Top iAnnotate Alternatives for Every Platform

iAnnotate has long been a popular choice for reading, annotating, and sharing PDFs, Microsoft Office files, images, and web pages across various devices. However, users often seek out alternative solutions due to specific feature needs, platform compatibility, or pricing considerations. Whether you're on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, or looking for a free or open-source option, there's a perfect iAnnotate alternative out there for you.

Best iAnnotate Alternatives

To help you navigate the vast landscape of document annotation tools, we've compiled a list of the best alternatives to iAnnotate, catering to diverse needs and operating systems. Explore these options to find your ideal fit for seamless document interaction.

Foxit Reader

Foxit Reader

Foxit Reader stands out as a free and lightweight multi-platform PDF document viewer, making it a strong iAnnotate alternative. It's compatible with PDF Standard 1.7 and is available across Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iPhone, even supporting Windows S and Android Tablet. Its robust features include PDF annotation, the ability to fill PDF forms, edit PDFs, and sign PDF files, all within a fast and user-friendly interface.

Evince

Evince

Evince is a free and open-source document viewer primarily for Linux, making it an excellent iAnnotate alternative for open-source enthusiasts. It supports numerous document formats like PDF, Postscript, and DjVu, and critically, it's capable of displaying, adding, and editing PDF annotations (comments). Its lightweight nature and portability add to its appeal.

Adobe Acrobat DC

Adobe Acrobat DC

Adobe Acrobat DC is a commercial, industry-standard PDF solution available for Mac and Windows. As a comprehensive iAnnotate alternative, it allows you to convert, edit, sign, and annotate PDF files with ease. It includes a mobile app for on-the-go functionality and Document Cloud services for seamless access across devices, offering advanced features like PDF OCR, document sharing, and split/merge capabilities.

Xodo

Xodo

Xodo is a 100% free, cross-platform PDF viewer and annotator, serving as a powerful iAnnotate alternative for Windows, Android, iPhone, Windows S, Android Tablet, Windows Phone, iPad, and Kindle Fire. It excels in PDF annotation, offers Google Drive and Dropbox integration, night mode, and features for creating, editing, and merging PDF files, along with real-time collaboration.

Notability

Notability

Notability is a commercial note-taking app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, making it an excellent iAnnotate alternative for Apple users focused on comprehensive note-taking. It seamlessly integrates handwriting, PDF annotation, and word processing, along with audio recording. Features like Apple Pencil support, handwriting recognition, and iCloud sync enhance its utility for students and professionals.

GoodReader

GoodReader

GoodReader is a commercial app for iPhone and iPad, providing a robust iAnnotate alternative for mobile document management. It allows users to read and annotate virtually any document type, including PDFs, and offers extensive file transfer options via USB, Wi-Fi, and cloud services like Dropbox and iCloud. Its PDF annotation and cloud sync capabilities are particularly strong.

PDF Reader

PDF Reader

PDF Reader is a freemium app available on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, Android Tablet, and iPad, making it a versatile iAnnotate alternative. It's ideal for organizing and annotating PDF documents with features like file management, freehand writing, PDF creation, editing, and digital signing. Its ability to convert PDFs to Word documents further expands its utility.

PDF Expert

PDF Expert

PDF Expert is a commercial application for Mac, iPhone, and iPad that serves as a powerful iAnnotate alternative, especially for Apple device users. It enables users to read, annotate, highlight, and fill PDF forms, with changes compatible with Preview and Adobe Acrobat. Its seamless integration with cloud services like Dropbox and robust editing features make it a top choice.

MarginNote

MarginNote

MarginNote is a commercial app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, offering a unique iAnnotate alternative for students and researchers. It integrates powerful tools for book annotation, mind mapping, and flashcards to build comprehensive reading notes. Key features include document annotations, ebook cloud sync, and an intuitive mind map view for organization, perfect for academic use.

PDF Studio

PDF Studio

PDF Studio is a freemium PDF editor available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS, making it a versatile iAnnotate alternative. It offers a comprehensive set of PDF features at a fraction of the cost of Adobe Acrobat DC, including PDF creation, conversion, review, and editing. It boasts full compatibility with the PDF Standard, along with features like OCR, PDF redaction, and batch processing.

With a wide array of iAnnotate alternatives available, ranging from free and open-source options to feature-rich commercial software across all major platforms, you're sure to find a tool that perfectly aligns with your specific document annotation and management needs. Explore these options and pick the best fit for your workflow!

Isabella Walker

Isabella Walker

Focuses on mobile apps, design tools, and how software improves digital workflows.