A Complete Guide to Best OCR Software.
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software is a powerful tool that allows users to convert scanned documents and images into editable text AKA captioning.
With the increasing need for digitizing and converting printed or handwritten documents into editable and searchable formats, finding the best OCR software is crucial.
Whether you are a student, professional, or business owner, having reliable OCR software can save you time and effort.
In this article, we will explore the top OCR software options available in the market and help you choose the best one for your needs.
What is the Best OCR Software?
Here are our top selection for the best OCR Software you should consider using this year, we are calling 2023:
- Nanonets.
- Acrobat Pro DC.
- OmniPage Ultimate.
- ABBYY FineReader.
- Readiris.
Each of these accordingly ranked OCR Software based on our real experience with them has its own pros and cons, so be sure to read through each review carefully before making all the way to your final decision.
1. Nanonets.
Nanonets is a cloud-based OCR software that uses artificial intelligence to extract text from images, PDFs, and other documents. It is one of the most popular and accurate OCR solutions available, with a wide range of features that make it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Features
Nanonets is an AI-powered OCR software that offers a variety of features, including:
- High accuracy: Nanonets OCR achieves an accuracy of over 95%, even on complex and low-quality documents.
- Wide range of supported document types: Nanonets OCR can extract text from a wide range of document types, including invoices, receipts, ID cards, contracts, and more.
- Customizable models: Nanonets OCR allows you to train custom models to extract data from specific types of documents.
- Easy to use: Nanonets OCR has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to get started, even for users without any prior experience with OCR software.
- API integration: Nanonets OCR can be integrated with a variety of third-party applications, such as CRM systems, ERP systems, and document management systems.
- Easy integration: Nanonets offers a variety of APIs and integrations with other popular software, such as Zapier and Google Drive.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- High accuracy
- Support for multiple languages
- Custom model training
- Easy integration
Cons:
- Can be expensive for high-volume users
- No desktop app (only cloud-based)
Pricing
Nanonets offers a variety of pricing plans, including a free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $19 per month and offer unlimited OCR requests and other features.
Overall, Nanonets is a powerful and versatile OCR software that is well-suited for a variety of use cases. It offers high accuracy, support for multiple languages, and easy integration with other software.
2. Acrobat Pro DC.
Acrobat Pro DC is a powerful and versatile OCR software program that offers a wide range of features and capabilities. It is a good choice for businesses and individuals who need to digitize their paperwork and produce high-quality OCR results.
Features
Acrobat Pro DC’s OCR features include:
- OCR accuracy: Acrobat Pro DC uses advanced OCR technology to produce highly accurate results, even on challenging documents such as old, faded, or skewed documents.
- Language support: Acrobat Pro DC supports over 190 languages, making it a versatile tool for businesses and individuals with global operations.
- Output formats: Acrobat Pro DC can convert scanned documents into a variety of output formats, including PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and HTML.
- Batch processing: Acrobat Pro DC can process multiple scanned documents at once, saving you time and effort.
- Cloud integration: Acrobat Pro DC integrates with Adobe Document Cloud, allowing you to access and manage your OCR documents from anywhere.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Comprehensive PDF solution includes a variety of features, including OCR
- High accuracy OCR engine
- Batch processing capabilities
- Support for a wide range of languages and file formats
- Output options include PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and plain text
Cons:
- Can be expensive
- Some users have reported performance issues
Pricing
Acrobat Pro DC is available as a subscription service. The monthly subscription fee is $19.99 per month. There is also an annual subscription plan available for $179.88 per year.
Overall, Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is a powerful OCR software program with a variety of features. It is a good choice for businesses and individuals who need to convert scanned documents, PDF files, and image files into editable/searchable documents.
3. OmniPage Ultimate.
OmniPage Ultimate is a powerful OCR software solution from Kofax. It is designed for businesses and professionals who need to convert large volumes of documents quickly and accurately. OmniPage Ultimate supports over 120 languages and can recognize text from a wide variety of document types, including PDFs, images, and scanned documents.
Features
OmniPage Ultimate offers a wide range of features, including:
- High-accuracy OCR: OmniPage Ultimate uses advanced OCR technology to provide accurate text recognition, even from challenging documents.
- Batch processing: OmniPage Ultimate can convert large volumes of documents in batches, saving you time and effort.
- Document editing: OmniPage Ultimate allows you to edit converted documents directly within the software.
- PDF conversion: OmniPage Ultimate can convert PDFs to editable and searchable formats, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Document routing: OmniPage Ultimate can automatically route converted documents to pre-defined destinations.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- PDF conversion
- Document routing
- High-accuracy OCR
- Document editing
- Supports over 120 languages
- Batch processing
Cons:
- Can be expensive
- User interface can be complex
Pricing
OmniPage Ultimate is available for a one-time purchase of $499. It is also available as part of a subscription plan for $29.99 per month.
Overall, OmniPage Ultimate is a powerful OCR software solution that offers a wide range of features and functionality. It is ideal for businesses and professionals who need to convert large volumes of documents quickly and accurately. However, it is important to note that OmniPage Ultimate can be expensive and the user interface can be complex.
4. ABBYY FineReader.
ABBYY FineReader is a powerful and versatile OCR software that can meet the needs of a wide range of users. It is accurate, easy to use, and offers a comprehensive set of features. However, it can be expensive, and some features are only available in the higher-priced versions.
Features
FineReader offers a wide range of features, including:
- Accurate OCR: FineReader uses advanced AI technology to recognize text with high accuracy, even from low-quality images or scans.
