1
     
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    18
  10. Smallpdf icon

    Smallpdf

     58 likes
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    Smallpdf is the first PDF Software you will actually like. The perfect gateway to productive, portable and cost-efficient document management solutions in your everyday life.

    172 Smallpdf alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Android Tablet
    Desktop app home
     
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    16

    • Most users think Smallpdf is a great Adobe Acrobat DC alternative.

    • Smallpdf is the most popular SaaS alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC.

    • Smallpdf is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat DC is Paid and Proprietary
    • Smallpdf is LightweightAdobe Acrobat DC is not according to our users
  11. Foxit PDF Editor icon

    Foxit PDF Editor

     6 likes
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    Comprehensive suite offering eSign, OCR, multi-platform editing, cloud integration, and robust security. Ideal for professional or personal use, facilitating collaboration while protecting content.

    51 Foxit PDF Editor alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Foxit PDF Editor screenshot 1
     
  12. Qoppa PDF Studio icon

    Qoppa PDF Studio

     82 likes
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    Create, Convert, Review and Edit PDF Documents on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

    170 Qoppa PDF Studio alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    Annotate
     
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    2
    Comments about Qoppa PDF Studio as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC
    bunnyhero
    Positive
    0

    Much easier than Acrobat for advanced features.

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    It does most of the things DC does. It doesn't look good on 4K I'm afraid.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Acrobat DC Icon
    Qoppa PDF Studio icon
    • Qoppa PDF Studio is Paid and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat DC is also Paid and Proprietary
    • Qoppa PDF Studio is LightweightAdobe Acrobat DC is not according to our users
  13. 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 DC
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    I love Sioyek because it has blazingly fast update time when a pdf modified. very suitable for latex with (n)vim/emacs user.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Acrobat DC Icon
    Sioyek icon
    • Sioyek is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat DC is Paid and Proprietary
    • Sioyek is LightweightAdobe Acrobat DC is not according to our users
  14. Wondershare PDFelement icon

    Wondershare PDFelement

     10 likes
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    Provides editing of text, images, and objects in PDFs, annotation options, OCR for scanned files, conversion to multiple formats, form filling and signing, page management, merging and splitting, cloud integration, camera to PDF functionality, and sharing tools.

    129 Wondershare PDFelement alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once or Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Wondershare PDFelement screenshot 1
    Promotion 😀

    Get a 20% discount on PDFelement with AlternativeTo, use code SAFWSPDF

     
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    7
  15. 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.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • GNOME
    • Flatpak
    A clear, simple Ul
     
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    1
    Comments about Papers as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC
    Shaz Shah
    Negative
    0

    It's not a PDF editor, but a really nice looking viewer/reader.

    Adobe Acrobat DC Icon
    Papers icon
    • Papers is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat DC is Paid and Proprietary
    • Papers is Privacy focused and LightweightAdobe Acrobat DC is not according to our users
12 of 61 Adobe Acrobat DC alternatives