Hypha 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?
Hypha
Self-hosted application and grant management platform
VS
Stirling PDF
Powerful locally hosted web-based PDF toolkit
| Feature | Hypha | Stirling PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Document Management | Document Management |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | Python | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 76 | ★ 89,077 |
| First released | 2018 | 2023 |
| Replaces | SmartSimple | Adobe Acrobat, Smallpdf |
Why pick each one
Choose Hypha if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is Hypha or Stirling PDF better?
Stirling PDF is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Hypha if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Hypha and Stirling PDF free and open-source?
Yes. Hypha is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Stirling PDF under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hypha and Stirling PDF with Docker?
Hypha: yes. Stirling PDF: yes.