# Smallpdf vs Stirling-PDF

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

| Attribute | Smallpdf | Stirling-PDF |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 44 (74% (medium)) | 59 (67% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | - | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | - | 94,282 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"Smallpdf is a cloud-based PDF service offering 48 tools for converting, editing, compressing, and managing PDF documents. It's available as web applications, browser extensions, desktop software for Windows and macOS, and mobile apps for iOS and Android, with integrations for Google Workspace and Dropbox. It is indexed under PDF Editors.","source":"https://smallpdf.com/","question":"What is Smallpdf?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Smallpdf offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans are also available: Free, Pro, Team and Business. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://smallpdf.com/pricing","question":"Is Smallpdf free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Smallpdf supports the web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://smallpdf.com/","question":"What platforms does Smallpdf support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Not fully, on what we have confirmed. Smallpdf is offered as cloud / SaaS and hybrid, and a hybrid deployment usually means some components can run on your own infrastructure while the rest stays vendor-hosted. We have not confirmed a completely self-hosted option, so check with the vendor if that is a requirement.","source":"https://smallpdf.com/","question":"Can Smallpdf be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 5 integrations for Smallpdf, including Google Drive, Dropbox, Google Chrome, Google Workspace and Sign.com. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://smallpdf.com/","question":"What does Smallpdf integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed ISO 27001 and GDPR for Smallpdf. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Smallpdf not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://smallpdf.com/","question":"What security certifications does Smallpdf have?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Smallpdf is available worldwide. The vendor is headquartered in Switzerland.","source":"https://smallpdf.com/pricing","question":"Where is Smallpdf available?","confidence":0.75}]` | `[{"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,"hybrid":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"air_gapped":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Smallpdf is a cloud-based PDF service offering 48 tools for converting, editing, compressing, and managing PDF documents. It's available as web applications, browser extensions, desktop software for Windows and macOS, and mobile apps for iOS and Android, with integrations for Google Workspace and Dropbox. | 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 | `{"iso_27001":true,"soc2_type_ii":false,"pricing_model":"freemium","deployment_model":"cloud_saas","file_size_compression_engine":true,"interactive_form_field_creation":false,"password_protection_and_encryption":true,"permanent_blackout_redaction_engine":false,"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}` | `{"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 | 3 | 4 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Google Drive"},{"name":"Dropbox"},{"name":"Google Chrome"},{"name":"Google Workspace"},{"name":"Sign.com"}]` | `[{"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 |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"CH","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"ios":true,"mac":true,"web":true,"android":true,"windows":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"web":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"Free","features":["30+ document management tools","Limited document downloads","Limited mobile app access","Limited Sign.com access"],"minSeats":1,"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":null}],"description":"30+ document management tools with limited usage","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"tools":"30+","downloads":"limited","mobile_access":"limited","sign_com_limit":"2 documents/month"}},{"free":false,"name":"Pro","summary":"Billed annually","features":["Unlimited access to 30+ tools","Unlimited document downloads","Edit Text, OCR, and more","Strong Compression","Unlimited AI-powered tools","Unlimited mobile app access","Unlimited Sign.com Premium subscription"],"minSeats":1,"commitment":"annual","description":"Unlimited access to all tools, AI features, and premium compression","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Team","summary":"Per-seat billed annually","features":["Everything in Pro","Special discounted pricing","Priority customer support","Centralized billing","Member access management","Unlimited Sign.com Premium for each team member"],"minSeats":2,"commitment":"annual","description":"Team collaboration with discounted per-seat pricing and centralized management","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"team_size":"2-19 seats"}},{"free":false,"name":"Business","summary":"Custom pricing available upon request","features":["Everything in Pro for Teams","Custom pricing","Flexible payment options","Dedicated customer support"],"minSeats":20,"description":"Enterprise solutions for large teams with custom terms","contactSales":true}],"summary":"Freemium model with paid subscription tiers billed annually.","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://smallpdf.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-25T15:50:20.686Z","freeTrialDays":7,"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` | `{"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 | freemium | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | low | high |
| pricing.starting_price | - | `{"amount":99,"currency":"USD"}` |
| pricing.transparent | no | yes |
| release.cadence_days | - | 6 |
| release.history | - | `[{"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.certifications | `[{"name":"ISO 27001","status":"active"}]` | - |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.iso27001 | yes | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"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 | Smallpdf | Stirling-PDF |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Deployment model | Cloud saas | 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 | Freemium |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T20:14:51.110Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*