Are you tired of having the clutter of essential documents on your desk? Want something that can digitize all of them in a couple of minutes? Are you in search of a device that will help you in organizing and moderating all the papers?
If the answer to all the questions above is a yes for you, then what you are looking for is the best OCR scanner. But with all the options that are available in the market, it gets a little challenging to settle with one of them.
As you have found us, you will not have to worry about that anymore. We are going to make things easier for you, and hopefully, by the end, you will be able to select one for your daily needs.
10 Best OCR Scanner Reviews
The market is full of options in the case of OCR scanners, and it is quite easy to get bewildered among them. For your convenience, we went through the most popular ones and have selected only the ones that stood out the most to us. They are:
1. Epson Perfection V600 Color
In your search for the best OCR scanner, you are going to stumble upon a plethora of units. But not all of them will be as versatile as this one from Epson.
The device is the all in one solution for most of the digitizing needs. It can read not only documents but also photos, films, photos, and negatives, which makes the unit extremely versatile. You will not have to get a separate device to digitize all the other physical prints that are lying on your table for quite a while.
It comes packed with a 6400 x 9600 dpi scanner that can enlarge the scans up to 17 x 22 inches. That means all your papers and photos will come out great with this unit.
The device also comes with some auto-adjustment mechanisms. With the digital ICE technology, it can remove scratches, dust, appearances of creases, and tears from the films. Your images will look crisp and full of details after you scan them with this unit.
Alongside that, it also comes with bundled software that will let you restore the faded colors and make further adjustments to your images. You will have a lot of flexibility in case of enhancing the photos the way you want.
For documents, it can make the task of managing and organizing them look like a piece of cake with the OCR functionality. With that, it will convert the scans to a searchable and editable PDF, Excel, and Word files.
Unlike most of the scanners, it does not require any warm-up period. With the energy-efficient LED light source that it comes packed with, it will be ready to scan the moment you turn it on. You will get faster scans at lower power consumption.
2. Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i Portable Color Duplex
In the case of organizing a large volume of documents, a device that can read at a fast pace and comes with an automatic feeder will let you finish the task faster. If you were looking for such a unit, then you should have a look into this one.
The unit comes featured with a double-sided scanner that enhances the scan speed substantially. It can go through twelve double-sided pages in just one minute. That means you will not have to wait that long to finish digitizing all your essential papers with it.
Besides that, it comes with an automatic feeder that makes handling a large number of papers an easy task. It can hold up to 10 stacked pages and will automatically feed them to the device sequentially while you keep busy with other tasks at hand.
The device can not just go through the regular-sized documents but also receipts, extra-long pages, business cards, ID cards, and many more. You will not have to get a separate unit for the rest of your paper related stuff.
With the OCR functionalities that it comes packed with, you will be able to organize and manage your documents in a breeze. It will create editable and searchable multi-page PDF, Excel, and Word files with just the click of a button.
It comes bundled with an intelligent software that will enhance the overall scans afterward. The software makes automatic color correction, fix the rotation, delete blank pages, remove unnecessary background, and increase the quality of the images.
Lastly, it can scan and save the files directly to the cloud storages that you prefer. It is compatible with Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, and many more. You will be able to access your files from anywhere you want to.
3. Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless
Printed photos degrade over time because of being in constant contact with moisture in the air. In that case, digitizing will let you preserve and archive them for a long time. If you were looking for a device for doing so, you should take a look into this one.
The device comes featured with three different modes to scan photos. You can choose from 300 dpi for easy sharing, 600 dpi for efficiently archiving, and lastly, 1200 dpi for enlarging the images. These settings will give you a lot of flexibility in case of scanning pictures.
It can go through the pictures at a fast pace too. With the 300 dpi, it will be able to scan photos as fast as one photo in one second. In the case of documents, it can go through 45 pages per minute. You will not have to wait that long to digitize all the pictures and documents with this unit.
The device comes bundled with an advanced software that can enhance the overall quality of the images. It can restore, share, and organize the pictures too. You will also be able to manage your documents with this.
