Automatio
Stirling PDF

Stirling PDF Self-Hosted, Deploy in One Click

Stirling PDF is a private browser-based toolbox for merging, signing, and OCR. Automatio deploys it with HTTPS in one click to keep your sensitive files...

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Deploy Stirling PDFAsk the agent instead
Stirling PDF logo

Stirling PDF

Utilities

A locally hosted one-stop shop for all your PDF needs

pdftools

What you get when you deploy Stirling PDF

The server we rent for it, what it costs, and what the installer will ask you.

Server
CX23 · 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM
From
$9/month
Setup
No configuration required

Included with every deployment

  • Dedicated server, one app per machine
  • HTTPS certificate issued automatically
  • Free subdomain, custom domain optional
  • Restart, resize, snapshot and restore

The project

Everything this page links to outside Automatio.

Official siteDocumentationSource codeDiscord serverRelease notesReddit community

Deploy Stirling PDF in one click

On your own server, with your own data. No terminal, no Docker commands, no certificate setup.

  1. 1

    Pick a size

    Start on the smallest server that fits the app. Resize later without reinstalling.

  2. 2

    Press deploy

    We rent the server, install the app with Docker, and point a subdomain at it.

  3. 3

    Watch it come up

    Provisioning runs unattended and takes a few minutes. When the HTTPS certificate lands, the app is live and your login details are on the deployment page.

Server size

Deploy Stirling PDFAsk the agent instead

Billed monthly with your Automatio subscription. Destroy the server any time and the charge stops.

Key Capabilities

Explore what Automatio can do for this use case

Page Management

Perform essential document assembly including merging multiple files, splitting by page range, and rotating or reordering pages. The tile-based interface makes it easy to organize complex sets of scanned documents or legal filings without using third-party cloud services.

  • 1Merge multiple PDF files
  • 2Split by page range
  • 3Rotate and remove pages
  • 4Multi-language UI support
  • 5Custom download options

Key Capabilities

  • Page Management

    Perform essential document assembly including merging multiple files, splitting by page range, and rotating or reordering pages. The tile-based interface makes it easy to organize complex sets of scanned documents or legal filings without using third-party cloud services.

    1. Merge multiple PDF files
    2. Split by page range
    3. Rotate and remove pages
    4. Multi-language UI support
    5. Custom download options
  • OCR and Searchability

    Use integrated [Tesseract](https://github.com/tesseract-ocr/tesseract) to convert scanned images and non-searchable documents into fully indexed files. It automatically detects text layers to make them searchable, which is essential for paperless office workflows and legacy archives.

    1. Full OCR support
    2. Searchable PDF generation
    3. Automatic image detection
    4. Batch OCR processing
    5. Metadata extraction
  • Format Conversion Suite

    Convert documents to and from Office formats like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint while maintaining layout integrity. It also handles HTML-to-PDF, Markdown-to-PDF, and image-to-PDF conversions, replacing the need for desktop software or ad-filled conversion sites.

    1. Office to PDF conversion
    2. Image to PDF conversion
    3. HTML and URL to PDF
    4. PDF to Word and PPT
    5. Repair corrupted files
  • Security and Redaction

    Protect sensitive information by adding passwords, changing permissions, or applying digital signatures. Use the auto-redaction tool to black out specific text patterns like PII across entire documents, ensuring regulatory compliance without exposing data to external APIs.

    1. Password protection
    2. Permission management
    3. Text and pattern redaction
    4. Digital signature support
    5. Custom watermarking
  • Interactive Page Editor

    Use a visual interface to organize complex documents with live previews. You can drag and drop pages between different documents, delete specific sheets, or rotate individual pages within a single view, replacing the need for expensive desktop-based editors.

    1. Visual drag and drop
    2. Live page previews
    3. Bulk page rotation
    4. Quick delete tools
    5. Mobile-friendly UI
  • Stateless Processing

    Maintain a high security posture because the application does not store your documents permanently. Files are processed in memory or temporary storage and wiped after the task is complete, ensuring that a server compromise does not expose a history of processed documents.

