# Stirling-PDF vs Thumbor

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

| | Stirling-PDF | Thumbor |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 87/100 ✓ | 72/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 46 in Document Management | #2 of 13 in Image Processing |
| GitHub stars | 95 266 ✓ | 10 528 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +2 353 ✓ | +7 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 25 ✓ | 1 |
| Latest release | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ | 7.8.0 · 30 May 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 72/100 for Thumbor, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 1 for Thumbor.

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

Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 353 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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