Best PDF Readers in 2026
Updated
In short: MuPDF is ranked #1 of 26 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Foxit PDF Reader and StarForce Reader. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Foxit PDF Reader. The lowest first paid tier on this page is KDAN PDF at $5/mo.
PDF work can involve reading, marking up, completing forms, or accessing text in other ways. Compare annotation tools and form filling with OCR support and text-to-speech to see which functions match your documents and tasks. Offline access and platform support help you consider where you can use a reader; free-plan availability and paid-from pricing provide cost context. MuPDF, Foxit PDF Reader, and StarForce Reader are among the options shown. Weigh the listed capabilities against whether you need to work without a connection, use particular platforms, or handle scanned files and forms.
26 PDF readers ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
9 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MuPDFWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $299/mo | 6.8 | |
| 2 | Foxit PDF ReaderWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 3 | StarForce ReaderWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 4 | Javelin PDF ReaderWindows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 5 | KDAN PDFWindows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $5/mo | 6.6 | |
| 6 | OkularWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 7 | LaunchpadWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 8 | EvinceLinux | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 9 | SumatraPDFWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 10 | Adobe Acrobat ReaderWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 11 | Adobe ScanAndroid · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 12 | KioskWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 13 | LiquidTextWindows · Mac | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 14 | HighlightsMac · iPhone | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 15 | Komodo PDFWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 16 | QuickTime PlayerMac | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 17 | ZathuraMac · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 18 | Aiseesoft Free PDF ViewerWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 19 | Mozilla PDF.jsWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 20 | PapersNo platforms listed | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 21 | PreviewNo platforms listed | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 22 | SkimMac | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 23 | TimeshiftLinux | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 24 | XpdfReaderWindows · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 25 | PapersLinux | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which PDF reader is ranked first on Freedom251?
MuPDF is ranked #1 of 26 with a score of 6.8. Foxit PDF Reader is second and StarForce Reader third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, KDAN PDF has the lowest first paid tier we found: $5/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.