OCR.space

OCR.space converts images and PDF documents into editable text through an online service and API, and can create searchable PDFs. Its browser-based OCR accepts JPG, PNG, GIF, and PDF files without registration; the web tool has a 5 MB per-document limit. The API returns extracted text as JSON and supports images and multi-page PDFs. Three OCR engines are available: Engine 2 is the default, while Engine 3 supports handwriting, tables, and more than 200 languages. The API’s `isTable` option is recommended for receipts, invoices, and other table-structured documents. The free plan includes 25,000 Engine 1/2 requests and 2,500 Engine 3 conversions, with limits of 1 MB per file and three PDF pages. Searchable PDFs on the free tier carry a watermark, and Engine 3 does not create searchable PDFs. Uploaded documents are deleted after processing; searchable PDF downloads remain on OCR servers for 60 minutes. OCR.space Local is a self-hosted option that runs offline. PRO costs $30 a month, PRO PDF costs $60 a month, and Enterprise starts at $999 a month.

OCR.space offers browser OCR, an API, searchable PDF creation, and an offline self-hosted option. Review the free-tier file, page, and watermark limits before choosing a plan.

OCR.space suits people and developers converting images or PDFs to text, including documents with handwriting or tables. OCR.space Local is an option for users who need self-hosted offline processing.

OCR.space is an OCR service for converting images and PDFs into editable text through a browser or API, with an offline self-hosted edition. It suits developers and teams building document workflows, particularly when they need searchable PDFs or local processing. Its free access is useful for modest workloads, but strict file and PDF-page caps make paid plans necessary for larger documents.

Overview

The browser tool handles JPG, PNG, GIF, and PDF files without registration; the API returns extracted text in JSON and processes images and multi-page PDFs. That makes OCR.space a practical fit both for occasional conversions and for software that needs OCR as a service. The browser's 5 MB document limit is more generous than the free API plan's 1 MB cap, so the two free routes serve different needs.

OCR.space is based in Heidelberg, Germany. Uploaded documents are deleted after processing, while searchable PDF downloads remain on its servers for 60 minutes before deletion. The FAQ says the service is available 24/7, but free users have no uptime guarantee; PRO and PRO PDF include a 100% monthly uptime guarantee.

Key features

The API has three OCR engines. Engine 2 is the default, while Engine 3 adds handwriting and table recognition and supports more than 200 languages. That breadth is useful for mixed document workloads, but Engine 3 cannot create searchable PDFs, so users who need searchable output must choose another engine.

For receipts, invoices, and other table-structured documents, the API's isTable option is recommended. Searchable PDF creation is another useful output, though free-tier PDFs carry an “Generated by OCR.space” watermark. The free allowance includes 25,000 Engine 1 and 2 conversions plus 2,500 Engine 3 conversions; that volume is substantial for prototyping, but the watermark and file-size cap limit its appeal for polished or larger production documents.

OCR.space Local runs on a PC, in a data center, or in virtualized and cloud environments such as AWS AMI or Microsoft Azure, without contacting the Internet. It offers the same features and API parameters as PRO PDF, making it a strong option when documents must stay on-premise; its one-time license has custom pricing. OCR.space says it is GDPR compliant, and PRO PDF and Enterprise users can obtain a signed GDPR data processing agreement at no extra cost.

Examples are provided for Postman, cURL, C#, iOS, Java for Android, Node.js, Python, C++/QT, Ruby, and JavaScript. Support is available through a contact form, email, and a community forum monitored by tech support and OCR developers.

Pricing

The Free plan costs free and includes 25,000 requests per month, 500 requests per day per IP, 1 MB files, and PDFs of up to 3 pages. It supports searchable PDFs with a watermark. This is a reasonable starting point for small API projects, but short page and file limits rule it out for longer scans.

PRO costs $30 a month, billed monthly, with a yearly pre-paid option at a 20% discount. It raises the monthly quota to 300,000 requests and the file limit to 5 MB, while retaining the 3-page PDF cap; it also adds a 100% monthly uptime guarantee and priority tech support. Choose it for high-volume, short-document workflows that need service assurance, not for long PDFs.

PRO PDF costs $60 a month, billed monthly, with a yearly pre-paid option at a 20% discount. It keeps the 300,000-request monthly quota and adds 100 MB+ files and 999+ PDF pages, alongside the uptime guarantee and priority support. This is the clearer fit for substantial PDFs; the higher fee buys document capacity rather than a larger request quota.

Enterprise starts at $999 a month, with a quote required. It includes custom requests, 100 MB+ files, 999+ PDF pages, custom OCR fine-tuning, and unlimited conversions subject to hardware capacity. It is aimed at organizations needing tailored processing at scale, rather than teams that can work within fixed quotas.

OCR.space Local is a one-time payment with custom license pricing through sales. It provides PRO PDF's features and API parameters in an offline, self-hosted deployment. The trade-off is a sales-led purchase instead of a published subscription price.

Platforms

OCR.space spans web, API, Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows, with self-hosting for local deployments. That range lets teams choose between browser-based conversion, API integration, and offline installation rather than committing to a single access model.

Who it's for

OCR.space is best for developers and organizations that need an OCR API with multiple engines, searchable PDF output, and a path from free testing to higher quotas. The free plan suits small documents and prototypes; PRO fits busy short-document workflows, while PRO PDF serves long or large PDFs. Look elsewhere if Engine 3's handwriting recognition and searchable PDF output must come from the same engine, or if a free workflow needs larger files and multi-page PDFs.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free browser OCR needs no registration, and the API's free monthly conversion allowance supports meaningful experimentation.
• Pros: Three engines, table-oriented processing, searchable PDFs, and broad SDK examples cover varied integration needs.
• Pros: OCR.space Local runs offline, giving organizations a self-hosted route with PRO PDF's features and parameters.
• Cons: The free API caps files at 1 MB and PDFs at 3 pages; even PRO keeps the 3-page limit.
• Cons: Free searchable PDFs carry a watermark, and Engine 3 cannot produce searchable PDFs.
• Cons: The 100% monthly uptime guarantee starts with PRO, while Local license pricing requires contacting sales.

Alternatives

For other options, browse OCR API Software and PDF API Software.

• PaddleOCR is a free alternative with an official API tier allowing 20,000 document pages per day.
• Tesseract OCR is a free, open-source OCR engine under Apache License 2.0 for teams seeking an engine rather than OCR.space's service plans.
• Veryfi Invoices OCR API is an alternative for invoice processing, with a $500/mo minimum commitment and per-invoice pricing.
• Amazon Textract AnalyzeExpense is an expense-document API alternative, with a new-customer free tier of up to 100 pages per month for three months.
• OCRmyPDF is a free, self-hosted option for users comfortable relying on external OCR and PDF tools.
• Anyline OCR SDK is another paid OCR SDK.
• Mistral OCR is an alternative with OCR processing at $4 / 1000 pages and Document AI processing at $5 /1000 Annotated Pages.
• Regula Document Reader SDK offers a 30-day free trial with 2,000 transactions and no feature limits.

Verdict

Choose OCR.space if you need a flexible OCR API, searchable PDFs, and a credible path to offline self-hosting. Its free quota makes evaluation accessible, while PRO PDF handles larger documents with a clear capacity upgrade. Look elsewhere if low-cost access to long PDFs is essential or if searchable PDFs must use Engine 3.