# Stirling-PDF vs strfry

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

| | Stirling-PDF | strfry |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 87/100 ✓ | 59/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 46 in Document Management | #23 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 95 289 ✓ | 736 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +2 327 ✓ | +11 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 25 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Other | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | C++ |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 59/100 for strfry, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for strfry.

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

Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 327 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Stirling-PDF](https://selfhost.directory/project/stirling-pdf) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/stirling-pdf.md)
- [strfry](https://selfhost.directory/project/strfry) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/strfry.md)

---
Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/stirling-pdf-vs-strfry