# SLayer vs Stirling-PDF

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

| | SLayer | Stirling-PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 50/100 | 87/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #49 of 124 in AI | #1 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 314 | 95 309 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +0 | +2 347 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 | 25 ✓ |
| Latest release | v1.4.1 · 22 Oct 2026 | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Main language | Python | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 50/100 for SLayer, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for SLayer.

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

## Details

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