Though they’re over 25 years previous, PDFs are nonetheless one of many essential sorts of paperwork on the web. Whether or not you’re attempting to entry your W-2, a contract, or an e-book, it’ll in all probability be within the type of a PDF. However to view these necessary paperwork, you have to obtain a PDF reader in your pc.
There are a whole bunch of PDF readers and a few can value you virtually a thousand {dollars} per 12 months, so we sifted by the web to search out the perfect free PDF readers which you can obtain on-line.
Beneath, we created an inventory of 15 of the perfect free PDF readers whose capabilities vary from solely viewing PDFs to creating, enhancing, and securing them.
The 15 Greatest Free PDF Readers
The 5 Greatest Free PDF Readers for Home windows and Mac
1. Foxit Reader
Foxit Reader is just like the Google Docs of PDF readers. You may create, share, and safe your PDFs all on the cloud. To create PDFs, you possibly can add scans, convert Phrase paperwork, PowerPoint displays, and Excel sheets, and even mix a number of PDFs into a brand new file.
If you wish to collaborate with somebody on a PDF, you possibly can grant and revoke doc entry, observe who opens your doc and examine their exercise, edit, remark, and in addition notify readers about new updates to your PDF.
What We Like
Foxit reader additionally gives a number of safety choices to maintain your PDFs protected and personal, like passwords, digital signatures, and encryption. In case you create PDFs repeatedly on your job and want a method to collaborate on the identical file, Foxit could be an excellent possibility.
2. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Adobe’s free PDF reader, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, connects to the Adobe Doc cloud and different cloud storage techniques like Field, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive, letting you open, view, share, and touch upon PDFs from anyplace and on any system you need.
What We Like
Acrobat Reader DC coolest characteristic is that it could possibly learn textual content out loud, guiding you alongside any doc that’s difficult to learn. Adobe’s free PDF reader is nice for any busy skilled who must annotate PDFs on the go or on their commute.
3. Javelin PDF Reader
Javelin PDF Reader is a simple PDF reader that permits you to launch and print commonplace and encrypted PDFs, annotate them, and bookmark them. Since its obtain measurement is 2 MB and it doesn’t have additional options like enhancing, the PDF reader is quick with a easy and clear person interface. If you wish to learn and take notes on PDFs shortly, Javelin might be the PDF reader for you.
What We Like
Though fundamental in comparison with powerhouse Adobe, if you wish to learn and take notes on PDFs shortly, Javelin might be the PDF reader for you.
4. Google Drive
Google Drive is probably the most accessible PDF converter and PDF storage system. On the platform, you possibly can convert any of your paperwork, displays, and sheets into PDF recordsdata and add any PDFs to it on your personal viewing functions. In case your solely use for PDFs is viewing them or changing recordsdata into them, Google Drive is the best choice for you.
What We Like
Google Drive permits groups to share paperwork and collaborate seamlessly because of a user-friendly interface and intuitive design.
5. Your Internet Browser
Internet browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari all have built-in PDF readers. To view a PDF in your browser, all it’s important to do is click on on the PDF hyperlink. You can even open PDF recordsdata which are already saved in your pc by dragging them to an open tab in your browser.
Further options included in most browsers’ PDF readers: rotate, obtain, print, and modify textual content measurement.
What We Like
Essentially the most accessible possibility on this listing, net browser readers make it simple to open, learn, modify PDFs. In case you don’t have to convert recordsdata into PDFs and also you solely have to view PDFs, you don’t have to obtain a PDF reader. You may simply use your net browser.
The 5 Greatest Free PDF Readers for Home windows
1. Nitro Reader
Nitro Reader has a popularity for putting an excellent steadiness between usability and superior options. The platform has an intuitive and slick interface, however you even have entry to all kinds of instruments to create, assessment, safe, and share PDF recordsdata. To create new PDFs, all it’s important to do is drag and drop your paperwork into the reader. Then, you possibly can design your PDF draft with customized colours, font embedding, and orientation.
If you wish to assessment a doc, the PDF reader’s assessment pane helps you edit, remark, and tackle suggestions. In case you’re a PDF energy person, Nitro Reader might be your only option.
What We Like
To safe your PDF recordsdata, Nitro Reader makes use of QuickSign to password-protect and signal your paperwork. Sharing paperwork can be easy and safe — you possibly can share paperwork with anybody because the PDFs you create in Nitro Reader are suitable with virtually each different PDF reader.
2. PDF-XChange Editor
PDF-XChange Editor is among the extra strong free PDF readers on the market. You may create, view, add notes, file and fix audio, spotlight textual content, connect recordsdata, strikethrough phrases, and add signatures. If you have to create, edit, and share PDFs at work lots, PDF-XChange Editor might be the PDF reader for you.
