The PDF’s 30th anniversary will come in 2023. This venerable data format allows people to be certain their documents will look the same on any platform, regardless of what’s already on the computer and perhaps with the best PDF viewer. Since Adobe’s introduction of the format, people have come up with a lot of programs to read and edit PDFs.
While all of them have advantages and disadvantages, you want one that fulfills your usual needs. Whether you want a resource-light program or something with a lot of features, you can find the right PDF reader for your needs.
Keep reading for the best PDF viewer Mac and PC platforms can offer.
Adobe Acrobat Reader – Best PDF Viewer Mac and PC
The original manufacturer’s offering provides a solid standard PDF reading experience. Good cross-platform availability, an easy interface, and a good range of features all serve to recommend the classic reader. If you’re looking for a free version, it has you covered.
Acrobat Reader also has a paid version, but that can be a double-edged sword. If you find you like the editing and convenience features of the paid version, you’re stuck with an annual commitment and a cash investment. Consider how much time you spend using a PDF viewer.
Foxit PDF Reader – Fast and Light
Foxit PDF Reader takes up little space on your hard drive. It still has many of the most commonly-requested PDF viewer features and offers a little bit of customization.
Foxit’s reader also provides one of the lightest platforms of any PDF reader. If you’re looking for something that rarely slows down while scrolling through even a very dense PDF, give Foxit a look.
While Foxit can be found on both Mac and PC, if you’re looking for the best PDF viewers on Mac, you may want to keep looking.
PDF-XChange Editor – Feature-Heavy and Fast
Despite offering a wide range of features, such as OCR and digital signatures, PDF-XChange still manages to scroll well. Loading times stay short, too.
Indeed, PDF-XChange’s problem might be that it has too many features. The UI can sometimes feel a little cluttered. If you need the range of features and aren’t afraid to pay a few dollars a month, though, it provides a solid PDF viewing and editing experience.
Haihaisoft Reader – Fast and Secure
Haihaisoft’s Mac-only reader clocks in at just four megabytes, making it trivial to download and install. It also asks the user’s permission before connecting to the Internet, making it safer to use for confidential documents.
Other Apps
Many competing PDF viewers and creators pop into existence every day. Some are open-source, while others are closed-source.
Some programs also include PDF viewing as a secondary feature. Programs usually develop this feature when the need to present data in a specific way plays a key role in the program. For something like this, programmers often use a C# PDF viewer and generator.
Keep Your Needs In Mind
When picking the best PDF viewer Mac and PC users both need to keep their specific needs centered. The best viewer is the one that does the things you need it to do.
Do you want something for scrolling through the latest tabletop gaming books? Are you looking to electronically sign documents every day? These use cases differ.
If you want to find some more productivity solutions, check out our technology section. Our blog will help you figure out any technology need.
