Which is the Best PDF Reader for Windows?

[mech-eng]

If you are familiar with pdf readers which one do you advise? Which one has the friendly interface and is practical?

http://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-pdf-reader

1) Adobe Reader
2) Foxit Reader
3) Nitro PDF Reader
4) PDF-XChange Editor
5) Slim PDF Reader
6) Icecream Ebook Reader

Thank you.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Adobe is the industry leader. Perhaps they have higher overhead than some slim readers, but I don't know why else anyone would choose something different.

 

[symbolipoint]

PDF-Xchange VIEWER versus EDITOR? I am not trying to suggest either, but the VIEWER is no longer developed and no longer supported. I'm not sure what is the EDITOR but my guess is, if it takes place over the viewer, then it is probably good. I have used PDF-Xchange viewer for a few years as my ONLY pdf reader. I have recently gone to Foxit (or the PDF-Xchange Viewer) when on Windows Vista; and Edge browser when on Windows 10 without installing any pdf reader program.

mech-eng, why did you not include Sumatra-PDF on the list?

 

[mech-eng]

PDF-Xchange VIEWER versus EDITOR? I am not trying to suggest either, but the VIEWER is no longer developed and no longer supported. I'm not sure what is the EDITOR but my guess is, if it takes place over the viewer, then it is probably good. I have used PDF-Xchange viewer for a few years as my ONLY pdf reader. I have recently gone to Foxit (or the PDF-Xchange Viewer) when on Windows Vista; and Edge browser when on Windows 10 without installing any pdf reader program.

mech-eng, why did you not include Sumatra-PDF on the list?

I didn't see it in the list of the link.

 

[phinds]

Adobe is the industry leader. Perhaps they have higher overhead than some slim readers, but I don't know why else anyone would choose something different.

I agree

 

[symbolipoint]

Adobe is the industry leader. Perhaps they have higher overhead than some slim readers, but I don't know why else anyone would choose something different.

Remembering back in time when I used Windows 98 and Windows XP, I strongly disliked Adobe Acrobat/Adobe Reader because took way way too long for it to open, and updating was too confusing. I began checking for possible alternatives and completely uninstalled any Adobe anything from my computers. (I eventually learned that I needed Adobe Flash Player, if I wanted to view any videos on YouTube). The first good, useful pdf reader I found that I liked was Foxit; and later I found PDF-Xchange viewer. Eventually I decided that PDF-Xchange viewer worked the best and I continued using this. Note, I tried and like the FREE versions or editions of Xchange viewer, and Foxit. I also like but do not often use Sumatra PDF Viewer. Sumatra is very simple and seems good if you ONLY want to view and read a PDF file. Fast to open. Small in size. FREE. It is probably similar to a couple of the others which mech-eng listed.

I will probably soon try to see how is Nitro PDF Reader, because I want to find another FREE program which offers a few nice capabilities and does not put special marks onto any document which user put comments or other changes onto.

 

[mech-eng]

I also like but do not often use Sumatra PDF Viewer. Sumatra is very simple and seems good if you ONLY want to view and read a PDF file. Fast to open. Small in size. FREE. It is probably similar to a couple of the others which mech-eng listed.

I will probably soon try to see how is Nitro PDF Reader, because I want to find another FREE program which offers a few nice capabilities and does not put special marks onto any document which user put comments or other changes onto.

What kind of capabilities other than reading and viewing do you expect from a PDF tool?

Thank you.

 

[StevieTNZ]

Best just to stick with Adobe PDF reader. That does the job - you can open PDF's in that.

 

[Windadct]

I have both the Adobe and PDF XChange viewer. The benefit of PDF XChange is it has good markup tools, shapes, lines and a typewriter. So I can make notes in a PDF and keep and distribute them. I find it just easier to use over Adobe. Some of the features of PDFs created in Adobe, only work with Adobe Viewer, forms for example - so I keep it.

 

[symbolipoint]

What kind of capabilities other than reading and viewing do you expect from a PDF tool?

Thank you.

Fill-in text information.Putting in other write-in or draw-in information maybe. PDF-Xchange viewer let's that be made.

 

[symbolipoint]

I have both the Adobe and PDF XChange viewer. The benefit of PDF XChange is it has good markup tools, shapes, lines and a typewriter. So I can make notes in a PDF and keep and distribute them. I find it just easier to use over Adobe. ...

That's what I tried to say, but Windadct said it better.

 

[mech-eng]

Is there any pdf tool in which we can open an empty file and fill in the file?

Thank you.

 

[DavidSnider]

One of the reasons many IT departments chose to use 3rd party readers and not use Adobe's PDF reader was because it has had a massive amount of security vulnerabilities.

https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-53/product_id-497/

 

[Windadct]

Is there any pdf tool in which we can open an empty file and fill in the file?

Sorry I do not think I understand this... PDF is a DOCUMENT format, so in effect you are saying, open a blank document. There are free PDF creators, that work like a printer on your computer.