Other than just photos, it can go through a wide variety of papers too. You will be able to scan documents, wills, receipts, tax records, ID cards, business cards, and many more with this.
For making it easier for you to manage the scanned documents, it comes with OCR functionalities. It will create searchable and editable PDF, Excel, and Word files. You will be able to organize all your essential papers with this at ease. Lastly, it can store the scanned files in both local storages and the cloud.
4. Brother DS-720D Mobile Color Page Scanner
While going through the OCR scanner reviews, you might want to get something that is compact and highly portable. Contemplating this, you should put this one from Brother into your consideration list.
The device sports an incredibly lightweight and compact footprint. It has an overall length of 12 inches and weighs under 1 pound. This small body makes the unit highly portable. That means you will not only be able to digitize your documents at your home, but you can also carry it to your office easily.
Just because the unit is small and compact in size, it did not compromise the overall functionalities. It comes with a scanner that can scan up to 8 pages per minute, and with the duplex mode, it can go through 5 pages under a minute.
The unit is incredibly versatile too. It can not only go through the regular-sized documents but also receipts, ID cards, business cards, and anything that is under 8.5 x 32 inches in size.
It comes bundled with versatile software. With the OCR functionalities that it features, it will be able to create PDFs, Excel, and Word files that are going to be fully editable and searchable. You will be able to manage all your documents at a breeze with this.
Other than just documents, it can efficiently scan pictures too. With the optical resolution of 600 x 600 dpi, it will be able to go through printed photographs and offer you a digitized version of them. Because of the high-resolution scanner, it can retain the details quite well too.
Lastly, it also has support for SANE and TWAIN drivers that will allow you to integrate it directly to document management software.
5. HP ScanJet Pro 2500 f1 Flatbed
In the case of digitizing the essential documents, the devices that can make automatic adjustments after each scan can make the process smooth. A good example of devices such as that would be this one that is from HP.
The device comes packed with intelligent software that can make automatic adjustments to enhance the overall quality of the scanned files.
It will automatically crop, fix rotation, remove backgrounds, fix colors, improve the text, and make many other adjustments so that you have an excellent quality digital file.
Other than that, the device comes with a double-sided scanner. That means it can go through both sides of the papers at one go. With that, it can read up to 20 pages and 40 images under one minute. You will not have to wait that long to digitize all your essential papers.
The unit also comes with an automatic feeder. It can stack up to 50 pages and will automatically feed them to the device one by one. You will be able to do other important tasks at hand by stacking all your essential papers on this feeder.
It can go through a wide variety of papers too. You will be able to stack business cards, ID cards, documents up to 122 inches long, and a wide array of photos.
Just like most of the devices out there, it can save to both local drives and the cloud. You can set profiles to store the scanned files directly at Google Drive, DropBox, Sharepoint, and many other platforms.
Lastly, the built-in OCR functionalities will allow it to create PDF, Excel, and Word files that you can fully edit. You will be able to search any data entries in them too.
6. Plustek OpticSlim 2610 Flatbed
Flatbed devices are one of the most versatile units that are out there. They do not require any sort of adapters or anything of that sort to scan papers. If you are looking for such a device, you should have a look into this one from Plustek.
As we have mentioned above, flatbeds are one of the most versatile units. You will be able to scan any sort of paper as long as there is clearance on the hinge. And, this unit has two inches of clearance in between the strap.
It comes with an energy-efficient LED light that will be ready as soon as the device turns on. You will not have to wait for it to warm up before you start scanning.
The device comes with a lightweight and compact body that will let you easily set it up on one corner of your worktable. You will also be able to carry it with you to your office and digitize documents there.
And, as the device only require a USB cable to power, you will be able to scan papers virtually anywhere you want. It also comes with easy-to-use buttons on the body.
The device comes integrated with intelligent software that will make automatic adjustments to the scans. It will be able to enhance the colors of the images, fix rotations, crop images, and improve the overall quality.
