The Best Open Source Foxit PDF Reader AlternativesTop PDF Readers & PDF Editors like Foxit PDF Reader

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

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Foxit PDF 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 Open Source, Linux, PDF Editor, Windows 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 Foxit PDF Reader.
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Foxit PDF Reader alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. SumatraPDF icon
     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
     
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    11
    127
    Comments about SumatraPDF as an Alternative to Foxit PDF Reader
    Comment summary: Foxit PDF Reader is praised for its flexibility in managing annotations and its clear interface, though users dislike the promotional ribbon. SumatraPDF is favored for its lightweight, open-source design, supporting multiple formats, and handling vector graphics effectively. Many users appreciate SumatraPDF for being distraction-free and stable, while a minority criticize it for being overly simplistic with limited features.
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    17

    Sumatra is a good alternative because 1) wide range of formats supported, and 2) it's open source.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    28

    Foxit can edit PDF files too. Sumatra is just a viewer.

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

    This is the best I'm aware of for now: You can remove or add annotations anytime, even after saving the document (unlike Okular). Most effectively clear interface (unlike Adobe Acrobat). Only bothering thing : the ad ribbon on the top-right for upgrading to a paid plan. BUT you get rid of it by selecting "Comment" or "View" in toolsbar and continue reading.

    Show more comments
    3 of 11 comments
    Foxit PDF Reader Icon
    SumatraPDF icon
    • Most users think SumatraPDF is a great Foxit PDF Reader alternative.

    • SumatraPDF is the most popular Windows alternative to Foxit PDF Reader.

    • SumatraPDF is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Foxit PDF Reader.

    • SumatraPDF is Free and Open SourceFoxit PDF Reader is Free Personal and Proprietary
    • SumatraPDF is Privacy focusedFoxit PDF Reader is not according to our users
  2. Okular icon
     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.

    112 Okular alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • KDE Plasma
    • Snapcraft
    • Linux Mobile
    • Flathub
    • Haiku
     
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    3
    22
    Comments about Okular as an Alternative to Foxit PDF Reader
    jadethaum
    Positive
    0

    It's good, but clunky. I'll keep looking for something a little smoother but until then it's a good move to get away from Foxit.

    Guest
    Positive
    1

    How it deals with comments is great and it's open source, on any platform I use.

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

    looks better than SumatraPDF and KDE is a respected company

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Foxit PDF Reader Icon
    Okular icon
    • Most users think Okular is a great Foxit PDF Reader alternative.

    • Okular is the most popular Linux alternative to Foxit PDF Reader.

    • Okular is Free and Open SourceFoxit PDF Reader is Free Personal and Proprietary
    • Okular is Privacy focusedFoxit PDF Reader is not according to our users
  3. Evince icon
     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
     
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    1
    18
    Comments about Evince as an Alternative to Foxit PDF Reader
    tibi97427
    Negative
    -3

    Because Evince is only for Linux

    Foxit PDF Reader Icon
    Evince icon
    • Some users think Evince is a great Foxit PDF Reader alternative, some don't.

    • Evince is Free and Open SourceFoxit PDF Reader is Free Personal and Proprietary
    • Evince is Minimalistic and Privacy focusedFoxit PDF Reader is not according to our users
  4. MuPDF icon
     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
     
  5. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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
     
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    1
    6
    Comments about Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) as an Alternative to Foxit PDF Reader
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Integrated, no bloatware, light

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Foxit PDF Reader Icon
    Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) icon
    • Some users think Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) is a great Foxit PDF Reader alternative, some don't.

    • Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) is Free and Open SourceFoxit PDF Reader is Free Personal and Proprietary
    • Firefox PDF Viewer (PDF.js) is Privacy focusedFoxit PDF Reader is not according to our users
  6. Sioyek icon
     22 likes
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    Sioyek is a PDF viewer with minimal interface optimized for reading research papers and technical books.

    37 Sioyek alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  7. xournal icon
     74 likes
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    Xournal is an application for notetaking, sketching, keeping a journal using a stylus. It is free software (GNU GPL) and runs on Linux (recent distributions), Windows and other GTK+/Gnome platforms.

    50 xournal alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  8. Papers icon
     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
     
  9. Skim icon
     92 likes
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    PDF viewer for macOS supports scientific papers, annotations, highlights, bookmarks, split view, exporting notes, AppleScript, multiple annotation types, bibliography integration, full-screen, search, and compatibility with various macOS versions.

    85 Skim alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
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