iLovePDF vs Stirling PDF

iLovePDF9.2Visit Stirling PDF7.2Visit

Higher score iLovePDF #2 in PDF Editors 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit iLovePDF

vs

Stirling PDF #22 in PDF Editors 7.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Stirling PDF

• iLovePDF fits best

  Accessible PDF work across devices

• Stirling PDF fits best

  Self-hosted PDF automation and privacy

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Side by side

Feature	iLovePDF 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Stirling PDF 7.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	7.2
Ranking	#2 in PDF Editors	#22 in PDF Editors
Best for	Accessible PDF work across devices	Self-hosted PDF automation and privacy
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	$99/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Email, Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Compliance	ISO 27001, GDPR, 2FA	SSO/SAML, GDPR
Integrations	7 integrations	16 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features iLovePDF 5/5 · Stirling PDF 4/5
Text editing	✓	✓
Annotation tools	✓	✓
OCR	✓	✓
PDF conversion	✓	✓
Form creation	✓ (best)	—
Specs
Supported platforms	web, windows, macos, ios, android	web, Windows, macOS, Linux, API, self-hosted
Our review
Pros	OCR, form creation, annotations, conversion, and PDF security tools Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android applications Desktop app supports local and offline document processing	Self-hosted, desktop, web, API, and pipeline options OCR, redaction, signing, conversion, and 60+ PDF tools Open-source with integrations across storage and work platforms
Cons	Free access includes limited document processing Existing PDF text editing is not explicitly confirmed Business features are oriented toward organizational buyers	Does not create new PDF form fields Team costs $99 per month Broad functionality may exceed simple editing needs
Our verdict	iLovePDF is a PDF productivity service for individuals, professionals, and businesses that need to edit, annotate, convert, organize, sign, protect, and compare documents. Its toolkit includes adding text, shapes, comments, and highlights;… Read the review →	Stirling PDF is an open-source PDF platform for individuals, teams, and organizations that need editing, annotation, OCR, conversion, signing, redaction, compression, and page-management tools. It runs in a browser, on Windows, macOS, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• iLovePDF — where it wins

  • OCR, form creation, annotations, conversion, and PDF security tools
  • Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android applications
  • Desktop app supports local and offline document processing

  Where it doesn't

  • Free access includes limited document processing
  • Existing PDF text editing is not explicitly confirmed
  • Business features are oriented toward organizational buyers

• Stirling PDF — where it wins

  • Self-hosted, desktop, web, API, and pipeline options
  • OCR, redaction, signing, conversion, and 60+ PDF tools
  • Open-source with integrations across storage and work platforms

  Where it doesn't

  • Does not create new PDF form fields
  • Team costs $99 per month
  • Broad functionality may exceed simple editing needs

• iLovePDF9.2/10 · Free plan

  A broad PDF toolkit with free access, offline desktop processing, and cross-device apps.

  Visit iLovePDFFull verdict →
• Stirling PDF7.2/10 · Free plan

  A broad PDF toolkit for privacy-focused automation, with limited form creation.

  Visit Stirling PDFFull verdict →