Other than that, it can also send the scanned files to an email address that you prefer. With the TWAIN driver that it comes packed with, you will be able to integrate the device directly with most of the desktop applications. Lastly, the OCR functionalities will let it create editable and searchable files on the go.
7. Scanmarker Air Pen Scanner
If you are a student or if you require a small and compact device that you can use virtually anywhere to scan lines of text from papers, then you should take a look into this Pen scanner from Scanmarker.
First of all, the unit is exceptionally lightweight and compact. It sports a penlike body and weighs only 60 grams. You will be able to easily carry it in your pocket and take it around with you anywhere.
Unlike most of the devices that are out there, it does not require any sort of power adapter or USB cable to turn on. Instead, it comes packed with a 200 mAh battery that can last for up to seven days with typical use. You will be able to use it virtually anywhere you want to.
It does not require to be connected with a wire to operate. The unit features a Bluetooth chip that will let you integrate it to other devices wirelessly.
After scanning, it will automatically transfer the data to any document management software that you have installed on the connected device. There is also a first-party app for mobile devices. You will be able to edit the texts on the software.
Unlike most of the devices, it does not come with a linear scanner module. Instead, it features an OCR scanner on the head that will read the texts and transmit the data directly to a connected device. With this, you will be able to summarize the documents without scanning the entire page.
Lastly, it comes with translating feature that can convert multiple languages in real-time. Other than that, there is a read-aloud feature for computers that can come in handy for assignments and projects.
8. Raven Original Document Scanner
While you are browsing through the OCR scanner reviews, you might want to go with something that will be able to do multiple document managing functionalities without being connected to a computer. In that case, you should put this one into consideration.
The device comes integrated with intelligent software. Alongside that, the wifi functionalities will give you many options in case of storing files. You will not even need a computer to save the scanned files.
It can save in most of the popular online storage solutions, and alongside that, it can also mail the files directly to an address. You will not require any computer to get the most out of this device.
It comes with a large 7 inches touchscreen display. The display has an excellent touch response, and each of the touches feels highly responsive. Because of this, you will be able to browse through all the functionalities easily.
The device can go through the pages relatively fast too. It comes with a scanner that can read 17 pages in one minute. That means you will not have to wait that long to digitize all the essential documents with this.
Alongside that, it also comes with an automatic feeder that can feed 50 sheets automatically to the device. The feeder is adjustable, and will be less prone to occasional jams. You will be able to go through a large volume of documents smoothly with this device.
With the OCR functionalities that it comes with, it will be able to create PDFs, Excel, and Word files that are fully searchable and editable. This feature will make it much easier for you to manage all the scanned documents.
9. HP ScanJet Pro 3000 s3 Sheet-feed
Managing a large volume of essential documents at one go can be quite a hassle. In that case, a device that comes with a dual-sided scanner can make the task look like a piece of cake. A perfect example of devices such as that would be this one from HP.
The unit comes with an advanced dual-sided scanner that can read both sides of the papers at one go. With that, it can go through 35 pages in one minute. That means you will not have to wait that long to finish digitizing all your essential papers.
Besides that, it also comes with an automatic document feeder that can hold 50 stacked pages at a time. It will automatically feed them to the device one by one. This feature will let you manage a large number of essential documents at ease.
The automatic feeder can hold a plethora of documents. It can feed the device letters, receipts, A8, B5, A5, A7, A6, and A4 sized papers.
Alongside the fast scan speed, it also comes boasting with a maximum optical resolution of 600 dpi. That means you will not only be able to scan documents with this but also get clear scans of pictures and images.
The device comes integrated with a TWAIN driver that will let you connect it directly to most of the popular document managing applications. With this, managing all the scanned files becomes easier.
Alongside that, it also comes with built-in OCR functionalities. This feature will let the device output PDF, Excel, and Word files that are going to be fully searchable and editable. You can manage and organize all your essential documents at a breeze with this.
10. Brother Wireless, ADS-2700W
We are going to end our OCR scanner reviews with this unit from Brother. If you were looking for a device that comes with a touchscreen that will let you use all the functionalities quickly, then you should put this in your consideration.
