MIT License v3.2.0 ✓ Checksum Published

Download Stirling PDF Tools for Windows PC v3.2.0 for Windows PC

Name: Stirling PDF Tools for Windows PC
Author: Stirling PDF Inc.

Stirling PDF is a free, open source, self hosted PDF toolkit that performs more than fifty operations on PDF files — merge, split, compress, convert, OCR...

⬇ Direct Download (256.37 MB)

Technical Specifications & System Requirements

Developer Stirling PDF Inc.

Platform & OS Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)

Package Size 256.37 MB

Architecture x64 (64-bit)

Package Format MSI Installer

Security Verification SHA-256 checksum published

SHA-256 Cryptographic Checksum Computed from the file we serve

              043a2b01324dea6fe126fb6e658aa52f8106abe33ef5df8ef752c4ca05f5c8b1
            

              $ Get-FileHash .\stirling-pdf-tools-pc.exe -Algorithm SHA256
            

Software notes

The Bottom Line: Everyone has a folder of PDFs that need merging, splitting, compressing, or OCR-ing, and the internet's answer has always been a minefield of upload-your-document-to-our-server converters with daily limits. Stirling PDF ends that. It is a full PDF utility belt that runs on your own machine, does more than fifty operations, and charges nothing. The first time you merge a dozen scanned pages without creating an account anywhere, the value proposition lands instantly. Setup is a normal Windows MSI installer — no Docker knowledge required — with container and Java builds available for servers and shared deployments. But that is also the source of its strength — local processing means private processing, and for schools, offices, and anyone handling contracts or IDs, that matters more than a slicker UI. It is that rare open-source project that is both genuinely useful and genuinely trustworthy. Install the desktop app, and delete those converter bookmarks. The operation list keeps growing because the community keeps contributing: PDF/A conversion, Bates numbering, metadata scrubbing, and pipeline mode for chaining operations are the kind of features that turn a utility into infrastructure. Small offices run it as a shared PDF station; homelab enthusiasts host it alongside their other self-hosted services. The honest limitation remains the setup friction — but once the container is running, it becomes a bookmark you open weekly. For privacy-conscious document work, there is simply no better free option.

Features

50+ PDF operations — merge, split, compress, OCR, watermark, redact, sign — in one free, open-source package.
Everything runs locally, so sensitive documents are never uploaded to a third-party website.
No accounts, no file-count limits, no watermarks, and no subscription tiers gating features.
Apache 2.0 licensed with an active community; new operations and fixes land regularly.
Replaces a whole bookmark folder of dubious “free PDF online” converters with one private, trustworthy tool.

Considerations

The desktop app is an Electron-style wrapper around the web UI, so it uses more memory than a fully native PDF tool.
The interface is functional rather than beautiful; it prioritizes the operation list over visual polish.
Very large PDFs or heavy OCR batches can be slow on modest hardware since everything processes locally.

About & Overview: Stirling PDF Tools for Windows PC

Stirling PDF is a free, open-source, self-hosted PDF toolkit that performs more than fifty operations on PDF files — merge, split, compress, convert, OCR, watermark, redact, sign, and rearrange pages among them — entirely on your own machine. Built by the Stirling-Tools community and licensed under Apache 2.0, it ships as a native Windows desktop app (MSI installer) as well as Docker/Java builds for servers, so your documents never leave your PC: no uploads, no accounts, no per-file limits, no watermarks. For offices, schools, and anyone handling sensitive documents, that local-only design is the whole point — it replaces a stack of sketchy “ free PDF online” sites with one private toolbox. Install the desktop app and you get an Adobe-grade utility belt for the price of disk space; run the Docker image if you want it as a shared family or office service.

How to Install & Verify Stirling PDF Tools for Windows PC

STEP 1

Download the installer

Download Stirling PDF from the official vendor link on this page.

STEP 2

Run the setup

Open the downloaded installer file and follow the on-screen installation steps.

STEP 3

Launch the app

Start Stirling PDF from the Start menu or desktop shortcut.

Related Windows PC Software & Alternatives

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Joplin Notes App for Windows PC 3.7.21 • GPL v3

LibreOffice 26.8.0 • Open Source

LibreOffice 24.2.5 • Open Source

Frequently Asked Questions & Verification Guide

Is Stirling PDF really free?

Yes. Stirling PDF is open source under the Apache 2.0 license and free to use, including the Docker image. There are no premium tiers gating the PDF operations.

Do my documents get uploaded anywhere?

Your files stay on your machine. Stirling PDF runs locally (as a Docker container or Java app on your PC) and processes documents there — nothing is uploaded to any external server.

How do I run it on Windows?

Download the official Windows MSI installer from the Stirling-PDF GitHub releases — it runs as a normal desktop app. Docker Desktop and Java distributions are also available if you prefer a container or want to host it for a team.

How does it compare to Adobe Acrobat?

Adobe Acrobat is a polished commercial editor with deep editing, forms, and e-sign workflows. Stirling PDF covers the utility operations — merge, split, compress, convert, OCR — for free and privately. For heavy document authoring Acrobat still leads; for everyday PDF chores Stirling PDF is more than enough.