Free and open first

Best File Viewer Software in 2026

Opening unfamiliar files, checking their contents, or searching within them are common reasons to use file viewer software. The ranking compares archive, code, and office file previews alongside listed formats, maximum file size, and in-file search. Primary access, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing are also included. ViewAnyFile.app, OpenFiles, and File Viewer are among the entries at the start. Compare their listed format support and size limits with the files you need to inspect, then consider whether a particular preview type or search capability is important to you.

31 apps
Research read 23 Sept 2026
How the order is worked out

1

Bitberry File Opener

Free plan Windows

Choose Bitberry File Opener if you want one Windows desktop application for opening a broad range of file types and handling archives, images, office files, media and PDFs.

7.3 Free plan · paid from $49 Visit site
2

Geeqie

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

Geeqie offers folder-based viewing and file organization alongside metadata, search and duplicate tools.

7.3 Free plan Visit site
3

Evince

Free plan Linux

Evince covers document viewing, form filling and PDF annotation on Linux, with support for several formats and SyncTeX.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
4

FastStone Image Viewer
by FastStone Image Viewer
Free plan Windows

FastStone Image Viewer brings image editing, collection handling, scanning, and slideshow tools into a Windows application.

7.2 Free plan · paid from $34.95 Visit site
5

HFSExplorer

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

HFSExplorer can browse and extract from a range of Mac-formatted disks and images, but it does not write to them.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
6

nomacs

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

nomacs combines image browsing, basic adjustments, and comparison tools without a usage fee. Check the available build's format support and system compatibility before relying on it.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
7

File Viewer for Android

Free plan Android

File Viewer for Android brings file browsing, format support, and several document and archive tools into one app.

7.1 Free plan Visit site
8

Okular

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

Choose Okular for a free, open-source viewer with broad document-format support, annotation tools and PDF signature features. Look elsewhere if OCR is required, since Okular does not support it.

7.1 Free plan Visit site
9

File Viewer

Free plan Self-hostedWeb

File Viewer offers broad preview coverage and multiple integration options, including self-hosted deployment.

7.0 Open source Visit site
10

FreeFileViewer

Free plan Windows

FreeFileViewer covers a broad range of file types on Windows and can display unknown files as hexadecimal data.

7.0 Free plan Visit site
11

Universal File Opener

Free plan AndroidLinuxSelf-hosted+2

Universal File Opener offers offline file viewing across Android and Windows, with free reading for supported files.

7.0 Free plan · paid from $29.99 Visit site
12

ViewAnyFile.app

Free plan AndroidiPhoneLinux+3

ViewAnyFile.app combines broad file viewing and conversion with browser-based editing and offline support.

7.0 Free plan Visit site
13

IrfanView
by IrfanView
Free plan Windows

IrfanView combines image viewing with a broad set of editing and file-processing tools for Windows. Private users can use it free, but commercial users must obtain a license.

6.9 Free plan · paid from $18 Visit site
14

OmniViewer

Free plan LinuxMacWeb+1

OmniViewer combines file inspection and format-specific tools in a browser, with local processing and offline use after loading.

6.9 Free plan Visit site
15

OpenFiles

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

Choose OpenFiles if you want a desktop workspace that combines file navigation, previews, editing, conversion, and AI assistance across many formats.

6.8 Free plan Visit site
16

Gander

Free plan Android

Gander covers a wide range of viewing needs while keeping file rendering on the device, according to its maker.

6.7 Open source Visit site
17

SumatraPDF

Free plan Windows

SumatraPDF covers a wide range of reading formats and PDF tasks at no cost. Its Windows-only availability and the stated crash-report behavior are worth considering before choosing it.

6.6 Free plan Visit site
18

Universal Viewer

Free plan Windows

Choose Universal Viewer if you want a Windows desktop viewer for many file types, especially if large text files or extensive image and media format support matter.

6.5 Free plan · paid from $26 · 15-day trial Visit site
19

Ultra File Opener

Free plan Windows

Ultra File Opener combines broad file viewing with archive extraction, basic text editing, conversion, printing, and incomplete-download tools.

6.3 Free plan Visit site
20

File Viewer Plus

Free trial AndroidWindows

File Viewer Plus combines broad format coverage with editing, conversion, archive browsing, and command-line access.

6.1 From €22/user/yr · 14-day trial Visit site
21

File Magic

Free trial Windows

File Magic focuses on broad file viewing, with photo editing and sharing included.

6.0 From $39.97/yr Visit site
22

Quick View Plus

Free trial APIWebWindows

Quick View Plus combines browser document viewing with hidden-content inspection, annotations, redaction, and production output.

5.9 From $99/yr Visit site
23

XnView MP

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

5.7 Free plan · paid from €29 Visit site
24

Polaris Viewer Plus

Paid AndroidiPhoneMac+2

Polaris Viewer Plus focuses on viewing and annotating original documents, with tabbed access and several document-specific features.

5.6 Free plan · 7-day trial Visit site
25

Seer

Free trial Windows

Seer provides fast, broad file previews with search and copying tools for Windows.

5.5 From $15.99 Visit site

#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price

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