Best PDF readers for PC in 2026

SumatraPDF is the lightest app here at 10.6 MB. The current catalog version is 3.6.1, updated on April 6, 2026, and it is released under the GPL-3.0 licence by developer Krzysztof Kowalczyk.

Its range goes beyond PDF. It opens EPUB, MOBI, CBZ, CBR, FB2, CHM, XPS and DjVu files, so it also works for ebooks and comics. The developer describes it as quick to start and says a simple interface is a priority. It has no editing, form creation or signing tools, so treat it as a reader first.

Adobe Acrobat Reader (64-bit) is version 26.003.22075, updated on November 2, 2026, which is the most recent date in this list. It is proprietary software from Adobe and is listed at no cost.

Adobe says it handles viewing, printing, signing, sharing and annotating, and that it is the only viewer able to open every kind of PDF content, including forms and multimedia. We have not tested that claim. The download is 761.2 MB, the largest of the eight, so it suits machines with room to spare more than quick installs.

Foxit PDF Reader comes from Foxit Software Inc. and is at version 2026.2.1.39815, updated on December 16, 2025. It is proprietary and takes up 350.9 MB.

It focuses on four tasks: viewing, annotating, filling forms and signing PDFs. It also runs the same workflow on desktop, mobile and web, which matters if you move between a PC and a phone. The vendor calls it the most powerful reader solution, a claim we have not compared against other readers.

PDF-XChange Editor, from PDF-XChange Co Ltd., is at version 11.1.1.0 and was updated on October 21, 2026. The download is 383.6 MB and the licence is proprietary.

This is the most tool-heavy entry here. It offers direct editing of text and images, OCR that turns scanned pages into searchable text, and creation and filling of interactive forms. For marking up documents it provides highlights, comments, stamps, shapes and handwritten notes. The free viewer carries the editor label, so check which tools the free build actually unlocks.

PDF24 Creator is made by geek software GmbH. The catalog has version 11.30.1, updated on April 21, 2026, at 497.1 MB under a proprietary licence.

The listing is short. It calls the app a free, easy PDF solution with many features, but it names none of them. That makes it hard to say what it does better than the others, and we will not guess. If you are considering it, check the developer's own feature list before downloading a package of this size.

PDFgear is both the app name and the developer. The catalog shows version 3.0.1, updated on October 22, 2026, at 132.4 MB with a proprietary licence.

It covers a clear set of jobs: reading, editing, converting, merging and signing PDF files, all free. At 132.4 MB it is among the lighter tools in this list, with only SumatraPDF smaller at 10.6 MB.

Xodo PDF Reader is published by Apryse Software Corp. under a freeware licence. The catalog lists version 2026.3.0 at 163 MB, with an update date of June 30, 2025.

It is described as cross-platform, covering Windows, macOS and Linux. You can add text, notes and highlights, draw on a page, fill interactive forms and save them for sharing. Digital signing runs through Xodo Sign integration. The update date is the oldest among the eight entries, so check for newer builds from the publisher.

Nitro PDF Pro is made by Nitro and sits at version 14.43.7.0, updated on June 9, 2026. The install is 410.3 MB and the licence is proprietary.

It is described as an app for creating, editing, signing and securing PDF files and digital documents. That puts creation and security first, which sets it apart from the pure viewers above. The catalog shows it as free, but confirm which features are included with the developer.