Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data
Common reasons people leave Adobe Acrobat Reader: frequent prompts to upgrade to paid Acrobat, and heavier and slower to open than lightweight viewers. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Adobe Acrobat Reader, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Sumatra PDF currently ranks first.
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The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for most people
Sumatra PDFA tiny, fast, open-source viewer for Windows with no ads or upgrade prompts.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for a free option
OkularA free, open-source viewer with strong annotation tools that also runs on Linux.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for a free plan you can upgrade
XodoFree mobile and web viewer with annotation, plus paid editing if you need it later.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for open source
SkimA free Mac reader built for annotating and taking notes on papers.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for Mac
PDFgearFree reader that can also edit, convert and sign, with no account required.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for Windows
PDF-XChange EditorA fast Windows viewer whose free mode includes many annotation tools.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for Linux
OkularA free, open-source viewer with strong annotation tools that also runs on Linux.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for iPhone and Android
PDFgearFree reader that can also edit, convert and sign, with no account required.
Best Adobe Acrobat Reader alternative for working in the browser
PDFgearFree reader that can also edit, convert and sign, with no account required.
Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives: common questions
What is the best alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?
Sumatra PDF ranks first right now. A tiny, fast, open-source viewer for Windows with no ads or upgrade prompts. Okular and PDFgear follow it in our ranking.
Is there a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?
Yes. Sumatra PDF (open source), Okular (open source), PDFgear (free) and Xodo (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.
Is there an open-source alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader?
Yes: Sumatra PDF, Okular and Skim.
Which Adobe Acrobat Reader alternatives work on Linux?
Okular and Xodo run on Linux.
Why do people switch from Adobe Acrobat Reader?
The complaints we hear most: frequent prompts to upgrade to paid Acrobat; heavier and slower to open than lightweight viewers; cannot edit text or convert documents.
How is this list ranked?
Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Adobe Acrobat Reader, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.