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

Adobe Acrobat Reader is described as 'View, annotate, and collaborate on PDFs, utilize cloud storage and freehand tools. Upgrade for editing and converting to other formats' and is a very popular PDF Reader in the office & productivity category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Reader for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Web-based, Linux, Mac and Android apps. The best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative is SumatraPDF, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Adobe Acrobat Reader are Okular, Foxit PDF Reader, Evince and Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js).

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Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives are mainly PDF Readers, but if you're looking for PDF Editors or Ebook Readers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Windows, Linux, Windows + Open Source, Android + Open Source, Free and Android. 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

     1663 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

     478 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. Foxit PDF Reader icon

    Foxit PDF Reader

     1374 likes
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    Foxit Reader offers a lightweight PDF viewing experience across multiple platforms with features such as annotation, form filling, signing, cloud storage integration, collaborative review options, heightened security via Trust Manager, and organizational tools like Group Policy and XML Configuration.

    119 Foxit PDF Reader alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Bundleware

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • ReactOS
    Foxit PDF Reader screenshot 1
     
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    14
    208
    Comments about Foxit PDF Reader as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Comment summary: Foxit PDF Reader is favored for its strong annotation tools, ease of use, and customizable interface. Users note its effective performance on Linux systems, particularly in comparison to Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is outdated on this platform. Foxit also receives praise for its ability to print in booklet format and create fillable forms. While it offers a wide range of features, some users find its user interface outdated compared to Adobe, yet find it a reliable choice for comprehensive PDF viewing.
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    4

    This one has the ability to mark PDFs for highlighting books and etc.

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

    In Linux Mint, Foxit is better than Adobe Reader. The version of Adobe Reader for Linux is very old and out of date (and thus may be a security risk) and does not support annotating / commenting on PDF files. Foxit supports commenting / annotating very well with a lot of tools to do various types of anotations. It also opens and displays PDF files very well. So Foxit is not only an alternative to, but better than Adobe, in Linux at least.

    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Better than SumatraPDF because of Form field.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 14 comments
    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    Foxit PDF Reader icon

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

    • Foxit PDF Reader is the most popular Mac alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

    • Foxit PDF Reader is Free Personal and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
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    iTop PDF icon
    iTop PDF

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  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. ONLYOFFICE icon

    ONLYOFFICE

     631 likes
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    Open-source office suite offering document, spreadsheet, and presentation editing with co-editing modes, plugin support, integration across 30+ services, robust security, and mobile access. Available in Community, Enterprise, and Home Server editions for versatile deployment.

    71 ONLYOFFICE alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • AppImageHub
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Samsung Galaxy Store
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flatpak
    • Cloudron
    ONLYOFFICE screenshot 1
     

    • ONLYOFFICE is the most popular Web-based, Android, iPhone, iPad, SaaS, Android Tablet & Self-Hosted alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

    • ONLYOFFICE is Free Personal and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
    • ONLYOFFICE is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
  10. 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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    2
    39
    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.

    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 Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
  11. Xournal++ icon

    Xournal++

     183 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
     
  12. PDFgear icon

    PDFgear

     55 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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    1
    Comments about PDFgear as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    malcmerlyn
    Negative
    0

    Doesn't show my RPG PDF bookmarks

    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    PDFgear icon

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

    • PDFgear is Free and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
  13. Xodo icon

    Xodo

     71 likes
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    Xodo is the ultimate cross-platform PDF viewer and annotator. Powerful, fast, and optimized for all phones and tablets, Xodo makes it easy to access, edit, share, sync, manage, sign, and more.

    115 Xodo alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    Xodo screenshot 1
     
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    5
    20
    Comments about Xodo as an Alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Top Positive Comment
    Steven
    0

    It's a free pdf viewer/editior that has all the features that most people use Adobe Reader for. More stable. More secure. The interface feels cleaner to me.

    malcmerlyn
    Positive
    0

    Contrary to what has been written by guest, the app isn't totally free anymore. You should pay a subscription for several features like exporting non-watermarked PDF to your drive service

    Guest
    Positive
    -2

    Completely free, clutter-free interface, and easy to use.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 5 comments
    Adobe Acrobat Reader Icon
    Xodo icon

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

    • Xodo is the most popular commercial alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

    • Xodo is Paid and ProprietaryAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
  14. 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
     
  15. 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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    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
12 of 108 Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives