1. PubViewer — pubviewer.justtoolkit.com
Price: Free
Platform: Web (any browser)
Opens .PUB: Yes (full rendering)
PubViewer is a free online tool that converts .pub files to PDF for viewing in the browser. It uses LibreOffice Draw on the server, so rendering quality is excellent — WMF/EMF images, text boxes, and multi-page layouts all work. Files are auto-deleted after 2 minutes.
Pros: No install, works on any device, great rendering, download/print PDF.
Cons: Requires internet, rate-limited (5 req/min), cannot edit.
2. LibreOffice Draw
Price: Free
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Opens .PUB: Yes (native support)
LibreOffice Draw opens .pub files natively and is the only free desktop application that does. It supports virtually all Publisher features including text formatting, image rendering, and multi-page documents.
Pros: Full editing, offline, batch export, free.
Cons: Requires download, interface is dated, occasional layout shifts.
3. Google Drive
Price: Free
Platform: Web
Opens .PUB: Yes (basic preview)
Google Drive can preview .pub files through its built-in document viewer. No conversion needed — just upload and click. However, the rendering is limited to basic text and simple layouts.
Pros: Convenient, free, works with existing Google accounts.
Cons: Poor rendering of complex layouts, no image support in some files, no export control.
4. Zamzar
Price: Free (limited) / Paid
Platform: Web
Opens .PUB: Yes (via conversion to PDF)
Zamzar is an online file conversion service that supports .pub to PDF conversion. The free tier allows files up to 50MB and 2 conversions per day.
Pros: Simple interface, supports many formats.
Cons: Free tier is very limited, files uploaded to server, slower than dedicated tools.
5. CloudConvert
Price: Free (limited) / Paid
Platform: Web
Opens .PUB: Yes (via conversion to PDF)
CloudConvert offers high-quality .pub to PDF conversion with configurable options. The free tier is limited to small files and 25 conversions per day.
Pros: High quality output, many format options, configurable settings.
Cons: Paid for large files, upload required.
Quick Comparison Table
| Viewer | Price | Edit | Offline | Rendering |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PubViewer | Free | No | No | ★★★★★ |
| LibreOffice | Free | Yes | Yes | ★★★★☆ |
| Google Drive | Free | No | No | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Zamzar | Freemium | No | No | ★★★★☆ |
| CloudConvert | Freemium | No | No | ★★★★★ |
Our Recommendation
For most users, PubViewer is the fastest way to view a .pub file — no install, great rendering, and it is free. If you need to edit the file or work without internet, LibreOffice Draw is the best free desktop option. For professional batch conversion, CloudConvert offers the highest quality output.