Ranked on the record · 40 apps

Best OCR Software 2026

Facts read 20 Sep 2026 – 15 Oct 2026

Tesseract OCR leads this list of 40 (record score 7.7, free plan). PaddleOCR is next (record score 7.2, free plan), and docTR is the next highest-placed with a free plan (record score 6.9).

OCR software turns text in images or scanned documents into machine-readable text. To choose a tool, compare its platform and supported inputs with the exports, search, language, handwriting, and page-limit features you need.

The standings: top 10

Name	In a line	Record score	Price from	Try it free	Runs on	Facts read
01 Tesseract OCR	Tesseract OCR reads image text on Linux, macOS, Windows, Android and through an API.	7.7	Free plan	Free plan	Android, Windows, Mac, Linux	7 Oct 2026
02 PaddleOCR	PaddleOCR extracts printed and handwritten text on Android and iOS.	7.2	Free plan	Free plan	Android, iPhone & iPad	27 Sep 2026
03 docTR	docTR is a free OCR tool for Linux, macOS, Windows and API use.	6.9	Free plan	Free plan	Windows, Mac, Linux, API	5 Oct 2026
04 OnlineOCR	OnlineOCR converts documents and images on the web or through an API, with PDF and Word export.	6.9	Free plan	Free plan	Web, API	30 Sep 2026
05 Tungsten OmniPage	Tungsten OmniPage is paid OCR for desktop and server platforms with PDF and Word export.	6.8	€99 one-time	Free trial	Windows, Mac, Linux, API	11 Oct 2026
06 OCRFeeder	OCRFeeder analyzes document layouts and recognizes text on Linux.	6.7	Free plan	Free plan	Linux	9 Oct 2026
07 Open-Capture	Open-Capture is an open-source OCR tool for web, Linux, self-hosted and API use.	6.7	Free plan	Free plan	Web, Linux, API, Self-hosted	15 Oct 2026
08 GNU Ocrad	GNU Ocrad runs on Linux or a self-hosted setup, reading PNG and PNM images into text.	6.6	Free plan	Free plan	Linux, Self-hosted	11 Oct 2026
09 Readiris PDF	Readiris PDF provides OCR with searchable PDF and Word export on macOS and Windows.	6.6	$99 one-time	—	Windows, Mac	28 Sep 2026
10 OCRmyPDF	OCRmyPDF makes PDFs searchable on Linux, macOS, Windows and via API; it does not recognize handwriting.	6.5	Free plan	Free plan	Windows, Mac, Linux, API	2 Oct 2026

This page compares OCR tools on free plans, paid starting prices, searchable PDF, Word export, handwriting OCR, supported languages, monthly page limits, primary platform, and supported inputs. The page’s ranking rule has not been published.

Tesseract OCR

Tesseract OCR reads image text on Linux, macOS, Windows, Android and through an API.

Free plan AndroidWindowsMacLinuxAPISelf-hosted

Record7.7 Visit site The record

PaddleOCR

PaddleOCR extracts printed and handwritten text on Android and iOS.

AndroidiPhone & iPad

Record7.2 Visit

docTR

docTR is a free OCR tool for Linux, macOS, Windows and API use.

WindowsMacLinux+2

Record6.9 Visit

OnlineOCR

OnlineOCR converts documents and images on the web or through an API, with PDF and Word export.

WebAPI

Record6.9 Visit

Tungsten OmniPage

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

WindowsMacLinux+2

Record6.8 Visit

OCRFeeder

OCRFeeder analyzes document layouts and recognizes text on Linux.

Linux Free plan Record6.7 Visit

Open-Capture

Open-Capture is an open-source OCR tool for web, Linux, self-hosted and API use.

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

Readiris PDF

Readiris PDF provides OCR with searchable PDF and Word export on macOS and Windows.

WindowsMac $99 one-time Record6.6 Visit

OCRmyPDF

OCRmyPDF makes PDFs searchable on Linux, macOS, Windows and via API; it does not recognize handwriting.

WindowsMacLinux+2 Free plan Record6.5 Visit

FreeOCR.AI

FreeOCR.AI provides web and API OCR with Word export; it has a free plan.

WebWindowsMac+1 $80 a year 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

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

ABBYY Screenshot Reader

ABBYY Screenshot Reader captures text on Windows and exports it to Word.

Windows $9.99 one-time Record6.2 Visit

DocuOCR

Web $24 a month, billed yearly Record6.1 Visit

Prizmo

Prizmo scans documents and exports recognized text to Word on iOS and macOS.

iPhone & iPadMac Free plan Record6.1 Visit

EasyOCR

EasyOCR is a Python module that extracts image text on Linux, macOS and Windows.

WindowsMacLinux+1 Free plan Record6.0 Visit

ABBYY FineReader PDF

ABBYY FineReader PDF handles PDF text changes and annotations on iOS, macOS and Windows.

iPhone & iPadWindowsMac — Record5.8 Visit

NewOCR

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

WebAPI $0.50 one-time Record5.6 Visit

Scribe OCR

Scribe OCR recognizes text on the web or as self-hosted software, with searchable PDF and Word export.

WebSelf-hosted Free plan Record5.5 Visit

i2OCR

i2OCR is a web OCR service with searchable PDF and Word export.

Web Free plan Record5.4 Visit

Copyfish

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

WindowsMacLinux+1 Free plan Record5.2 Visit

OCR4all

WebWindowsMac+2 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

gImageReader

gImageReader is desktop OCR software for Linux and Windows that creates searchable PDFs.

WindowsLinux Free plan Record5.1 Visit

Before you choose

Which platform does the OCR software need to support?

Start with the device or environment where you plan to process documents. The list includes tools for Windows, macOS, Linux, the web, self-hosted use, and APIs.

PaddleOCR, Tesseract OCR, and OCRFeeder are examples to compare; check each tool’s primary platform before choosing.

Do I need searchable PDFs or Word export?

Choose based on where the recognized text needs to go. Compare searchable PDF and Word export support for the tools you are considering.

What file types and languages does the OCR tool support?

Check supported inputs against the documents you need to process, then confirm that the tool supports the languages in those documents.

How many pages can I process each month?

Compare monthly page limits with your expected workload. Also check whether the tool offers a free plan or free trial; pricing and limits can differ by tool.

Should I choose open-source OCR software?

If you need open-source software, verify the licence and whether the tool fits your platform and document workflow.

Questions

What does OCR software do?

OCR software recognizes text in images or scanned documents and converts it into machine-readable text.

Which OCR tools have a free plan?

The list includes free-plan tools such as PaddleOCR, Tesseract OCR, and OCRFeeder. Check an individual tool’s current plan details before choosing.

Can OCR software create searchable PDFs or Word files?

Searchable PDF and Word export are comparison fields on this page. Check the feature details for the tool you are considering.

What platforms should I compare for OCR software?

The listed platform options include Windows, macOS, Linux, web, self-hosted use, and API access. Check a tool’s primary platform for your workflow.

How do I choose OCR software for handwriting?

Compare handwriting OCR support, supported languages, and supported inputs for the documents you need to process.