I built a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat PDF viewer
I built EmbedPDF: an MIT-licensed, open-source PDF viewer that aims to match all of Adobe Acrobat’s paid features… for free. Already working: - Annotations (highlight, sticky notes, free text, ink) - True redaction (content actually removed) - Search, text selection, zoom, rotation - Runs fully in the browser, no server needed - Drop-in SDK for React, Vue, Preact, vanilla JS Why? Acrobat is heavy, closed, and pricey. I wanted something lightweight, hackable, and embeddable anywhere. Demo: https://app.embedpdf.com/ Website: https://www.embedpdf.com/ GitHub:…
I built a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat PDF viewer launched on August 14, 2025 with 357 votes, #82 of 8,530 launches that month and more than 99% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 1 year on.
In plain words
EmbedPDF is an open-source, MIT-licensed PDF viewer that runs entirely in the browser without requiring a server. It offers annotations including highlights, sticky notes, and freehand ink, plus true redaction that permanently removes content. Features include search, text selection, zoom, and rotation. Developers can integrate it as a drop-in SDK for React, Vue, Preact, or vanilla JavaScript. Designed for those seeking a lightweight, customizable alternative to Adobe Acrobat.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
A PDF viewer that seamlessly integrates with any JavaScript project - embedpdf/embed-pdf-viewer
In the maker’s words, at launch
I built EmbedPDF: an MIT-licensed, open-source PDF viewer that aims to match all of Adobe Acrobat’s paid features… for free. Already working: - Annotations (highlight, sticky notes, free text, ink) - True redaction (content actually removed) - Search, text selection, zoom, rotation - Runs fully in the browser, no…
Does a similar job
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Source: Show HN post ↗ · launch text quoted in part
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