Mac; Gaming; MakeUseOf. 6 Light Alternatives to Open Office and PDF Files. Joe Keeley February 20, 2015 4. Alternatives to Adobe Reader. PDF saw the light of day in 1993 and the format is still going strong, used to display documents across all systems. Designed by Adobe, the format became an open standard in 2008. Bluebeam Revu keeps teams on the same page through the design process, helps move the project forward during construction, and preserves important project data through completion and beyond. See How it Works. See what Revu can do for your project team. BLUEBEAM REVU FOR MAC 2.0. If you’re still using Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDF documents, it’s time for you to move on. It’s one of the most notorious programs to ever exist because it hits the trifecta of poor user experience: slow to launch, bloated and unnecessary features, and too many security vulnerabilities. Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about PDF Reader Pro-Lite Edition. Download PDF Reader Pro-Lite Edition for macOS 10.10 or later and enjoy it on your Mac.
Adobe's free PDF reader has long been a standard for handling its extremely popular document format, but you aren't limited to using it to view your PDF files. Let's take a look at five of the most popular PDF readers.
Original image by iowa spirit walker.
Last week we asked you to share your favorite PDF reader, and now we're back to share the results.
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Best PDF Reader?
PDFs have become quite a mainstay in the document world, with a plethora of readers having cropped…
Read more ReadAdobe Pdf Reader For Mac
A note about pricing: Every basic package offered by the companies included in today's Hive is free. Among those offering paid upgrades, we selected the upgrade directly above the basic package for our price inclusion. Make sure to check out the company sites for additional information and to see which, if any, of the upgrades is necessary for your needs.
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The test document we used is the D*I*Y Planner 3.0 Handbook, an excellent resource of organization-related printouts.
Sumatra PDF (Windows, Free)
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Sumatra PDF is an ultra-lightweight and open-source portable application. The emphasis with Sumatra PDF is not on the number of features and the wide-ranging abilities of the application, but instead on speed. It loads almost instantly, renders pages extremely quickly, and thanks to a huge number of keyboard shortcuts, you can zip through nearly any document with ease. Sumatra PDF, thanks to a lack of frills and extraneous features, is a great candidate for a portable drive or for in-browser use for someone who wants quick-loading PDF files without the lag caused by features they won't ever use.
Preview (Mac, Free)
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Preview is Apple's free PDF viewer, built into OS X. It's no mystery many Mac users have no need to step beyond the built-in tool. Preview has quite a few features often only found in commercial PDF software, like the ability to drag and drop pages between documents, page extraction, encryption, and text annotation. In addition to viewing PDF files, Preview can display over two dozen other file formats, making it quite a versatile little viewer.
Foxit (Windows/Linux, Basic: Free/Pro Pack: $39.99)
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Foxit is a polished Acrobat-alternative that, on top of cleanly displaying PDF files with a minimal interface, also has a host of handy features—all packed into a lightweight 6MB package. Foxit loads immediately, without any splash page or lag from plug-ins loading. Reading PDFs is just as snappy, and in-text pictures and charts render quickly. When filling out PDF forms, you can save your progress in the form and return later to finish filling it out. While both the free and the Pro version allow you to annotate text, insert graphics and drawings, and insert links, the free version adds a Foxit stamp on each page you annotate; the pro version removes the marking. Foxit is available as a portable application.
Adobe Acrobat (Windows/Mac/Linux, Basic: Free/Pro: $299)
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Adobe Reader is Adobe's default offering for viewing PDFs. Acrobat enjoys widespread popularity as a result of being offered by the company that created the PDF. For light PDF users, it's a more than adequate tool, although frequent users may seek to try a lighter alternative to get rid of the long load times and the lag that can occur when Acrobat loads within a web browser pane. You can attach sticky notes to pages and highlight text for your own review. More advanced features, like PDF creation, saving PDFs in other formats, and the ability to merge PDF files, are only available with an upgrade to Acrobat Standard for $299.
PDF-XChange (Windows, Basic: Free/Pro: $34)
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PDF-XChange is another Adobe-alternative in today's Hive that boasts snappy load times and basic functionality that outpaces the basic functionality of Adobe Reader. With PDF-XChange you can open and browse PDF documents, perform simple page annotations with drawings and text, and type outside of preset form boxes by using the PDF-XChange typewriter tool to place text wherever you want. Advanced features like reorganizing pages and text extraction are only available with the Pro upgrade. PDF-Xchange is available as a portable application.
