Head-to-head · PDF Readers
Okular vs Preview
Okular leads on 0 checks, Preview on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreOkular · 9.2/10
- Free planboth
Okular scores higher on our rubric for pdf readers: 9.2 against 9.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #3.
On platform support, Okular gives you Cross-platform where Preview offers Desktop.
Okular is the better fit for free open-source desktop PDF reading. Preview is the better fit for apple users wanting a capable free reader.
- Okular fits best
Free open-source desktop PDF reading
- Preview fits best
Apple users wanting a capable free reader
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Side by side
| Feature | Okular 9.2/10 Visit ↗ | Preview 9.1/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.2 | 9.1 |
| Ranking | #2 in PDF Readers | #3 in PDF Readers |
| Best for | Free open-source desktop PDF reading | Apple users wanting a capable free reader |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | macOS |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Okular 3/4 · Preview 3/4 | ||
| Annotation tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| Form filling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Offline access | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Text-to-speech | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| OCR support | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Platform support | Cross-platform | Desktop |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Okular is a free, open-source document viewer from KDE for people who need more than basic PDF reading on a desktop. It opens PDFs alongside PostScript, TIFF, DjVu, images, XPS, EPUB, comic-book formats and other documents. Navigation… Read the review → |
Preview is Apple’s built-in utility for viewing and editing PDFs and images on Mac and iPhone. It handles multipage PDF navigation, annotations, form filling, signatures, page management, text search, exporting, compression, password… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Okular — where it wins
- Free and open source across Windows, macOS and Linux
- Annotations, form filling and digital-signature support
- Text-to-speech, presentation mode and multi-format viewing
Where it doesn't
- No OCR capability is included
- No integrations are supplied
- Focused on desktop platforms rather than broader access
Preview — where it wins
- Annotates, signs, fills, and manages PDF pages
- Includes basic OCR, text search, compression, and protection
- Works with local files and iCloud on Apple platforms
Where it doesn't
- Available on macOS and iOS rather than broader platforms
- OCR support is basic
- Cloud access centers on iCloud
- Okular9.2/10 · Free plan
A capable open-source desktop reader with annotations, forms, signatures and accessibility tools.
Visit KDEFull verdict → - Preview9.1/10 · Free plan
A capable free PDF reader for Apple users, with practical editing and signing tools.
Visit AppleFull verdict →
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All PDF readers comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update