8 Greatest Free OCR Software program in 2024

Are you and what you are promoting nonetheless drowning in paperwork? Precise bodily paperwork? It’s 2024. Let’s change that.  

Your paperwork nonetheless maintain worth. You, together with employees and stakeholders, would possibly obtain and work on them for quite a lot of enterprise selections day-after-day. By switching to a free optical character recognition (OCR) software program software, you’ll be able to convert non-parsable or post-data format paperwork into editable file codecs and construct an organized knowledge repository.  All this with out paying one other bill!

Companies may also change to the free OCR software program to arrange and handle undertaking knowledge for workforce collaboration.

Let’s have a look at the checklist of the 8 finest free OCR software program to make doc scanning, enhancing, and digitization straightforward and handy.

How will we choose and consider OCR software program on G2?

At G2, we rank software program options utilizing a proprietary algorithm that considers buyer satisfaction and market presence based mostly on genuine person opinions. Our market analysis analysts and writers spend weeks testing options in opposition to a number of standards set for a software program class. We offer you unbiased software program evaluations – that is the G2 distinction! We didn’t settle for cost or change hyperlinks for product placements on this checklist. Please learn our G2 Analysis Scoring Methodology for extra particulars.

8 Greatest Free OCR Software program in 2024

OCR software program supplies companies with all-in-one doc assist and administration providers. It permits customers to scan, search, edit, and modify photos and convert them into editable paperwork. 

These OCR person opinions come from G2’s finest OCR software program class web page. Please observe that within the context of this checklist, distributors providing a trial are thought of free.

To qualify for inclusion on this class, software program should:

• Course of digital photos of varied file sorts 
• Seize knowledge from scanned PDFs and convert them into Phrase paperwork
• Establish and parse non-editable plain textual content and convert it into editable textual content
• Arrange digital recordsdata both on-premise or within the  cloud 
• Provide engine compatibility throughout Mac, iPhone, Linux, Android, and Microsoft Home windows

This knowledge was pulled from G2 in 2024. Some opinions might have been edited for readability. 

Laserfiche, a doc creation and storage software, digitizes your whole paper path. It’s been a pioneer in offering enterprise content material administration providers to create, edit, modify, and share content material throughout inner and exterior stakeholders. Laserfiche comes with suitable OCR integrations that you would be able to deploy to your present content material infrastructure. 

Laserfiche helps digital recordsdata and automates doc scanning and processing in order that paperwork could be shared throughout groups.

What do customers like finest:

“We love utilizing Laserfiche. It’s a particularly secure storage alternative for worker and donor recordsdata that aren’t to be accessed by anybody unnecessarily. Now we have employees that use this every day for his or her function. Implementing and administering it is extremely easy, particularly when employees by chance make modifications they didn’t imply to. Buyer assist is great once we run into one thing that we now have a tough time supporting ourselves with.”

– Laserfiche Evaluation, Heidi H. 

What do customers dislike:

“Non-responsiveness on direct emails. No follow-up by sure workers. No customizable views on the monitor. I wish to transfer to the cloud, however I do not wish to lose performance. Cloud or prem, options needs to be the identical – at all times. Do not make us select.”

– Laserfiche Evaluation, DIANNA D. 

FineReader PDF for Home windows and Mac converts PDFs into file codecs like .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .txt so you’ll be able to add, parse, edit, and retrieve textual content. It additionally presents on-line OCR  to course of giant volumes of paperwork.

The software program additionally helps present scanned paperwork and converts them into machine-readable textual content. As soon as parsed, you’ll be able to retailer paperwork securely in your cloud storage or on-premise.

What do customers like finest:

“I discovered FineReader’s free model to be a one-stop all-in-one software when utilizing PDF. To start out with, I just like the clear interface and the way straightforward it’s to make use of. It’s my go-to software each time I want so as to add a digital signature to my paperwork in PDF format. I additionally like the truth that I can classify my paperwork, as this helps me in organizing my confidential paperwork. As an IT skilled, I’ve had earlier expertise utilizing ABBYY FineReader OCR resolution in tasks, and seeing its seamless integration into the software looks like a sport changer for me. I simply love the OCR evaluation a part of the software.”

