# orbit vs Stirling-PDF

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

| | orbit | Stirling-PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 51/100 | 87/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #43 of 124 in AI | #1 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 358 | 95 299 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 | +2 337 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 | 25 ✓ |
| Latest release | v2.21.0 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | Python | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 51/100 for orbit, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 18 for orbit.

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

## Details

- [orbit](https://selfhost.directory/project/orbit) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/orbit.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/orbit-vs-stirling-pdf