A Stirling PDF alternative with nothing to host
Stirling PDF is a powerful open-source PDF platform you run on your own server or desktop. If you want to skip Docker and installs, Mediaextractr works in a browser tab on any device.
- Files never uploaded
- No daily limits
- 600+ tools, not just PDF
- Free plan
- Everything, free
- Paid plans
- Free: All tools, no sign-up, no daily limits
- Your files
- Never leave your device
- Account
- Not needed
- Works on
- Any modern browser, desktop and phone
- Free plan
- Free tier, $0, no card; 1,000 monthly credits for automation
- Paid plans
- Team plan $99 per month for 100 users
- Your files
- Depends on mode: local, your server, or Stirling Cloud
- Account
- Desktop Local Only needs none; Cloud and AI need sign-in
- Works on
- Self-hosted server, Windows, Mac, Linux desktop, cloud
Why people look for a Stirling PDF alternative
Stirling PDF is an open-core PDF platform with 60+ tools. It can be self-hosted (for example with Docker), installed as a desktop app, or used through Stirling Cloud, and it offers a REST API, automation pipelines and team plans for organizations.
No server to run
Self-hosting Stirling PDF means running Docker or a similar setup. Mediaextractr needs nothing: open a page and drop in your file.
No installer or sign-in
The Stirling desktop app is an install. Its cloud tools and AI need an account. Ours need neither.
Know where your file goes
With Stirling the answer depends on the mode: desktop Local Only, your own server, or Stirling Cloud. With Mediaextractr it is always your browser, and the files never leave the page.
Video, audio, image and data tools
Stirling is PDF-focused. We also compress video, cut audio, convert HEIC photos, open RAR files and format JSON.
Real recordings, not mock-ups
Each clip was recorded on our live tools. Watch the upload counter in the first one stay at zero.
Mediaextractr vs Stirling PDF, feature by feature
Checked against Stirling PDF's own pages. The rows that matter most for privacy and cost come first.
| Feature | Mediaextractr | Stirling PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy and access | ||
| Files stay on your device (no upload) | Yes | PartlyTheir docs say files stay on your computer in the desktop app's Local Only mode, and run on your own server when self-hosted. On Stirling Cloud, tools such as compress, OCR and convert send files to their servers. This is not a privacy gap against us when self-hosted or in Local Only mode. |
| Free to use without an account | Yes | PartlyDesktop Local Only mode needs no account. Cloud and the AI assistant need an account. |
| No daily limit on free use | Yes | PartlyThe Free tier includes 1,000 monthly credits for automation and API use; running tools in the app does not use them. |
| No watermark on free results | Yes | ?Not stated on the pages we read. |
| Works in a phone browser | Yes | ?We could not confirm how their hosted app behaves on a phone. |
| Beyond PDF | ||
| Video tools (trim, compress, convert) | Yes | No |
| Audio tools (cut, convert, MP3) | Yes | No |
| Image tools (HEIC, resize, compress) | Yes | No |
| ZIP, RAR and 7Z tools | Yes | No |
| JSON, CSV and XML tools | Yes | No |
| Everyday PDF tasks | ||
| Merge PDF | Yes | Yes |
| Split PDF | Yes | Yes |
| Compress PDF | Yes | YesIn the desktop app some tools need Stirling Cloud or a server rather than running locally. |
| Rotate, reorder and delete pages | Yes | Yes |
| PDF to JPG / PNG | Yes | YesTheir converter lists PDF to Image and Image to PDF. |
| JPG to PDF | Yes | Yes |
| PDF to Word | PartlyText, headings and lists; no images or tables | Yes |
| Word to PDF | No | Yes |
| PDF to Excel | No | Yes |
| Protect and unlock PDF | Yes | Yes |
| Add watermark | Yes | Yes |
| Add page numbers | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced PDF | ||
| Sign a PDF yourself | YesVisible signature, not a certificate | Yes |
| Send documents for others to sign | No | ?Their tool list shows signing and certificate signing; requests to other people are not mentioned. |
| Fill PDF forms | Yes | Yes |
| Redact text | Yes | Yes |
| Compare two PDFs | Yes | Yes |
| Edit existing text in a PDF | No | Yes |
| OCR (scans to searchable text) | No | YesIn the desktop app OCR usually needs Stirling Cloud or a server. |
| AI chat / summaries | No | PartlyAI assistant is available with sign-in or a server with AI turned on, not in Local Only mode. |
| Apps and extras | ||
| Several files at once | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop app | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | No | ?They document a Mobile Scanner feature; a dedicated mobile app is not stated. |
| Google Drive / Dropbox import | No | ?Their site mentions routing files to destinations such as SharePoint; Google Drive or Dropbox import is not stated. |
| Developer API | No | YesEvery server-side tool has a REST endpoint; calls use a credit allowance on Stirling Cloud. |
Yes Yes Partly Partly No No, or not offered on their site ? Not stated on their site
What you pay
Stirling PDF's prices as published on their site on October 30, 2026. Prices can change and may vary by country.
MMediaextractr
SStirling PDF
Why Mediaextractr is the better choice
Everything people like about Stirling PDF's everyday tools, without the uploads, limits or accounts.
Your files never leave your device
Every tool runs inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded, stored or seen by anyone, so private documents stay private.
Free, with no limits or sign-up
No daily task caps, no trial, no watermark and no account. Use any tool as often as you like.
Starts instantly
No waiting for uploads and downloads. Work begins the moment you add a file, even on slow connections.
600+ tools, not just PDF
Video, audio, images, Word, Excel, ZIP and JSON tools sit next to the PDF tools, all free and all private.
Ready to leave Stirling PDF? Your first file takes seconds and needs no account.
Try Mediaextractr freeStart with these free tools
Stirling PDF alternative: questions
Is there an online alternative to Stirling PDF that needs no Docker?
Yes. Mediaextractr runs entirely in your browser: merge, split, compress, sign, redact and compare PDFs with nothing to host. It lacks OCR, text editing and an API.
Is Stirling PDF free?
Its Free tier is $0 with no card, and the project is open source. Team starts at $99 per month for 100 users, and Enterprise is custom. API calls and cloud automation use credits.
Does Stirling PDF upload my files?
It depends on how you use it. Their docs say desktop Local Only mode keeps files on your computer, a self-hosted server runs on your infrastructure, and Stirling Cloud sends files for tools such as compress, OCR and convert to their servers.
Can I use Stirling PDF without installing anything?
Their docs describe a cloud option that runs in the browser with an account, alongside the desktop app and self-hosted server. Mediaextractr needs no account.
Does Stirling PDF have a desktop app?
Yes, for Windows, macOS and Linux. It runs most tools on your computer, but some, such as OCR, usually need Stirling Cloud or a server.
What does Mediaextractr offer that Stirling PDF does not?
Video, audio, image, archive and JSON tools, all in the browser. Stirling is deeper on PDF itself.
Mediaextractr vs other PDF sites
Switch to a simpler, private way to work with files
Free, no account, and your files never leave your device.
Explore all toolsInformation about Stirling PDF was checked on October 30, 2026 from its public pages: Stirling PDF on GitHub, Stirling pricing, Stirling docs: FAQ and where files are processed, Stirling docs: desktop app, Stirling docs: all tools, Stirling docs: REST API. Features and prices change; tell us if something is out of date. Stirling PDF is a trademark of its owner. Mediaextractr is not affiliated with or endorsed by Stirling PDF.