 

[mech-eng]

Sorry I do not think I understand this... PDF is a DOCUMENT format, so in effect you are saying, open a blank document. There are free PDF creators, that work like a printer on your computer.

Why do you say they work like a printer? Don't they work like, for example, MS Word, just right click and open a blank document?

Thank you.

 

[Windadct]

You create the document in word, and use the print function, it then creates the PDF. The PDF is generally for distribution or archiving.

The main point of PDF is you create content in almost any application, and generate a viewable PDF copy, that you can share with people that do not have the originating program. It also is used to create a static, or snapshot of a document at a given time. For example, a signed contract - or a set of calculations in a spreadsheet. You can also then create a PDF with content from multiple source programs, like a report. Convenient for scanned documents as well, since it incorporates compression - reducing the file size and not being a graphic, like JPEG.

 

[Aufbauwerk 2045]

I use Foxit Reader, because I have had fewer hassles in opening some documents than with Acrobat.

But in general, for reading ebooks, I prefer DjVu. If you download the .pdf and the .djvu of the same ebook from archive.org, you will see how much faster and smoother the scrolling is on .djvu. So I avoid PDF as much as possible, when it comes to reading ebooks. However, for some ebooks that were not scanned at a high enough resolution, I use the PDF version when the .djvu is too difficult to read. Fortunately, that's the exception, not the rule.

 

[sysprog]

Why do you say they work like a printer? Don't they work like, for example, MS Word, just right click and open a blank document?

Thank you.

On e.g. the Chrome browser, you can select print on an open page, and then choose save to pdf to capture the print image.

 

[diogenesNY]

CutePDF is a free tool that I like for creating pdf's from documents, screens, and almost anyhting else. I keep on my netbook and other boxes that don't always have access to a physical printer.

Official site: http://cutepdf.com/

It installs like a printer driver and you just print from any application to it as if it were a printer and it produces a fast and clean pdf file.

No affiliation, just a satisfied user of the free product. I have never used any of their paid products fwiw.

diogenesNY

 

[symbolipoint]

CutePDF is a free tool that I like for creating pdf's from documents, screens, and almost anyhting else. I keep on my netbook and other boxes that don't always have access to a physical printer.

Official site: http://cutepdf.com/

It installs like a printer driver and you just print from any application to it as if it were a printer and it produces a fast and clean pdf file.

No affiliation, just a satisfied user of the free product. I have never used any of their paid products fwiw.

diogenesNY

Be clear about which product you mean. The page shows four products, and TWO of them are described as FREE. Those are CutePDF Write, and CutePDF Editor. Were you describing just one particular one of those?

 

[diogenesNY]

CutePDF Write is the product I was describing. It is essentially a printer driver that produces PDF files.

I believe (not 100% sure) that CutePDF Editor is an online application, rather than a download/install type product.

diogenesNY

 

[symbolipoint]

CutePDF Write is the product I was describing. It is essentially a printer driver that produces PDF files.

diogenesNY

Thanks. I may look into that one

 

[Tom.G]

I just tried the CutePDF Writer with these results:

The installer for CutePDF Writer claims to accept optional directives such as where to install, create a Log file, etc But THEY DON'T WORK!... and the '/LOG=' gives an error message about Access Denied.

To see a list of the options, from a Command Prompt, execute the downloaded cutewriter program this way: 'Cutewriter.exe /HELP'
It will display a long list of options. The 'DIR", 'LOG', and 'LOG=' potions options don't work, I haven't tried the others.

I've been using Nitro PDF Creator and PrimoPDF for years with decent results. Sorry, I don't have links for them handy so try a Google search.

 

[symbolipoint]

I just tried the CutePDF Writer with these results:

The installer for CutePDF Writer claims to accept optional directives such as where to install, create a Log file, etc But THEY DON'T WORK!... and the '/LOG=' gives an error message about Access Denied.

To see a list of the options, from a Command Prompt, execute the downloaded cutewriter program this way: 'Cutewriter.exe /HELP'
It will display a long list of options. The 'DIR", 'LOG', and 'LOG=' potions options don't work, I haven't tried the others.

I've been using Nitro PDF Creator and PrimoPDF for years with decent results. Sorry, I don't have links for them handy so try a Google search.

Thanks. I will or may re-look to learn about Nitro PDF and Primo PDF.

In case I choose to install and try one of the products, I would not be looking to do any fancy kind of custom install. I would be putting the program either onto Windows Vista 32-bit or Windows 10 64-bit machine. (in case any of this is important)

 

[symbolipoint]

Just in case anyone still wants to use PDFXchange Viewer, this has a recent update available, so support at least for getting update is still there. It still works on Windows Vista. This is if you are still using the product and is been already installed on your computer. I do not know if there is any longer PDFXchange viewer (free product) for download.

Other sources say that the update I took is a few months old and no further updates for that VIEWER are available.