Adobe PDF Library SDK vs MuPDF
Adobe PDF Library SDK
opensource.adobe.com
MuPDF
mupdf.comSide by side
| Figure | Adobe PDF Library SDK | MuPDF |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $299/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Spec score · PDF SDKs | 7.8 (#17) | 8.5 (#4) |
| Deployment | PDFL is an on-premise library that can be embedded in applications without Acrobat and used to create server-based applications. | Artifex describes MuPDF as suitable for desktop, cloud/server, or embedded projects through its core API. |
| Purpose | Adobe PDF Library SDK provides functions for building third-party applications and workflows that generate, manipulate, render, and print PDF documents. | MuPDF is a fast, embeddable SDK for managing PDF and other document formats. |
| Support | Adobe states that only the last two major SDK versions with interim updates are eligible for developer support. | Open-source users can seek community help through Discord and the bug tracker, while commercial license holders can contact technical support by replying to their introductory email. |
Plans
Adobe PDF Library SDK
- Adobe PDF Library SDK licensePriced on request
MuPDF
- Commercial$299 a month
- EnterprisePrice not published
- AGPL LicenseFree
- OEM Distribution LicensePriced on request
- Subscription LicensePriced on request
In their own words
Adobe PDF Library SDK
Adobe PDF Library SDK has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
MuPDF
MuPDF is an embeddable SDK for developers working with PDFs and other document formats in desktop, cloud/server, or embedded projects. It supports viewing, editing, extracting, signing, rendering, redacting, annotating, splitting, merging, compressing, and converting documents. Listed inputs include PDF, ePUB, image formats, SVG, CBZ, and XPS; outputs include PDF, text, HTML, PostScript, print formats, PNG, SVG, and PNM/PAM. Developer bindings include MuPDF Core, PyMuPDF, MuPDF.js, and MuPDF.NET. The open-source release is AGPL-licensed, and embedding it in a product may require a commercial license. For server-based use of the open-source software, the licensing terms require disclosure of application source code to users interacting with it. Commercial licenses provide an alternative without AGPL code disclosure and include technical support and free upgrades. The Commercial plan is listed at $299 a month and includes one licensed domain and one preview domain for testing; a 14-day trial is also listed. Open-source users can seek community help through Discord and the bug tracker.