# pdf-lib vs Stirling-PDF

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Stirling-PDF

| Attribute | pdf-lib | Stirling-PDF |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 47.6 (44% (low)) | 59 (67% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 0 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 2,364 | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | 8,660 | 94,282 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"A pure JavaScript PDF manipulation toolkit that runs across any JavaScript environment including web browsers, Node.js, Deno, and React Native. It enables creating new PDFs, editing existing documents, filling forms with various field types, embedding fonts, and merging or splitting pages. It is indexed under PDF Editors.","source":"https://pdf-lib.js.org/","question":"What is pdf-lib?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"pdf-lib offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://pdf-lib.js.org/","question":"Is pdf-lib free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed browser-based access to pdf-lib. That is the extent of what we could verify from public sources, so it may well offer desktop or mobile clients we have not indexed.","source":"https://pdf-lib.js.org/","question":"What platforms does pdf-lib support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. pdf-lib is published under the MIT licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/hopding/pdf-lib","question":"Is pdf-lib open source?","confidence":0.95}]` | `[{"answer":"A versatile PDF platform offering editing, signing, redaction, and conversion capabilities. Can run as a standalone desktop application, in a web browser, or deployed on private servers, with REST APIs for integration and workflow automation. It is indexed under PDF Editors.","source":"https://stirlingpdf.com/pricing","question":"What is Stirling-PDF?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Stirling-PDF is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://stirlingpdf.com/pricing","question":"Is Stirling-PDF free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Stirling-PDF supports the web, Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://stirlingpdf.com/pricing","question":"What platforms does Stirling-PDF support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Stirling-PDF can be deployed hybrid, on-premise and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://stirlingpdf.com/pricing","question":"Can Stirling-PDF be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6}]` |
| deployment.options | - | `{"cloud":true,"air_gapped":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A programming library that enables developers to create, edit, and manipulate PDF files with support for embedded fonts, form field creation, page embedding, and text drawing. | A comprehensive PDF platform offering 60+ tools for editing, signing, redacting, and converting documents. Available as desktop applications, a web interface, or self-hosted server with API access. |
| features.capabilities | `{"interactive_form_field_creation":true,"page_merging_extraction_and_splitting":true,"base_text_and_image_editing_within_pdf":true,"ocr_optical_character_recognition_scanning":false}` | `{"pricing_model":"freemium","deployment_model":"cloud_saas","file_size_compression_engine":true,"interactive_form_field_creation":true,"permanent_blackout_redaction_engine":true,"microsoft_office_docx_xlsx_conversion":true,"page_merging_extraction_and_splitting":true,"base_text_and_image_editing_within_pdf":true,"ocr_optical_character_recognition_scanning":true,"digital_signature_certification_enforcement":true}` |
| integrations.count | - | 4 |
| integrations.list | - | `[{"name":"SharePoint","native":true,"category":"collaboration","direction":"outbound"},{"name":"S3","native":true,"category":"storage","direction":"inbound"},{"name":"FTP","native":true,"category":"file_transfer","direction":"inbound"},{"name":"OAuth","native":true,"category":"authentication","direction":"bidirectional"}]` |
| language.primary | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | MIT | - |
| market.availability | - | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"web":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"free","summary":"Free","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://pdf-lib.js.org/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-19T16:04:48.894Z"}` | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"$0/month, free forever","features":["60+ PDF tools","Web, desktop, and self-hosted options","Private and open-source","1,000 monthly credits for automation"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Open-source PDF editor for individuals","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"credits":"1,000/month"}},{"free":false,"name":"Team","summary":"$99/month for 100 users","features":["Everything in Free","Single sign-on (SSO)","Team workspace and invites","Add capacity in blocks of 100 users","One bill instead of per-seat licenses","Central control of tool catalog and deployment"],"minSeats":100,"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":99,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For team administration and infrastructure","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"users":"100"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"Custom pricing","features":["Everything in Team","Air-gapped and self-hosted deployment","SCIM provisioning","Data residency and audit logs","Uptime SLAs","Custom agreement and invoicing"],"description":"For regulated and air-gapped deployments","contactSales":true}],"addOns":[{"name":"PDF Processor Credits","components":[{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"credit"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.01,"currency":"USD"}]}],"summary":"Free for individuals. Team plan from $99/month for 100 users. Enterprise with custom pricing.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://stirlingpdf.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-10-15T21:11:27.454Z","startingPrice":{"amount":99,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | free | high |