    1. No persistent document storage
    2. Auto-wiping temp directories
    3. Privacy-first architecture
    4. Minimal disk footprint
    5. No tracking pixels

Why self-host Stirling PDF

What to know first

Data Sovereignty: Financial and legal documents never leave your server, preventing data leaks to third-party cloud providers who may scan or store your files.
Compute Intensity: OCR and format conversions are CPU-intensive tasks. Running heavy batches can pin your processor and slow down the web interface temporarily.
Bypass Task Caps: Free online tools often restrict file sizes or daily usage. Your instance handles unlimited operations restricted only by your server hardware.
Memory Constraints: Documents are often processed in RAM. Attempting to merge very large files on a base 2GB VPS may cause the application to crash.
Private API Access: Access the built-in REST API to automate document processing within your own secure internal applications or scripts without per-call fees.
Security Configuration: The application does not have a login screen enabled by default. You must configure authentication manually if you plan to make the URL public.
Eliminate License Costs: Avoid expensive monthly per-user subscriptions for proprietary software by hosting one instance that your entire small team can use.
Custom Branding: Modify the UI appearance and name to provide a professional, branded document portal for your clients or employees.

Managed, DIY, or One-Click?

The three realistic ways to run {name}, compared honestly.

Data Privacy

Managed SaaSLow (Cloud upload)
DIY on a VPSHigh (Private VPS)
Automatio one-clickHigh (Private VPS)

Task Limits

Managed SaaSDaily and size caps
DIY on a VPSUnlimited
Automatio one-clickUnlimited

Setup Time

Managed SaaSInstant
DIY on a VPS1-2 hours (Manual)
Automatio one-clickA few minutes

SSL/HTTPS

Managed SaaSIncluded
DIY on a VPSManual (Certbot)
Automatio one-clickAuto-managed

Cost Shape

Managed SaaSPer user/month
DIY on a VPSFixed VPS cost
Automatio one-clickFixed VPS cost

Who this is for

People who actually run Stirling PDF on their own server, and what changes when they do.

an insurance agent

Worrying about leaking client PII to random online PDF converters.

You get a private environment where PII never touches a third-party server during conversion or redaction.

  • OCR scanned applications
  • Password protect policy docs
  • Redact social security numbers

a freelancer billing hourly

Paying high monthly fees for Adobe Acrobat just for basic editing.

A flat-fee server allows for unlimited document editing and watermarking for all clients with no per-seat fees.

  • Watermark draft designs
  • Repair corrupted client files
  • Convert project briefs to PDF

a solo founder

Needing to automate document generation without expensive third-party API costs.

The built-in API allows for seamless integration into your proprietary tech stack for batch processing of invoices.

  • Bulk watermark invoices
  • Automate monthly PDF reports
  • Generate searchable archives

a homelab tinkerer

Searching for a privacy-respecting tool for home document management.

It integrates with storage apps like Paperless-ngx for a complete, local digital office for the whole family.

  • OCR legacy paper records
  • Secure family tax documents
  • Reorder document archives

About This App

What this app does and where it fits.

The private alternative to iLovePDF

Stirling PDF is an open-source, web-based toolbox that handles document manipulation without the privacy risks of cloud-based converters. Many free online tools profit from the data you upload, but this project provides a secure path to keep sensitive documents on your own hardware. It offers over 50 different operations, ranging from simple merging and splitting to complex OCR and security management, all within a browser-based interface.

Industrial-grade features

The project leverages established open-source engines like Tesseract for OCR and LibreOffice for format conversions. Because it runs as a Docker container, it handles these heavy dependencies automatically, ensuring a consistent experience across different server environments. You can convert Office files, extract images, redact sensitive text, and digitally sign documents using your own certificates.

Your first hour

After the server is provisioned, you will start at a tile-based dashboard showing the full toolset. A good first step is testing the OCR engine with a scanned document to verify how it generates searchable text layers. You can then explore the security features, such as adding passwords or watermarks to standard templates. For teams, this is the time to enable the security configuration to ensure only authorized users have access to the dashboard.

Where it fits

This tool is the active component of a document stack. While Paperless-ngx is better for long-term archiving, Stirling PDF is where the actual modification and conversion happens. It replaces expensive software like Adobe Acrobat or Nitro PDF, eliminating monthly licensing fees per user. Whether you are a solo freelancer handling client contracts or a small team managing internal records, it provides professional utility with total data privacy.

