Nowen ReadervsStirling-PDF
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Nowen Reader | Stirling-PDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 51/100 | 87/100 |
| Rank in category | #4 of 19 in Ebook Management | #1 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 180 | 95 252 |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +2 339 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 | 25 |
| Latest release | v1.2.3 · 25 Oct 2026 | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Other |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 51/100 for Nowen Reader, so it is the safer default.
Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for Nowen Reader.
If you want the quickest setup, Nowen Reader is easier to run; Stirling-PDF needs more configuration.
Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 339 stars in 30 days).
Nowen Reader details →Stirling-PDF details →
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