head to head · open source
pdfcraft vs bentopdf
pdfcraft has 19,220 GitHub stars, 7,216 forks, 68 open issues and last shipped yesterday. bentopdf has 16,233 stars, 1,450 forks, 156 open issues and last shipped yesterday. pdfcraft leads on adoption by 18% (19,220 vs 16,233 stars). pdfcraft is written in Rust under Apache-2.0; bentopdf is written in JavaScript under AGPL-3.0. pdfcraft has attracted 38% as many forks as stars, bentopdf 9%. pdfcraft was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 4 topic tags (pdf, pdf-generation, pdf-tools, pdf-viewer), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| pdfcraft | bentopdf | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 19K | ★ 16K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Rust | JavaScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 7.2K | ⑂ 1.4K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick pdfcraft if
- You weight community size — 19K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick bentopdf if
- You want the bentopdf feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You evaluated both and bentopdf fits your workflow better
About pdfcraft
PdfCraft The PDF workbench; an open source, clean room reimplementation of Adobe Acrobat, rebuilt in pure Rust. Read, organize, combine, split and secure PDFs in a fast, native app, written in Rust from the ground up. macOS · Windows · Linux · FreeBSD · the web PdfCraft on getartcraft.com · ArtCraft · All Crafting Apps The PdfCraft Showcase, a 13 page specimen PDF, open with the All tools panel and threaded comments. [!NOTE] ArtCraft is a community of artists from all walks of life. Digital, generative, music, games — if you make things, you're one of us. Come say hi on Discord. Highlights · Read · Find ·…
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About bentopdf
BentoPDF BentoPDF is a powerful, privacy first, client side PDF toolkit that is self hostable and allows you to manipulate, edit, merge, and process PDF files directly in your browser. No server side processing is required, ensuring your files remain secure and private. Table of Contents Join Us on Discord Documentation Licensing Stargazers over time Thank You to Our Sponsors Why BentoPDF? Features / Tools Supported Organize & Manage PDFs Edit & Modify PDFs Convert to PDF Convert from PDF Secure & Optimize PDFs Other Products Translations Getting Started Prerequisites Quick Start Static Hosting Self Hosting…
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Frequently asked questions
Is pdfcraft or bentopdf more popular?
pdfcraft has 19,220 GitHub stars and bentopdf has 16,233. pdfcraft has the larger community by that measure.
Are pdfcraft and bentopdf free?
Both are open source. pdfcraft is licensed under Apache-2.0 and bentopdf under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between pdfcraft and bentopdf?
pdfcraft is written in Rust and bentopdf in JavaScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, pdfcraft or bentopdf?
Choose pdfcraft if you want the larger community (19,220 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose bentopdf if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.