– FineReader PDF for Home windows and Mac Evaluation, Sreyas V.

What do customers dislike:

“In some circumstances, utilizing Abbyy’s PDF to Stay PDF conversion might have a foul impact on the doc print high quality (decision) and its file dimension.”

– FineReader for Home windows and Mac Evaluation, Yohai C.

TextIn processes and aligns texts from non-editable file codecs into an easy-to-understand and correctable file format. This doc customization and alteration software captures, extracts, and modifies textual content recordsdata in line with the person’s discretion.  It additionally automates document-based workflows throughout groups to extend transparency and visibility.

TextIn is understood for clever picture and doc processing and might analyze, type, and classify knowledge throughout a number of industries. 

What do customers like finest:

“I like that it could actually cut back the quantity of paper that you need to carry round – you’ll be able to simply scan every little thing. I additionally like that it auto-crops the picture and you’ll edit utilizing filters. I additionally like having the ability to save photos in numerous file codecs.”

– TextIn Evaluation, Aarifah B. 

What do customers dislike:

“It typically crops abruptly as an alternative of cropping the required web page. It at all times places the watermark brand on the backside of the web page. It doesn’t permit optical character recognition, and within the pdf file, it saves the web page as a picture as an alternative of textual content.”

– TextIn Evaluation, Dev A.

Ephesoft presents database automation and administration providers for companies utilizing synthetic intelligence (AI). The tip-to-end file automation promotes workforce collaboration, undertaking administration, and team-wide doc accessibility. Ephesoft works on mushy copies of PDF recordsdata and extracts necessary knowledge from the textual content. It additionally has a number of add-ons like kind indentation, textual content alignment, and quotation assist.

What do customers like finest:

“We admire a number of qualities of Ephesoft. Specifically, the software program is a superb and user-friendly means to assist us manage and interpret knowledge that was much less helpful in its earlier format. The platform additionally saves money and time by mechanically figuring out all file sorts and processing strategies, which reduces the necessity for human intervention. We’re additionally followers of how adaptable the interface is; we have made a number of modifications to make it work higher for our wants. All this makes Ephesoft a worthwhile asset to our workforce as a result of it may be adopted rapidly with out requiring specialist data or expertise.”

– Ephesoft Evaluation, Stephanie W. 

What do customers dislike:

“It is slower than different on-line classification and extraction instruments. Additionally, a number of options that Ephesoft advertises are discouraged by its skilled providers and assist employees. Lastly, it takes substantial effort to maximise the answer’s potential, and the time required to replace can rapidly add up.”

– Ephesoft Evaluation,  Shanil Ok. 

Nanonets assist scan, add, edit, re-scan, and re-save paperwork in an organized repository. It presents AI automation to autocorrect doc textual content and spotlight inconsistencies in content material. Nanonets additionally has an intuitive cellular app that lets you scan, save and edit PDF paperwork with ease instantly from cellular units. Its giant storage capability and quite a few doc enhancing and formatting options make it suitable throughout platforms.

Nanonets’ clever AI automation supplies providers to 34% of Fortune 500 firms.

What do customers like finest:

“Due to Nanonets we have been in a position to digitally course of advanced invoices and affirmation orders. The AI’s self-learning capabilities have been essentially the most outstanding characteristic for us – with the mannequin bettering constantly as extra knowledge was supplied.”

– Nanonets Evaluation, Nadim A. 

What do customers dislike:

“The mannequin coaching at first generally is a bit tedious and onerous to visualise correctly, particularly for giant and sophisticated recordsdata, similar to monetary statements from suppliers from a number of international locations. However as soon as every little thing is ready up, it’s effectively definitely worth the coaching time.”

– Nanonets Evaluation, Charles E. 

Rossum’s (previously Elis) AI-assisted knowledge extraction software captures invoices. This platform can assist accounting and bookkeeping professionals refine their workflows. Customers can import PDFs or scans of invoices, and Rossum mechanically extracts the related knowledge right into a structured format with out the necessity for templates. Information can then be conveniently validated inside the interface, and exported for additional processing utilizing one of many software’s software program integrations like  Netsuite or Quickbooks Desktop Professional. 

