EMQXvsStirling-PDF
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| EMQX | Stirling-PDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 78/100 | 87/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 14 in Messaging | #1 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 16 868 | 95 273 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +113 | +2 311 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 | 25 |
| Latest release | 6.3.2 · 16 Oct 2026 | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | Other |
| Main language | Erlang | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 78/100 for EMQX, so it is the safer default.
Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 15 for EMQX.
If you want the quickest setup, Stirling-PDF is easier to run; EMQX needs more configuration.
Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 311 stars in 30 days).
EMQX details →Stirling-PDF details →