# Stirling PDF

> Open-source, self-hosted PDF manipulation and editing tool suite

Stirling PDF is an open-source suite of PDF tools designed to run locally on your desktop or self-hosted on your own infrastructure. It provides over 60 operations—including merging, converting, OCR, splitting, redacting, and signing—without transmitting sensitive files to third-party servers. It is an offline, privacy-first replacement for web-based services like iLovePDF.

Website: https://stirling.com/

## What it is for

- Manipulate sensitive personal or corporate documents locally without uploading them to cloud servers
- Merge, split, compress, and reorder PDF pages offline
- Convert documents, extract text via OCR, and digitally sign PDF files
- Automate batch document processing, classification, and redaction via an API or Docker setup

## Features

- Over 60 PDF manipulation utilities including merge, split, compress, crop, and convert
- Local and offline processing so files never leave your machine
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for scanned PDFs
- Security features including password protection, redaction, and digital signing
- Desktop installer options alongside Docker-based self-hosting support
- REST API and automation pipelines for programmatic file processing
- Integration capabilities with tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, and SharePoint

## Pricing

Freemium. Free and open-source for individual use; paid enterprise/team plans available

## Details

- Type: Desktop app
- Category: [Productivity](https://xiry.app/topics/productivity.md)
- Open source: yes
- Platforms: Web, Windows, Linux, macOS, Self-hosted, API
- For: Privacy-conscious individuals, IT administrators, developers, and businesses managing sensitive documents
- Alternative to: Adobe Acrobat Pro, iLovePDF, Smallpdf
- Tags: pdf, privacy, open source, self hosted, ocr, pdf tools, offline

## Why it was saved

- [@geek_updates, 3 May 2025](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJLjnnzRWHE/): Enables performing PDF modifications completely offline on your PC so sensitive personal files like tax forms and passports are never sent to third-party web servers.

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Updated 3 October 2026. Page: https://xiry.app/resources/stirling-pdf

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