Apache PDFBox vs Ghostscript
Apache PDFBox
pdfbox.apache.org
Ghostscript
ghostscript.comSide by side
| Figure | Apache PDFBox | Ghostscript |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · PDF SDKs | 8.2 (#7) | 8.2 (#8) |
| Founded | 2002 | 1989 |
| Integration | PDFBox can be added to an application as a Maven dependency using groupId org.apache.pdfbox and artifactId pdfbox. | Ghostscript can run as a standalone command-line application or be integrated into an application as an SDK. |
| Maker | Apache PDFBox is an Apache Software Foundation project; the foundation describes itself as a U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable organization. | Artifex describes Ghostscript as originating in 1989 and identifies Artifex Software Inc. as the company behind its products. |
| Support | Users can ask usage questions on the community mailing list, while confirmed bugs and enhancement requests can be reported through the JIRA issue tracker. | Commercial customers can access Artifex support options; the AGPL release has no warranty or guaranteed support. |
Plans
Ghostscript
- AGPL LicenseFree
- OEM Distribution LicensePriced on request
- Subscription LicensePriced on request
In their own words
Apache PDFBox
Apache PDFBox has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Ghostscript
Ghostscript is a PostScript and PDF interpreter and rendering engine from Artifex, with conversion support for PDF, PostScript, PCL and XPS. It can convert among those formats, produce PDF/A output, and compress PDFs with adjustable settings. Its OCR device can turn printed or scanned material into searchable PDF text. Other image and print capabilities include raster and vector output, color management, overprint simulation, N-up imposition, screening and trapping.
Ghostscript runs as a standalone command-line application or can be integrated into an application as an SDK. The gsapi interface has Python, C# and Java bindings, with demos and sample applications. The maker lists uses including cloud document conversion, archiving, previews, e-invoicing, pre-press, printing and document management. It supports Windows, macOS, Unix and Unix-like systems, VMS and embedded systems. The AGPL license is free, with source code disclosure requirements and no support. Artifex says a commercial license is required for distribution in a closed-source product or SaaS deployment under its licensing guidance; commercial plans have no listed price. Conversion may not preserve extra metadata such as embedded files or document outlines.