# signserver-ce vs Stirling-PDF

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

| | signserver-ce | Stirling-PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 51/100 | 87/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 2 in PKI | #1 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 440 | 95 299 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +4 | +2 337 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 2 | 25 ✓ |
| Latest release | v7.7.1 · 26 Aug 2026 | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | Other |
| Main language | Java | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

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

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

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

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

## Details

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