EveryDocs vs Stirling PDF
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted document management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
EveryDocs
Simple Document Management System for private use with basic
VS
Stirling PDF
Powerful locally hosted web-based PDF toolkit
| Feature | EveryDocs | Stirling PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Document Management | Document Management |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Ruby | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 399 | ★ 89,077 |
| First released | 2019 | 2023 |
| Replaces | — | Adobe Acrobat, Smallpdf |
Why pick each one
Choose EveryDocs if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Ruby
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is EveryDocs or Stirling PDF better?
Stirling PDF is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider EveryDocs if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are EveryDocs and Stirling PDF free and open-source?
Yes. EveryDocs is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Stirling PDF under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EveryDocs and Stirling PDF with Docker?
EveryDocs: yes. Stirling PDF: yes.