It’s the iWeb alternative we’ve needed. Price: $79.99 from the Realmac Store or the Mac App Store. More Info: Our Mac.AppStorm tutorial. Coding a site doesn’t have to be all about coding. Perhaps you’re better with normal page design, and would like an app that makes designing a new beautiful site as simple as making a Keynote template. ISkysoft PDF Editor 6 Professional - The Best Alternative PDF Reader for Mac to Adobe Acrobat Reader iSkysoft PDF Editor 6 Professional for Mac is a professional PDF editor which can also play the role of best Mac PDF reader and editor. Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac Versus Adobe Acrobat DC. Adobe Acrobat DC is a complete PDF viewing and editing solution packed with best-in-class tools to satisfy all PDF needs. Whereas Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac is aimed chiefly at the consumers of PDF files, Adobe Acrobat is aimed at the authors of PDF files.

If you’re still using Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDF documents, it’s time for you to move on. It’s one of the most notorious programs to ever exist because it hits the trifecta of poor user experience: slow to launch, bloated and unnecessary features, and too many security vulnerabilities.

With so many alternatives available, there’s no reason to keep using Adobe ReaderThis Is Why You Don't Need Adobe ReaderThis Is Why You Don't Need Adobe ReaderAdobe Reader is bloated, slow, and a liability. In short, it's unnecessary. Do you need a PDF Reader at all? We show you how to open PDF files without Adobe Reader.Read More. In fact, most modern systems come loaded with apps that can read PDFs, and if you don’t have one, then you can always rely on your web browser. These days, browser-based PDF readers are more than good enoughPDF Reader vs. Browser: Which PDF Viewer Is Best for You?PDF Reader vs. Browser: Which PDF Viewer Is Best for You?A PDF reader is often one of the first tools people install on their new computer. It's not glamorous or sexy, but it's a vital tool in your productivity arsenal. Or is it?Read More if all you need is the ability to read (not edit).

That said, it’s still smart to keep a lightweight PDF reader on your system. Get rid of Adobe Reader and start using one of these alternatives instead. You’ll wonder how you ever lasted this long on the worst PDF reader known to man.

1. Sumatra PDF

Supported Formats: CBR, CBZ, CHM, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, XPS

Sumatra PDF is the best option for lightweight PDF reading. There’s simply no contest. It’s been around for more than a decade and it’s still actively developed. I’ve used it as my primary PDF reader for close to five years and I’ve never once considered looking for a replacement.

It has three main advantages that put it above all others. First, the executable file is under 7 MB, which is remarkable compared to the 150+ MB of a bloated app like Adobe Reader. Second, it’s lightning fast, and loads even large PDF files in the blink of an eye. Third, the interface is extremely minimal as to maximize screen estate. This is wonderful for smaller-screen devices.

And it comes in both portable and installable versions. It’s tiny enough to carry around on a USB flash drive of any size and you’ll be able to read PDFs anywhere you go.

Download — Sumatra PDF (Free)

2. SlimPDF Reader

Supported Formats: PDF

SlimPDF Reader is very much like Sumatra PDF in many ways. They have the same goals as far as design and intention, and the differences between them are rather minor. Long story short, these two apps are your best bet for lightweight PDF reading, and you should try both of them to see which one feels better to you.

One thing you’ll notice right away is its minuscule size. Whereas Sumatra PDF’s executable comes in at around 7 MB, SlimPDF Reader’s full installation doesn’t even take up 5 MB. Of course we’re talking pennies in the grand scheme of modern terabyte-sized hard drives, but tiny apps like this are so rare that it’s impressive to see.

Its only major drawback is the lack of a portable version, which usually wouldn’t be an issue worth mentioning, except portability is a big reason to use a lightweight app over a full-featured alternative, and that’s certainly true for PDF readers.

Download — SlimPDF Reader (Free)

3. PDF-XChange Viewer

Supported Formats: PDF

PDF-XChange Viewer has actually been discontinued, with all of its features having been ported over and included in PDF-XChange Editor. However, you can still download the latest version of PDF-XChange Viewer and use it as a lightweight PDF reader. Just don’t expect any updates.

