Okular vs FastStone Image Viewer

Okular8.9Visit FastStone Image Viewer8.3Visit

Higher score Okular #3 in File Viewer Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit KDE

vs

FastStone Image Viewer #7 in File Viewer Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit FastStone

• Okular fits best

  Free cross-platform PDF and document viewing

• FastStone Image Viewer fits best

  Windows image browsing and editing

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Side by side

Feature	Okular 8.9/10 Visit ↗	FastStone Image Viewer 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.3
Ranking	#3 in File Viewer Software	#7 in File Viewer Software
Best for	Free cross-platform PDF and document viewing	Windows image browsing and editing
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Enterprise
Features Okular 0/4 · FastStone Image Viewer 0/4
Archive preview	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Office file preview	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Code file preview	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
In-file search	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Listed formats	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Primary access	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Maximum file size	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports PDF and multiple document formats across Windows, macOS, and Linux Includes annotations, form filling, signatures, search, and presentation mode Adds text-to-speech, navigation panels, magnifier mode, and text selection	Supports camera RAW formats and EXIF metadata viewing Compares up to four images and creates configurable contact sheets Combines editing, batch conversion, scanning, and portable use
Cons	No OCR support Its scope is centered on documents rather than broader viewer workflows The open-source model may not suit buyers seeking paid-tier packaging	Commercial use requires a $34.95 one-time license Designed for Windows desktop use Its broad feature set may exceed basic viewing needs
Our verdict	Okular is a free, open-source document viewer from KDE for people who need to read, navigate, annotate, and interact with PDFs and other formats. It opens PDF, PostScript, TIFF, DjVu, image, XPS, EPUB, comic-book, and other documents.… Read the review →	FastStone Image Viewer is a Windows desktop application for browsing, viewing, organizing, comparing, editing, converting, and presenting digital images. It suits photographers, image-heavy teams, and Windows users who want more than a… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Okular — where it wins

  • Supports PDF and multiple document formats across Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Includes annotations, form filling, signatures, search, and presentation mode
  • Adds text-to-speech, navigation panels, magnifier mode, and text selection

  Where it doesn't

  • No OCR support
  • Its scope is centered on documents rather than broader viewer workflows
  • The open-source model may not suit buyers seeking paid-tier packaging

• FastStone Image Viewer — where it wins

  • Supports camera RAW formats and EXIF metadata viewing
  • Compares up to four images and creates configurable contact sheets
  • Combines editing, batch conversion, scanning, and portable use

  Where it doesn't

  • Commercial use requires a $34.95 one-time license
  • Designed for Windows desktop use
  • Its broad feature set may exceed basic viewing needs

• Okular8.9/10 · Free plan

  A capable open-source viewer for PDFs, forms, annotations, signatures, and more.

  Visit KDEFull verdict →
• FastStone Image Viewer8.3/10 · Free plan

  A capable Windows image viewer with RAW support, batch tools, editing, and a portable version.

  Visit FastStoneFull verdict →