# ArchivesSpace vs Stirling-PDF

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | ArchivesSpace | Stirling-PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 58/100 | 87/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #4 of 12 in Archiving & Preservation | #1 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 447 | 95 299 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +8 | +2 337 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 2 | 25 ✓ |
| Latest release | v4.2.1 · 29 Jun 2026 | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | Other |
| Main language | Ruby | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 58/100 for ArchivesSpace, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 2 for ArchivesSpace.

If you want the quickest setup, Stirling-PDF is easier to run; ArchivesSpace needs more configuration.

Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 337 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [ArchivesSpace](https://selfhost.directory/project/archivesspace) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/archivesspace.md)
- [Stirling-PDF](https://selfhost.directory/project/stirling-pdf) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/stirling-pdf.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/archivesspace-vs-stirling-pdf