# Stirling-PDF vs Trench

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

| | Stirling-PDF | Trench |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 87/100 ✓ | 52/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 46 in Document Management | #9 of 27 in Analytics |
| GitHub stars | 95 319 ✓ | 1 666 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +2 357 ✓ | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 25 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 52/100 for Trench, so it is the safer default.

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

Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 357 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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