# Prototype comparison: Paper Reader and Foxit PDF Reader

Reviewed against Foxit's public product pages on 10 November 2026.

| Capability | Paper Reader prototype | Foxit PDF Reader (published feature set) |
|---|---|---|
| Open and view PDFs | Yes; local browser file picker and drag-and-drop | Yes; desktop, mobile, and web |
| Page controls and zoom | Yes | Yes |
| Find selectable text | Basic page-level search | Reader offers document reading and productivity tools |
| Print | Yes | Yes |
| Comments and annotations | Not yet | Included in Foxit Reader |
| Fill PDF forms | Not yet | Included; Foxit describes support for standard AcroForms and XFA |
| Sign forms / fill and sign | Not yet | Included |
| PDF to Word | Early text extraction to `.docx`; formatting and images may be lost | Listed as an Editor capability, not included in free Reader |
| OCR for scanned PDFs | Not yet | Listed as an Editor capability, not included in free Reader |
| Edit PDF text, images, and pages | Not yet | Editor capability, not free Reader |
| Native desktop/mobile packages | Not yet; browser prototype only | Available on desktop/mobile and web |
| Privacy model | PDF bytes processed locally in browser; libraries load from public CDNs | Depends on the chosen Foxit product and its online features/settings |

## What to build next for closer reader utility

1. Add bookmarks and a page thumbnails panel.
2. Add highlights, underlines, and comments with a way to save/download the annotated PDF.
3. Add form field filling and export the completed PDF.
4. Add a signature tool with clear local-only handling.
5. Improve conversion with layout-aware paragraphs, images/tables where possible, and OCR for scans.
6. Package and validate on native platforms.

The prototype should keep its own product name, layout details, icons, and configurable accent color. This supports familiar PDF-reader tasks without copying Foxit's exact interface or branding.

## Sources

- [Foxit PDF Reader overview](https://www.foxit.com/pdf-reader/)
- [Foxit Reader and Editor feature comparison](https://www.foxit.com/pdf-editor/free-pdf/)
- [Foxit platform comparison](https://www.foxit.com/pdf-reader/comparison/)