Now that you've had a chance to look over the candidates—and hopefully get a chance to test them out, since so many are conveniently portable!—it's time to cast your vote in the poll below:
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Which PDF Viewer is Best?(survey software)
Love a PDF application that didn't make the cut? Have a trick for making Adobe Acrobat load faster? Share your PDF tips and tricks in the comments.
![Light Light](/uploads/1/2/6/5/126519454/559505060.jpg)
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Adobe Pdf Reader For Mac
If you’re still using Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDF documents, it’s time for you to move on. It’s one of the most notorious programs to ever exist because it hits the trifecta of poor user experience: slow to launch, bloated and unnecessary features, and too many security vulnerabilities.
With so many alternatives available, there’s no reason to keep using Adobe ReaderThis Is Why You Don't Need Adobe ReaderThis Is Why You Don't Need Adobe ReaderAdobe Reader is bloated, slow, and a liability. In short, it's unnecessary. Do you need a PDF Reader at all? We show you how to open PDF files without Adobe Reader.Read More. In fact, most modern systems come loaded with apps that can read PDFs, and if you don’t have one, then you can always rely on your web browser. These days, browser-based PDF readers are more than good enoughPDF Reader vs. Browser: Which PDF Viewer Is Best for You?PDF Reader vs. Browser: Which PDF Viewer Is Best for You?A PDF reader is often one of the first tools people install on their new computer. It's not glamorous or sexy, but it's a vital tool in your productivity arsenal. Or is it?Read More if all you need is the ability to read (not edit).
That said, it’s still smart to keep a lightweight PDF reader on your system. Get rid of Adobe Reader and start using one of these alternatives instead. You’ll wonder how you ever lasted this long on the worst PDF reader known to man.
1. Sumatra PDF
Supported Formats: CBR, CBZ, CHM, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, XPS
Sumatra PDF is the best option for lightweight PDF reading. There’s simply no contest. It’s been around for more than a decade and it’s still actively developed. I’ve used it as my primary PDF reader for close to five years and I’ve never once considered looking for a replacement.
It has three main advantages that put it above all others. First, the executable file is under 7 MB, which is remarkable compared to the 150+ MB of a bloated app like Adobe Reader. Second, it’s lightning fast, and loads even large PDF files in the blink of an eye. Third, the interface is extremely minimal as to maximize screen estate. This is wonderful for smaller-screen devices.
And it comes in both portable and installable versions. It’s tiny enough to carry around on a USB flash drive of any size and you’ll be able to read PDFs anywhere you go.
Download — Sumatra PDF (Free)
2. SlimPDF Reader
Solidworks reader for mac. Supported Formats: PDF
SlimPDF Reader is very much like Sumatra PDF in many ways. They have the same goals as far as design and intention, and the differences between them are rather minor. Long story short, these two apps are your best bet for lightweight PDF reading, and you should try both of them to see which one feels better to you.
One thing you’ll notice right away is its minuscule size. Adobe pdf reader for mac. Whereas Sumatra PDF’s executable comes in at around 7 MB, SlimPDF Reader’s full installation doesn’t even take up 5 MB. Of course we’re talking pennies in the grand scheme of modern terabyte-sized hard drives, but tiny apps like this are so rare that it’s impressive to see.
Its only major drawback is the lack of a portable version, which usually wouldn’t be an issue worth mentioning, except portability is a big reason to use a lightweight app over a full-featured alternative, and that’s certainly true for PDF readers.
Download — SlimPDF Reader (Free)
3. PDF-XChange Viewer
Supported Formats: PDF
PDF-XChange Viewer has actually been discontinued, with all of its features having been ported over and included in PDF-XChange Editor. However, you can still download the latest version of PDF-XChange Viewer and use it as a lightweight PDF reader. Just don’t expect any updates.
Why use this app when Sumatra PDF and SlimPDF Reader already exist? Because PDF-XChange Viewer doesn’t aim to be a super-lightweight or barebones. It’s a middle-of-the-road solution: reasonable install size and fast performance, but packed with nifty features like tabbed browsing, OCR for images, comments and annotations, encryption and passwords, bookmarks, and more.
PDF-XChange Viewer is available in several installation formats as well as a portable version, which comes in at just over 21 MB. If you can get over the outdated interface, this is the best choice for when you need a compromise between speed, size, and features.
