Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Skim VS Foxit Reader

Compare Skim VS Foxit Reader and see what are their differences

Skim logo Skim

Skim is a PDF reader and note-taker for OS X.

Foxit Reader logo Foxit Reader

Foxit Reader is a free and light-weight multi-platform PDF document viewer.
  • Skim Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-05-03
  • Foxit Reader Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05

Skim features and specs

  • Open Source
    Skim is open-source software, which means it is free to use, modify, and distribute. This can be advantageous for users who want to customize the application or contribute to its development.
  • PDF Annotation
    Skim offers robust PDF annotation features, allowing users to highlight, underline, and add notes to PDF documents. This makes it a useful tool for students, researchers, and anyone who needs to review documents extensively.
  • Integration with LaTeX
    The app integrates well with typesetting systems like LaTeX, which is beneficial for users in academic and research fields that require sophisticated document preparation.
  • Efficient Navigation
    Skim provides efficient navigation options, such as table of contents views and keyboard shortcuts, which enhance the user experience by simplifying document management and review processes.
  • Lightweight
    Skim is a lightweight application, meaning it runs efficiently without consuming significant system resources. This can be useful for users with older hardware or those running multiple applications simultaneously.

Possible disadvantages of Skim

  • Mac-Only
    Skim is only available for macOS, limiting its accessibility to users on other operating systems such as Windows or Linux.
  • Limited Features Compared to Commercial Alternatives
    While Skim offers essential features for PDF annotation, it may lack some advanced features that are available in commercial PDF editors, such as complex form handling or advanced editing tools.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Some users report occasional stability issues or bugs, which can affect the user experience, especially during long sessions or when working with large documents.
  • Basic User Interface
    The user interface of Skim may be considered basic or not as polished as some commercial PDF readers, which could deter users looking for more modern or aesthetically pleasing design.
  • No Official Support
    Being an open-source project, Skim does not have official support, which means that users may have to rely on community forums or documentation for troubleshooting and assistance.

Foxit Reader features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Foxit Reader is known for its fast performance and low resource consumption, making it suitable for older computers.
  • Feature-Rich
    It offers a wide range of features including annotation tools, form filling, digital signatures, and integration with cloud services.
  • Security
    Foxit Reader includes robust security features such as sandboxing, which helps protect against malicious PDF files.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, with customizable toolbars and a ribbon-style menu similar to Microsoft Office.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Foxit Reader is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Possible disadvantages of Foxit Reader

  • Advanced Features Require Paid Version
    Many of the more advanced features, like advanced editing and OCR, are only available in Foxit PDF Editor, a paid version of the software.
  • Regular Updates Required
    Frequent updates can be disruptive for some users and can sometimes require reconfiguration of settings.
  • Complex for Beginners
    The abundance of features can be overwhelming for new or basic users who only need simple PDF viewing capabilities.
  • Occasional Performance Issues
    While generally lightweight, some users have reported occasional performance lags when handling very large or complex PDF files.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There are occasional compatibility issues with certain PDF files, which may not render or function properly in Foxit Reader.

Analysis of Foxit Reader

Overall verdict

  • Foxit Reader is generally regarded as a reliable and efficient PDF reader. While it may not have all the premium features of Adobe Acrobat, it offers more than sufficient functionality for most users' needs. Compared to some other PDF readers, its performance and range of features make it a strong competitor.

Why this product is good

  • Foxit Reader is considered good because it is lightweight, fast, and packed with features such as annotation tools, form-filling capabilities, and secure file sharing options. Its interface is user-friendly, and it offers multi-platform support, which is appealing to users who work across different devices and operating systems. Additionally, it provides robust security features to protect your documents.

Recommended for

    Foxit Reader is recommended for users who need a versatile and efficient PDF reader that is not resource-intensive. It is particularly useful for professionals, students, and anyone who frequently works with PDFs and values having annotation and security tools without the need for extensive editing capabilities or higher-cost software solutions.

Skim videos

SKIMS REVIEW: SO MANY DISAPPOINTMENTS...

