Kiosk

Kiosk is a free, open-source PDF reader for web, desktop, mobile, and browser extensions. It is best suited to readers who want local document handling and Chrome users who need built-in markup. Its broad platform reach is appealing, though Android is still early alpha and Firefox and Safari are out.

Overview

Kiosk covers the essentials for reading and navigating PDFs: full-text search with highlighted matches, page thumbnails, smooth zoom, and light, dark, and night display modes. It processes PDFs on the device, with no telemetry, cloud processing, or account requirement. That makes it a good fit for readers who want to keep documents local; anyone who depends on a cloud-based workflow should look elsewhere.

Key features

• Reading and navigation: Search and thumbnails help readers move through long documents or find a passage quickly, while three display modes offer practical flexibility for different reading conditions.
• Annotations: The Chrome extension supports highlighting, underlining, strikethrough, drawing, shapes, and text annotations. That is a useful markup set for reviewing PDFs in Chrome, but the listed annotation tools are specific to the extension.
• Offline and self-hosted use: The Android app works without internet after installation, and the extension supports offline use. The web app can run locally or be deployed through GitHub Pages as a self-hosted instance, giving users options for keeping their reading setup close to home.
• Opening PDFs: Desktop apps can open PDFs directly and associate Kiosk with PDF files. The Chrome extension can intercept PDFs opened in Chrome, making it convenient for users who want Kiosk to handle those documents by default.

Pricing

Kiosk costs nothing. The free plan is the product: an open-source PDF reader with no paid plans stated. There is no free trial, because there is no paid tier to trial. The MIT License gives users permission to use the project under its terms, while the absence of a cloud service or account requirement suits readers who want a straightforward local reader rather than a managed document service.

Platforms

Kiosk is listed for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, web, self-hosted use, and browser extensions. Extension support covers Chrome 88+, Edge 88+, and Brave; Firefox and Safari are incompatible. That leaves a substantial gap for readers who rely on either of those browsers. The macOS app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized, so Gatekeeper may warn on first launch. On Android, the early-alpha status means some features and performance improvements are still in progress, making it a less dependable choice for readers who need a mature mobile app.

Who it's for

Kiosk suits readers who want a free PDF reader with search, display choices, and on-device processing, especially those using Chrome or desktop apps. It also fits users who value offline reading or want to serve the web app locally. Readers who need Firefox or Safari support, or a polished Android release, should choose another PDF reader. Linux users who need help can report bugs by opening a GitHub issue.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free and open-source under the MIT License, with no account requirement, telemetry, or cloud processing.
• Pros: Search, thumbnails, zoom, and three display modes cover useful everyday reading needs.
• Pros: Chrome annotations include text markup, drawing, and shapes, giving reviewers more than basic highlighting.
• Cons: Firefox and Safari are unsupported, limiting browser choice.
• Cons: The Android app is early alpha, with features and performance work still underway.
• Cons: macOS Gatekeeper may show a first-launch warning because the app is not notarized.

Alternatives

For broader PDF reader choices, browse PDF Readers. If the goal is managing locked-down devices rather than reading documents, Kiosk Management Software and Kiosk Browsers cover those categories; Webhook Management Software is a separate category.

SureAsset is the better fit for asset lifecycle management, hardware and software license tracking, and API access with automation; it is free and supports desktop, mobile, and web platforms.

KioskCore is a device management option with a free tier for up to two devices, seven-day metric history, on-demand screen captures retained for 24 hours, and three email alerts per device per day.

OpenKiosk is a free, open-source kiosk option for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Libki is a free, open-source kiosk management system for Linux, Windows, web, and self-hosted use.

KioskSide is a paid option for Android, Linux, web, and Windows.

Quantem Kiosk Software is a paid alternative with a free trial; its Essential plan starts at $2.40 a month, billed per device per month, and includes QR enrollment, one private app, three console users, and five scheduled reports.

Canopy is a paid option whose Starter plan costs $2,500 a month, with a 12-month minimum contract and a 500-device starting point.

Trio Kiosk Management is another paid option with a free trial; its Essentials plan costs $5 a month per device and starts at 20 devices.

Verdict

Choose Kiosk for free, open-source PDF reading with on-device processing, practical navigation tools, and Chrome markup. It is a particularly sensible choice for desktop readers and Chrome users who want to avoid accounts and cloud handling. Look elsewhere if you need Firefox or Safari support or a stable Android app today.