PDF Reader Pro vs SumatraPDF (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PDF Reader Pro grades higher than SumatraPDF: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PDF Reader Pro grades higher on features and platforms. SumatraPDF grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
PDF Reader Pro
PDF viewer and editor for Mac, Windows, mobile and web
Which one is for you
Pick PDF Reader Pro if
- Fits if you want one PDF app on a Mac, a PC and a phone
- Works for people who prefer a one-time license over a subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you plan to stay free, because OCR and eSign are one-time trials and uploads stop at 10 MB
- Watch out: the one-time license covers 1 device, while yearly plans cover 4
- Skip it if you want the AI assistant on a phone, as it runs only on Windows and Mac
- Watch out: 500 AI points come with the first purchase only
- Watch out: the store showed a Black Friday sale to Nov 30, 2026, so regular prices are higher
Pick SumatraPDF if
- Fits if you want a light Windows viewer for PDFs, ebooks and comics
- Works for people who keep a portable reader on a USB stick
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for editing, as the pages list no way to change text or pages
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, since the FAQ says there is no version for them
- Not for you if you want phone apps, as none is listed
- Watch out: support is a GitHub discussions forum and documentation, not a help desk
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAPDF Reader ProVery good | 2.8GPASumatraPDFGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BThe $99.99 one-time license is under two years of the $6.67 middle subscription; the $59.99 yearly Standard is about $5 a month. | AFree and open source, with no ads or bundled software, and anyone can download and run it. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree version for reading and annotating, but OCR and eSign are one-time trials and uploads are capped at 10 MB. | AThe whole app is free to download and use, with nothing held back. |
| Features | BEdit text and images, convert, OCR, forms, signatures, redaction and an AI assistant. The listing shows no gap in the core work. | DIt opens many document formats but the pages list no editing, so for a PDF editing category it covers one narrow function, viewing. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record; a program you install and use, with nothing to set up. | BNo store rating is on record, but you install or unzip it and open a file, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, with two integrations listed. | CA Windows desktop app in 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM64 builds, plus a browser version. There is no Mac, Linux or phone app. |
| Best for | PDF editing across Mac, Windows, phones and the web | opening PDFs and ebooks quickly on Windows |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: PDF Reader Pro and SumatraPDF. How we grade
Price against what you get
PDF Reader Pro starts at $5 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SumatraPDF has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
PDF Reader Pro scores higher, and starts $5 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other PDF editors on the chart, none scores higher than PDF Reader Pro for less, and none scores higher than SumatraPDF for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- PDF Reader Pro can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- SumatraPDF is open source, according to its own site.
- PDF Reader Pro also covers pDF editing.
At a glance
| PDF Reader Pro | SumatraPDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $59.99 per year (Standard), or $99.99 one-time | Free |
| Free plan | Free version with reading and annotation; OCR and eSign are one-time trials, 1 GB cloud space, 10 MB upload limit. | Everything: the app is free and open source, with no ads or bundled software. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | PDF Technologies, Inc. | Krzysztof Kowalczyk |
| Price read from | pdfreaderpro.com | sumatrapdfreader.org |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
PDF Reader Pro
- The one-time Permanent license covers only 1 device, on Mac or Windows; the yearly plans cover 4 devices across all five platforms.
- The AI assistant runs only on Windows and Mac, and 500 AI points come with the first purchase only.
- OCR and eSign are one-time trials on the free version; the yearly plans differ in eSign trials (1 on Standard, 3 on Advanced).
- The store showed a Black Friday sale through Nov 30, 2026; prices here are the regular ones.
SumatraPDF
- Windows only for the desktop app; the FAQ says there is no Mac or Linux version.
- The home page presents it as a reader; the pages read do not list editing features such as changing text or pages.
- Support is through a GitHub discussions forum and documentation.
Key features
PDF Reader Pro
- Edit text and images
- Change text with its formatting, crop, replace or rotate images, and add headers, footers, watermarks and backgrounds.
- Convert and OCR
- Converts PDFs to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images, CSV, HTML and more; OCR turns scans into editable, searchable files.
- Forms and signatures
- Creates fillable forms, adds digital or ink signatures, and offers eSign workflows for sending and tracking signers.
- Annotate and organize
- Has 15+ annotation tools, stamps, and page tools to merge, split, extract, rotate and reorder pages.
- AI assistant
- Translates, summarizes, rewrites and answers questions about a document, with ChatGPT and DeepSeek models. Desktop apps only.
- Redaction and protection
- Search-based redaction, open passwords, and copy and print permissions.
SumatraPDF
- Many document formats
- Opens PDF, EPUB, MOBI, CBZ and CBR comics, DjVu, XPS, CHM and common image formats, including JPEG XL and HEIC.
- Light and fast
- The site describes an app that opens documents instantly with minimal memory use.
- Portable option
- Can run without installation, for example from a USB drive.
- Customization
- Keyboard shortcuts, themes and the toolbar layout can be changed.
- Windows builds
- Native 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM64 builds for Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11.
- Web version
- A browser version is linked from the site's main navigation at web.sumatrapdfreader.org.
Plans
PDF Reader Pro
Free Version$0
4 devices, 20 AI credits valid for 30 days, 1 GB cloud space and one-time trials of eSign and OCR.
Standard$59.99
per user / year, auto-renewing, tax included
Annual plan for 4 devices with 20 GB cloud space, 100 MB uploads and 500 AI points with the first purchase.
Advanced$79.99
per user / year, auto-renewing, tax included
Annual plan for 4 devices with 20 GB cloud space, 3 eSign trials and 500 AI points with the first purchase.
Permanent$99.99
one-time, for 1 device, tax included
Lifetime license for 1 Mac or Windows computer, with a 14-day conditional money-back guarantee.
SumatraPDF
Free$0
Free and open source, with no ads, bundled software or subscription.
Ways to pay less
PDF Reader Pro
- Other savings
Black Friday sale, 20% off first purchase
The home page advertises 20% off a first purchase, with bonus AI credits and eSign tasks, until Nov 30, 2026.
- Lifetime license
Permanent one-time license
A single payment of $99.99 covers 1 Mac or Windows device with no renewal.
SumatraPDF
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PDF Reader Pro or SumatraPDF?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SumatraPDF is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $5 a month when paid by the year for PDF Reader Pro. PDF Reader Pro starts at $59.99 per year (Standard), or $99.99 one-time, and SumatraPDF is free.
Which has a free plan, PDF Reader Pro or SumatraPDF?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both PDF Reader Pro and SumatraPDF have a free plan.
Which platforms do PDF Reader Pro and SumatraPDF run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PDF Reader Pro lists macOS, iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app and a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.