# Bitcoin Core vs Stirling-PDF

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

| | Bitcoin Core | Stirling-PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 86/100 | 87/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #1 of 42 in Cryptocurrency | #1 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 90 530 | 95 309 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +287 | +2 347 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 9 | 25 ✓ |
| Latest release | v29.5 · 26 Oct 2026 ✓ | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Main language | C++ | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 86/100 for Bitcoin Core, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 9 for Bitcoin Core.

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

Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 347 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Bitcoin Core](https://selfhost.directory/project/bitcoin-core) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/bitcoin-core.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/bitcoin-core-vs-stirling-pdf