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, Android, Windows + Open Source, PDF Editor and Windows + 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 Reader.

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Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives page was last updated Feb 17, 2026

SumatraPDF
1678 likes
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.
117 SumatraPDF alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application types
PDF Reader
Ebook Reader
Origin
Poland
EU
Platforms
Windows
+3
Is SumatraPDF a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

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36comments
SumatraPDF vs Adobe Acrobat Reader Comments

Top Positive Comment
Atoshi
Nov 14, 2016
13
It's nowhere as vulnerable to attacks as Adobe Reader, doesn't execute embedded JS, and renders documents blazingly fast
Top Negative Comment
Guest
Nov 19, 2019
48
Sumatra does not support editing forms and adding annotations.
Review by a new / low-activity user.
Ramzi M
Positive commentFeb 17, 2026
0
For me it is the best alternative to Acrobat Reader. Very light no fuss software that allows you to work on PDF files.
Review by a new / low-activity user.
3 of 36 comments
SumatraPDF is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
SumatraPDF is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
Okular
491 likes
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.
123 Okular alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application types
PDF Reader
Ebook Reader
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Windows
Linux
BSD
KDE Plasma
Snapcraft
Linux Mobile
Flathub
Haiku
+2
Is Okular a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

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12comments
Okular vs Adobe Acrobat Reader Comments

Top Positive Comment
karlossss1996
Oct 20, 2019
4
It's very fast free pdf reader with some useful editing functions.
Top Negative Comment
Notiz_Me
Mar 16, 2021
1
Doesn't have the ability to print in booklet format.
bam121944
Positive commentFeb 6, 2026
0
I like to manage pdfs as well as read them
3 of 12 comments
Okular is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
Okular is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
Evince
462 likes
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.
124 Evince alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application types
PDF Reader
Ebook Reader
Origin
United States
Platforms
Linux
PortableApps.com
Flathub
GNOME
+3
Is Evince a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

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5comments
Evince vs Adobe Acrobat Reader Comments

Top Positive Comment
Jatan Mehta
Jan 4, 2019
3
Fast and simple. Allows images to be saved from the right-click context menu.
guoiewbvc923
Positive commentAug 29, 2024
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 commentApr 10, 2023
0
Free, easy-to-use interface. Easily edit files.
3 of 5 comments
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
Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js)
166 likes
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.
90 Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (Apache-2.0)
Application type
PDF Reader
Origin
United States
Platforms
Google Chrome
Opera
Mozilla Firefox
Is this a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

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5comments
Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) vs Adobe Acrobat Reader Comments

Top Positive Comment
ab1
Jan 6, 2024
1
It takes dozens of seconds to open a 20MB PDF on a mid-class smartphone.
Top Negative Comment
Joseph Cameron
Sep 27, 2021
-1
pdf.js cannot be used to annotate documents or fill forms.
ulahcherubim
Positive commentMar 15, 2025
1
pdf.js now supports annotating and filling forms.
3 of 5 comments
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
MuPDF
164 likes
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.
97 MuPDF alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application types
PDF Reader
Ebook Reader
Origin
United States
Platforms
Windows
Linux
Android
F-Droid
Xfce
+3
Is MuPDF a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

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3comments
MuPDF vs Adobe Acrobat Reader Comments

Pro Daddy
Negative commentNov 17, 2019
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 commentDec 25, 2025
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 commentJun 24, 2024
-4
Not available on Apple Store (Ipad 6, ios 17.5.1)
MuPDF is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
MuPDF is Privacy focusedAdobe Acrobat Reader is not according to our users
Xournal++
194 likes
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.
63 Xournal++ alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application types
Note-taking
PDF Reader
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
+1
Is Xournal++ a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?
Linwood Butterfly
43 likes
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.
49 Linwood Butterfly alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application types
Note-taking
Digital Painting
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
Self-Hosted
Snapcraft
AltStore
Flathub
F-Droid
+6
Is Linwood Butterfly a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?
Document Viewer
50 likes
Document Viewer is a highly customizable document viewer for Android, fork of the last GPL version of EBookDroid .
163 Document Viewer alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application types
PDF Reader
Ebook Reader
Origin
Germany
EU
Alerts
Discontinued
Platforms
Android
Android Tablet
F-Droid
Is Document Viewer a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

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2comments
Document Viewer vs Adobe Acrobat Reader Comments

Guest
Positive commentApr 19, 2018
3
open source, fast, lightweight, support for many formats, many available settings
Review by a new / low-activity user.
Guest
Positive commentJun 19, 2018
-1
For android smartphones, its the best choice as it is opensource and has many features.
Review by a new / low-activity user.
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
Sioyek
24 likes
Sioyek is a PDF viewer with minimal interface optimized for reading research papers and technical books.
43 Sioyek alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application type
PDF Reader
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
+2
Is Sioyek a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

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1comment
Sioyek vs Adobe Acrobat Reader Comments

Barrett
Positive commentApr 30, 2022
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.
Sioyek is Free and Open SourceAdobe Acrobat Reader is Freemium and Proprietary
MJ PDF Reader
28 likes
A totally free of cost and ads PDF documents reader.
77 MJ PDF Reader alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application type
PDF Reader
Platforms
Android
+1
Is MJ PDF Reader a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

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1comment
MJ PDF Reader vs Adobe Acrobat Reader Comments

Port5000
Positive commentSep 6, 2024
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
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
Papers
13 likes
A document viewer for the GNOME desktop. You can view, search or annotate documents in many different formats.
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application types
PDF Reader
Ebook Reader
Origin
United States
Platforms
Linux
Flathub
GNOME
Flatpak
Is Papers a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?
Secure PDF Viewer
17 likes
Simple Android PDF viewer based on pdf.js and content providers. The app doesn't require any permissions.
83 Secure PDF Viewer alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (MIT)
Application type
PDF Reader
Origin
Canada
Platforms
Android
+5
Is Secure PDF Viewer a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?

12 of 42 Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives