pdf2htmlEX vs Sigil
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted e-books & media library options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
pdf2htmlEX
Converts PDF documents to HTML while preserving layout
VS
Sigil
Multi-platform EPUB ebook editor
| Feature | pdf2htmlEX | Sigil |
|---|---|---|
| Category | E-books & Media Library | E-books & Media Library |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | HTML | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,578 | ★ 6,913 |
| First released | 2013 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Commercial PDF converters | Adobe InDesign EPUB export |
Why pick each one
Choose Sigil if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 6.9k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is pdf2htmlEX or Sigil better?
Sigil is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider pdf2htmlEX if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are pdf2htmlEX and Sigil free and open-source?
Yes. pdf2htmlEX is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Sigil under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run pdf2htmlEX and Sigil with Docker?
pdf2htmlEX: yes. Sigil: check the project docs for container support.