Best PDF Readers in 2026
Updated
In short: Foxit PDF Reader is ranked #1 of 26 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of KDAN PDF and MuPDF. The best-ranked option with a free plan is KDAN PDF. The lowest first paid tier on this page is KDAN PDF at $5/mo.
PDF readers help you open, review, and work with documents, with capabilities that can vary across annotation, forms, and accessibility. Compared on annotation tools, form filling, OCR support, and text-to-speech, these entries offer criteria for matching a reader to the way you handle PDFs. Offline access and platform support indicate where you can use each option; free plans and paid-from pricing give cost context. The ranking starts with Foxit PDF Reader and MuPDF, followed by KDAN PDF and Highlights. Consider which tools you need for marking up documents, completing forms, or working with text, and weigh those needs against the platforms and access options listed.
26 PDF readers ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 Foxit PDF Reader iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9Free Annotation tools: YesOCR support: noneForm filling: Yes
- 2 KDAN PDF iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9$5/mo Annotation tools: Yes
- 3 MuPDF iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9$299/mo Annotation tools: YesOCR support: noneForm filling: Yes
- 4 Javelin PDF Reader iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8Free Annotation tools: YesForm filling: Yes
- 5 StarForce Reader iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8Free Annotation tools: Yes
- 6 Adobe Scan iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.4 Annotation tools: YesForm filling: Yes
- 7 Adobe Acrobat Reader iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.9 Annotation tools: YesForm filling: Yes
- 8 GoodReader iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.9 Annotation tools: YesForm filling: Yes
- 9 Highlights iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.8 Annotation tools: YesOCR support: advanced
- 10 Kiosk iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.8 Annotation tools: Yes
- 11 Evince No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free Annotation tools: YesOCR support: noneForm filling: Yes
- 12 Okular No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free Annotation tools: YesOCR support: noneForm filling: Yes
- 13 Launchpad No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free
- 14 SumatraPDF No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Annotation tools: YesOCR support: noneForm filling: No
- 15 LiquidText No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.7 Annotation tools: YesOCR support: advanced
- 16 Papers No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Annotation tools: YesOCR support: noneForm filling: Yes
- 17 QuickTime Player No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Annotation tools: YesOCR support: basicForm filling: Yes
- 18 Mozilla PDF.js No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Annotation tools: YesForm filling: Yes
- 19 Preview No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Annotation tools: YesForm filling: Yes
- 20 Timeshift No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Annotation tools: Yes
- 21 Aiseesoft Free PDF Viewer No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3
- 22 Skim No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Annotation tools: YesOCR support: none
- 23 XpdfReader No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3
- 24 Zathura No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3
- 25 Papers No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Annotation tools: YesForm filling: Yes
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 Samsung Mobile US Press?
Foxit PDF Reader is ranked #1 of 26 with a score of 7.9. KDAN PDF is second and MuPDF 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 mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.