Preflighter vs. Adobe Acrobat
Seeing separations, overprint and ink coverage used to mean Acrobat Pro — about US$240 a year, and the free Reader can't do it. Preflighter shows you the same things in your browser, in seconds, for free.
Free, nothing to install
Open it in any browser — Windows, Mac, Linux or a Chromebook. No account, no trial that runs out, no subscription.
The checks you actually need
Separations, overprint, ink coverage, a densitometer and page boxes: the parts of Acrobat Pro's Output Preview you use before sending a file to print.
A checklist you can read
Bleed, resolution, fonts, RGB and spot colours in one panel, with a plain verdict for each. If something hasn't been checked, it says so.
Side by side
| Preflighter | Acrobat Pro | Acrobat Reader | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | About US$20/month | Free |
| Install | None — runs in your browser | Desktop app, Windows or macOS | Desktop or mobile app |
| Ready to use | In seconds, no account | Adobe account and subscription | After install |
| Separations, plates on/off | Yes | Yes | No |
| Overprint preview | Yes, one-click toggle | Yes | Only for PDF/X files, with no sign it’s on |
| Total area coverage (TAC) | Yes, adjustable threshold | Yes | No |
| Ink % under the pointer | Yes | Yes | No |
| Bleed and trim boxes | Shown on the page | Shown and editable | No |
| Fonts, image resolution, RGB | Yes, at a glance | Yes (Object Inspector, Preflight) | No |
| Print checklist | Yes, in plain language | Yes, 400+ checks for prepress pros | No |
| Fixes the PDF | No — fix it in your design app | Yes | No |
| Paper simulation, rich black warnings | No | Yes | No |
| Where the file goes | Our server, deleted within 24 h | Stays on your computer | Stays on your computer |
Acrobat facts are from Adobe's help pages, which list Output Preview and Preflight as Acrobat Pro tools, and from adobe.com pricing (checked 1 October 2026; prices change).
When you still need Acrobat Pro
If you have to change the file — convert colours, embed fonts, convert to PDF/X — or work to a printer's own preflight profile, Acrobat Pro is the right tool. Preflighter shows you what's in the PDF; the fix happens in Affinity, InDesign or wherever you exported from. And if a file must never leave your computer, keep in mind that Preflighter uploads it to its server, where it's deleted within 24 hours.
The bottom line
For most designers the question before sending a job to print is simple: will it print the way it looks? Are the plates right, does the overprint do what I meant, is the ink coverage within limits, is there bleed? Preflighter answers that in your browser in a few seconds, for free. How it works →