Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Sumatra PDF VS qpdfview

Compare Sumatra PDF VS qpdfview and see what are their differences

Sumatra PDF logo Sumatra PDF

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

qpdfview logo qpdfview

qpdfview is a Qt-based tabbed document viewer using the Poppler library for PDF rendering and CUPS...
  • Sumatra PDF Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-28
  • qpdfview Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-25

Sumatra PDF features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Sumatra PDF is known for its small footprint, making it quick to download and install. It runs efficiently on older hardware.
  • Speed
    The application is fast to open and navigate, even with large PDF files, enhancing the user experience.
  • Simplicity
    Sumatra PDF offers a minimalistic interface that is easy to navigate for users who need a straightforward PDF reader without unnecessary features.
  • Portable Version
    Sumatra PDF offers a portable version that can be run without installation, ideal for use on multiple computers or USB drives.
  • Free and Open Source
    The software is free to use and open-source, allowing users to inspect the code and contribute to its development.
  • Support for Multiple Formats
    In addition to PDFs, Sumatra PDF supports ePub, Mobi, XPS, DjVu, CHM, and comic book formats (CBZ and CBR), making it versatile.

Possible disadvantages of Sumatra PDF

  • Limited Features
    Sumatra PDF lacks advanced features such as form filling, text editing, and annotations, which are available in other PDF readers.
  • No Document Editing
    The application does not support document editing, which can be a drawback for users needing to make changes to their PDFs.
  • Basic User Interface
    The simplistic design might not appeal to users who prefer a more modern or visually appealing interface.
  • Restricted Customization
    Sumatra PDF offers limited customization options, providing fewer settings and user preferences compared to other PDF readers.
  • No Cloud Integration
    The software lacks integrated support for cloud storage services, which can be inconvenient for users who manage documents online.
  • No Advanced Security Features
    Sumatra PDF does not include advanced security features such as digital signatures or encryption, which are essential for some professional users.

qpdfview features and specs

  • Lightweight
    qpdfview is a lightweight application, which means it requires minimal system resources and offers fast performance, making it ideal for users with older or less powerful hardware.
  • Tabbed Interface
    The application supports tabbed browsing, allowing users to open multiple PDF documents within the same window, enhancing workflow efficiency and organization.
  • Cross-Platform
    qpdfview is available on various operating systems, including Linux and Windows, which provides flexibility for users who work across different platforms.
  • Search Functionality
    It features robust search capabilities, allowing users to quickly find text within PDF documents, which is particularly helpful for academic and professional use.
  • Annotation Support
    Users can add annotations to PDF files, making it useful for reviewing and editing documents.

Possible disadvantages of qpdfview

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Compared to more comprehensive PDF editors, qpdfview does not offer advanced editing capabilities such as form filling or multimedia embedding.
  • User Interface
    The user interface is quite basic and may not be as polished or intuitive as some other modern PDF readers, which could be a drawback for some users.
  • Windows Support Limitations
    While it is cross-platform, some users may encounter limitations or less seamless performance on Windows compared to Linux distributions.
  • No Built-in Cloud Integration
    qpdfview does not offer direct integration with cloud storage services, which can inconvenience users who rely heavily on cloud-based document management.
  • Development Activity
    The development and updating of qpdfview may not be as active as some other PDF viewers, potentially leading to slower responses to bugs or feature requests.

Analysis of Sumatra PDF

Overall verdict

  • Sumatra PDF is a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable and efficient PDF reader. Its performance, coupled with its simplicity, makes it a top recommendation for those who need a no-frills document viewer.

Why this product is good

  • Sumatra PDF is considered good because it is lightweight, fast, and easy to use. Its simplicity and minimalistic design make it an excellent choice for users who need a straightforward PDF reader without any unnecessary features. It has a quick load time and supports a variety of document formats including PDF, ePub, MOBI, CHM, XPS, DjVu, CBZ, and CBR. Additionally, it is open-source and doesn't require installation, making it ideal for users who prioritize portability.

Recommended for

    Sumatra PDF is especially recommended for users who need a fast and lightweight PDF reader with basic functionalities. It's ideal for those who want a simple tool for reading PDFs and other document formats without the complications of advanced features. It is also suitable for users who value open-source software.

