Best MiKTeX Alternatives in 2025

Looking for alternatives to MiKTeX? In this comparison, we take a closer look at MiKTeX alongside similar software solutions including MiKTeX, PDFgear, LibreOffice, Adobe InDesign, iTop PDF, PDFCreator, Nero CoverDesigner, WinMerge, Nuance PaperPort, Foxit PDF Editor and Rainmeter.

Our detailed comparison table highlights key features, pricing, and performance of these leading solutions, empowering you to make an informed decision. Whether you're seeking robust functionality, user-friendly design, or cost-effective alternatives, explore how MiKTeX, PDFgear, LibreOffice, Adobe InDesign, iTop PDF, PDFCreator, Nero CoverDesigner, WinMerge, Nuance PaperPort, Foxit PDF Editor and Rainmeter stack up to find the perfect software for your goals.

	Open Source and Cost	Platform Support	Primary Functionality and Features
MiKTeX	Completely free and open-source.	Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and has a mobile app version for Windows Tablet device.	Typesetting system specializing in LaTeX markup language; supports automatic package installation and produces professional quality scientific and academic documents.
PDFgear	Free with some limited storage, may have pricing options.	Web-based application supporting all operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS.	Web-based PDF editor with annotation, compression, conversion including OCR, encryption, supports multiple file formats including DOC/DOCX, Excel, PowerPoint, JPEG/PNG; offers intuitive user interface for editing PDFs.
LibreOffice	Completely free and open-source with no hidden costs.	Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, some support on mobile platforms.	Office productivity suite including word processing (Writer), spreadsheets (Calc), presentations (Impress), and database management (Base); supports many file formats including Microsoft Office files; offers collaborative editing and accessibility features.
Adobe InDesign	Subscription-based with high subscription cost.	Supports Windows and macOS only; requires high system resources.	Professional desktop publishing software for creating advanced page layouts for print and digital media; supports multi-page layouts, extensive typography options, integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications; exports to PDFs and EPUBs; requires advanced system resources.
iTop PDF	Offers a free trial and subscription-based payment model.	Supports Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS platforms.	PDF editor focused on basic editing functionalities including text editing, image insertion, markup; supports multiple file formats (DOC/DOCX, Excel, PowerPoint); offers sharing options; interface is user-friendly but occasionally has bugs.
PDFCreator	Free and open source software with a paid version available.	Windows only application supporting all Windows versions including Windows 10.	'Print-to-PDF' utility enabling conversion of any printable document to PDF; supports merging, splitting PDFs; customizable output options including encryption; works in network environments; offers both free basic version and paid advanced features.
Nero CoverDesigner	Commercial software, cost not specified.	Supports Windows and Mac operating systems.	Graphic design software specialized in designing custom covers for CDs, DVDs using pre-built templates and editable images; user-friendly interface suitable for beginners but limited in advanced features.
WinMerge	Free and open-source software under GPLv2 license.	Supports Windows including Windows 10 and later versions.	File and folder difference checker useful for programmers and code reviewers; compares text files including source code with syntax highlighting; can merge changes; supports large files; free open source with plugin support.
Nuance PaperPort	Paid software with a free trial period.	Windows operating system only.	Document management software focused on document capture, scanning, organization with powerful OCR to create searchable PDFs; supports cloud storage integration and secure document sharing;
Foxit PDF Editor	Commercial software offering a free trial version.	Supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux platforms.	'Full-featured PDF editing software offering OCR capabilities for scanned documents; includes tools for editing text/images; supports multiple file formats; provides strong security features such as passwords and encryption; available on multiple platforms with business support options.
Rainmeter	Free and open-source under GNU GPL v2 license.	Windows operating systems only, lightweight with low system requirements.	Desktop customization tool enabling creation of customizable skins/widgets showing system stats (CPU usage, weather), news feeds etc.; highly customizable via scripting but requires some programming knowledge; supported by active community resources.

Open Source and Cost

MiKTeX	Completely free and open-source.
PDFgear	Free with some limited storage, may have pricing options.
LibreOffice	Completely free and open-source with no hidden costs.
Adobe InDesign	Subscription-based with high subscription cost.
iTop PDF	Offers a free trial and subscription-based payment model.
PDFCreator	Free and open source software with a paid version available.
Nero CoverDesigner	Commercial software, cost not specified.
WinMerge	Free and open-source software under GPLv2 license.
Nuance PaperPort	Paid software with a free trial period.
Foxit PDF Editor	Commercial software offering a free trial version.
Rainmeter	Free and open-source under GNU GPL v2 license.

