pdfminer.six vs pypdf
Python PDF libraries compared
pdfminer.six and pypdf are Python projects for working with PDF files. pdfminer.six focuses on extracting and analyzing content and layout, while pypdf also provides operations for changing pages and document data.
pdfminer.six: Extract PDF Content with PDFMiner
pdfminer.six is a community-maintained fork of PDFMiner, built for extracting and analyzing content from PDF documents. Use its Python library or command-line tool to retrieve text and layout details from PDFs.
pypdf: Read and Manipulate PDF Files in Python
pypdf is a pure-Python library for reading PDFs and changing their pages or document data. It suits Python developers who need PDF operations inside scripts or applications without relying on a separate command-line tool.
| pdfminer.six | pypdf | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Python | Python |
| License | MIT | NOASSERTION |
| Stars | 7k | 10.2k |
| Forks | 1k | 1.6k |
| Last analyzed | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 3, 2026 |
Key differences
- pdfminer.six extracts text, images, HTML, hOCR, and document structure; pypdf focuses on reading text and metadata and manipulating pages or document data.
- pdfminer.six analyzes text positions, fonts, colors, and layout, and supports tagged content and AcroForms; pypdf includes page splitting, merging, cropping, transformations, and annotations.
- pdfminer.six provides a command-line tool and Python API; pypdf is a library and links to the separate pdfly project for command-line use.
- pdfminer.six is licensed under MIT; pypdf's repository license field is reported as NOASSERTION.
- pdfminer.six targets Python 3.10 or newer and notes limited maintainer availability; pypdf's stated considerations focus on its code-driven use and optional AES dependencies.
Choose pdfminer.six if you…
- need to inspect PDF text placement, fonts, colors, or page layout.
- want to extract images, forms, or structured content as well as text.
- need support for CJK languages or vertical writing in a PDF workflow.
Choose pypdf if you…
- want to split, merge, crop, or transform PDF pages in Python code.
- need to read PDF metadata or add annotations and custom document data.
- need encryption and decryption features, including AES with the optional crypto dependencies.
Compare the numbers side by side, or add more projects
This comparison is generated with AI from the OSRepos analyses of both projects. Always check each project's repository and documentation before choosing.