Best Nuance PDF Viewer SE Alternatives in 2025

Looking for alternatives to Nuance PDF Viewer SE? In this comparison, we take a closer look at Nuance PDF Viewer SE alongside similar software solutions including Nuance PDF Viewer SE, soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium, PDF-Creator, Nitro PDF Professional, FlexiPDF, Adobe Acrobat Standard, SumatraPDF, Adobe Reader, FoxitReader, Adobe Acrobat DC and PDF-XChange Viewer.

Our detailed comparison table highlights key features, pricing, and performance of these leading solutions, empowering you to make an informed decision. Whether you're seeking robust functionality, user-friendly design, or cost-effective alternatives, explore how Nuance PDF Viewer SE, soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium, PDF-Creator, Nitro PDF Professional, FlexiPDF, Adobe Acrobat Standard, SumatraPDF, Adobe Reader, FoxitReader, Adobe Acrobat DC and PDF-XChange Viewer stack up to find the perfect software for your goals.

	Cost and Licensing	Platform Compatibility	Key Features and Functionality
Nuance PDF Viewer SE	Free software program with limited advanced features.	Windows only, requires Intel Pentium 4 or higher.	Basic viewing and annotation features including form filling and digital signatures; limited editing capabilities; cloud storage integration; occasional crashes reported.
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium	Offers a free trial; full version is paid with various licensing options.	Windows compatible.	Comprehensive editing capabilities including OCR, image editing, annotations, encryption, password protection, supports multiple file formats including e-book formats.
PDF-Creator	Paid software; may be more expensive than other PDF software.	Windows compatible; supports various Windows OS versions including Vista and XP.	Batch conversion feature; supports multiple file formats including CAD files; optimization for visually appealing PDFs; OCR support and security features like encryption and password protection.
Nitro PDF Professional	Paid software with affordable pricing; offers a free version.	Windows based; some compatibility issues noted; also supports mobile devices and Macs partially.	Advanced editing tools, strong security features such as digital signatures and encryption, collaboration tools, efficient conversion tools, user-friendly interface but occasionally expensive and some compatibility issues.
FlexiPDF	Free trial available; full version is paid.	Available for both Windows and Mac platforms.	Reliable PDF editor with editing tools including redaction; OCR technology for scanned documents; supports multiple languages and cloud storage services integration like Dropbox and Google Drive; occasional performance issues reported.
Adobe Acrobat Standard	Paid application available as a one-time purchase or subscription; free trial available.	Supports Windows, Mac OS X, Android, iOS devices.	Advanced editing including text edit and form features; integration with Adobe Document Cloud for easy access and sharing; digital signatures and security features; steep learning curve; both one-time purchase or subscription models available.
SumatraPDF	Free, open-source PDF viewer with minimal features.	Windows only.	Lightweight and fast PDF viewer emphasizing distraction-free reading experience with night mode, annotation tools, customizable keyboard shortcuts but lacks cloud integration and complex editing functions.
Adobe Reader	Free software; basic functionality with frequent updates.	Multi-platform: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS.	Basic free reader with annotation features such as highlighting and commenting; frequent updates for security fixes but limited advanced editing functions without upgrading to paid versions.
FoxitReader	Free PDF reader with limited functionality; premium features require purchase.	Windows, Linux, macOS, Android mobile devices supported.	'Free reader offering advanced annotation tools and digital signatures integration; user-friendly interface similar to Adobe Acrobat Reader but premium features require purchase.'
Adobe Acrobat DC	Paid subscription software suite with a free trial and limited free version.	Multi-platform: Windows, macOS desktop platforms, Android, iOS devices.	'Full featured professional suite supporting editing, e-signatures, OCR scanning, collaboration tools, strong security options including encryption and password protection; integrated with Adobe Document Cloud across devices.'
PDF-XChange Viewer	Free PDF viewer with some advanced features; paid editors also available.	Works on Windows and Mac OS; has mobile version for Android and iOS.	'Free viewer with annotation capabilities including text highlighting and comments export; supports OCR functions with limited integration options compared to paid editors.'

Cost and Licensing

Nuance PDF Viewer SE	Free software program with limited advanced features.
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium	Offers a free trial; full version is paid with various licensing options.
PDF-Creator	Paid software; may be more expensive than other PDF software.
Nitro PDF Professional	Paid software with affordable pricing; offers a free version.
FlexiPDF	Free trial available; full version is paid.
Adobe Acrobat Standard	Paid application available as a one-time purchase or subscription; free trial available.
SumatraPDF	Free, open-source PDF viewer with minimal features.
Adobe Reader	Free software; basic functionality with frequent updates.
FoxitReader	Free PDF reader with limited functionality; premium features require purchase.
Adobe Acrobat DC	Paid subscription software suite with a free trial and limited free version.
PDF-XChange Viewer	Free PDF viewer with some advanced features; paid editors also available.

