Best Free PDF Readers in 2026: Upsells, Platforms and Sign-In Compared
Seven free readers compared on sign-in, the paid editor each one pushes, and the systems it runs on.
SumatraPDF is the free reader to pick on Windows: its homepage says it has no ads, no bundled software and no subscription. On a Mac, Apple Preview is free from its App Store listing and covers forms, signatures and page tools. If one reader has to run on Windows, Mac, phones and the web, Adobe Acrobat Reader covers all four for free, although its page sells Acrobat Pro as a paid upgrade.
None of the seven vendor pages we read says you must sign in to open a PDF. What separates them is the paid editor each reader page pushes, the systems it covers, and the fact that none of the pages lists a free way to change the words already in a PDF.
Key facts7 tools compared: SumatraPDF, Microsoft Edge PDF reader, Apple Preview, Google Chrome PDF…
- 7 tools compared: SumatraPDF, Microsoft Edge PDF reader, Apple Preview, Google Chrome PDF viewer, Okular, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Foxit PDF Reader
- Microsoft Edge PDF reader (best for: People who already browse in Edge and open PDFs from web pages on Windows or macOS): No price line. The reader is built into Microsoft Edge on Windows and macOS.
- Apple Preview (best for: Mac users who want forms, signatures and page tools at no charge): Free on the Mac App Store, with Apple as the developer and no in-app purchase listed.
- Google Chrome PDF viewer (best for: Anyone opening a PDF from a web page who wants to mark it up or sign it): No price line. Google's help page names neither a price nor a sign-in step for the viewer.
Toolradar data: the directory we run tracks 11,051 tools across 343 categories, and its best-software lists refresh weekly (read on 10 October 2026 at Toolradar best software).
This page narrows that pool to the free readers that open and mark up a PDF. Editors have their own page, best free PDF editors.
A free reader has one job: open the file correctly and let you mark it up.
So the buying questions are narrower than for an editor. Does the free app ask for an account before you can read? Which systems does it run on? Does the reader page sell you an editor?
We read each vendor's own page, checked on 10 October 2026, for seven readers: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Foxit PDF Reader, SumatraPDF, Microsoft Edge, Apple Preview, the Chrome PDF viewer and Okular.
Techpresso check: of those seven vendor pages, none says an account is needed to open a PDF.
Two of them, Adobe and Foxit, sell a paid editor from the reader's own page, so the upsell is the cost to plan for.
How we ranked: readers whose own pages sell no paid editor come first, and the two that push one come last.
Within the first group, the order follows which desktop systems a buyer is most likely to open a PDF on, so the Windows and Mac readers sit ahead of Okular.
Top Picks
Based on features, real-world fit, and value for money.
A free, open-source Windows reader with a portable build that runs from a USB drive without installing.
Free and open source, with no ads, no bundled software and no subscription, per its homepage.
Windows users who want a free reader with no ads and no bundled software.
The built-in reader that opens local, online and embedded PDFs, with highlights, ink and text notes.
No price line. The reader is built into Microsoft Edge on Windows and macOS.
People who already browse in Edge and open PDFs from web pages on Windows or macOS.
Apple's own Mac PDF app, free in the App Store, covering annotation, form filling, signatures and page tools.
Free on the Mac App Store, with Apple as the developer and no in-app purchase listed.
Mac users who want forms, signatures and page tools at no charge.
| Tool | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| SumatraPDF | Free and open source, with no ads, no bundled software and no subscription, per its homepage. | Windows users who want a free reader with no ads and no bundled software. |
| Microsoft Edge PDF reader | No price line. The reader is built into Microsoft Edge on Windows and macOS. | People who already browse in Edge and open PDFs from web pages on Windows or macOS. |
| Apple Preview | Free on the Mac App Store, with Apple as the developer and no in-app purchase listed. | Mac users who want forms, signatures and page tools at no charge. |
| Google Chrome PDF viewer | No price line. Google's help page names neither a price nor a sign-in step for the viewer. | Anyone opening a PDF from a web page who wants to mark it up or sign it. |
| Okular | Free software under GPL-2.0+. The KDE project page names no price and no account. | Linux users who want a free desktop reader under an open-source license. |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Free to view. Acrobat Pro is $19.99 a month on an annual plan billed monthly, per Adobe's pricing page. | Teams on mixed systems that need one reader on Windows, Mac, phones and the web. |
| Foxit PDF Reader | Free reader. Foxit PDF Editor is $129.99 per user per year, with a 14-day free trial. | Windows or Mac users who want a free reader with markup and can skip the editor upsell. |
Pricing read from each vendor's own pricing page, checked Oct 2026. 2 of 7 have no standalone price (bundled, usage-based or free to self-host) and are described as charged, not guessed.