Why use this app when Sumatra PDF and SlimPDF Reader already exist? Because PDF-XChange Viewer doesn’t aim to be a super-lightweight or barebones. It’s a middle-of-the-road solution: reasonable install size and fast performance, but packed with nifty features like tabbed browsing, OCR for images, comments and annotations, encryption and passwords, bookmarks, and more.

PDF-XChange Viewer is available in several installation formats as well as a portable version, which comes in at just over 21 MB. If you can get over the outdated interface, this is the best choice for when you need a compromise between speed, size, and features.

Download — PDF-XChange Viewer (Free)

4. MuPDF

Supported Formats: CBZ, EPUB, PDF, XPS

MuPDF is so lightweight that it doesn’t even have a graphical interface — you have to launch it from the command line using mupdf [path-to-file.pdf] and certain options can only be set using launch parameters (for example, -p [password] to open password-protected documents).

It’s not for everyone, but it’s excellent for command line fanatics and veterans.

Once a PDF document is opened, all navigation is done using keyboard shortcuts. Check the MuPDF user manual to see what those shortcuts are. It’s actually quite productive if you can get over the initial learning curve. Notable features include transparency, annotations, encryption, searching, and more. Plus it’s open source, so you can extend it yourself if you wish.

One other aspect to note is that MuPDF is specifically tailored for PDF fidelity. It is the most faithful when it comes to PDFs with high-resolution, anti-aliased graphics. Of course this only matters if you have high-quality PDF documents to begin with, but if you do, then you’ll notice the difference.

Download — MuPDF (Free)

What Do You Use to Read PDFs?

If these apps are perhaps too lightweight for you, or if you’ve decided that a lightweight reader isn’t exactly what you need, then we recommend checking out these excellent PDF readers for Windows. And why stop there? Consider installing a lightweight alternative for reading Office files6 Light Alternatives to Open Office and PDF Files6 Light Alternatives to Open Office and PDF FilesDon't clog your system down with superfluous bulk. For the occasional viewing of PDF and Office files, you can use compact apps and you might not need any additional software at all.Read More, too.

Note that you can do more than just “read” PDFsHow to Edit, Combine, and Sign a PDF File for FreeHow to Edit, Combine, and Sign a PDF File for FreeWe show you how to split, merge, downsize, and do all kinds of magic with PDF files. Read on if you're ready to take your PDF documents to the next level!Read More. There are tools out there for extracting images from PDF documents5 Tools to Extract Images From PDF Files5 Tools to Extract Images From PDF FilesSometimes you need to extract images from PDF file and use them in Word documents, web pages, and PowerPoint presentations. Keep these five tools close for the job.Read More and several ways to reduce or compress PDF filesHow to Compress a PDF, Reduce the File Size, and Make It SmallerHow to Compress a PDF, Reduce the File Size, and Make It SmallerThis guide covers how to make a PDF smaller using simple programs and tools.Read More, for example. Using a lightweight PDF reader is only the first step to mastering a productive PDF workflow.

So what’s your favorite way to read PDFs: in browser or with a dedicated app? Are there any good alternatives, tips, or tricks that we missed? Let us know in a comment below!

Image Credit: Africa Studio via Shutterstock.com

Explore more about: Adobe Reader, Digital Document, PDF.

1. I do really think Adobe is a great and professional PDF product, but it is expensive and most of its features need to pay, which means I can use nothing but just read PDF with it. So I would much appreciate LightPDF, a free online PDF tool, which is a fair alternative and is light as its name implies. People should try this. It is really great.

2. I dislike Adobe Reader, not because of speed--it's much faster than any alternative I've tried. It is bloated and always wants to connect to the internet. Too many features and no way to clean up the screen of extra menus and toolbars etc.

   Irfanview works and lets me crop pages. However, it renders so slowly, I only use it when I want to take advantage of cropping.