About This App

Community Feedback

See what the community thinks about Stirling PDF

“Adobe Acrobat at $19.99 has a free replacement called Stirling PDF. 47,000 GitHub stars. Runs entirely on your machine.”
— om_patel5
twitter
“I've been using Stirling-PDF for a long time and I've really liked it for its simplicity and the fact that it runs locally.”
— kusuratialinmayanpi
reddit
“Stirling PDF (life-saving for converting docs)”
— garamgaramsamose
reddit
“It's extremely difficult to cryptographically sign PDF documents with tools other than Adobe's and some other (often more sketchy) proprietary tools.”
— HN user
hackernews
“I replaced Adobe Acrobat with a Docker container and stopped paying for a PDF subscription entirely.”
— @Manavvv31
twitter
“The OCR functionality alone is worth the 15 minutes of setup time. It's transformed how I handle my paperless archive.”
— homelab_enthusiast
reddit

Related Videos

Watch tutorials, reviews, and discussions about Stirling PDF

“Very very simple way to do lots and lots of different things with files and pictures and PDFs to merge them to separate them to protect them to redact them.”

“Stirling PDF makes no outbound calls for any record keeping or tracking so anonymity yay well done guys.”

“They've taken all of these things that would often cost you money to buy software... and put them super simply here in Docker.”

More than just prompts

Supercharge your workflow with AI Automation

Automatio combines the power of AI agents, web automation, and smart integrations to help you accomplish more in less time.

AI Agents
Web Automation
Smart Workflows

Pro Tips

Expert tips to help you get the most out of Stirling PDF and achieve better results.

Provision Extra RAM

For heavy OCR tasks or processing multi-hundred-page documents, choose at least the CX33 (8GB RAM) server to prevent out-of-memory crashes.

Enable Authentication First

The app is open by default. Set the SECURITY_ENABLE_LOGIN variable in settings immediately to protect your instance from unauthorized web access.

Utilize the API

Connect the REST API to automation tools like n8n or custom scripts to handle document flows without manual clicking.

Testimonials

What Our Users Say

Join thousands of satisfied users who have transformed their workflow

Jonathan Kogan

Jonathan Kogan

Co-Founder/CEO, rpatools.io

Automatio is one of the most used for RPA Tools both internally and externally. It saves us countless hours of work and we realized this could do the same for other startups and so we choose Automatio for most of our automation needs.

Mohammed Ibrahim

Mohammed Ibrahim

CEO, qannas.pro

I have used many tools over the past 5 years, Automatio is the Jack of All trades.. !! it could be your scraping bot in the morning and then it becomes your VA by the noon and in the evening it does your automations.. its amazing!

Ben Bressington

Ben Bressington

CTO, AiChatSolutions

Automatio is fantastic and simple to use to extract data from any website. This allowed me to replace a developer and do tasks myself as they only take a few minutes to setup and forget about it. Automatio is a game changer!

Sarah Chen

Sarah Chen

Head of Growth, ScaleUp Labs

We've tried dozens of automation tools, but Automatio stands out for its flexibility and ease of use. Our team productivity increased by 40% within the first month of adoption.

David Park

David Park

Founder, DataDriven.io

The AI-powered features in Automatio are incredible. It understands context and adapts to changes in websites automatically. No more broken scrapers!

Emily Rodriguez

Emily Rodriguez

Marketing Director, GrowthMetrics

Automatio transformed our lead generation process. What used to take our team days now happens automatically in minutes. The ROI is incredible.

Jonathan Kogan

Jonathan Kogan

Co-Founder/CEO, rpatools.io

Automatio is one of the most used for RPA Tools both internally and externally. It saves us countless hours of work and we realized this could do the same for other startups and so we choose Automatio for most of our automation needs.

Mohammed Ibrahim

Mohammed Ibrahim

CEO, qannas.pro

I have used many tools over the past 5 years, Automatio is the Jack of All trades.. !! it could be your scraping bot in the morning and then it becomes your VA by the noon and in the evening it does your automations.. its amazing!

Ben Bressington

Ben Bressington

CTO, AiChatSolutions

Automatio is fantastic and simple to use to extract data from any website. This allowed me to replace a developer and do tasks myself as they only take a few minutes to setup and forget about it. Automatio is a game changer!

Sarah Chen

Sarah Chen

Head of Growth, ScaleUp Labs

We've tried dozens of automation tools, but Automatio stands out for its flexibility and ease of use. Our team productivity increased by 40% within the first month of adoption.

David Park

David Park

Founder, DataDriven.io

The AI-powered features in Automatio are incredible. It understands context and adapts to changes in websites automatically. No more broken scrapers!

Emily Rodriguez

Emily Rodriguez

Marketing Director, GrowthMetrics

Automatio transformed our lead generation process. What used to take our team days now happens automatically in minutes. The ROI is incredible.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about Stirling PDF