SumatraPDF
A free, open-source Windows reader with a portable build that runs from a USB drive without installing.
- Pricing
- Free and open source, with no ads, no bundled software and no subscription, per its homepage.
Best for: Windows users who want a free reader with no ads and no bundled software.
Pros
- Its homepage says there are no ads, no bundled software and no subscription, so the free download is the whole price.
- A portable build runs from a USB drive without installation, which helps on a PC where you cannot install software.
Cons
- Windows only. Its FAQ calls it a Windows-only application, so a Mac or Linux desk needs a different reader.
- The homepage does not name the license or address commercial use, so check the license before a company rollout.
Microsoft Edge PDF reader
The built-in reader that opens local, online and embedded PDFs, with highlights, ink and text notes.
- Pricing
- No price line. The reader is built into Microsoft Edge on Windows and macOS.
Best for: People who already browse in Edge and open PDFs from web pages on Windows or macOS.
Pros
- It opens PDFs saved on your computer, online or embedded in a web page, with search, rotate, fit-to-width and a table of contents.
- Highlighting, ink, text notes and read-aloud are built in, and Microsoft's page says you can make Edge your default PDF reader.
Cons
- XML Forms Architecture (XFA) forms do not open in Edge, and JavaScript forms are not supported for basic form filling.
- The reader's pages name no price, so the cost for a team is the Edge browser it comes with, not a separate license.
Apple Preview
Apple's own Mac PDF app, free in the App Store, covering annotation, form filling, signatures and page tools.
- Pricing
- Free on the Mac App Store, with Apple as the developer and no in-app purchase listed.
Best for: Mac users who want forms, signatures and page tools at no charge.
Pros
- Apple's Preview guide covers filling forms, adding a signature, highlighting, notes, combining PDFs and password protection in one app.
- It can reduce file size and crop or rotate pages, which covers most of the chores that follow a download.
Cons
- Mac only. The App Store listing and Apple's guide describe a Mac app, so a Windows team needs another reader.
- Apple's guide does not list a tool for changing the words already in a PDF, so an edit means a different app.
Google Chrome PDF viewer
The viewer built into Chrome on desktop, with highlights, text boxes, form filling, signatures and on-device OCR.
- Pricing
- No price line. Google's help page names neither a price nor a sign-in step for the viewer.
Best for: Anyone opening a PDF from a web page who wants to mark it up or sign it.
Pros
- Google says scanned PDFs are converted to searchable text on your device, without sending any data to Google or third parties.
- Highlighting, drawing, adding text, filling and signing are all in the viewer, so a one-off form needs no extra install.
Cons
- The help page mentions a Google Account only in the save-to-Drive flow, and says nothing about signing in to view a file.
- The help page covers annotation and forms, and it lists no page tools such as merge or split.
Okular
The KDE project's PDF reader, under GPL-2.0+, running on Linux, Windows, macOS and BSD.
- Pricing
- Free software under GPL-2.0+. The KDE project page names no price and no account.
Best for: Linux users who want a free desktop reader under an open-source license.
Pros
- The project page names the GPL-2.0+ and GFDL-1.3 licenses, so the terms are visible before you install.
- It runs on Linux, Windows, macOS and BSD, so one reader can cover a mixed desktop fleet.
Cons
- The KDE page does not name Android, so it is a desktop choice for a team that reads on phones.
- Support is optional. The page invites support memberships and names no paid plan, so a team that wants a paid tier has to look elsewhere.
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Adobe's free reader for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and the web, with editing kept for Acrobat Pro.
- Pricing
- Free to view. Acrobat Pro is $19.99 a month on an annual plan billed monthly, per Adobe's pricing page.
Best for: Teams on mixed systems that need one reader on Windows, Mac, phones and the web.
Pros
- Adobe says Reader is free to download and use without a subscription, so the reader itself has no price to plan for.
- It covers Windows 10 and 11, macOS 10.15 and later, iOS 16 and later, Android 8.0 and later, and the Acrobat web app.
Cons
- Text and image editing is not available in Acrobat Reader, so an edit sends you to a paid plan.
- The reader page carries a promo bar for a PDF editing app, so the upsell is part of the free experience.
Foxit PDF Reader
A free reader for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and the web, with a banner that promotes its paid PDF Editor.
- Pricing
- Free reader. Foxit PDF Editor is $129.99 per user per year, with a 14-day free trial.
Best for: Windows or Mac users who want a free reader with markup and can skip the editor upsell.