Platform Compatibility

Nuance PDF Viewer SE	Windows only, requires Intel Pentium 4 or higher.
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium	Windows compatible.
PDF-Creator	Windows compatible; supports various Windows OS versions including Vista and XP.
Nitro PDF Professional	Windows based; some compatibility issues noted; also supports mobile devices and Macs partially.
FlexiPDF	Available for both Windows and Mac platforms.
Adobe Acrobat Standard	Supports Windows, Mac OS X, Android, iOS devices.
SumatraPDF	Windows only.
Adobe Reader	Multi-platform: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS.
FoxitReader	Windows, Linux, macOS, Android mobile devices supported.
Adobe Acrobat DC	Multi-platform: Windows, macOS desktop platforms, Android, iOS devices.
PDF-XChange Viewer	Works on Windows and Mac OS; has mobile version for Android and iOS.

Key Features and Functionality

Nuance PDF Viewer SE	Basic viewing and annotation features including form filling and digital signatures; limited editing capabilities; cloud storage integration; occasional crashes reported.
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium	Comprehensive editing capabilities including OCR, image editing, annotations, encryption, password protection, supports multiple file formats including e-book formats.
PDF-Creator	Batch conversion feature; supports multiple file formats including CAD files; optimization for visually appealing PDFs; OCR support and security features like encryption and password protection.
Nitro PDF Professional	Advanced editing tools, strong security features such as digital signatures and encryption, collaboration tools, efficient conversion tools, user-friendly interface but occasionally expensive and some compatibility issues.
FlexiPDF	Reliable PDF editor with editing tools including redaction; OCR technology for scanned documents; supports multiple languages and cloud storage services integration like Dropbox and Google Drive; occasional performance issues reported.
Adobe Acrobat Standard	Advanced editing including text edit and form features; integration with Adobe Document Cloud for easy access and sharing; digital signatures and security features; steep learning curve; both one-time purchase or subscription models available.
SumatraPDF	Lightweight and fast PDF viewer emphasizing distraction-free reading experience with night mode, annotation tools, customizable keyboard shortcuts but lacks cloud integration and complex editing functions.
Adobe Reader	Basic free reader with annotation features such as highlighting and commenting; frequent updates for security fixes but limited advanced editing functions without upgrading to paid versions.
FoxitReader	'Free reader offering advanced annotation tools and digital signatures integration; user-friendly interface similar to Adobe Acrobat Reader but premium features require purchase.'
Adobe Acrobat DC	'Full featured professional suite supporting editing, e-signatures, OCR scanning, collaboration tools, strong security options including encryption and password protection; integrated with Adobe Document Cloud across devices.'
PDF-XChange Viewer	'Free viewer with annotation capabilities including text highlighting and comments export; supports OCR functions with limited integration options compared to paid editors.'

Choosing the right software isn’t just about features. Size, license type, user ratings, and popularity also matter.

This quick comparison shows how Nuance PDF Viewer SE stacks up against Nuance PDF Viewer SE, soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium, PDF-Creator, Nitro PDF Professional, FlexiPDF, Adobe Acrobat Standard, SumatraPDF, Adobe Reader, FoxitReader, Adobe Acrobat DC and PDF-XChange Viewer in these key areas—helping you find the best alternative for your needs.

	Size	License	Popularity
Nuance PDF Viewer SE		Commercial	0%
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium	99MB	Commercial	13%
PDF-Creator	2.3MB	Demo	10%
Nitro PDF Professional	2.3MB	Demo	8%
FlexiPDF	252.4MB	Commercial	39%
Adobe Acrobat Standard		Commercial	8%
SumatraPDF	4.3MB	Commercial	7%
Adobe Reader	36.1MB	Freeware	100%
FoxitReader	43.3MB	Commercial	24%
Adobe Acrobat DC	1.1MB	Commercial	6%
PDF-XChange Viewer	15.8MB	Freeware	7%

Size

Nuance PDF Viewer SE
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium	99MB
PDF-Creator	2.3MB
Nitro PDF Professional	2.3MB
FlexiPDF	252.4MB
Adobe Acrobat Standard
SumatraPDF	4.3MB
Adobe Reader	36.1MB
FoxitReader	43.3MB
Adobe Acrobat DC	1.1MB
PDF-XChange Viewer	15.8MB

License

Nuance PDF Viewer SE	Commercial
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium	Commercial
PDF-Creator	Demo
Nitro PDF Professional	Demo
FlexiPDF	Commercial
Adobe Acrobat Standard	Commercial
SumatraPDF	Commercial
Adobe Reader	Freeware
FoxitReader	Commercial
Adobe Acrobat DC	Commercial
PDF-XChange Viewer	Freeware

Rating

Nuance PDF Viewer SE
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium
PDF-Creator
Nitro PDF Professional
FlexiPDF
Adobe Acrobat Standard
SumatraPDF
Adobe Reader
FoxitReader
Adobe Acrobat DC
PDF-XChange Viewer

Popularity

Nuance PDF Viewer SE	0%
soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium	13%
PDF-Creator	10%
Nitro PDF Professional	8%
FlexiPDF	39%
Adobe Acrobat Standard	8%
SumatraPDF	7%
Adobe Reader	100%
FoxitReader	24%
Adobe Acrobat DC	6%
PDF-XChange Viewer	7%