A scanner is an essential piece of equipment in modern offices and homes. In recent times, OCR scanners have become all the rage. That’s understandable because of how useful they are. Unfortunately, you can also get a massive headache when shopping for one because there are so many! When it comes right down to it, choosing the best OCR scanner for yourself can be a daunting task.
There’s a reason why OCR scanners are in. It’s such a handy technology! It is a software technology that scans documents into versions with “live text”. Just by scanning, you can convert a document’s text into one that can be edited on the computer like regular text. Imagine the massive amounts of time you’ll be saving! Time that was previously spent retyping paperwork.
First, a short recap of the spicy traits of the best OCR scanners in the market:
- Character recognition accuracy
- Page layout reconstruction accuracy
- Multi-engine voting technology
- ABBYY FineReader OCR Scanner
- Language support
- Searchable PDF output support
- User interface
- Speed
The result is a more uncomplicated document management process and the ability to use cloud storage or specialist cloud storage providers. The net result? All your essential documentation is done in an accessible and retrievable way.
Okay, so no more second thoughts! Let me help you determine the best OCR scanner for you, one that meets your needs. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
The 10 Best OCR Scanners in the Market
1. Epson DS-575W Wireless Document Scanner
The Epson WorkForce DS-575W is a low- to mid-volume document scanner. I’ve found this OCR scanner from Epson to be an excellent choice for small offices and workgroups. That’s because, on top of having a simple feature set, it is also reasonably quick and accurate. It offers fast-paced businesses more efficient document management.
What’s even better, it wirelessly scans critical documents to smartphones, tablets, or online storage accounts. The included TWAIN and ISIS® drivers ensure easy integration with existing software, while a peak daily duty cycle offers added dependability for busy workgroups.
And, it’s all backed by an industry-leading 3-year limited warranty, including an Advance Exchange program with free Next-Business-Day shipping.
What we liked:
- Delivers high-quality scans
- Fast scanning and saving to PDF
- Comes with document and business card management software
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Wireless scanning features
- Versatile paper handling ability
- Impressive software bundle included
What we didn’t like:
- Could be more accurate when scanning serif fonts
- Ethernet is extra and expensive
2. Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1500 Color Duplex Document Scanner
This is a no-nonsense scanner with an advanced feeding system and the ability to scan from both sides. With this iX1500 document scanner by Fujitsu, you’ll be able to scan a variety of receipts, photos, business cards, and countless documents. It’s well-built, user-friendly, and on top of all this, easy-to-configure!
The scanning is exceptionally quick as well as accurate. It’s an ideal choice if you’re looking for an entry-level, sheet-fed document scanner for your home or small office.
However, for offices that have to scan a lot of paperwork, the iX1500 won’t be the best option. It’s an excellent pick for light-duty paperwork.
What we liked:
- Well-built with sophisticated design
- Wireless scanning
- Built-in organizer and clean-up software
- Free ScanSnap cloud access
What we didn’t like:
- No Ethernet support
3. Epson WorkForce ES-500W Wireless Color Duplex
Wireless, fast, efficient, and easy to use, the WorkForce ES-500W document scanner by Epson helps make sharp, crisp scans of all your everyday documents, including business cards and papers.
This powerful, wireless document scanner makes everyday scanning simple for smartphones, tablets, PCs, and Macs. The Single-step Technology scans both sides of a paper in one pass. It includes brilliant color and adjustment features that provide background removal, blank page removal, and even auto-crop.
With the most sophisticated control panel, ES-500W scans and saves to searchable PDFs faster than most entry-level scanners. If there’s one thing that holds this product back, it is the below-average OCR accuracy.
What we liked:
- Easy setup
- Wireless scanning
- Easy sharing
- Robust
- Ultrasonic Double Feed Detection
- Single-step Technology
What we didn’t like:
- Not a stand-alone scanner
- Lacks OCR accuracy
- Wi-Fi connectivity issues
4. Canon imageFORMULA DR-M140
With a robust, compact design and a U-Turn paper path, the imageFORMULA DR-M140’s intelligent features make it a superb productivity booster in busy office departments and workgroups. This versatile A4 scanner is a spirited alternative to other small Canon scanners in the market.
Given the low height, it’s easy to move it around, and you can deploy it quite quickly for small on-site projects.
Canon imageFORMULA DR-M140 comes with the same software as other Canon scanners. Therefore, fans of the brand will learn its ways quite quickly.
What we liked:
- Compact and versatile design
- Selectable paper paths
- Auto Duplex Scanning (printing on both sides)
- The fast color scanning feature
- The professional software suite includes eCopy PDF Pro Office
- High-quality image processing features
What we didn’t like:
- Not ideal for scanning large amounts of documents
5. Brother ADS3000N High-Speed Network
Still here? Awesome! Here’s a fun fact: do you know about the first digitally scanned photograph in history? It’s a black and white photo of a three-month-old boy, the son of the drum scanner’s inventor.
All right, back to work. So, the Brother ADS3000N High-Speed Network scanner is a well-rounded choice for mid- to large-sized workgroups with demanding image capturing needs. If you’re looking for flexible paper handling and connectivity, well, there you go. Equipped with two-sided scanning and versatile scan destinations, this scanner is ideal for office environments with extensive scanning requirements.
Don’t want to beat a dead horse, but this scanner helps optimize productivity and efficiency. The ADS3000N offers a wide range of industry-standard drivers for easy integration, wired Gigabit Ethernet network connectivity, Kofax VRS® compatible for improved image optimization, and a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface for local connections.
