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Kiosk

github.com

Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
Visit github.com
Spec score 8.9 #1 of 20 in Kiosk Browsers

What it is

Kiosk is a free, open-source PDF reader for web, desktop, mobile, and browser extensions. It renders PDFs and offers full-text search with highlighted results, page thumbnails, zoom, and light, dark, and night display modes. Its Chrome extension adds highlighting, underlining, strikethrough, drawing, shapes, and text annotations. The project says PDFs stay on the device, with no telemetry, cloud processing, or account requirement. Android works offline after installation, and the extension release notes also state that offline use is supported. The web app can run locally or be deployed through GitHub Pages as a self-hosted instance. Desktop apps can open PDFs directly and associate Kiosk with PDF files; the extension can intercept PDFs opened in Chrome. The extension supports Chrome 88+, Edge 88+, and Brave, but not Firefox or Safari. The project is released under the MIT License. Its Android release is an early alpha, and the macOS app is ad-hoc signed but not notarized, so Gatekeeper may warn on first launch.

Spec sheet

What it does
Kiosk is an open-source PDF reader intended to provide a simple reading experience across web, desktop, Android and browser-extension environments.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Product
Kiosk is an open-source PDF reader for web, desktop, mobile, and browser extensions.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Platforms
The README lists web, macOS, Windows, Android, and Chrome extension builds, and the releases page includes Linux installers.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Free plan
YesRead 24 Sep 2026 · github.com
Integrations
The desktop apps support opening PDFs directly and associating Kiosk with PDF files; the extension can intercept PDFs opened in Chrome.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Privacy
The project states that it collects no telemetry, uses no cloud processing, requires no account and processes PDFs on the device.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Support
The Linux release directs users to report bugs by opening a GitHub issue.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
License
Kiosk is distributed under the MIT License.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Maker
The repository credits Sarthak Ghosh as the maker.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Android offline use
The Android app is described as requiring no internet connection after installation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Android requirements
The Android build requires Android 8.0 or later and about 30 MB of storage.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Android technical limit
The diagnosis reports crashes or blank pages during fast scrolling and rapid zoom, linked to bitmap lifecycle and render-job races.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Annotation storage
Extension annotations are stored persistently in Chrome storage.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Annotations
The Chrome extension supports highlighting, underlining, strikethrough, drawing, shapes, and text annotations.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Browser compatibility
The extension supports Chrome 88 or newer, Edge 88 or newer and Brave, while Firefox and Safari are listed as incompatible.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Browser support
The extension supports Chrome 88+, Edge 88+, and Brave, while the README says it is incompatible with Firefox and Safari.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Desktop technical limit
The diagnosis reports that each desktop render reparses the full PDF and that a global mutex can serialize rendering and cause hangs under concurrent work.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Desktop technology
The desktop application uses Tauri 2, a TypeScript/Vite frontend, Rust and PDFium through pdfium-render.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Display modes
The interface offers light, dark and inverted night display modes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Documentation depth
Documentation is concentrated in the README, installation instructions, source tree and release notes rather than a separate help center.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Extension annotations
The extension supports highlighting, underlining, strikethrough, freehand drawing, shapes and text annotations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Extension file sources
The extension is designed to work with web URLs, local files and data URLs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Extension interception
The Chrome extension can intercept PDFs and open them in Kiosk instead of Chrome's built-in viewer.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Extension update
Extension version 1.5 added a thumbnail sidebar, adaptive rendering, file uploads, recent PDFs and more reliable annotation persistence.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Full-text search
Kiosk provides full-text search and highlights matching results.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are provided for opening files, zooming, searching, sidebar control and page movement.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
macOS gestures
The macOS build supports pinch-to-zoom and smooth trackpad scrolling.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
macOS integration
The macOS app supports direct PDF opening and file associations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
macOS requirements
The macOS build requires macOS 10.15 or later, Apple Silicon or Intel hardware, and about 50 MB of storage.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Maker identity
The repository and release notes identify the creator as Sarthak Ghosh.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Maker location
The maker's GitHub profile lists Hyderabad, India.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Maker project description
The maker's GitHub profile describes Kiosk as a minimal cross-platform PDF reader.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Notable limit
The Android release describes itself as an early alpha and says some features and performance optimizations remain in progress.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Offline use
The Android app needs no internet after installation, and the extension release notes state that offline use is supported.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
PDF rendering
The project advertises high-quality PDF rendering with native-like clarity.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Public API
The published project pages describe no public HTTP API, SDK or developer integration interface.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Reading
Core features include PDF rendering, full-text search with highlighted results, page thumbnails, smooth zoom, and light, dark, and night display modes.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Release availability
The releases page lists Android, Linux, macOS ARM, macOS Intel and Windows artifacts for version 1.5.2.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Release limitation
The Android 1.0.0a release is explicitly marked early alpha, with some features and performance work still unfinished.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Release milestone
Version 1.0.0a introduced the Android core viewer, annotation engine, pinch zoom, direct file opening and embedded annotation saving.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Reported search issue
The diagnosis identifies Android search-highlight coordinate mismatches caused by using different PDF libraries for extraction and rendering.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security and signing
The README says the macOS app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized, so Gatekeeper may show a warning on first launch.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security signing limitation
The macOS application is ad-hoc signed rather than Apple-notarized, so Gatekeeper may warn on first launch.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Self-hosting
Self-hosting instructions use a repository clone and a local Python or Node HTTP server.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Source build requirements
Building the desktop app requires Node.js 18 or newer, Rust 1.70 or newer and PDFium for macOS.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Technical diagnosis date
A project diagnosis dated 2026-03-03 reports rendering, concurrency and memory-management weaknesses on Android and desktop.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Thumbnail navigation
A thumbnail sidebar supports page navigation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Web deployment
The web app can be run directly in a browser and deployed through GitHub Pages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Web technology
The web app and extension use PDF.js, Web Workers, localStorage, Chrome Storage API and canvas-based annotation drawing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Windows integration
The Windows app is standalone and supports direct PDF opening and file associations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Windows requirements
The Windows build requires Windows 10 version 1803 or later, x86_64 hardware and about 50 MB of storage.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Zoom
The reader supports zoom in, zoom out, fit-width and fit-page modes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Free Free open-source PDF reader · no paid plans stated Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Kiosk Free Open-source PDF reader; no paid plans or prices stated Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Every Kiosk plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free, open-source, and released under the MIT License
  • Full-text search, thumbnails, zoom, and three display modes
  • PDFs processed on-device without telemetry or accounts
  • Android and extension releases support offline use

