# Stirling-PDF vs Zulip

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

| | Stirling-PDF | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 87/100 ✓ | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 46 in Document Management | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 95 273 ✓ | 26 134 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +2 311 ✓ | +184 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 25 ✓ | 6 |
| Latest release | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 82/100 for Zulip, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Zulip.

Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 311 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

## Related comparisons

- [Discourse vs Zulip](https://selfhost.directory/compare/discourse-vs-zulip)
- [Rocket.Chat vs Zulip](https://selfhost.directory/compare/rocketchat-vs-zulip)

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