More videos:

  • Review - SOOO... I tried SKIMS SHAPEWEAR & WE NEED TO CHAT
  • Review - Is SKIMS Worth It? | SKIMS Review + Try-On Haul | Curvy Girl Edition

Foxit Reader videos

Foxit Reader Free PDF Reader Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Skim and Foxit Reader)
PDF Tools
15 15%
85% 85
PDF Editor
11 11%
89% 89
PDF Readers And Editors
15 15%
85% 85
PDF Creator
10 10%
90% 90

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Skim and Foxit Reader

Skim Reviews

13 of the Best Free PDF Readers
Skim is another lightweight PDF viewer that comes with many basic functions. Users can highlight text, take pictures and add notes with ease. Skim was primarily developed for academics but has since expanded its functionality. Still, this tool remains great for academics, as it can connect with third-party apps such as Bid Desk.
Source: www.indeed.com

Foxit Reader Reviews

  1. Comparatively better than other apps


The Most Recommended 9 Free PDF Readers in 2023
Foxit Reader is a reader with many functions. It is perfectly compatible with all Windows systems and is a PDF reader for Windows.
10 Best PDF Expert Alternatives for Various Tasks in 2022
If compared, the functionality of these two products, Foxit Reader proves to possess tools, which are more effective for editing text in PDF docs. Such features as adding quick markup, highlighting text, underlining, and strikethrough, are the reasons, wherefor diverse users often prefer to choose this PDF Expert alternative product.
Source: fixthephoto.com
3 Ways to Add Image to PDF for Free
Foxit Reader is a tool similar to the above 2 products. Foxit Reader and adobe have almost the same functions, the difference between them is the pricing of their advanced features. Foxit Reader is cheaper than Adobe, but not comparable to GeekerPDF, which is free.
5 alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Reader
Foxit Reader is a very smooth PDF reader and a good alternatives to Adobe Reader. In addition to reading, it also provides annotation, form filling and signature functions.
Top 5 Best Free Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat DC
Foxit Reader has a safe reading mode which helps control things like internal links and javascript integration. This is because the Foxit Reader has ubiquitous nature, it makes it a popular target for malware and virus developers.
Source: whatvwant.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Skim seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 31 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Skim mentions (31)

  • Show HN: Pdfdark.com – view pdf's in "dark mode" all on client
    For those uncomfortable uploading documents, a number of other native apps also dark/inversion mode, including Skim for macOS: https://skim-app.sourceforge.io . - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • You can deeplink to a specific PDF page
    A bit unrelated - I use Hookmark[0] on my MacOS to deep link local PDFs. I can link to specific sections within a page, although it works only when the PDF is viewed with Skim reader[1] and not the default Preview app [0] https://hookproductivity.com [1] https://skim-app.sourceforge.io. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • iCloud Drive silently deletes your content
    I've had my fair share of highlighting/annotating shenanigans with macOS built-in software and I've found Skim (free, BSD licensed) to be a very competent replacement, with the only caveat that you have to remember to export the annotated PDFs if you want to be able to see your changes from any other application. https://skim-app.sourceforge.io/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Electronic text book reader
    I actually am going to say a Macbook air. The reason is because the pdf reader Skim is Mac OSX only. I've tried many, and I haven't found another PDF reader I like. The only thing you lose is the ability to write directly on the screen. If that's something you really want to do, then you should get an iPad and load your pdfs in GoodNotes. The added benefit of that is that you can add blank pages right in the PDF... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Question about transcript proofreading
    Well. I have a 55 pages with three remaining parts of a transcript I should probably be working on ... But I haven't proofed in a while, so I had to remember how to use the (Mac only) program I use to mark up PDFs worked, only to find there was a new version waiting to be downloaded and installed ... and, of course, re-learned. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

Foxit Reader mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Foxit Reader yet. Tracking of Foxit Reader recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Skim and Foxit Reader, you can also consider the following products

Adobe Acrobat DC - Make your job easier with Adobe Acrobat DC, the trusted PDF creator. Use Acrobat to convert, edit and sign PDF files at your desk or on the go.

Xodo - Try easy-to-use PDF tools that keep your documents safe. Work with your important files across all platforms and devices with the ultimate all-in-one document solution. Your productivity lives at Xodo!

Sumatra PDF - Sumatra PDF is a slim PDF/DjVu/EPUB/XPS/CHM/CBR/CBZ/MOBI viewer for Windows.

Okular - Okular is a universal document viewer based developed by KDE.

Wondershare PDFelement - All-in-one PDF editor

MuPDF - MuPDF is a lightweight PDF and XPS viewer.