By Sarbatra Inc.
As web applications become more document-centric, integrating reliable and lightweight PDF viewing solutions has become a necessity for developers. Whether you’re building an e-commerce site with downloadable invoices, an online education platform, or a documentation portal, having a solid JavaScript PDF viewer helps enhance user experience and functionality.
At Sarbatra Inc., we’ve tested and shortlisted the Top 5 Free JavaScript PDF Viewers in 2025 that are actively maintained, open-source, and developer-friendly.
1. PDF.js by Mozilla
GitHub: mozilla/pdf.js
License: Apache-2.0
Why We Like It:
Backed by Mozilla and actively maintained
Renders PDFs using HTML5 and Canvas
Easy to integrate and customize
Works great with vanilla JS or frameworks like React and Vue
Use Case: Ideal for most websites and dashboards needing in-browser PDF viewing.
2. PDFObject
Website: pdfobject.com
License: MIT
Why We Like It:
Lightweight and easy to embed PDFs using
<embed>or<iframe>Perfect for basic embedding without overhead
Good fallback handling
Use Case: Perfect for projects that just need to display PDFs without complex UI controls.
3. ViewerJS
Website: viewerjs.org
License: MPL 2.0
Why We Like It:
Uses PDF.js under the hood with a simple UI
Supports ODF (Open Document Format) files as well
Works entirely on the client-side
Use Case: Government or academic portals using open formats.
4. react-pdf
GitHub: wojtekmaj/react-pdf
License: MIT
Why We Like It:
Built specifically for React applications
Works well with Next.js and modern SPAs
Offers component-based rendering with flexibility
Use Case: Modern frontend apps where React is the core framework.
5. pdf-viewer-reactjs
GitHub: mikecousins/pdf-viewer-reactjs
License: MIT
Why We Like It:
React wrapper for PDF.js
Simple integration
Comes with navigation, zoom, and page controls out of the box
Use Case: Great for MVPs or projects needing quick plug-and-play PDF rendering in React.
Final Thoughts
Each of these tools has strengths depending on your project type and tech stack. For Laravel + Vue or React-based applications like those built at Sarbatra Inc., tools like PDF.js, react-pdf, and pdf-viewer-reactjs offer robust, scalable solutions. Always consider your performance needs, UI control requirements, and deployment environments before integrating.
🧠Pro Tip from Sarbatra Devs: Combine PDF.js with a Laravel API to build secure, role-based document viewers for client dashboards and admin panels.
Need Help Integrating PDF Viewers?
At Sarbatra Inc., we specialize in building seamless web experiences. If you’re planning to build a document-heavy web app or need custom PDF processing—contact our team. We’re ready to build smart solutions, powered by open-source and driven by performance.
