Head-to-head · File Reader Software
Okular vs Papers
Okular leads on 0 checks, Papers on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreOkular · 8.2/10
- Free planboth
Okular scores higher on our rubric for file reader software: 8.2 against 6.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #7.
Okular is the better fit for cross-platform PDF and document reading. Papers is the better fit for linux users reading and annotating documents.
- Okular fits best
Cross-platform PDF and document reading
- Papers fits best
Linux users reading and annotating documents
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Side by side
| Feature | Okular 8.2/10 Visit ↗ | Papers 6.8/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.2 | 6.8 |
| Ranking | #2 in File Reader Software | #7 in File Reader Software |
| Best for | Cross-platform PDF and document reading | Linux users reading and annotating documents |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Linux |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business |
| Features Okular 1/4 · Papers 1/4 | ||
| Annotations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Text search | Not published | Not published |
| Accessibility support | Not published | Not published |
| Cloud sync | Not published | Not published |
| Specs | ||
| Supported formats | Not published | Not published |
| Platforms | Not published | Not published |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Okular is KDE’s free, open-source desktop document viewer for individuals and organizations that need to read PDFs and a range of other formats. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and supports PDFs, EPUB, DjVu, e-books, comics, images,… Read the review → |
Papers is a free, open-source desktop document viewer from the GNOME Project for Linux users who read and annotate documents on the GNOME desktop. It opens PDF, DjVu, TIFF, and comic-book archive files, with controls to navigate, scroll,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Okular — where it wins
- Reads PDFs, EPUB, DjVu, e-books, comics, images, and more
- Annotations, PDF forms, and digital signature support in one reader
- Text-to-speech, selection tools, thumbnails, and content navigation
Where it doesn't
- Desktop deployment only
- No AI features
- macOS availability is described as nightly builds
Papers — where it wins
- Supports PDF, DjVu, TIFF, and comic-book archives
- Adds PDF text annotations, highlights, and annotation bookmarks
- Fills interactive forms and prints documents or booklets
Where it doesn't
- Linux-only desktop deployment limits cross-platform use
- Support is documented through a docs channel
- No AI-assisted features are included
- Okular8.2/10 · Free plan
A capable open-source reader for PDFs, e-books, annotations, forms, and accessibility tools.
Visit OkularFull verdict → - Papers6.8/10 · Free plan
A free Linux reader for viewing, searching, annotating, and printing documents.
Visit GNOME PapersFull verdict →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
Last updated · How we research and update