PDF-XChange Viewer Editor's Review

PDF-XChange Viewer is one of the most popular alternatives to Adobe´s Acrobat Reader. The app is less bloated than it´s more expensive competitor, yet offers a similar viewing experience, and an impressive range of editing options in the pro version.

The basic version PDF-XChange Viewer is, as the name suggests, simply a viewer for PDF documents. If you choose to upgrade however, this simple viewer becomes a powerful PDF editing software. There are several licensed versions available starting with PDF-XChange Lite at €18, to PDF-XChange Pro at €55.00.

Features in the basic viewer include the ability to highlight areas on the PDF document, insert annotations, make comments, correct mistakes, add shapes and objects to a page, add an image signature, extract forms data, and convert a PDF to image format.

Pro's: Fast program for viewing PDF files, with a low cost upgrade option for creating and editing PDF files. The ability to fill in forms and add annotations to PDF documents covers the most commonly used functions, at no cost.

Con's: Limited functionality in the free version.

Conclusion: As a PDF viewer, PDF-XChange offers a good range of mark-up tools for the needs of most users. It is a viable alternative for those who want some basic editing and annotation features, without the need to pay a license fee. While other free PDF viewers have bloated their app with adverts and annoying pop-ups, PDF-XChange remains a more professional free application.