Platform Support

MiKTeX	Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and has a mobile app version for Windows Tablet device.
PDFgear	Web-based application supporting all operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS.
LibreOffice	Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, some support on mobile platforms.
Adobe InDesign	Supports Windows and macOS only; requires high system resources.
iTop PDF	Supports Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS platforms.
PDFCreator	Windows only application supporting all Windows versions including Windows 10.
Nero CoverDesigner	Supports Windows and Mac operating systems.
WinMerge	Supports Windows including Windows 10 and later versions.
Nuance PaperPort	Windows operating system only.
Foxit PDF Editor	Supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux platforms.
Rainmeter	Windows operating systems only, lightweight with low system requirements.

Primary Functionality and Features

MiKTeX	Typesetting system specializing in LaTeX markup language; supports automatic package installation and produces professional quality scientific and academic documents.
PDFgear	Web-based PDF editor with annotation, compression, conversion including OCR, encryption, supports multiple file formats including DOC/DOCX, Excel, PowerPoint, JPEG/PNG; offers intuitive user interface for editing PDFs.
LibreOffice	Office productivity suite including word processing (Writer), spreadsheets (Calc), presentations (Impress), and database management (Base); supports many file formats including Microsoft Office files; offers collaborative editing and accessibility features.
Adobe InDesign	Professional desktop publishing software for creating advanced page layouts for print and digital media; supports multi-page layouts, extensive typography options, integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications; exports to PDFs and EPUBs; requires advanced system resources.
iTop PDF	PDF editor focused on basic editing functionalities including text editing, image insertion, markup; supports multiple file formats (DOC/DOCX, Excel, PowerPoint); offers sharing options; interface is user-friendly but occasionally has bugs.
PDFCreator	'Print-to-PDF' utility enabling conversion of any printable document to PDF; supports merging, splitting PDFs; customizable output options including encryption; works in network environments; offers both free basic version and paid advanced features.
Nero CoverDesigner	Graphic design software specialized in designing custom covers for CDs, DVDs using pre-built templates and editable images; user-friendly interface suitable for beginners but limited in advanced features.
WinMerge	File and folder difference checker useful for programmers and code reviewers; compares text files including source code with syntax highlighting; can merge changes; supports large files; free open source with plugin support.
Nuance PaperPort	Document management software focused on document capture, scanning, organization with powerful OCR to create searchable PDFs; supports cloud storage integration and secure document sharing;
Foxit PDF Editor	'Full-featured PDF editing software offering OCR capabilities for scanned documents; includes tools for editing text/images; supports multiple file formats; provides strong security features such as passwords and encryption; available on multiple platforms with business support options.
Rainmeter	Desktop customization tool enabling creation of customizable skins/widgets showing system stats (CPU usage, weather), news feeds etc.; highly customizable via scripting but requires some programming knowledge; supported by active community resources.

Choosing the right software isn’t just about features. Size, license type, user ratings, and popularity also matter.

This quick comparison shows how MiKTeX stacks up against MiKTeX, PDFgear, LibreOffice, Adobe InDesign, iTop PDF, PDFCreator, Nero CoverDesigner, WinMerge, Nuance PaperPort, Foxit PDF Editor and Rainmeter in these key areas—helping you find the best alternative for your needs.

	Size	License	Popularity
MiKTeX	60.6MB	Open Source	0%
PDFgear	128.5MB	Commercial	5%
LibreOffice		Open Source	100%
Adobe InDesign		Commercial	5%
iTop PDF		Commercial	11%
PDFCreator	42.1MB	Commercial	98%
Nero CoverDesigner		Commercial	12%
WinMerge	9.5MB	Open Source	5%
Nuance PaperPort		Commercial	11%
Foxit PDF Editor		Demo	4%
Rainmeter	8.7MB	Freeware	6%

Size

MiKTeX	60.6MB
PDFgear	128.5MB
LibreOffice
Adobe InDesign
iTop PDF
PDFCreator	42.1MB
Nero CoverDesigner
WinMerge	9.5MB
Nuance PaperPort
Foxit PDF Editor
Rainmeter	8.7MB

License

MiKTeX	Open Source
PDFgear	Commercial
LibreOffice	Open Source
Adobe InDesign	Commercial
iTop PDF	Commercial
PDFCreator	Commercial
Nero CoverDesigner	Commercial
WinMerge	Open Source
Nuance PaperPort	Commercial
Foxit PDF Editor	Demo
Rainmeter	Freeware

Rating

MiKTeX
PDFgear
LibreOffice
Adobe InDesign
iTop PDF
PDFCreator
Nero CoverDesigner
WinMerge
Nuance PaperPort
Foxit PDF Editor
Rainmeter

Popularity

MiKTeX	0%
PDFgear	5%
LibreOffice	100%
Adobe InDesign	5%
iTop PDF	11%
PDFCreator	98%
Nero CoverDesigner	12%
WinMerge	5%
Nuance PaperPort	11%
Foxit PDF Editor	4%
Rainmeter	6%