PDFTron Alternative: Papyrus vs Apryse PDF SDK
Teams searching for "PDFTron alternative" typically want a PDF SDK with annotations and viewer UI, but without enterprise licensing. Papyrus is an open source option focused on document reading workflows for web and mobile.
What it is: a direct comparison for teams evaluating PDFTron alternatives.
Who it's for: teams needing reader UX without enterprise licensing.
When to use: you want open source + full UI control.
When not to use: you need advanced PDF editing or enterprise compliance modules.
If you are evaluating PDFTron mainly for document reading, Papyrus covers most reader workflows without licensing overhead.
Why teams look for a PDFTron alternative
- Cost and licensing: proprietary SDKs require sales contracts and recurring fees.
- Closed source: limits audits, customization, and long-term control.
- UI flexibility: product teams need deeper control of the reader UX.
- Multi-format support: EPUB and TXT can matter for reading products.
What Papyrus provides
- MIT license and open source code.
- Engine-agnostic core (PDF.js on web; native bridge on mobile). See Architecture.
- UI kits for React and React Native (viewer, sidebars, topbar). See Examples.
- Annotations, text selection, search, and lifecycle events. See Configuration.
- Theming and configuration for brand-aligned UX. See Configuration.
- Support for PDF, EPUB, and TXT in one SDK. See Open Source EPUB SDK.
Quick comparison
| Criteria | Papyrus (Open Source) | PDFTron (Apryse) |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | MIT, open source | Commercial, proprietary |
| Cost | Free | Paid, enterprise licensing |
| Platforms | Web (React) + Mobile (React Native) | Native SDKs across platforms |
| UI kits | Yes, open source components | Yes, commercial UI |
| Annotations | Yes, via core state/events | Yes, advanced tooling |
| Search | Yes, integrated | Yes, advanced tooling |
| Multi-format | PDF, EPUB, TXT | PDF focus with add-ons |
| Customization | High (code access) | Limited to SDK options |
| Support | Community + issues | Paid support |
When Papyrus is the right choice
- You need a free, open source PDF SDK with annotations and search.
- You want full control over UI and behavior.
- You want a PDFTron alternative for web and mobile.
- You also need EPUB and TXT support.
When PDFTron may fit better
- You require enterprise support with SLA.
- You need specialized enterprise modules or compliance guarantees.
- Your use case depends on advanced PDF processing features.
Next steps
PDFTron and Apryse are trademarks of their respective owners. This comparison is informational.