MuPDF is a lightweight open-source PDF viewer and toolkit known for its fast rendering capabilities. It is widely used by individuals and businesses for viewing, editing, and manipulating PDF documents. However, as technology advances, several alternative PDF viewers and tools have emerged that offer similar or even enhanced features. In this article, we will explore the 10 best MuPDF alternatives and competitors in 2024.

1. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is one of the most popular PDF viewers in the market. It provides a comprehensive set of features, including viewing, editing, annotating, and digitally signing PDFs. Acrobat Reader DC offers a user-friendly interface and seamless integration with other Adobe products, making it a strong competitor to MuPDF.

Key Features:

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  • View, edit, and annotate PDFs
  • Digitally sign documents
  • Fill and submit forms
  • Cloud storage integration

Benefits: With Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, users can easily view, edit, and annotate PDFs. The ability to digitally sign documents adds an extra layer of security and authenticity to your files. The software also offers form filling and submission features, eliminating the need for printing and scanning. Integration with cloud storage services allows for easy access to documents across multiple devices.

Suitable For: Individuals and businesses looking for a feature-rich PDF viewer with advanced editing and collaboration capabilities.

2. Foxit Reader

Foxit Reader is a lightweight and fast PDF viewer that offers a range of features for viewing and annotating documents. It supports multiple document formats, including PDF, XPS, and CBR. Foxit Reader has a customizable interface and provides various collaboration tools, making it a popular alternative to MuPDF.

Key Features:

  • View and annotate PDFs
  • Multiple document format support
  • Customizable interface
  • Collaboration tools

Benefits: Foxit Reader's efficient rendering engine ensures fast and smooth document viewing. The software allows users to annotate PDFs with comments, highlights, and drawings. Its customizable interface enables users to personalize the tool according to their preferences. Foxit Reader's collaboration tools enable real-time collaboration and document sharing.

Suitable For: Individuals and businesses seeking a lightweight PDF viewer with comprehensive annotation and collaboration features.

3. Nitro Pro (formerly Nitro PDF)

Nitro Pro is a powerful PDF editor and converter that offers a wide range of functionalities for creating, editing, and sharing PDFs. It provides features such as PDF creation, conversion, editing, OCR, and form filling. Nitro Pro's user-friendly interface and extensive feature set make it a compelling alternative to MuPDF.

Key Features:

  • PDF creation and conversion
  • Advanced editing capabilities
  • Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
  • Form filling and signing

Benefits: Nitro Pro allows users to create PDFs from various file formats and convert them to editable formats. The software offers advanced editing capabilities, such as text and image editing, as well as OCR for converting scanned documents into searchable and editable files. Nitro Pro's form filling and signing features make it easy to complete and sign digital forms.

Suitable For: Individuals and businesses requiring advanced PDF editing and conversion capabilities.

4. PDF-XChange Editor

PDF-XChange Editor is a feature-rich PDF viewer and editor that offers a wide range of tools for creating, editing, and annotating PDFs. It provides options for adding comments, annotations, and stamps to documents. PDF-XChange Editor's intuitive interface and extensive toolset make it a strong competitor to MuPDF.

Key Features:

  • Create, edit, and annotate PDFs
  • Comment and markup tools
  • OCR functionality
  • Document security features

Benefits: PDF-XChange Editor allows users to create and edit PDFs with ease. Its comment and markup tools enable collaboration and document review. The software's OCR functionality converts scanned documents into searchable and editable files. PDF-XChange Editor also offers document security features, such as password protection and digital signatures.

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Suitable For: Individuals and businesses seeking a comprehensive PDF editor with advanced annotation and security features.

5. SumatraPDF

SumatraPDF is a lightweight and fast PDF viewer known for its simplicity and minimalistic design. It supports various document formats, including PDF, ePub, Mobi, and CBZ. SumatraPDF's speed and small file size make it an attractive alternative to MuPDF for users who prioritize performance and simplicity.

Key Features:

  • Fast and lightweight PDF viewer
  • Support for multiple document formats
  • Minimalistic design
  • Portable version available

Benefits: SumatraPDF's focus on speed and performance ensures quick document loading and navigation. The software supports various document formats, making it versatile for different types of files. SumatraPDF's minimalistic design provides a clutter-free reading experience. Additionally, the portable version of SumatraPDF can be run directly from a USB drive without installation.