First of all, the device comes with a 2.8-inch colorful touchscreen display. It has a great touch response, and you will be able to browse through all the functionalities at ease.
It comes with wireless functionalities too, which makes the unit extremely versatile. You will be able to connect it to the internet and save the scanned files to cloud storage. Other than that, you can also opt to store them in local storage with the USB port.
The device also comes integrated with a plethora of drivers that will let you connect it to different desktop applications for seamless data transfer. It supports WIA and TWAIN for PC, ICA for Mac, and lastly, SANE. Integrating it into data management applications will not be any problem at all.
Besides those, the device comes with a double-sided scanner that can scan both sides of the papers at one go. With that, it can read up to 35 pages in a minute. You will not have to wait that long to digitize all your essential papers with this.
It comes with an automatic feeder too. The feeder can hold up to 50 stacked pages, and it will automatically feed them to the device individually. Digitizing a large number of papers will be an easy task for this feature.
Lastly, it comes featured with a smart software that can enhance the quality of scanned images automatically. It will automatically fix color, remove blank pages and background, and more to improve the scan quality.
What To Look For Before Buying
After going through all the products in our review list, you probably know what you can expect from the best OCR document scanner. But there are some crucial factors that you should keep in mind before you make a purchase. These will help you to make an efficient decision. They are:
OCR Functionalities
The units that will come integrated with efficient OCR functionalities will output editable and searchable PDF, Excel, and Word files. This feature makes managing tasks of all the essential documents such as official papers and receipts feel like taking a walk in the park.
That is why you should check if the unit that you are shooting for comes with efficient OCR functionalities or not.
Scanning Speed
In the case of handling a large volume of essential documents in one session, the one thing that will make the task feel effortless is a fast scanner. That is why you should put the overall scanning speed into your consideration too.
We would suggest you to go with the ones that come with a dual-sided scanner. They will be able to go through both sides of the page at one go, which means you will not have to enter the same paper twice. Eventually, your task will be less tedious.
Automatic Feeder
Alongside keeping the speed in mind, you should also consider the capacity of the automatic feeder. The feeder will let you stack a large number of papers on it, and it will automatically feed them to the device one by one. In this case, the more it will be able to accommodate, the less the hassle will be for you.
Ease of Use
You should also factor in the ease of use in the case of document scanners. The smoother the software and the easier you can browse through the functionalities of the device, the faster you will be able to finish the digitizing task.
Storage Options
Most of the devices will let you store the files in multiple locations. They will allow you to connect to online storage devices and save the scanned files there. With those, you will be able to get access to your documents without needing a computer.
Also, if you are opting to use local storage only, you should consider the USB interface that the device features. For a faster data transfer rate, you should shoot for the ones that come with USB 3.0 ports. With those, you will be able to move your files to a locally connected device at a breeze.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the main benefits of getting an OCR scanner?
The scanners that come featured with OCR functionalities will be able to output PDF, Word, and Excel files that are going to be fully editable and searchable. That means can not only manage your documents after scanning but also search a specific data field and organize them adequately.
- What does TWAIN, SANE, and other integrated drivers offer?
Most of the advanced scanners will come integrated with a plethora of drivers. These drivers will let you connect the device with your desktop and integrate them directly into your favorite document management software. That means you will not have to go through the hassle of moving the files frequently with these.
- How can I avoid the occasional paper jams?
In the case of automatic feeders, you can try by aligning the stacks properly. It can help in avoiding the occasional jams.
- How much DPI do I need to scan images properly?
In order to output a usable image scan, the minimum optical resolution that a device should have is 600 DPI.
- Which software should I install for my document scanner?
You should install the software that came bundled with your scanner on your desktop. Compared to other applications, the bundled one will be able to offer the optimal performance in all the functionalities that the scanner can offer.
Final Words
Investing in the best OCR scanner will make it easier for you to manage and organize the essential papers. And we hope that we were able to make the choosing process easier for you. We would like to end it here by wishing you good luck and hoping that all your essential documents remain organized.