Evince
Evince: A capable free Linux reader for PDFs, forms, annotations, and more. Ranked #7 of 23 in PDF Readers by our editors (8.6/10); pricing: Free plan; best for linux users wanting a straightforward reader.
At a glance
- Editor score8.6 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forLinux users wanting a straightforward reader
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Offline accessYes
- Facts checked24 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Reads PDF, PostScript, DjVu, DVI, XPS, and comic-book archives
- Supports annotations, forms, bookmarks, outlines, and document search
- Free and open source with offline desktop access
Where it doesn't
- Linux-only desktop availability limits cross-platform use
- Built-in OCR is not provided
- Its integration list is limited to gedit
Our verdict on Evince
Evince is a free, open-source document viewer for the GNOME desktop, aimed at Linux users who need a straightforward way to read and manage common document formats. It opens PDFs alongside PostScript, DjVu, DVI, XPS, and comic-book archive files. Core reading tools include text search, zooming, thumbnails, outlines, annotations, bookmarks, fullscreen viewing, presentation mode, and preview mode. It also supports interactive PDF forms, password-protected PDFs, printing, and saving annotated PDF copies.
For a free reader, Evince covers more than basic viewing. Users can add text notes and highlighted-text annotations, navigate through document structure, fill form fields, and work with protected PDFs. Its multi-format support makes it useful for document collections that extend beyond PDF. The published feature set also includes SyncTeX with gedit, giving users of that editor a focused connection between source documents and PDF viewing. Evince is distributed through GNOME’s software ecosystem and can also be installed from Flathub, while the project provides source releases and developer documentation under the GPL-2-or-later license.
The main trade-off is scope and platform coverage. Evince is designed for Linux desktops rather than users who need a reader across multiple operating systems. OCR relies on external software, so scanned-document workflows may require another tool alongside Evince. It is a good fit for Linux users who value open-source software, offline reading, annotations, forms, and broad document-format support. Users seeking built-in OCR, broader platform availability, or a larger integration ecosystem should consider an alternative focused on those needs.
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Evince pricing
Evince fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Annotation tools | Yes |
| OCR support | None |
| Form filling | Yes |
| Offline access | Yes |
| Text-to-speech | Not verified |
| Platform support | Desktop |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | Linux |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | apps.gnome.org |
| Facts checked | 24 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Evince
- Foxit PDF ReaderA free cross-platform reader with collaboration, forms, signatures, and cloud integrations.9.4
- OkularA capable open-source desktop reader with annotations, forms, signatures and accessibility tools.9.2
- PreviewA capable free PDF reader for Apple users, with practical editing and signing tools.9.1
Evince vs the competition
- Evince vs Foxit PDF Reader
- Evince vs Okular
- Evince vs Preview
- Evince vs SumatraPDF
- Evince vs Mozilla PDF.js
- Evince vs KDAN PDF
Compare Evince with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
Evince is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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