Suitable For: Users looking for a lightweight and fast PDF viewer with a simple and clean interface.

6. PDFelement

PDFelement is a comprehensive PDF editor that offers a range of features for creating, editing, and converting PDFs. It provides options for editing text, images, and pages, as well as form creation and data extraction. PDFelement's intuitive interface and extensive editing capabilities make it a strong competitor to MuPDF.

Key Features:

  • Create, edit, and convert PDFs
  • Text and image editing
  • Form creation and data extraction
  • Batch processing

Benefits: PDFelement allows users to create and edit PDFs with ease, including the ability to modify text, images, and pages. The software offers form creation tools for designing interactive forms and extracting data from filled forms. PDFelement's batch processing feature enables users to perform actions on multiple files simultaneously.

Suitable For: Individuals and businesses requiring a comprehensive PDF editor with advanced editing and form creation capabilities.

7. Evince

Evince is a lightweight and simple document viewer that supports various file formats, including PDF, PostScript, and DjVu. It provides basic options for viewing and printing documents. Evince's minimalistic design and ease of use make it a suitable alternative to MuPDF for users who prioritize simplicity.

Key Features:

  • Lightweight document viewer
  • Support for multiple file formats
  • Minimalistic design
  • Basic viewing and printing options

Benefits: Evince's lightweight design ensures fast document loading and smooth navigation. The software supports multiple file formats, making it versatile for different types of documents. Evince's minimalistic interface provides a clean and distraction-free reading experience. It offers basic viewing and printing options for easy document access.

Suitable For: Users looking for a simple and lightweight document viewer for various file formats.

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8. Master PDF Editor

Master PDF Editor is a powerful PDF editor that offers a comprehensive set of features for creating, editing, and annotating PDFs. It provides options for adding text, images, and interactive elements to documents. Master PDF Editor's extensive toolset and user-friendly interface make it a compelling alternative to MuPDF.

Key Features:

  • Create, edit, and annotate PDFs
  • Text and image editing
  • Interactive elements and forms
  • Document signing and security

Benefits: Master PDF Editor allows users to create and edit PDFs with advanced features, including the ability to add text, images, and interactive elements. The software provides options for creating fillable forms and adding digital signatures for document security. Master PDF Editor's intuitive interface makes it easy to navigate and use its extensive toolset.

Suitable For: Individuals and businesses requiring a powerful PDF editor with advanced editing and form creation capabilities.

9. Okular

Okular is an open-source document viewer developed by the KDE community. It supports various file formats, including PDF, ePub, and CHM. Okular provides features for viewing, annotating, and highlighting documents. Its extensive range of supported formats and collaborative tools make it a strong competitor to MuPDF.

Key Features:

  • Open-source document viewer
  • Support for multiple file formats
  • Annotation and highlighting tools
  • Collaborative features

Benefits: Okular's support for various file formats allows users to view and manage different types of documents. The software's annotation and highlighting tools provide options for collaboration and document review. Okular's open-source nature ensures transparency and the ability to customize the tool according to individual needs.

Suitable For: Users seeking an open-source document viewer with support for multiple file formats and collaborative features.

10. PDF Studio

PDF Studio is a comprehensive PDF editor that offers a wide range of features for creating, editing, and annotating PDFs. It provides options for adding text, images, and shapes to documents, as well as form filling and OCR capabilities. PDF Studio's extensive toolset and cross-platform compatibility make it a compelling alternative to MuPDF.

Key Features:

  • Create, edit, and annotate PDFs
  • Text, image, and shape editing
  • Form filling and signing
  • OCR functionality

Benefits: PDF Studio allows users to create and edit PDFs with advanced features, such as adding text, images, and shapes. The software offers form filling and signing capabilities, eliminating the need for printing and scanning. Its OCR functionality enables users to convert scanned documents into searchable and editable files. PDF Studio's cross-platform compatibility ensures accessibility across different operating systems.

Suitable For: Individuals and businesses requiring a comprehensive PDF editor with advanced editing, form filling, and OCR capabilities.