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PDFsharp

Free#25 of 31 in PDF SDKs

PDFsharp: A free .NET PDF library for creation, editing, forms, signatures, and core document operations. Ranked #25 of 31 in PDF SDKs by our editors (6.6/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free .NET PDF creation and manipulation.

6.6/10Editor score

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At a glance

Editor score
6.6 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Free .NET PDF creation and manipulation
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Facts checked
20 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Covers creation, editing, merging, splitting, annotations, forms, and signatures
- Supports Windows, Linux, macOS, and other .NET-supported platforms
- Open-source MIT license with font, image, encryption, and graphics support
Where it doesn't
- Does not provide AI features
- Narrower coverage than SDKs with OCR and document conversion
- GDI and WPF builds target Windows-specific environments

Our verdict on PDFsharp

PDFsharp is an open-source .NET library for developers embedding PDF functionality in applications. It supports PDF creation, processing, modification, merging, splitting, drawing, rendering, annotations, encryption, forms, and digital signatures. The library covers .NET Framework, .NET Standard, and modern .NET versions, with Core, GDI, and WPF builds. Core supports platforms supported by .NET, while GDI and WPF target Windows. Its language coverage includes C# and other .NET languages, making it a focused option for teams building PDF workflows within the .NET ecosystem.

The library’s main strength is breadth across core PDF operations rather than a single specialized feature. Developers can generate documents with drawing and graphics operations, handle BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and JPEG images, embed and subset fonts, and add text or rubber-stamp annotations. PDFsharp also supports embedded documents, access permissions, encryption, forms, and digital signatures. This makes it suitable for applications that need direct document creation and manipulation without moving outside a .NET codebase. Its open-source MIT license and free plan further suit projects that want a no-cost PDF foundation.

PDFsharp is less suited to teams seeking a wider document-processing platform. It does not provide AI features, and its positioning is narrower than SDKs that add OCR, conversion, or broader integration coverage. Platform choice also matters: the Core build is the cross-platform path, while GDI and WPF builds are Windows-specific. Choose PDFsharp when your priority is free, code-level PDF creation and manipulation in .NET. Consider an alternative when OCR, conversion, extensive integrations, or AI capabilities are central requirements.

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PDFsharp pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on pdfsharp.net

PDFsharp fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
PDF operations	Creation, processing, modification, merging, splitting, drawing, rendering, annotations, encryption, forms, and digital signatures
Supported platforms	Windows, Linux, macOS, and other platforms supported by .NET; Windows-specific GDI and WPF builds
Language coverage	C# and other .NET languages
Deployment model	Not verified
Annotation tools	Yes
Commercial license	Yes
Deployment	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, Linux, macOS
Support	Community, Docs
Pricing	Free plan
Website	pdfsharp.net
Facts checked	20 Sep 2026

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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used PDFsharp for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.

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Featured on iTechGuides

PDFsharp is listed in our PDF SDKs directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update