Sumatra PDF videos

Sumatra PDF my favorite PDF reader for Windows

More videos:

  • Review - Sumatra PDF A FREE Portable PDF reader for Windows 10 | Alternative To Adobe PDF Reader

qpdfview videos

No qpdfview videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Sumatra PDF and qpdfview)
PDF Tools
95 95%
5% 5
PDF Editor
92 92%
8% 8
PDF Readers And Editors
87 87%
13% 13
PDF Creator
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Sumatra PDF and qpdfview

Sumatra PDF Reviews

The Most Recommended 9 Free PDF Readers in 2023
Sumatra PDF Reader is a lightweight PDF reader with the basics of PDF viewing and processing. It works with various versions of the Windows operating system, such as the previous XP, Vista, 7, 8 and the latest Windows 10.
Top 10 Free eBOOK Readers for PC
A free eBook reader for Windows that can act as an all-in-one tool is Sumatra PDF Reader. Besides being free of cost, Sumatra is small and portable, which makes it a fast and lightweight tool for eBook viewing. The tool also features a simple and user-friendly interface with a near-to-zero learning curve. Sumatra can prove beneficial as the best EPUB reader for your PC.
Source: updf.com
10 of the Best Ebook Readers for Windows, macOS, and Mobile
Being a simple application, the user interface itself is pretty minimal. What’s more, Sumatra does lack some advanced features. Bookmarks, highlights, and other typical features aren’t in the box. Even so, Sumatra is a great choice as a capable and lightweight application that just works.
13 of the Best Free PDF Readers
Users who want the ability to view their PDF in different modes should consider Sumatra PDF. Sumatra PDF allows users to view their PDFs as a single page, in book format or as a presentation. There are also shortcuts included that make navigating the PDF easier and faster. Sumatra PDF might not have all the features of some other PDFs viewers, but it is still a reliable tool...
Source: www.indeed.com
Top 10 Adobe Reader Alternatives for Windows
We have mentioned 10 good Adobe reader alternatives that you can use to replace Adobe Acrobat Reader. Depending on your usage and requirement you can choose anyone. For example, if you just want an app to read the PDF documents, you can simply use your browser. If you want something light, you can download the Sumatra PDF. Just read the article and find the one that meets...
Source: beebom.com

qpdfview Reviews

We have no reviews of qpdfview yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, qpdfview should be more popular than Sumatra PDF. It has been mentiond 3 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.

Sumatra PDF mentions (1)

  • anyone know any good epub/pdf readers for windows 11?
    You can use your browser for both, there are extensions(FireFox - PDF & EPUB/Chrome - PDF& EPUB) for that. In case, you want you use a separate software for them, I suggest SumatraPDF--it handles both PDFs and .EPUB files. Source: over 2 years ago

qpdfview mentions (3)

  • Qpdfview 0.5.0 Released
    Previous stable qpdfview 0.4.18 released in 2019. Development of O.5.x brings support for compiling with any Qt version (Qt4, Qt5 & Qt6).[0,1] [0] https://launchpad.net/qpdfview/+announcement/28501 [1] https://launchpad.net/qpdfview/+announcement/30745. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Going from zathura to neovim
    You didn't say what OS you're using, but on linux the best of the poppler-based PDF viewers are probably qpdfview (lighter weight) and okular (heavier but more features), both of which have good synctex support as well. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • What are your favorite PDF viewers/editors
    I've been happy with qpdfview as my PDF viewer for a couple of years now. I've customized it to have vi-like keybindings (j/k for instance) and it has others features like SyncTeX support and tabs that I want in a PDF viewer. The only thing lacking is support for playing media files, which comes in handy during presentations and such. I don't edit PDFs regularly, but when I do I just import it in Inkscape... Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Sumatra PDF and qpdfview, you can also consider the following products

Foxit Reader - Foxit Reader is a free and light-weight multi-platform PDF document viewer.

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

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.

Evince - Evince is a document viewer for multiple document formats: PDF, Postscript, djvu, tiff, dvi, XPS...

PDF-XChange Editor - The smallest, fastest, most feature-rich PDF editor/viewer available

MuPDF - MuPDF is a lightweight PDF and XPS viewer.