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mutool (MuPDF) vs Ghostscript: catalog facts
mutool (MuPDF)	Ghostscript
Free Listed as open source, distributed with the MuPDF project.	Free Free and open source under the AGPL. Commercial licensing is sold separately.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Lightweight CLI for batch PDF extraction, cleaning and merging Cross-platform on Linux, macOS and Windows	Handles PostScript, PDF, PCL and XPS in one interpreter The de facto engine for PDF conversion and compression in print workflows
Command-line only, with no graphical interface for casual users Documentation targets developers integrating MuPDF rather than end users	Command line with a famously cryptic option set Commercial redistribution requires a paid Artifex licence
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: AGPL-3.0	License: AGPL-3.0
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.