Ranked on the record · 40 apps

Best OCR Software 2026

OCR software turns text in scans, photos and documents into searchable or editable content. This list helps buyers compare tools for searchable PDFs, Word export, handwriting OCR, languages, page limits and supported inputs.

The list is ordered by newest releases first. It uses figures that makers publish and does not score the tools.

Tesseract OCR

Tesseract OCR is free desktop OCR for image files on Linux, macOS and Windows.

Free plan AndroidWindowsMacLinuxAPISelf-hosted

Record7.8 Visit site The record

PaddleOCR

PaddleOCR may suit developers and teams working on OCR or document parsing across multiple languages and deployment environments.

AndroidiPhone & iPad

Record7.3 Visit

OnlineOCR

WebAPI

Record7.0 Visit

docTR

docTR suits developers and researchers automating document text extraction or building OCR workflows.

WindowsMacLinux+2

Record6.9 Visit

OCRFeeder

OCRFeeder runs on Linux, outlining page content and recognizing text separately from graphics.

Linux

Record6.8 Visit

Tungsten OmniPage

Tungsten OmniPage is paid OCR for desktop and server platforms with PDF and Word export.

WindowsMacLinux+2 €99 one-time Record6.8 Visit

Readiris PDF

WindowsMac $99 one-time Record6.7 Visit

Open-Capture

Open-Capture is free, open-source OCR for API, Linux, web and self-hosted use with searchable PDF output.

WebLinuxAPI+1 Free plan Record6.7 Visit

GNU Ocrad

GNU Ocrad runs on Linux or a self-hosted setup, reading PNG and PNM images into text.

LinuxSelf-hosted Free plan Record6.6 Visit

FreeOCR.AI

FreeOCR.AI is freemium OCR for API, macOS, Windows and web use, with Word export.

WebWindowsMac+1 $80 a year Record6.6 Visit

OCRmyPDF

OCRmyPDF runs through Linux, macOS, Windows or self-hosted setups to make PDF files searchable.

WindowsMacLinux+2 Free plan Record6.5 Visit

ScanScan

ScanScan suits students, office workers, and others who need to extract text, translate photographed material, recognize tables, scan IDs, or archive paper documents as…

AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+2 30 CNY one-time Record6.5 Visit

ABBYY Screenshot Reader

Screenshot Reader suits Windows users who need to extract text or tables from screen content into editable formats.

Windows $9.99 one-time Record6.3 Visit

Surya

Surya suits developers building document-processing, RAG, or automation workflows who can operate the required inference backend.

MacLinuxAPI+1 $400 usage-based Record6.3 Visit

DocuOCR

Web $24 a month, billed yearly Record6.2 Visit

Prizmo

Prizmo suits people who scan documents or business cards and want searchable or editable exports.

iPhone & iPadMac Free plan Record6.2 Visit

EasyOCR

EasyOCR is free Python OCR for Linux, macOS and Windows that reads image text in 80 languages.

WindowsMacLinux+1 Free plan Record6.1 Visit

ABBYY FineReader PDF

ABBYY FineReader PDF runs on iOS, macOS and Windows for OCR, text editing and annotations.

iPhone & iPadWindowsMac — Record5.9 Visit

NewOCR

NewOCR is a web and API service that turns scans and images into editable text.

WebAPI $0.50 one-time Record5.7 Visit

i2OCR

i2OCR is freemium web OCR with handwriting recognition, Word export and 128 supported languages.

Web Free plan Record5.6 Visit

Scribe OCR

Scribe OCR is free self-hosted and web OCR with searchable PDF and Word export.

WebSelf-hosted Free plan Record5.6 Visit

Copyfish

Browser and desktop tool that turns screen images, video and PDFs into copyable or translatable text.

WindowsMacLinux+1 Free plan Record5.3 Visit

OCR4all

WebWindowsMac+2 Free plan Record5.3 Visit

gImageReader

WindowsLinux Free plan Record5.2 Visit

PDFify

PDFify runs on macOS to turn image and document files into searchable PDFs.

Mac Free plan Record5.1 Visit

Before you choose

Start with the free option

Check the Free plan and Paid from fields before you commit. PaddleOCR, Tesseract OCR, OCRFeeder, GNU Ocrad and OCRmyPDF are listed with free plans.

Surya is listed as open source. ScanScan is listed as freemium, so review its free-plan terms before choosing it.

Match the platform

Choose a primary platform that fits your workflow. The list covers Windows, macOS, Linux, web, self-hosted and API options.

A desktop tool suits local files. A web, self-hosted or API option may fit a browser, private server or software workflow.

Check the files you need

Use the Searchable PDF and Word export fields to confirm the output you need. OCR results can matter as much as text recognition when documents must remain editable or searchable.

Review language and handwriting support

Compare Supported languages and Handwriting OCR. These fields help match a tool to the scripts and writing styles in your documents.

Watch page limits and inputs

Check Monthly page limit and Supported inputs before selecting a plan. A tool may fit scans but not the image or document formats in your workflow.

Questions

Which OCR software has a free plan?

The list marks free plans for PaddleOCR, Tesseract OCR, ScanScan, OCRFeeder, GNU Ocrad, OCRmyPDF and Surya.

Is any listed OCR software open source?

Surya is marked open source. Tesseract OCR, PaddleOCR, OCRFeeder, GNU Ocrad and OCRmyPDF are listed with free pricing models.

What platforms does the list cover?

The comparison includes Windows, macOS, Linux, web, self-hosted and API options. Check the Primary platform field for a specific tool.

Can OCR tools export to Word?

Word export is a comparison field on this list. Check the entry for the tool and workflow you are considering.

Do these tools support handwriting OCR?

Handwriting OCR is a comparison field. Review the listing for support before choosing a tool for handwritten pages.