The Stirling PDF Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Stirling PDF in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Stirling PDF
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source PDF editor you can run on your own machine or server
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among PDF editors, read from Stirling PDF’s own pages.
Made by Stirling PDF Inc. · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Stirling PDF’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Stirling PDF’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 27 of the 28 other PDF editors we grade
Stirling PDF is an open-source PDF editor with 60+ tools that runs in a browser, as a desktop app or on your own servers. It is free for individuals. Paid plans add team administration, single sign-on and larger deployments, and a separate PDF Processor automates work billed per credit.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Stirling PDF, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Web and desktop apps exist, but the Linux desktop download is a .jar file run by hand, and self-hosting is a setup job.
- 1
Best for free PDF tools you can run on your own machine
Stirling PDF is an open-source PDF editor with 60+ tools that runs on the web, as a desktop app or self-hosted, free for individuals.
- 2
Paid plans start at $99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $99 per month for 100 users (Team).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free for individuals: 60+ PDF tools on web, desktop or self-hosted, plus 1,000 monthly credits for automation.
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 5
60+ PDF tools
The editor offers 60+ tools, including redaction, OCR, compression and conversion, on the web, desktop or your own server.
- 6
Private by design
Stirling says the editor runs on your machine and the source is public, so files do not have to go to a third-party site.
- 7
Self-hosting
Run it with the official Docker image, on Kubernetes with Helm, or from a .jar file on a server.
- 8
A 3.2 GPA, above 27 of 28
That is against the other PDF editors we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Stirling PDF you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Stirling PDF at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $99 per month for 100 users (Team)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Stirling PDF Inc.
- Category
- PDF Editors
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for free PDF tools you can run on your own machine
Stirling PDF is an open-source PDF editor with 60+ tools that runs on the web, as a desktop app or self-hosted, free for individuals. Teams pay $99 a month, and anything beyond a team workspace needs the sales-only Enterprise plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free for individuals, with 60+ tools on web, desktop or self-hosted and 1,000 automation credits a month. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The free plan has no cap on the PDF tools a normal person uses; automation credits are 1,000 a month, then 1 cent each. |
| Features | B | 60+ tools, an API, an MCP server, pipelines and an in-editor assistant. Gaps named are in team features, not the core tools. |
| Ease of use | C | Web and desktop apps exist, but the Linux desktop download is a .jar file run by hand, and self-hosting is a setup job. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, Mac, Windows and Linux, plus an API and MCP. No phone apps. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Stirling PDF is for
- Fits if you want PDF tools that keep files on your own machine
- Works for developers who want an API for PDF jobs
Who it is not for
- Tight if you run a team, as SSO and the team workspace are not on the free plan
- Pricey if you need Team, at $99 a month for up to 100 users
- Watch out: air-gapped use, SCIM, data residency and audit logs need the sales-only Enterprise plan
- Watch out: automation credits cost 1 cent each after the first 1,000 a month
- Skip it if you want a phone app, as none is listed
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a free, open-source editor with no account limits
- IT teams that must keep documents on their own servers
- Developers who want to call PDF operations through an API
Worth knowing
- The Team plan is $99 a month for 100 users; SSO and the team workspace are not on the free plan.
- Air-gapped deployment, SCIM, data residency and audit logs need the sales-only Enterprise plan.
- Automation through the PDF Processor uses credits: 1,000 free each month, then 1 cent per credit, prepaid or as used.
- The Linux desktop download is a .jar file that you run manually.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Stirling PDF has a free plan. Paid plans start at $99 per month for 100 users (Team).
Free
$0
60+ PDF tools on web, desktop and self-hosted, open source, with 1,000 monthly credits; no card required.
Team
$99
per month for up to 100 users
Adds single sign-on, a team workspace and invites, and central control of the tool catalog; more capacity in blocks of 100 users.
Enterprise
Custom
Sold through sales: air-gapped deployment, SCIM provisioning, data residency, audit logs, uptime SLAs and custom terms.
The free plan
Free for individuals: 60+ PDF tools on web, desktop or self-hosted, plus 1,000 monthly credits for automation.
Read from stirling.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows and Linux
Open-source PDF editor you can run on your own machine or server. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, AI features, workflow automation, pDF editing.
Gaps named are in team features, not the core tools.
- 60+ PDF tools
- The editor offers 60+ tools, including redaction, OCR, compression and conversion, on the web, desktop or your own server.
