Stirling PDF vs Bento PDF is less a ranking and more a shape question. One is a self-hosted editor you install on Windows or run in Docker. The other is a browser toolkit that processes files on your device.
| Stirling PDF | Bento PDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Desktop app or a server you host | Web browser, client-side |
| How files are handled | Local processing on the machine or server you run | README says processing happens in the browser; files are not uploaded to a server |
| Install paths | Windows MSI, winget, Scoop, Docker, server JARs | Use the site, or self-host with Docker |
| Native desktop app | Yes, on Windows | No native desktop app noted; presented as a web and browser toolkit |
| License | MIT for most of the repo; some folders use other licenses | GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 on GitHub |
Official docs list 55+ tools (signing, converting, merging, editing, OCR, redaction). You install a Windows desktop app or run Docker compose. Files are processed locally on the machine or server you run.
Project: github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF. Docs: docs.stirlingpdf.com. Most of the repo is MIT. Some directories (proprietary, saas, engine, desktop, cloud, portal, and similar) have their own license terms. Read the LICENSE.
Bento is a client-side, browser PDF toolkit. Their README says processing happens in the browser and files are not uploaded to a server. The public site matches that: work stays on the device.
Site: bentopdf.com. Repo: github.com/alam00000/bentopdf. License listed on GitHub: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0.
A Docker self-host path exists. Their docs list
ghcr.io/alam00000/bentopdf-simple:latest.
MakeUseOf notes there is no native desktop app. Bento’s own materials present it as a web and browser toolkit.
Want a desktop window or a server on port 8080? Start with Stirling. Use the Windows download or the official compose file.
Want a tab in the browser and no install? Bento is built for that.
You can run both. They are not the same product, and we are not scoring them. This page is only here to keep the shapes straight if you arrived searching for a open source pdf editor.