What we liked:
- Quick scanning
- Duplex scanning (printing on both sides)
- Excellent text recognition
- Ethernet and USB 3.0
- Scans directly to a USB key and through a Wi-Fi access point to mobile devices
- Works with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems
What we didn’t like:
- Scan utility offers only limited ability to store profile when scanning from the front panel
- Slow in scanning to searchable PDF format in testing
6. Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i Portable Color
For all its bells and whistles, the Fujitsu’s ScanSnap S1300i Portable Color scanner is surprisingly compact. It’s packed with a practical interface and document management software. If you’re looking for the best OCR scanner that’s also portable, you can take a look at this item. The scanner may not look menacing, but this tiny tike scans in near-perfect detail.
Doesn’t matter the type of document — receipts, important paperwork, business cards — it can do it all. It provides multi-page, double-sided scanning performance at the touch of a button. With such small dimensions, it fits right at home on a small desk.
S1300i comes with an excellent OCR engine from ABBYY, and people who bought it usually say it’s “easy to maintain.” Now, if you can stomach the price, it’s ideal for moderate document scanning on the go.
What we liked:
- Accurate OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
- Robust software bundle
- Compact design
- Auto-duplexing ADF (Automatic Document Feeder)
What we didn’t like:
- The price is on the higher side for what it does
- ADF tray is a bit small for this segment
7. Scanmarker Air Pen Scanner | OCR Digital
The Scanmarker is a unique way to bridge the gap between the physical and the digital. It’s positioned for users to quickly take clippings of any print media and digitize it for later access. While it’s created a ton of hype around the concept, it still stands to be shown whether this product is truly ready for prime time. Let’s see!
The Scanmarker Air isn’t the first of its kind, as several other companies have attempted to create a similar handheld scanner. But we can safely say that it’s the first of its kind to be truly ready for primetime. It’s effortless to use, and you’ll be able to get it up and running in a matter of minutes.
The software’s flexibility means that you’ll be able to take it with you on the go, using your phone to automatically upload all of your scanned documents to your favorite cloud-based service.
We’d highly recommend the Air Pen Scanner to anyone looking to scan partial documents as they read or digitally store excerpts for later access. However, we don’t think it’s a replacement for a full-size scanner.
What we liked:
- Small, handy, and easy to carry on the go
- Quite good battery life.
- Scans text wirelessly using Bluetooth
- The ability to translate the text you are reading
What we didn’t like:
- Some occasional glitches reading text
- Unreasonable price
8. Brother Wireless High-Speed Desktop
The Brother wireless high-speed duplex desktop color scanner can be ideal for small workgroups, sole practitioners, or home office professionals with simple workflow applications for fast and reliable scanning. This high-speed desktop document scanner is a plug-and-play solution allowing you to scan and retrieve files without installing software.
Its lightweight and compact design saves desktop space, making it perfect for small offices or home offices. You will be able to conduct single-pass duplex scanning of both your black & white and color documents.
All these perks, along with its speed, high accuracy, and Wi-Fi, Ethernet, numerous mobile and cloud connectivity options at a very reasonable price — are more than enough to make this wireless scanner from Brother a solid choice. Don’t you think the same?
What we liked:
- Reasonable price
- Easy-to-use and saves time
- Supports Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking, as well as lots of mobile and cloud options
- Customizable color touch screen
- Fast scanning and text recognition facilities
- Highly accurate OCR
- Added value with bundled software
What we didn’t like:
- No disc in the box
- Touch screen somewhat cramped
9. Brother Mobile Color Page Scanner
If you’re looking for a compact document scanner to carry around with you and use anywhere, the Brother Mobile Color Page Scanner will be a great option for you. This single-page document scanner works with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
With this, you can scan your documents both in black and color. The Mobile Color Page Scanner even made our best home scanner list because of its good value.
However, for offices that have to scan a lot of paperwork, the Mobile scanner won’t be the best option. It’s an excellent pick for light-duty scanning as a portable or on the desktop, with simplex (one-sided), manual-feed scanning at a low price.
What we liked:
- Highly portable and compact design
- Offers versatile scanning
- Low cost
- Comes with capable document management software with built-in optical character recognition
What we didn’t like:
- No document feeder
- Search by keyword functionality is average
- No duplex scanning (printing on both sides)
- Although it comes with business card software, it doesn’t handle business cards well
10. Epson FastFoto FF-680W Wireless
Epson has gone for the ultimate scanning machine in terms of versatility with this offering. Seriously, listen to all the crazy features they’ve squeezed into this product. The FF-680W features various modes for the fastest sharing, archiving, and enlargement of personal photos and documents.
A SafeTouch Technology offers you worry-free scanning for virtually any size, including postcards and Polaroids. The Single-Step Technology captures both the image and any handwritten note on the other side of the image in a single scan.
Epson’s FastFoto software helps you make frequently-needed and straightforward edits like red-eye reduction, color correction, and cropping. No need for pesky third-party software!
You won’t have to scan photos one by one anymore or risk having them ripped in the scanner’s document feeder. The scanned copies can be directly uploaded to Dropbox and Google Drive for easier archiving and organization. It also has a quick plug-and-play setup process for both Windows and Mac.
No wonder this versatile home scanner was a PCMag Editors’ Choice for photo-centric household scanners!
What we liked:
- Multiple format options
- Easy to connect
- Perfect Picture Imaging
- Fast scanning
- Quick sharing
- Easy Auto-Upload and Backup options
- Excellent OCR performance
- Single-Step technology
What we didn’t like:
- Pricier than comparable options out there
- Switching from wireless to wired requires uninstalling and reinstalling every single time
- Comparatively slower photo scanning
Conclusion:
There’s truly no secret ingredient to discovering the best OCR scanner for your home or office. Almost all of the document scanners available today can be considered OCR scanners because most have some OCR technology.
Weigh up your needs, consider the features on offer, and once you find one that tickles your fancy, go ahead and get yourself the best OCR scanner. It’s your own little treat!