Limits

  • Android release is an early alpha
  • Extension is incompatible with Firefox and Safari
  • macOS app is not notarized; Gatekeeper may warn

Who it suits

Kiosk suits readers seeking a free PDF reader across desktop, mobile, web, and browser extensions, especially those who want offline access or on-device processing. The Android app is an early alpha, so users should account for that status.

Kiosk in depth

Read the full write-up

Kiosk is a free, open-source PDF reader for desktop, mobile, web, and browser extensions. It best suits readers who want PDFs handled locally and Chrome users who need built-in markup. Its broad reach is appealing, but Android’s alpha status and limited browser support narrow the fit.

Overview

Kiosk covers the essentials for reading and navigating PDFs: full-text search with highlighted results, page thumbnails, smooth zoom, and light, dark, and night modes. PDFs are processed on the device, with no telemetry, cloud processing, or account requirement. That is a clear advantage for readers who prefer local document handling, while the absence of cloud processing makes it a poor match for workflows that depend on it.

Key features

Reading and navigation: Search, thumbnails, and zoom help readers move between specific passages and pages in longer documents. The display modes offer practical viewing choices without adding complexity beyond PDF reading.

Annotations: The Chrome extension can highlight, underline, strike through, draw, add shapes, and insert text annotations. That makes it useful for reviewing and marking up documents in Chrome; readers who need the same annotation tools elsewhere should not assume they are supported across Kiosk’s other versions.

Offline and self-hosted use: The Android app works without an internet connection after installation, and the extension supports offline use. The web app can be served locally or deployed through GitHub Pages, giving technically comfortable users a way to run a self-hosted instance.

PDF opening: Desktop apps can open PDFs directly and be associated with PDF files; the extension can intercept PDFs opened in Chrome. These options make Kiosk easier to fit into existing document-opening habits.

Pricing

Kiosk is free: its Kiosk plan costs nothing. The plan is an open-source PDF reader, and there are no paid plans or prices. There is no free trial because the product is free rather than a time-limited offer. The MIT License permits open-source use, while the no-cost plan makes it a straightforward option for individual readers who want PDF reading and, in Chrome, annotation tools without a subscription.

Platforms

Kiosk supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, web, self-hosted deployment, and browser extensions. That range is tempered by uneven browser compatibility: the extension supports Chrome 88+, Edge 88+, and Brave, but not Firefox or Safari. Android is described as an early alpha, with some features and performance optimizations still in progress, so it is a riskier choice for readers who need a mature mobile app. On macOS, the app is ad-hoc signed but not notarized, so Gatekeeper may show a warning on first launch. Linux users can report bugs by opening a GitHub issue.

Who it's for

Kiosk is a good fit for readers who want a no-cost PDF reader with local processing, offline options, and a choice of desktop, mobile, or web access. Chrome users get the clearest markup use case through the extension. It is less suitable for Firefox and Safari users, people who rely on a polished Android release, or anyone whose work depends on cloud-based PDF processing.

Pros and cons

Pros: On-device processing, no telemetry, no account requirement, and offline options suit privacy-conscious readers and those who need to work without a connection.

Pros: The Chrome extension’s range of annotation tools is useful for marking up documents, while desktop file associations support direct PDF opening.

Pros: Free and open-source, with a web app that can be served locally or deployed through GitHub Pages.

Cons: Firefox and Safari are incompatible with the extension, excluding users of those browsers from its extension-based workflow.

Cons: Android remains early alpha, and macOS may display a Gatekeeper warning on first launch because the app is not notarized.

Alternatives

For readers choosing among products with “kiosk” in the name, these options serve different needs. SureAsset is a free alternative for asset lifecycle management, hardware and software license tracking, and API access and automation rather than PDF reading. FreeKiosk is another free option. OpenKiosk is open source under the MPL and supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. KioskFrame offers an iOS kiosk browser with a free plan and paid monthly option. Hexnode Kiosk Browser is a paid choice for Android, iOS, and Windows. Kiosker is a freemium option for Android and iOS. KioWare is a paid alternative for Android, Linux, Windows, API, and self-hosted use. SiteKiosk is a paid option for Android, Windows, web, and self-hosted use.

For a broader comparison of PDF-reading options, see PDF Readers. The Kiosk Browsers and Kiosk Management Software lists cover adjacent categories, while Webhook Management Software covers a separate software category.

Verdict

Choose Kiosk if you want free, local-first PDF reading across platforms and can work within its browser limits; Chrome users who annotate documents have the strongest reason to pick it. Look elsewhere if you need Firefox or Safari extension support, a mature Android release, or cloud-based document processing.

Verdict

Kiosk covers core PDF reading and extension annotations across several platforms, with offline options and on-device processing. Check the Android alpha status, browser compatibility, and macOS launch warning before choosing it.

Where Specifiction places it

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