If you spend a lot of time consuming information on a computer, you're likely dealing with PDF files often. Learn about some of the best PDF readers available.
PDF files have become an essential file format for document sharing, finding the right tool to read them is essential. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone who uses PDFs regularly for various needs, having a reliable and versatile PDF reader can greatly enhance your viewing and editing experience. If you find yourself pondering over which program to use, focusing on top-tier options can eliminate the hassle. Finding a PDF reader, sometimes called a PDF viewer, with a free download option will save you time and boost productivity without breaking your budget.
Here, we’ve meticulously curated a list of the five best free PDF viewers and readers available online, guaranteed to deliver seamless performance on an array of devices. From the ability to edit, annotate, and share documents to offering user-friendly interfaces, these tools provide an array of advanced features to make navigating through PDFs a smooth and enjoyable task. Diving deeper into the article, you will uncover detailed insights into each of these tools, exploring their unique features, platform availability, and how they can cater to your specific needs to elevate your PDF interaction experience.
Keep reading to discover where to download free PDF readers online today.
5 best free PDF readers for Windows and Mac
If you’re not using one of these PDF readers, you’re totally missing out. Listed below are some of the best free PDF reader apps you can find on the market, and they will make scrolling through PDFs a breeze. Some of these free PDF viewers come with additional features, sometimes free and sometimes at a cost. These include the ability to create PDFs and convert PDFs into other file types, as well as add things like sticky notes, bookmarks, watermarks, or digital signatures.
Here is the list of the best PDF readers you can find today, available for both Windows and macOS.
Foxit Reader
Foxit PDF Reader allows you to create, read, and edit PDF documents with ease. It is categorized as a freemium app, which means that it offers both free and paid subscription plans you can use.
It is available on all modern platforms, but newer versions of the app are removing old operating systems like Microsoft Windows 95. You can also use it on mobile devices, and older versions of Linux.
When it comes to features and functionalities, Foxit Reader software is one of the best options you can find. And the fact that there is a free PDF editor just makes it even more impressive.
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Acrobat Reader by Adobe, also sometimes referred to as Adobe Reader, has been a go-to app for many people across the globe. It is one of the best options you can find today, and it also offers a free version in the form of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
The initial release of Acrobat Reader was in 1993, and there have been countless improvements and additions in the past almost thirty years. Of course, this is a free version of the program, but users can explore the paid one as well.
Adobe PDF reader is easy to use, you can create, modify, and annotate PDF files, and it works great on all platforms.
Javelin PDF Reader
Javelin PDF Reader was developed by Drumlin Security Ltd. It provides all the basic functionalities you will need from a PDF viewer, and the app is free to use. There are no subscription plans, and you will get a full app when you download it.
The app is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, Chromebook, and Kindle. This means that you will have a hard time finding a device that doesn’t support it.
Javelin is easy to use, it’s fast, and it works great. The app is pretty straightforward, and it is a perfect option for those that want a simple app that doesn’t require a tutorial for you to use it.
Google Drive
What many users don’t know is that Google Drive has a PDF editor. And this is what makes it one of the most accessible apps on the list. Almost everyone has a Google account today, and using Drive is completely free.
So, all you need to do is upload the file, and Drive will be able to open PDFs for you. This app also allows you to convert other types of files into PDF, including PowerPoint presentations, documents, and excel sheets.
Google Drive also allows you to share PDF files and documents via the cloud, and it is more than useful if you plan on using more than one device. Having a chance to use Google Drive as a PDF converter is one of the best features this app has to offer.
Web browser
One of the simplest ways to view PDF files is through your browser. Most popular web browsers today like Chrome, Mozilla, and Safari have the option to open, edit text, and sign PDFs. You can open ones found on the web, or even those stored on your device.
Naturally, the main advantage is accessibility. Everyone has a web browser today, and if you want to open a file from your PC, all you need to do is drag and drop the file in the browser. It is as simple as that.
Web browsers are able to offer most functionalities you will need for reading PDFs like printing, rotating, downloading, and so on.
Improve your PDF reading experience with Speechify PDF Reader
Using text to speech or TTS technology, Speechify’s PDF Reader makes reading PDF files a breeze by reading them to you out loud. The Speechify PDF Reader is a powerful PDF tool that utilizes advanced artificial intelligence coupled with a friendly user interface that improves accessibility and multitasking. Whether you’re using Windows 10, an Android, or an iPhone, Speechify PDF Reader has unparalleled compatibility with different devices and operating systems. The app can read PDFs out loud to you in more than 50 different languages and 200 different voices. Using OCR technology, it can also read text from pictures and even non-PDF file formats like JPG, Word documents, and more.
Read PDFs and try the Speechify PDF Reader free trial today.