Download — PDF-XChange Viewer (Free)
4. MuPDF
Supported Formats: CBZ, EPUB, PDF, XPS
MuPDF is so lightweight that it doesn’t even have a graphical interface — you have to launch it from the command line using mupdf [path-to-file.pdf] and certain options can only be set using launch parameters (for example, -p [password] to open password-protected documents).
It’s not for everyone, but it’s excellent for command line fanatics and veterans.
Once a PDF document is opened, all navigation is done using keyboard shortcuts. Check the MuPDF user manual to see what those shortcuts are. It’s actually quite productive if you can get over the initial learning curve. Notable features include transparency, annotations, encryption, searching, and more. Plus it’s open source, so you can extend it yourself if you wish.
One other aspect to note is that MuPDF is specifically tailored for PDF fidelity. It is the most faithful when it comes to PDFs with high-resolution, anti-aliased graphics. Of course this only matters if you have high-quality PDF documents to begin with, but if you do, then you’ll notice the difference.
Download — MuPDF (Free)
What Do You Use to Read PDFs?
If these apps are perhaps too lightweight for you, or if you’ve decided that a lightweight reader isn’t exactly what you need, then we recommend checking out these excellent PDF readers for Windows. And why stop there? Consider installing a lightweight alternative for reading Office files6 Light Alternatives to Open Office and PDF Files6 Light Alternatives to Open Office and PDF FilesDon't clog your system down with superfluous bulk. For the occasional viewing of PDF and Office files, you can use compact apps and you might not need any additional software at all.Read More, too.
Note that you can do more than just “read” PDFsHow to Edit, Combine, and Sign a PDF File for FreeHow to Edit, Combine, and Sign a PDF File for FreeWe show you how to split, merge, downsize, and do all kinds of magic with PDF files. Read on if you're ready to take your PDF documents to the next level!Read More. There are tools out there for extracting images from PDF documents5 Tools to Extract Images From PDF Files5 Tools to Extract Images From PDF FilesSometimes you need to extract images from PDF file and use them in Word documents, web pages, and PowerPoint presentations. Keep these five tools close for the job.Read More and several ways to reduce or compress PDF filesHow to Compress a PDF, Reduce the File Size, and Make It SmallerHow to Compress a PDF, Reduce the File Size, and Make It SmallerThis guide covers how to make a PDF smaller using simple programs and tools.Read More, for example. Using a lightweight PDF reader is only the first step to mastering a productive PDF workflow.
So what’s your favorite way to read PDFs: in browser or with a dedicated app? Are there any good alternatives, tips, or tricks that we missed? Let us know in a comment below!
Image Credit: Africa Studio via Shutterstock.com
Explore more about: Adobe Reader, Digital Document, PDF.
- I do really think Adobe is a great and professional PDF product, but it is expensive and most of its features need to pay, which means I can use nothing but just read PDF with it. So I would much appreciate LightPDF, a free online PDF tool, which is a fair alternative and is light as its name implies. People should try this. It is really great.
- I dislike Adobe Reader, not because of speed--it's much faster than any alternative I've tried. It is bloated and always wants to connect to the internet. Too many features and no way to clean up the screen of extra menus and toolbars etc.Irfanview works and lets me crop pages. However, it renders so slowly, I only use it when I want to take advantage of cropping.
- I've been using Foxit for many years and find it efficient and lightweight. Editor etc. can also be downloaded and are basically good to use.
- Also edge browser supports built in read aloud option for best alike audio books
- The best free rss reader for mac. I prefer Sumatra
- Xodo PDF reader is the best reader for me. It is available on windows store.
- Xodo PDF reader is the best. It is available in Windows store.
- Excellent choice - PDF-XChnage Editor/ The new version is better Abode
- On phones and tablets: with the 1 or 2 or 3 PDF viewer apps that you already have - that the device came with or was installed as part of Google's apps, or what have you. The Adobe Reader app? I know it exists, I installed it once several years ago on a tablet when I wanted to give it a shot. But..
- I have tried Sumatra PDF and confirm it is light and simple to use. Also used PDF-Xchange - they have a good range of PDF products ( if a little confusing distinguishing the different products) - we use the
paid editor product and find it good for editing PDFs. Haven't tried the others so can't comment on them - Hi Joel
I 'm using pdf xchange viewer because I wanted some app able to preview pdf files within windows 10 explorer as thumbnails in view panel and it does the job well .