Adobe Acrobat Reader vs. Tungsten PaperPort

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Acrobat Reader is a PDF viewer and converter, available as a free download from Adobe. Users can view, sign, collaborate on and annotate PDF files, or edit and convert PDFs into file formats like Excel and Word.N/A
Tungsten PaperPort
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
Tungsten PaperPort (formerly from Kofax and Nuance) is a document management software offering. It includes features such as desktop document management solution and allows you to manage and organize your documents in one solution.
$99
one-time fee per license
Pricing
Adobe Acrobat ReaderTungsten PaperPort
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
PaperPort Standard
$99
one-time fee per license
PaperPort Professional
$199
one-time fee per license
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe Acrobat ReaderTungsten PaperPort
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsPerpetual license products, there are no subscription or maintenance fees. Buy once, own forever.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe Acrobat ReaderTungsten PaperPort
Best Alternatives
Adobe Acrobat ReaderTungsten PaperPort
Small Businesses
Tungsten Power PDF
Tungsten Power PDF
Score 9.4 out of 10
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.5 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
pdfFiller
pdfFiller
Score 9.0 out of 10
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
Enterprises
Bluebeam
Bluebeam
Score 9.1 out of 10
Tungsten Capture
Tungsten Capture
Score 8.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Adobe Acrobat ReaderTungsten PaperPort
Likelihood to Recommend
9.2
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
7.2
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe Acrobat ReaderTungsten PaperPort
Likelihood to Recommend
After creating a document, converting it into Adobe Acrobat Reader is usually very easy for storage in my computer, sending/sharing via emails, etc. This also saves a significant amount of unnecessary printing and paper waste, which is great for reducing waste. I don't have to worry about not having the right software/app to view, edit, and share with anyone.
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It's a good tool for the organization which still send or receive a lot of paper documents. Keeping a track of paper receipts and documents is messy and not sustainable beyond a point. With Kofax PaperPort, the documents can be digitized and stored and even the information can be structured and the processes can be automated.
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Pros
  • Edit PDFs. One of the biggest challenges faced in document heavy workflows is editing a PDF. Adobe Reader DC does a fantastic job of allowing you to edit pdfs on the fly without having to go back to the original form and reconverting it.
  • Sign PDFs. I spend a lot of time signing contracts and approval forms. Adobe Reader DC allows me to do that quickly without having to use my mouse or another third party platform. I can do all I need right in the Adobe Reader DC workflow.
  • Merge PDFs. I find quite often that I need to put two or more documents together in one form. I can do that with just a few clicks in the Adobe Reader DC merge workflow.
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  • The editing of a PDF or image by cleaning up an image are most important to me.
  • Ability to remove scanning artifacts from difficult to scan items at the actual pixel level.
  • The ability to set scanner profiles makes workflow easier.
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Cons
  • Accurately exporting all fields correctly (including UI design) of a PDF into various formats. There tend to be quirks with some exports.
  • Choosing the right encryption type. This can get a little tricky.
  • Getting picky with Acrobat custom fields when you're trying to do something out-of-the-box (during PDF creation).
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  • It should have a back button, so if you go from one folder to the next, it would be simple to get back to the first folder.
  • When you combine two PDFs, it should retain the title of the one that's on top.
  • The send to bar should be easier to change.
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Likelihood to Renew
To be honest, I do not have any say in the renewal of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. It is managed at an enterprise level, and the decision to renew or not renew is handled well above my pay grade as an external consultant.
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PaperPort has a few quirks, but it is the only program of its kind that actually does what it claims to do. The power of it is so much more than they claim especially when it comes to trying to achieve a truly paperless office. With PDF editing built-in, it also saves considerable investment in other PDF editing programs.
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Usability
Again, Adobe Creative Suite is widely used and backed by an industry leader, making the experience very familiar and common for anyone who has used a PDF and wants more features to interact with it. It also makes copy text a lot easier than just previewing the file.
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For us, it's only focusing processes that we're already doing... creating folders, placing scanned files into those folders, then searching for and opening up those files later, as needed. It just helps us view everything in one place - very convenient. Further, being able to drag non-native files to their corresponding source app for editing (Word, Excel, etc) is pretty nice.
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Implementation Rating
The application is pretty much "plug and play"
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No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
The Word app included with Office 365 offers similar collaboration functionality when compared to Adobe reader but with the option to fully change the original document while reviewing. This is both an advantage and disadvantage when compared with the Adobe reader app. Documents left in the Microsoft Word format also have a tendency to appear different depending on screen size and device used and this can be frustrating for some users. Basically, if you need what you have created and formatted to stay put and to appear as you intended and be printed as you intended if needed, use the Adobe PDF format.
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Tungsten PaperPort has actually gone through SEVERAL ownership changes since I began using it - I think I initially started using it when it came bundled with a Visioneer scanner...?... but regardless, I've used it for a very long time, and it's continued to get better. I've not actually tried any other similar software. This works, and I intend to stick with it.
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Return on Investment
  • It has had positive impact in that it has save considerable costs vs. investing in cloud-based/subscription based software.
  • In terms of security, it also has had a positive impact, in that it doesn't really require IT staff to take the time to patch the software or work on issues with the software.
  • It has also had a positive impact in that it has not required formal training for users to be able to use the software.
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  • Simple focus on organization of files
  • Efficient later, when searching for files
  • Convenient throughout the office, as we're all accessing a shared data store
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ScreenShots