pypdf by py-pdf
A pure-python PDF library capable of splitting, merging, cropping, and transforming the pages of PDF files
About pypdf
From the project's README at github.com/py-pdf/pypdf. Lightly cleaned for readability; for the full source see the upstream repo.
[](https://badge.fury.io/py/pypdf) [](https://pypi.org/project/pypdf/) [](https://pypdf.readthedocs.io/en/stable/) [](https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf) [](https://codecov.io/gh/py-pdf/pypdf)
pypdf is a free and open-source pure-python PDF library capable of splitting, merging, cropping, and transforming the pages of PDF files. It can also add custom data, viewing options, and passwords to PDF files. pypdf can retrieve text and metadata from PDFs as well.
See pdfly for a CLI application that uses pypdf to interact with PDFs. Installation
For using pypdf with AES encryption or decryption, install extra dependencies:
Health score breakdown
6-dimension composite. See methodology for formula and weights.
Adoption signals
Real-world usage data, pulled from each registry. The bigger the numbers, the more battle-tested the project.
| Signal | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 10.0k | github.com/py-pdf/pypdf |
| GitHub forks | 1.6k | github.com/py-pdf/pypdf |
| PYPI downloads (last month) | 56647k | pypdf |
Release & maintenance
Is this project actively maintained, or about to die? Check the recency of last commit and last release.
| Project age | 14.3 years | since Jan 2012 |
| Last commit | 3 days ago | May 4, 2026 |
| Releases shipped | 138 | last: 22 days ago |
| Security policy | SECURITY.md | declared by maintainers |
Self-hosting cost across providers
Detected requirements: 4GB RAM, 40GB disk minimum. Cheapest plan per provider that meets the requirement.
| Provider | Plan | Specs | Monthly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hetzner | CAX11 | 2c · 4GB · 40GB | $4.13 USD | Deploy → |
| vultr | VC2 | 1c · 1GB · 25GB | $5 USD | Deploy → |
| linode | Nanode 1GB | 1c · 1GB · 25GB | $5.12 USD | Deploy → |
| digitalocean | Basic Regular 1GB | 1c · 1GB · 25GB | $6 USD | Deploy → |
Security advisories
GHSA-x284-j5p8-9c5p. What people say on Hacker News
Ready to self-host pypdf?
Spin up a hetzner CAX11 (4GB RAM, 40GB disk) for $4.13/mo and follow the project's official install docs.
Data last refreshed May 7, 2026.
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