3. I've been using Foxit for many years and find it efficient and lightweight. Editor etc. can also be downloaded and are basically good to use.

4. Also edge browser supports built in read aloud option for best alike audio books

5. I prefer Sumatra

6. Xodo PDF reader is the best reader for me. It is available on windows store.

7. Xodo PDF reader is the best. It is available in Windows store.

8. Excellent choice - PDF-XChnage Editor/ The new version is better Abode

9. On phones and tablets: with the 1 or 2 or 3 PDF viewer apps that you already have - that the device came with or was installed as part of Google's apps, or what have you. The Adobe Reader app? I know it exists, I installed it once several years ago on a tablet when I wanted to give it a shot. But....

10. I have tried Sumatra PDF and confirm it is light and simple to use. Also used PDF-Xchange - they have a good range of PDF products ( if a little confusing distinguishing the different products) - we use the
    paid editor product and find it good for editing PDFs. Haven't tried the others so can't comment on them

11. Hi Joel
    I 'm using pdf xchange viewer because I wanted some app able to preview pdf files within windows 10 explorer as thumbnails in view panel and it does the job well .

Brief: In this article, we list the best Adobe alternatives for Linux. These Adobe Creative Suite alternative for Linux are also free and open source.

Adobe provides a number of applications under Adobe Creative Suite, now under Adobe Creative Cloud. It’s not just limited to Photoshop but contains various other software that helps primarily in Web design, logo making, video editing, pdf editing and more.

However, Adobe Creative Suite is a proprietary software costing you a good amount of your money and if you are a Linux user, even if you are willing to spend that money, it’s not available for your OS.

In this article, we are going to cover some of the best Adobe products alternative for Linux.

Best Adobe alternatives for Linux

If you are not in a mood of reading the article, you can watch this video from our YouTube channel. Do subscribe to our YouTube channel for more Linux related videos.

I have included one non-FOSS item in this list. This is because I really couldn’t find a decent alternative to Adobe Acrobat in Linux.

For the rest, here we go!

1. GIMP: Alternative to Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the most popular and widely used graphics editing tool both for regular and professional users. It’s an excellent tool for photo editing, website design, and graphics creation.

When it comes to an alternative to Adobe Photoshop, GIMP provides the best replacement.

GIMP is a free and open source image editor available for GNU/Linux, Mac, Windows and other Operating System. It provides a handful of sophisticated tools that make a graphic designer and photographer’s work easier.

From high-quality photo manipulation to original artwork creation, GIMP includes options to create icons, graphical design elements, color management features etc. And the customization options along with third-party plugins make your work a bit easier.

Most likely GIMP is already installed on your system. If not, you can search in the official software repository to install it.

2. Inkscape: Alternative to Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a standard tool suited for vector graphics editing and design. With an impressive set of drawing tools and effects, it is widely used for vector editing, posters creations etc.

Inkscape is a very competitive, free and open source tool to Adobe Illustrator. A powerful vector editor, Inkscape has flexible drawing tools, various file format compatibility, powerful text tools and support for Bezier and spiro curves. It supports advanced scalable vector graphics features like markets, clones and blending.

3. Scribus: Alternative to Adobe Indesign

Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing application used primarily for creating posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers, books etc. It supports exporting a file to epub format for creation of e-books. When it comes to an alternative to Adobe InDesign, Scribus provides a powerful and easy alternative.

Scribus is a free and open source application available for all major operating systems and is based on the free Qt toolkit. From creating layouts to typesettings and creating animated and interactive PDF presentations and forms, Scribus is used to write newspapers, brochures, newsletters, posters, and books.

Free Alternative To Adobe Reader

4. OpenShot: Alternative to Adobe Premiere

Adobe Premiere Pro is video editing application from Adobe System which is used for high-resolution video editing, audio sample-level editing, 5.1 surround sound mixing and more.

OpenShot is a powerful and easy to use video editor which serves as the best replacement for Adobe Premiere Pro.