Pros
- Foxit describes the reader as a fast, free PDF reader for reading, annotating and collaborating on PDFs.
- Its page lists Windows 10 and 11 and macOS 10.15 through macOS 14, plus iOS, Android and the web.
Cons
- The reader page carries a banner for a trial of PDF Editor and a button to buy PDF Editor+, so the upsell sits inside the free app.
- The page does not spell out whether business use is free. It links an end user license and offers enterprise and volume options without prices there.
What it is
A free PDF reader opens, displays and marks up PDF files without a subscription.
It does not change the words already in the file, which is the job of an editor, so the reader and the editor are different purchases.
Three things matter for a free reader: whether it asks for an account, whether the free app sells a paid editor, and which systems it runs on.
A reader that fails one of those tests can still be the right pick, which is why the list below answers per platform instead of naming one winner. Toolradar also keeps tool pages for Adobe Acrobat and Foxit, for readers who want the editor side. For the wider field, see best PDF editors.
Why it matters
The upsell is the cost that arrives later. Adobe's Reader page says text and image editing is not available in the free app, and Adobe's pricing page lists the Acrobat Pro price. A team that starts with Reader for viewing will meet that price the first time someone needs to change a sentence.
Foxit's reader page runs a banner for a trial of PDF Editor, then a button to buy PDF Editor+. Neither is a trap, but both are decisions to make before a rollout, not after.
Platform is the second cost. SumatraPDF is Windows only and Apple Preview is Mac only, so a mixed team needs a second reader or a broader choice.
Adobe and Foxit both list Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and the web, which makes them the default for a team with phones in the mix. If the file also has to shrink or convert, see best free PDF compressors and best free PDF to Word converters.
Key features to look for
Pricing
Prices were read on each vendor's own page on 10 October 2026, and all dollar figures are US prices as the pages show them. Adobe's Reader page says the reader is free to download and use without a subscription.
Acrobat Pro is $19.99 a month on an annual plan billed monthly, $239.88 paid up front for the year, or $29.99 a month on a monthly plan (Adobe pricing).
Foxit's pricing page lists PDF Editor at $129.99 per user per year, PDF Editor+ at $159.99 per user per year, and a one-time $209.99 per user perpetual license, with a 14-day trial (Foxit PDF Editor pricing).
SumatraPDF and Apple Preview are listed as free, and Okular is free software under a GPL license.
The Google PDF help page and Microsoft's reader page name no price for the Chrome and Edge viewers.
Preview's price comes from its App Store listing and Okular's from the KDE project page.
If the editing question is the real one, the paid numbers in this table are the ones to budget.
As far as their own pages say, no reader on this list charges to open a file. The editor from each vendor is the line item a team will meet.
The Acrobat Pro comparison, including the exit fee, is in Adobe Acrobat pricing 2026, and our Adobe Acrobat review covers whether the paid product is worth it.
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| SumatraPDF | Free | Windows only, with no ads or bundled software |
| Microsoft Edge PDF reader | No price line | Built into Edge on Windows and macOS |
| Apple Preview | Free | Mac only, with forms, signatures and page tools |
| Google Chrome PDF viewer | No price line | Desktop, with on-device OCR for scanned PDFs |
| Okular | Free software (GPL-2.0+) | Linux, Windows, macOS and BSD |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Free | Viewing and comments, with no text or image editing |
| Acrobat Pro, annual plan billed monthly | $19.99/mo | The editing app the free Reader points to |
| Acrobat Pro, annual plan paid up front | $239.88/yr | The same annual plan, paid once a year |
| Acrobat Pro, monthly | $29.99/mo | The highest per-month rate of the three Pro options |
| Foxit PDF Reader | Free | Banner for a 14-day trial of PDF Editor |
| Foxit PDF Editor | $129.99 per user/yr | The editor the reader page promotes |
| Foxit PDF Editor+ | $159.99 per user/yr | Adds the premium features Foxit lists |
| Foxit PDF Editor 14 perpetual | $209.99 one-time per user | A one-time license with no annual fee |
The bottom line
Start with SumatraPDF on Windows and Apple Preview on a Mac. Both are free, neither page sells a paid editor, and both cover reading and marking up. Use Adobe Acrobat Reader when one reader has to cover phones and the web, and decide the Pro upsell on its own.
Foxit PDF Reader is free too, but its page sells PDF Editor from the free app, so count that cost before a company standardizes on it.
For where the finished file lives, compare best free cloud storage and best cloud storage for business before you pick a home for a contract.
Cite this: Techpresso, "Best Free PDF Readers in 2026", October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
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