Software Alternatives & Startups

Adobe Acrobat Reader VS Okular

Compare Adobe Acrobat Reader VS Okular and see what are their differences

Adobe Acrobat Reader

PDF Reader X is a nest in the class PDF reader, PDF annotator and PDF editor for the Mac OS X operating systems.

Rating
0 reviews
Okular

Okular is a universal document viewer based developed by KDE.

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Okular seems to be a lot more popular than Adobe Acrobat Reader. While we know about 44 links to Okular, we've tracked only 1 mention of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

social mentions
1 vs 44
PDF Tools popularity
69% vs 31%
alternatives listed
37 vs 177

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Adobe Acrobat Reader
Okular
Website adobe.com okular.kde.org
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Adobe Acrobat Reader 10 features
Okular 6 features
  • User-Friendly Interface
    PDF Reader X offers a clean and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and access various features without hassle.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    The application is available across multiple platforms, allowing users to open and view PDFs on different devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
  • Robust Annotation Tools
    PDF Reader X provides powerful annotation tools such as highlighting, adding comments, and drawing, which are helpful for document review and collaboration.
  • Fast and Efficient Performance
    The software is optimized for performance, ensuring quick loading and smooth scrolling of PDF documents, even with large file sizes.
  • Free Access
    Users can download and use PDF Reader X without any cost, with several free features being sufficient for basic PDF viewing and editing.
  • Compatibility
    Adobe Reader is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. This makes it accessible for a broad audience regardless of their device preferences.
  • Features
    It supports a variety of advanced features such as text highlighting, annotations, and form filling. These features can be useful for both personal and professional use.
  • Security
    Adobe Reader comes with built-in security measures to protect against malicious PDFs. This helps ensure that your device and data remain safe.
  • User Interface
    The user interface is generally intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy for users to navigate through documents and use its various features.
  • Frequent Updates
    Adobe frequently updates Adobe Reader with new features and security patches, which improves functionality and enhances security over time.

Possible disadvantages

  • Advanced Features Require Subscription
    While basic functionality is free, access to advanced features such as PDF conversion and editing requires a paid Adobe subscription.
  • Resource Intensive
    The application may consume significant system resources, which could slow down older computers when handling very large or complex documents.
  • Frequent Updates
    Regular updates can be intrusive, requiring users to frequently download new versions to access the latest improvements and security fixes.
  • Privacy Concerns
    As a product of Adobe, the application may collect user data, raising concerns for those who prioritize privacy and data security.
  • Performance
    Some users have reported that Adobe Reader can be slow to load, especially when opening large documents. This can be a hindrance for those who need quick access to their PDFs.
  • Bloatware
    The application can be seen as bloated by some users, with many features that are redundant or unnecessary for basic PDF viewing.
  • Advertisements
    Free versions of Adobe Reader occasionally prompt users with advertisements for other Adobe products, which can be intrusive and disrupt the user experience.
  • Open Source
    Okular is an open-source software, which means the source code is freely available. Users can modify and distribute it according to their needs.
  • Multi-Format Support
    Okular supports a wide array of document formats including PDF, PostScript, DjVu, CHM, XPS, ePub, and more, providing versatile document reading capabilities.
  • Cross-Platform
    Okular is available for multiple operating systems including Linux, Windows, and macOS, making it accessible to a wider range of users.
  • Annotation Tools
    It includes powerful annotation features allowing users to add notes, highlight text, and draw shapes directly on documents.
  • Customizable Interface
    The interface is highly customizable, enabling users to tweak the appearance and functionality to match their preferences.
  • Tabbed Browsing
    Okular supports tabbed browsing, allowing users to open multiple documents in a single window, enhancing multitasking.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced PDF Editing
    While Okular provides basic annotation features, it lacks advanced PDF editing capabilities like modifying text and images within a PDF.
  • Learning Curve
    New users might find the extensive range of features and settings overwhelming, leading to a steeper learning curve compared to simpler document viewers.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues when handling very large files, which can result in slower operation and responsiveness.
  • Dependency on KDE Libraries
    To get the best experience, Okular requires KDE libraries, which might not be ideal for users who prefer not to integrate KDE components into their system.
  • Mobile Support
    Okular does not have a dedicated app for mobile platforms like Android and iOS, limiting its usability on tablets and smartphones.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Adobe Acrobat Reader
Okular

No analysis of Adobe Acrobat Reader yet.

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Okular is generally regarded as a good document viewer due to its features, flexibility, and open-source nature, which ensures continual updates and community support.

Why this product is good

  • Okular is considered good for several reasons: it is a versatile open-source document viewer developed by the KDE community, supporting various file formats including PDF, PostScript, and ePub. It offers a range of features such as annotation tools, form filling, text extraction, and multimedia support. Additionally, it is cross-platform, available on different operating systems like Linux, Windows, and macOS, making it accessible for a wider range of users.

Recommended for

    Okular is recommended for students, educators, professionals, and any users who require a reliable and feature-rich document viewer capable of handling a wide range of file formats. It is particularly beneficial for those who value open-source software and need robust annotation and document management tools across different platforms.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Adobe Acrobat Reader 1 video + Add
Okular 3 videos + Add

Adobe Reader Review

okular, program for annotating your books in linux

More videos

  • - Review: Okular || Awesome PDF Viewer || Best PDF Viewer that I have tried yet.
  • - Okular Document Viewer vs Atril Document Viewer

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Okular
69% 69%
31% 31%
66% 66%
34% 34%
59% 59%
41% 41%
100% 100%
PDF
0% 0%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Adobe Acrobat Reader no reviews yet
Okular no reviews yet

We have no reviews of Adobe Acrobat Reader yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Adobe Acrobat Reader 1 mention
Okular 44 mentions
  • I-864 Household size auto fill issue
    I suggest that you try with a dedicated PDF viewer, I'm using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (i.e. The "official" one) but there's a bunch out there, Foxit Reader is another that people sometimes recommend. Source: over 5 years ago
  • Signing PDFs
    If you mean signing as in "signing with your handwritten signature", you could use Okular () which easily allows you to do that. Filling out forms also works nicely. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Alexandria: A minimalistic cross-platform eBook reader
    I was in a similar position lately until I found Okular. Have you tried it? https://okular.kde.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Help with PDF's
    I would try Okular first, though, which is free and open source: https://okular.kde.org/. Source: over 3 years ago

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Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Reader and Okular

When comparing Adobe Acrobat Reader and Okular, you can also consider the following products.