Adobe Reader vs SumatraPDF
May 06, 2026 | Author: Maria Lin
Adobe Reader and SumatraPDF are both free PDF book readers. They allow you to customize page layout, change the zoom level (or expand to full screen), search for text, navigate through the table of contents and bookmarks. Both programs can open large PDF files.
But Adobe Reader has more features, such as easier note-taking, support for text highlighting and a reading mode without unnecessary panels. It better displays complex layouts and supports embedded multimedia elements. Adobe also provides a service for synchronizing documents via the cloud.
SumatraPDF is a simpler program, but it works much faster – it quickly opens and scrolls pages even in very large files and on low-end computers (as it is optimized and uses minimal memory and resources). In addition to PDF, it supports EPUB and MOBI formats. SumatraPDF has a portable version that can be run from a flash drive without installation.
But Adobe Reader has more features, such as easier note-taking, support for text highlighting and a reading mode without unnecessary panels. It better displays complex layouts and supports embedded multimedia elements. Adobe also provides a service for synchronizing documents via the cloud.
SumatraPDF is a simpler program, but it works much faster – it quickly opens and scrolls pages even in very large files and on low-end computers (as it is optimized and uses minimal memory and resources). In addition to PDF, it supports EPUB and MOBI formats. SumatraPDF has a portable version that can be run from a flash drive without installation.
