iPDF local vs Archi

Your PDFs. Your Server. Your Privacy. iPDF Local gives you full control over your document workflow right from your iPhone or iPad. The app connects seamlessly to your self-hosted Stirling PDF instance via API, allowing you to edit, convert, organize, and manage PDFs securely without relying on third-party services. It also integrates with Nextcloud and Paperless-ngx, making it easy to browse files, import documents, and export results across your personal self-hosted stack. No public cloud dependency, no unnecessary middlemen, and no tracking-driven workflow, just powerful document tools in your own private environment. Perfect for anyone running a self-hosted setup with Stirling PDF, Nextcloud, or Paperless-ngx who wants secure mobile access on the go. Key Features: • Connect directly to your own Stirling PDF server • Integrate with Nextcloud for file browsing, import, and export • Access documents from Paperless-ngx and send results back into your workflow • Edit, merge, split, compress, OCR, sanitize, and convert PDFs from anywhere • Convert images and common document formats into PDF • No account required, with privacy-first access to your own infrastructure • Clean, mobile-optimized interface designed for fast document handling • Restore purchases and manage Pro features easily Your documents stay under your control. Experience Stirling PDF, Nextcloud, and Paperless-ngx in one secure, flexible, self-hosted mobile workflow.

Archi is the Paperless-NGX client for iPhone, iPad and Mac that runs AI and OCR entirely on your device — no cloud subscription, no data sharing, zero privacy compromises. Try it for free: the first 10 captures are included. After that, a one-time purchase unlocks the full version — no subscription, no cloud, no data collection. Note: AI metadata extraction requires a one-time download of the Gemma 4 model (approx. 2.4 GB) after installation. ■ WHAT ARCHI DOES Scan a document, recognize text, extract metadata — all in seconds, all locally. The document then lands neatly categorized in your self-hosted Paperless-NGX server. ■ ON YOUR DEVICE, NOT IN THE CLOUD • OCR with Apple Vision — fast, offline, free • AI metadata extraction with Google's Gemma 4 — runs directly on your iPhone, no server needed • Automatic title, tag and correspondent suggestions based on content • Import PDFs and images from other apps via the Share sheet ■ PAPERLESS-NGX INTEGRATION • Browse and manage your entire document archive • Full-text search across all documents • Filter by tags, document type and correspondent • Offline queue — scans saved locally until you're back online ■ REAL-WORLD USE CASES Tax Season: Scan every receipt, invoice and bill as it arrives. Archi automatically recognizes the date, vendor and amount — and suggests the right tags. Come April, your IRS paperwork is already done. Home Office & Business: Incoming invoices, delivery notes, contracts — Archi reads the document and proposes correspondent, document type and filing date without you lifting a finger. Medical & Insurance: Digitize EOBs, lab results, insurance policies and medical records securely. Your health data never leaves your device. No Wi-Fi? No Problem: Scan documents in the subway, in a basement archive or while travelling. Archi queues everything locally and syncs automatically when you're back online — unlike server-dependent alternatives. Homelab & Self-Hosting: Running Paperless-NGX on a Synology NAS, Proxmox, Docker or a Raspberry Pi? Archi was built for exactly your setup. No SaaS, no monthly fees, no vendor lock-in. ■ PRIVACY FIRST No account. No subscription. No cloud. Your documents stay on your device and your server — and nowhere else. All AI processing, all OCR, all metadata extraction runs exclusively on your iPhone. Archi never transmits document content to any external server — not Apple's, not Google's, not ours. ■ TECHNICAL DETAILS • AI model: Gemma 4 E2B INT4 (Google open weights) — runs fully on-device via LiteRT, Metal GPU accelerated • OCR: Apple Vision Framework — free, offline, privacy-preserving • Backend: Paperless-NGX (self-hosted, URL and token fully configurable) • Offline queue: SQLite-based, zero data loss when offline • On-device AI: iPhone 15 Pro or newer, or an iPad with 6 GB RAM (M-series). Scanning, uploading and your archive work on all supported devices — even without AI. • Runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple silicon Mac. Archi requires a self-hosted Paperless-NGX server.