| pricing.starting_price | - | `{"amount":99,"currency":"USD"}` |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 19 | 6 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.17.1","date":"2021-11-06T22:31:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.17.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.17.0","date":"2021-10-16T21:23:39Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.17.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.16.0","date":"2021-01-27T01:11:42Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.16.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.15.0","date":"2021-01-09T23:04:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.15.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.14.1","date":"2020-12-30T00:07:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.14.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.14.0","date":"2020-12-21T17:46:03Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.14.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.13.0","date":"2020-12-06T20:09:41Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.13.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.12.0","date":"2020-11-15T15:49:05Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.12.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.11.2","date":"2020-10-09T22:10:18Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.11.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.11.1","date":"2020-09-15T23:54:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.11.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.11.0","date":"2020-09-13T20:29:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.11.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.10.0","date":"2020-08-08T16:26:20Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.10.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.9.0","date":"2020-06-26T23:26:28Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.9.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.8.0","date":"2020-06-20T18:26:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.7.0","date":"2020-05-30T16:20:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.7.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.6.1","date":"2020-05-25T15:57:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.6.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.6.0","date":"2020-05-16T15:55:44Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.5.0","date":"2020-04-26T20:26:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.4.1","date":"2020-03-07T16:59:52Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Hopding/pdf-lib/releases/tag/v1.4.0","date":"2020-02-29T16:39:41Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.4.0"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v3.2.0","date":"2026-10-15T20:36:26Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v3.1.0","date":"2026-10-05T22:30:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v3.0.2","date":"2026-10-01T15:15:05Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v3.0.1","date":"2026-09-26T21:51:10Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v3.0.0","date":"2026-09-24T11:36:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.14.3","date":"2026-08-06T18:48:12Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.14.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.14.2","date":"2026-07-08T09:59:54Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.14.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.14.1","date":"2026-07-07T21:56:29Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.14.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.14.0","date":"2026-06-30T22:48:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.14.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.13.2","date":"2026-06-24T21:06:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.13.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.13.1","date":"2026-06-19T18:27:49Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.13.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.13.0","date":"2026-06-18T21:29:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.13.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.12.0","date":"2026-06-09T20:40:03Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.12.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.11.0","date":"2026-05-19T10:52:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.11.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.10.1","date":"2026-05-07T20:07:16Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.10.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.10.0","date":"2026-04-24T13:12:51Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.10.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.9.2","date":"2026-04-04T09:32:15Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.9.1","date":"2026-04-03T16:48:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.9.0","date":"2026-04-02T18:02:36Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.9.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v2.8.0","date":"2026-03-24T18:58:13Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.0"}]` |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=pdf-lib&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=nixpkgs&package_name=stirling-pdf&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (PDF Editors)

| Capability | pdf-lib | Stirling-PDF |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Deployment model | - | Cloud saas |
| Base text and image editing within PDF | ✓ | ✓ |
| Page merging extraction and splitting | ✓ | ✓ |
| OCR optical character recognition scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Permanent blackout redaction engine | - | ✓ |
| Password protection and encryption | - | - |
| Interactive form field creation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Digital signature certification enforcement | - | ✓ |
| Microsoft office docx xlsx conversion | - | ✓ |
| File size compression engine | - | ✓ |
| SOC2 type ii | - | - |
| ISO 27001 | - | - |
| Pricing model | - | Freemium |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T19:28:58.342Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*