With a simple user interface, OpenShot provides a large number of features.

5. Synfig: Alternative to Adobe Animate

Adobe Animate is useful for creating interactive animations that work on everything from mobile devices to the ultra-high resolution displays. When it comes to an alternative to Adobe Animate, Synfig is an awesome open source replacement.

Synfig is a free and open source 2D vector graphics and timeline-based animation program for animation designing and rendering. The goal of the application is to provide quality animation with fewer resources and provides manual tweening, hence saving you from the pain of drawing each and every frame.

Synfig can simulate soft-shading using curved gradients and provides a wide variety of real-time effects which can be applied to layers or a group of layers. You can control and animate the width of lines at their control points and link any related data from one object to another.

6. darktable: Alternative to Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom is a photo processor and image organizer which allows viewing, organizing and retouching large numbers of digital images. With Lightroom, you can enhance and your photographs, punch up colors, remove distracting objects and straighten skewed shots.

When it comes to an alternative to Adobe Lightroom, the best free and open source software is Darktable.

darktable is a photography workflow application and raw developer which manages digital negatives or RAW images, lets you view them and have features to enhance them.

It provides basic image operations like crop and rotation, highlight reconstructions, white balance, invert operation and exposure control. Tone image operations include modification to the exposure, level adjustments, changing lightness, recreating contrast for HDR images etc.

darkable also includes color image operations for correcting overexposure and color, contrast, enhancing saturation and manipulation of RGB channels. The Correction modules helps you manage sharpening of details, noise level, spot removal, chromatic aberrations and more.

7. Natron / ButtleOFX: Alternative to Adobe Aftereffects

Adobe After Effects is a visual effects and motion graphics application used for filmmaking and television production.

Natron provides a perfect alternative to Adobe After Effects with motion editing and multi-view workflow. With an intuitive user interface and a quick rendering, you can work with keyframes with a very accurate curve editor.

It can be used as a command line tool and the command line version is executable from ssh on a computer with any display. It supports smooth zooming and panning for large images, and includes a full-featured dope-sheet to quickly edit clips and keyframes in time-space.

You can download a deb/ rpm package or a portable archive form the page below:

ButtleOFX is another open source composition software which provides an intuitive Graph Editor to connect nodes, Parameters Editor to customize effects and three different Workspace layouts to switch in-between according to your needs.

The project is still in alpha state so there will be bugs. If you are willing to try, you can grab a copy from here.

Adobe Reader 11 For Mac

8. Ardour: Alternative to Adobe Audition

Adobe Audition is a digital audio workstation from Adobe Systems for editing and mixing audio contents. When it comes to open source alternative to Audition, Ardour is an excellent application.

Ardour is a free and open source, cross-platform application to record, edit and mix different audio files with ease. Let us look at the features which Ardour provides.

0. Master PDF: Alternative to Adobe Acrobat [Non-FOSS]

Adobe Acrobat is another application from Adobe Creative Suite which is mainly used to view, create and modify PDF files. The Adobe reader supports viewing, printing and annotating of PDF files while the Acrobat is used to create, edit, convert, digital sign, encrypt and export PDF files.

It’s difficult to find a fully functional open source PDF editor. LibreOffice can be used edit a pdf file with some limitation, and so can Inkscape. However, Master PDF, the only proprietary software in this list supports all the features for editing a PDF file.

It allows creating, editing, encryption and signing the PDF documents with ease. You can comment documents with stamps, notes, text underlining and fill PDF forms easily.

There are both commercial and free versions available for Linux.

You can download a .deb package from below link.

You can check some other PDF editors for Linux.

Final Words

Adobe Creative Suite is a commercial product with continuous development and release. When it comes to open source alternative to Adobe products, we have several choices some of them are at par with the Adobe products while some are lagging a bit. However, there is always an application which can make things work for you, you just have to find it.

Let us know in the comments, which open source product you use as an alternative to any Adobe Products.

Open Source Alternative To Adobe Reader