What do customers like finest:

“One of the best factor about Rossum is the saved keystrokes. I imply, that is the entire level of this. From a developer perspective, Rossum’s pretty open strategy to permit for modification of the UI and the way knowledge is processed by means of Rossum was the true promote level. My firm has very particular wants, and the flexibility to scale the UI up or down on the fly is unbelievable and simple.”

– Rossum Evaluation, Connor S.

What do customers dislike:

“Rossum could be improved by studying learn Excel paperwork, and typically the repeated behaviors we train Rossum are ignored. Rossum can also be restricted to studying “straight” traces of knowledge. If there was a option to tilt the grid to learn orders which can be misaligned, that might be appreciated.”

– Rossum Evaluation, Steven S. 

Base64.ai is an ML-powered knowledge extraction and automation software that generates editable studies and tables from giant paperwork. Base64.ai intelligently captures knowledge and labels it internally to create newer paperwork. This simplifies enterprise workflows and accelerates transactional processing between shoppers and distributors.

Base 64.ai additionally verifies and validates textual content earlier than transferring it into a distinct format. It ensures that the the worth and authenticity of the textual content are maintained.

What do customers like finest:

“The superior AI fashions have enhanced efficient adaptation to new doc format and knowledge extraction from totally different kinds. It permits my workforce to make well timed selections from dependable insights obtained from extracted knowledge. I’ve been in a position to implement many tasks inside the set timelines because of correct knowledge that I acquire from totally different knowledge sources.”

– Base64.ai Evaluation, Ruth C.

What do customers dislike:

“There are downtime incidents which have disrupted knowledge workflows, affecting your complete knowledge pipeline.”

– Base64.ai Evaluation, Andrew S. 

DocuClipper summarizes textual content from PDF recordsdata and inserts it into WORD paperwork. It helps a number of file variants like .png, .jpg, or different picture recordsdata and reads inline textual content. A number one OCR software, DocuClipper is straightforward to make use of and in addition presents OCR tutorials for newcomers to study extra.

DocuClipper may also scan and seize multi-page invoices and bodily textual content recordsdata containing crucial banking or bank card knowledge.

What do customers like finest:

“I used DocuClipper for changing my shoppers’ financial institution statements and bank card statements to Quickbooks On-line format recordsdata. It was very clean and correct, not like different software program that I’ve used for comparable functions. Total, it’s a very intuitive, user-friendly software program. It’s extremely really helpful if you’re working with PDF statements. I haven’t explored it absolutely, however thus far, it is nice.”

– DocuClipper Evaluation, Javeria Z.

What do customers dislike:

“It might be nice to have a pay-as-you-go plan for smaller companies that do not want it constantly however nonetheless want it for infrequent tasks. I do not want it sufficient to warrant the price of the annual plan. I wanted DocuClipper for one undertaking and needed to pay the month-to-month payment after which cancel the subscription. I do not want this system a lot, however once I do, it is available in very useful and saves me a ton of time.”

– DocuClipper Evaluation, Stephanie Ok. 

The highest-listed OCR software program on G2 is Adobe Acrobat, FineReader PDF for Home windows and Mac, Rossum, and DocuClipper.    

Is free OCR software program secure to make use of? Does it compromise knowledge privateness?

Free OCR software program is encrypted software program that permits entry through safe authorization. It authenticates customers through their genuine account and a one-time generated password that provides extra safety layers to your app. Additional, it prevents unauthorized customers from making modifications to your file by producing a password Unicode that locks sure paperwork.

Construct your digital ledgers

Free OCR applications create a clean transition from onerous copies to an digital output format, providing you with the facility to regulate knowledge in line with organizational requirements. They eradicate the effort of paper payments and invoices and automate your knowledge for easy processing. Whether or not you’re working with distributors, prospects, or a brand new associate, your transactional information needn’t be scattered into stacks of paper. 

 Find out how free PDF editors can allow you to transform, edit, and modify PDF docs from a non-editable to editable format and ease your work hassles. 

Edited by Aisha West