# pdf-lib vs PDFelement

| Attribute | pdf-lib | PDFelement |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 59.4 (20% (low)) | 36.8 (47% (low)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 0 | - |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 2,364 | - |
| adoption.github_stars | 8,605 | - |
| deployment.options | - | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | 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. | A multi-purpose PDF tool that lets users modify document content (text and images), create interactive forms, read text from scanned files, reorganize pages, convert between document formats, and apply digital signatures. Works on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and through a web interface. |
| features.capabilities | - | `{"iso_27001":true,"pricing_model":"one_time_purchase","deployment_model":"native_desktop","file_size_compression_engine":true,"interactive_form_field_creation":true,"password_protection_and_encryption":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}` |
| language.primary | TypeScript | - |
| license.spdx | MIT | - |
| market.availability | - | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"ios":true,"mac":true,"web":true,"android":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":false,"name":"PDFelement for Individuals","summary":"$129.99 perpetual (12% discount from $159)","features":["Edit text and images","Annotate documents","Merge and split pages","OCR scanning","Convert to and from PDF","Compress file size","Create fillable forms","Digital signatures","Protect PDFs"],"components":[{"kind":"one_time","amount":129.99,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Edit, print, convert, eSign, and protect PDFs on Windows PC or Mac","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"PDFelement for Team","summary":"$139/user/month with custom services available (contact for details)","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":139,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Flexible team licensing with provisioning, tracking, and management across groups","contactSales":true}],"summary":"From $129.99 one-time for individuals or $139/user/month for teams. Free trial available.","currency":"USD","freeTier":false,"sourceUrl":"https://pdf.wondershare.com/business/acrobat-reader-enterprise-pricing.html","retrievedAt":"2026-08-25T15:45:56.513Z","startingPrice":{"amount":129.99,"currency":"USD"}}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | no |
| pricing.model | commercial | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | high |
| pricing.starting_price | - | `{"amount":129.99,"currency":"USD"}` |
| pricing.transparent | yes | no |
| release.cadence_days | 19 | - |
| 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"}]` | - |
| security.iso27001 | - | yes |
| 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}` | - |

## Capabilities (PDF Editors)

| Capability | pdf-lib | PDFelement |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Deployment model | - | Native desktop |
| 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 | - | One time purchase |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T14:39:39.601Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*