- Document layout retention: FineReader preserves the original layout of your documents, including tables, images, and columns.
- Multiple output formats: FineReader can convert your documents to a variety of digital formats, including Word, Excel, PDF, and EPUB.
- PDF editing: FineReader PDF allows you to edit and annotate PDF files directly.
- Data extraction: FineReader can extract data from structured documents, such as invoices and receipts.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- PDF editing
- Accurate OCR
- Document layout retention
- Data extraction
- Comprehensive features
- Multiple output formats
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Can be expensive
- Some features are only available in the higher-priced versions
Pricing
ABBYY FineReader offers a variety of pricing options, depending on your needs. The Standard edition is the most affordable option, and it includes all of the essential OCR features. The Professional edition adds PDF editing and data extraction features. The Corporate edition is designed for businesses and includes additional features such as batch processing and command line integration.
Overall, ABBYY FineReader is a great choice for anyone who needs to convert scanned documents to digital formats. It is particularly well-suited for business users, thanks to its data extraction and batch processing features.
5. Readiris.
Readiris is an optical character recognition (OCR) software developed by IRISLink. It is available for both Windows and Mac operating systems. Readiris can convert scanned documents, images, and PDFs into editable and searchable digital text in a variety of formats, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and HTML.
Features
Readiris offers a wide range of features, including:
- Support for multiple languages: Readiris can recognize text in over 130 languages.
- Accurate OCR results: Readiris uses advanced OCR technology to produce highly accurate results, even with complex documents.
- A variety of output formats: Readiris can convert OCRed text to a variety of formats, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and HTML.
- Additional features: Readiris also includes a variety of additional features, such as document editing, PDF conversion, and data extraction.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Powerful and versatile OCR software
- Supports multiple languages and output formats
- Additional features, such as document editing, PDF conversion, and data extraction
- Accurate results with a wide variety of documents
Cons:
- Can be expensive
- Can be slow to process large documents
Pricing
- Readiris Standard: $119
- Readiris Pro: $299
- Readiris Corporate: $599
Overall, Readiris is a good choice for users who need a powerful and versatile OCR software program with a wide range of features. It is especially well-suited for businesses and enterprises that need to process large volumes of documents.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What OCR software is best?
The best OCR software will depend on your specific needs, but some of the most popular and highly rated options include:
- ABBYY FineReader PDF
- Kofax Omnipage
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Wondershare PDFelement
- Readiris PDF
What is the best PDF OCR to text?
All of the OCR software listed above can convert PDFs to text, but some of the best options include:
- ABBYY FineReader PDF
- Kofax Omnipage
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
These programs offer a variety of features for OCRing PDFs, such as the ability to recognize different types of fonts, layouts, and images. They also allow you to edit the extracted text and save it in a variety of formats, such as Word, Excel, and PDF.
Is there a better OCR than Tesseract?
Tesseract is a free and open-source OCR engine that is used by many different OCR software programs. However, there are some commercial OCR programs that offer better accuracy and features than Tesseract. Some examples include ABBYY FineReader PDF and Kofax Omnipage.
Does Google have free OCR?
Yes, Google has a free OCR tool called Google Cloud Vision. This tool can be used to extract text from images and PDFs, but it is not as accurate or feature-rich as some of the commercial OCR software programs.
What is the best software for extracting text from a PDF?
The best software for extracting text from a PDF will depend on your specific needs, but some of the most popular and highly rated options include:
- ABBYY FineReader PDF
- Kofax Omnipage
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Wondershare PDFelement
These programs offer a variety of features for extracting text from PDFs, such as the ability to recognize different types of fonts, layouts, and images. They also allow you to edit the extracted text and save it in a variety of formats, such as Word, Excel, and PDF.
Is there any free OCR software?
Yes, there are a number of free OCR software programs available. Some popular options include:
- Tesseract
- FreeOCR
- Simple OCR
- Online OCR
However, it is important to note that free OCR software programs may not be as accurate or feature-rich as commercial OCR software programs.
Does Windows 10 have built-in OCR software?
Yes, Windows 10 has a built-in OCR feature called OneNote OCR. This feature can be used to extract text from images and PDFs, but it is not as accurate or feature-rich as some of the commercial OCR software programs.
How to choose OCR software?
When choosing OCR software, there are a few factors to consider:
- Accuracy: Choose a software program with a high accuracy rate.
- Features: Choose a software program that has the features you need, such as the ability to recognize different types of fonts, layouts, and images.
- Price: OCR software programs can range in price from free to several hundred dollars. Choose a software program that fits your budget.
Does Microsoft have an OCR tool?
Yes, Microsoft has an OCR tool called OneNote OCR. This feature can be used to extract text from images and PDFs, but it is not as accurate or feature-rich as some of the commercial OCR software programs.
Does Adobe PDF have OCR?
Yes, Adobe PDF has an OCR feature. This feature can be used to extract text from PDFs, but it is not as accurate or feature-rich as some of the commercial OCR software programs.
Summary on 5 Best Optical Character Recognition Software of 2023
In conclusion, when choosing an OCR software program, it is important to consider your specific needs. Some programs are better suited for certain types of documents than others.
For example, if you need to scan and convert a lot of legal documents, you will want to choose a program that is specifically designed for that purpose.
Other factors to consider include the price of the software, the features it offers, and the ease of use. Some OCR software programs can be expensive, but they offer a wide range of features. Others are more affordable, but they may not have as many features.
Ultimately, the best OCR software program for you will depend on your individual needs and budget. However, any of the programs listed above would be a good choice for most users.
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