Top 4 FREE Open-Source PDF Tools for Windows That Beat Adobe Acrobat! 🆓🖥️📄

4 Free Open Source Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat for Windows

Adobe Acrobat may be the gold standard for PDFs, but it's not the only game in town—and certainly not the cheapest! If you're tired of subscriptions, great news: you can view, edit, and manage PDFs for free using these awesome open-source tools.

Here are 4 of the best free and open-source alternatives to Adobe Acrobat for Windows

1. PDFsam Basic – Best for Splitting & Merging PDFs ✂️📎🧩

Why Choose PDFsam Basic?
If you often need to split, merge, rotate, or extract pages from PDFs, this tool is a lifesaver. It's simple, effective, and beginner-friendly.

Key Features:

• Split PDFs into single pages ➗
• Merge multiple PDFs into one ➕
• Rotate and rearrange pages 🔄
• Extract specific pages from a document 🧾

Best For: Users who want basic PDF editing functions without a cluttered interface.
Download: pdfsam.org

2. Okular – Best for Reading & Annotating PDFs 📝🔍📚

Why Choose Okular?
Developed under KDE, Okular is more than just a PDF reader—it supports annotations and multiple file types like eBooks and images.

Key Features:

• Highlight text, add comments, underline ✏️
• Supports various document formats 📄📘
• Customizable viewing options ⚙️
• Cross-platform: Windows, Linux & macOS 🌐

Best For: Students, researchers, and professionals needing powerful annotation tools.
Download: okular.kde.org

3. LibreOffice Draw – Best for Editing PDFs ✍️🖼️🛠️

Why Choose LibreOffice Draw?
Part of the LibreOffice suite, Draw lets you actually edit text and images in PDF files—and even create new PDFs from scratch!

Key Features:

• Modify existing text and images ✂️🖋️
• Create new PDFs with graphics and diagrams 🖌️
• Export to various formats 🔄
• Totally free and open-source ✅

Best For: Anyone who wants to truly edit PDF content without the Adobe price tag.
Download: libreoffice.org

4. SumatraPDF – Best Lightweight PDF Reader ⚡📄💨

Why Choose SumatraPDF?
It’s ultra-lightweight, fast, and doesn't bog down your system—perfect for older or low-spec PCs.

Key Features:

• Super-fast PDF viewing ⚡
• Supports eBooks (ePub, MOBI) and comics (CBZ, CBR) 📚
• Minimalist, clutter-free interface 🧘‍♂️
• Portable version available—no installation needed 💾

Best For: Users who want a simple, no-frills PDF viewer.
Download: Sumatra PDF 3.5

Final Thoughts 💬

While Adobe Acrobat is powerful, you don’t need to pay a subscription to handle your PDF needs. Whether you're editing, annotating, combining, or just viewing PDFs—there’s a free and open-source tool perfect for you.

Which should you choose?

• Editing: LibreOffice Draw ✍️
• Annotations: Okular 📝
• Splitting & Merging: PDFsam Basic ✂️
• Fast Viewing: SumatraPDF ⚡

Try them out and see which one fits your workflow best!
Was this list helpful? Share your favorite open-source PDF tool with us! 💡❤️