What We Like
The PDF reader’s coolest characteristic is its Optical Character Recognition instrument — it could possibly scan printed paperwork and convert the textual content right into a searchable doc.
3. MuPDF
MuPDF is a regular PDF reader for viewing and enhancing PDF recordsdata. You may fill out textual content kinds, annotate paperwork, and use it to transform PDF recordsdata into different file varieties like HTML, SVG, and CBZ. You can even write scripts in Javascript to change your paperwork.
What We Like
If you would like a low-memory PDF reader which you can simply edit and examine recordsdata on, MuPDF is your only option.
4. SumatraPDF
Though SumatraPDF lacks some superior options like annotation, doc signing, and form-filling, Sumatra PDF gives an intuitive and quick studying expertise — it has a number of viewing modes like single web page, e-book, and presentation and shortcuts that show you how to navigate any PDF file. In case you simply have to learn PDFs for work, think about using SumatraPDF.
What We Like
The number of Sumatra PDF’s viewing modes make it simple for customers to shortly entry and browse the knowledge they’re searching for.
5. Slim PDF
Slim PDF is among the smallest PDF readers on the earth, taking on simply 15 MB of area in your pc. Regardless of its tiny measurement, this free PDF reader comes with a whole lot of superior options that complement core functionalities corresponding to these permitting you to print, search, zoom and rotate PDF recordsdata.
It’s obtainable for Home windows, Mac, and Linux.
What We Like
Slim PDF is small however mighty. If you’re searching for an answer that strikes the right steadiness between being light-weight and highly effective, Slim PDF is a superb selection.
The 5 Greatest Free PDF Readers for Mac
1. PDF Reader Premium
With over 50 million downloads, PDF Reader Premium is among the hottest PDF readers for Apple Units. It has highly effective performance that permits you to view your PDF in a number of tabs, annotate your doc with photos and sticky notes, arrange your recordsdata with tags, signal signatures and fill out kinds in your PDF, and retailer and switch PDFs by quite a lot of cloud providers. Anybody who often makes use of PDFs for work ought to contemplate downloading PDF Reader Premium.
What We Like
Along with enhancing and signature capabilities, PDF Reader Premium makes it simple to export paperwork to quite a lot of codecs like JPG and DOCX.
2. Preview
Though Preview is the pre-installed PDF reader on each Mac, it’s extra highly effective than you assume. On Preview, you possibly can view and annotate your paperwork, mix paperwork, fill out and signal kinds, edit photos, share recordsdata, and even export a password protected PDF, if there’s delicate info in your doc. Preview is the only option for somebody who needs to make use of one PDF reader for private {and professional} issues.
What We Like
Preview is the only option for somebody who needs to make use of one PDF reader for private {and professional} issues.
3. Skim
Skim is a PDF reader that was initially designed to assist lecturers learn and annotate scientific papers in PDF format, however they’ve now improved their performance to let anybody view any kind of PDF file on the reader. On Skim, you possibly can spotlight textual content, take notes, take snapshots, export notes as textual content, and combine with third get together apps like BibDesk, a bibliography supervisor.
What We Like
Designed with lecturers in thoughts, Skim’s annotation and markup options put it above the competitors.
4. Soda PDF
Soda PDF is among the greatest PDF readers for studying visible paperwork like digital catalogs, magazines, and comedian books — you possibly can even view recordsdata in 3D. The app additionally enables you to create and edit PDFs from scratch. Soda PDF sells a web-based PDF platform too, in order that they drive demand for it by providing free PDF instruments on their web site like convert to PDF, convert from PDF, merge, break up, & compress, signal & safe, and insert components like watermarks and web page numbering. You need to use these on-line instruments as a proxy for a downloadable PDF reader if you wish to save area in your pc.
What We Like
Having each a web-based app and desktop model offers customers the pliability to learn PDFs on any system.
5. Wondershare
Whereas Wondershare is not utterly free, it does supply a free trial. Nevertheless this can be an excellent possibility for somebody who wants a pdf editor for one-off tasks.
With Wondershare PDFelement, you cannot solely edit paperwork and convert them to PDFs, nevertheless it additionally permits for digital signatures, watermarks, and makes it simple to create kinds.
What We Like
Wondershare’s free model provides a strong assortment of options and performance customers usually would wish to pay for.
Edit PDFs With Ease
PDF enhancing software program is a should for companies and professionals. Having the best PDF editor can help your group with collaboration and file administration.
This text was initially printed in August 2018 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