- Private by design
- Stirling says the editor runs on your machine and the source is public, so files do not have to go to a third-party site.
- Self-hosting
- Run it with the official Docker image, on Kubernetes with Helm, or from a .jar file on a server.
- API and MCP
- Every PDF operation can be called from your own systems, with webhooks when a job finishes.
- Pipelines and policies
- The PDF Processor chains operations and applies rules to files as they arrive, with each action logged.
- In-editor assistant
- An assistant can redact, translate, summarize or convert the file you have open when you ask.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Stirling PDF is made by Stirling PDF Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
27/28
Other PDF editors it is graded above
Stirling PDF's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 27 of the 28 other PDF editors we grade.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 25 of 28) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $99 a month, against a middle price of $6.33 for the category: 19 of the 19 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 8 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 29 PDF editors we grade, cut by the letter each got. Stirling PDF’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 21 of 28
- AFree plan and trialAbove 25 of 28
- BFeaturesAbove 18 of 28
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 28
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 28
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 22 PDF editors. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Stirling PDF is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Stirling PDF you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 27 of the 28 other PDF editors we grade. It costs $1,188 a year. Stirling PDF is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Editing the text inside a PDF without breaking its layout.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Stirling PDF’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
PDFsam, Sejda, PDF24 Tools, PDFgear and PDF-XChange Editor
The 5 tools Stirling PDF is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
PDFsam
Free plan · from $34.90/yr
Split and merge PDFs offline, with paid Visual and Enhanced editions.
- Only Stirling PDF lists a web app.
- Stirling PDF is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- PDFsam can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
Sejda
Free plan · from $5 one-time
Web and desktop PDF tools, free within daily limits or by the week.
- Stirling PDF is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Stirling PDF also covers workflow automation.
- Sejda also covers forms.
- 3.0GPA
PDF24 Tools
Free
Free online PDF tools paid for by ads, plus an offline Windows app.
- Only Stirling PDF lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Stirling PDF is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Stirling PDF also covers workflow automation.
- 3.4GPA
PDFgear
Free
Free PDF editor for desktop, mobile and web with an AI copilot.
- Only Stirling PDF lists a Linux app.
- Only PDFgear lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only PDFgear lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
PDF-XChange Editor
Free plan · from $62 one-time
Windows PDF editor with a free edition and perpetual licenses.
- Only Stirling PDF lists a web app.
- Only Stirling PDF lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Stirling PDF is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Stirling PDF free?
Stirling PDF has a free plan. Free for individuals: 60+ PDF tools on web, desktop or self-hosted, plus 1,000 monthly credits for automation.
How much does Stirling PDF cost?
Stirling PDF lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Stirling PDF work on?
Stirling PDF is available on Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Stirling PDF have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Stirling PDF is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Stirling PDF have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Stirling PDF is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Stirling PDF open source?
Yes. Stirling PDF is open source, according to its own site.
Does Stirling PDF have an API?
Yes. Stirling PDF offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Stirling PDF?
Stirling PDF is made by Stirling PDF Inc.
What are the alternatives to Stirling PDF?
The closest alternatives to Stirling PDF in our directory are PDFsam, Sejda, PDF24 Tools, PDFgear and PDF-XChange Editor.
How does Stirling PDF compare with other PDF editors?
Stirling PDF's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 27 of the 28 other PDF editors we grade.
Is Stirling PDF good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Stirling PDF A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $99 a month, against a middle price of $6.33 for the category: 19 of the 19 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Stirling PDF?
To replace Stirling PDF you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Stirling PDF’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Stirling PDF's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Stirling PDF Inc. Prices change, so check stirling.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Stirling PDF, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/stirling-pdf
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Stirling PDF: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/stirling-pdf
Know someone choosing between PDF editors?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/stirling-pdf/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded PDF editors after Stirling PDF, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- PDF Editors Insider's GuideEvery one of the 29 PDF editors we grade, compared
- PDFgear Insider's GuideFree PDF editor for desktop, mobile and web with an AI copilot3.4 GPA
- PDF Reader Pro Insider's GuidePDF viewer and editor for Mac, Windows, mobile and web3.0 GPA
- PDF24 Tools Insider's GuideFree online PDF tools paid for by ads, plus an offline Windows app3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Stirling PDF’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Stirling PDF is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Stirling PDF Inc. Prices and plans change: check stirling.com before you buy.