# Stirling PDF

> Stirling PDF is an open-core PDF toolkit (v3.1.0, 5 Oct 2026) run via Docker, a server JAR or desktop installers for Windows, macOS and Linux. The core is MIT, but the engine/, desktop client and SaaS directories are under a proprietary Stirling PDF User License that bars production use without a paid licence. A self-hosted server is free for up to 5 users; Team and Enterprise plans are paid. Check which parts you use before relying on it commercially.

- Repository: https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF
- Official docs: https://docs.stirlingpdf.com
- Checked: 2026-10-15

## What it replaces
- Adobe Creative Cloud: PDF editing (Acrobat) (partial). Broad PDF toolset (merge, split, sign, redact, convert, OCR); parts of the code are proprietary.
- DocuSign: Certificate-based digital signatures (PKI) (partial). Signs PDFs with your own certificate (PKCS12, PEM or JKS); no sending to other signers or signing workflow.

## Facts, with sources

| Question | Status | Answer | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on my machine? | Confirmed | Yes; self-hosted server (Docker or JAR) or desktop client | https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF#readme | 2026-10-15 |
| Code licence | Partial | Open core; MIT except engine/, desktop, SaaS and proprietary directories (Stirling PDF User License) | https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/blob/main/LICENSE | 2026-10-15 |
| Model weights licence | Confirmed | No separate model weights documented | https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF#readme | 2026-10-15 |
| Commercial use | Partial | MIT core is fine; proprietary parts (incl. engine and desktop client) need a paid licence for production use | https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/blob/main/engine/LICENSE | 2026-10-15 |
| Paid services needed? | Partial | Free plan for up to 5 users on a self-hosted server; Team, Enterprise and Stirling Cloud are paid | https://docs.stirlingpdf.com/Server/Licensing/Plans-and-Licences/ | 2026-10-15 |
| Hardware | Unknown | Not documented in the README | none found | - |
| Operating systems | Confirmed | Docker anywhere; desktop installers for Windows (x64, ARM64), macOS (universal) and Linux | https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF/releases/tag/v3.1.0 | 2026-10-15 |
| Setup effort | Confirmed | Medium; one Docker command, or desktop installers | https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF#quick-start | 2026-10-15 |

GitHub: 94306 stars, 11541 forks, last push 2026-10-16, archived: no.
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Source: RepoQuarry (https://repoquarry.dev/projects/stirling-pdf). Data licence: CC BY 4.0. Quotes are from project documentation and belong to their authors.