Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology has changed the world like how we used to interact with the text in the images and the documents.
Whether you’re a student digitizing handwritten notes, a professional converting scanned documents, or a researcher analyzing historical texts, OCR tools can significantly streamline your workflow.
These tools can assist you in extracting any text from various image formats, making it editable and searchable. OCR is the base technology behind image to text tools.
In 2023, the global optical character recognition (OCR) market was worth US $12.2 billion. Looking ahead, IMARC Group predicts the market will reach $40.8 billion by 2032.
This shows a rising adoption rate for technologies that utilize OCR, including image to text tools.
In this post, I will give you a brief explanation of seven of the best OCR tools.
So let’s get started!
1. Image to text converter
URL : https://imagetotext.online/
This tool uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology that extracts text from images.
You can upload your image, and this tool will extract the text, transforming it into editable data.
This free image to text converter supports various image formats. It also offers downloadable text files or easy copying for efficient integration into your workflow
Whether you’re a student creating handwritten notes or a professional dealing with scanned documents, Imagetotext.online can assist in streamlining your document management.
Pros
- Time saver
- Increases marketing efficiency
- Accuracy
- Mobile friendly
- Multi-lingual support
Cons
- An Internet connection is required.
- Dependence on image quality
- Potential language limitations
Pricing
This tool has no paid version; you can use it free of charge.
2. Picwish: Image to Text Converter
Picwish offers an online image to text converter sub tool that can transform your images into editable and searchable text files. It supports multiple languages, and PicWish’s converter promises high accuracy in its extractions.
You can convert an image to text by uploading an image directly or providing a URL. It can streamline the process of extracting text from your images, potentially saving you time and effort.
Pros
- High accuracy
- Multi-lingual support
- Fast recognition
- Supports multiple file types.
Cons
- Free-plan limitations
- Low accuracy on complex image layouts
Pricing
It offers both free and premium plans, which are discussed below.
Free plan: The free plan allows you to convert a limited number of images per month and may have limitations on file size.
Paid plans: It provides more credits for image conversion, access to advanced features like adding watermarks and cropping images, and the ability to produce bulk edits of multiple photos at a time.
3. CamScanner
CamScanner is a mobile app that can transform your smartphone into a powerful document scanner.
You can easily use your phone’s camera to capture receipts, notes, invoices, whiteboards, business cards, and more.
This tool utilizes smart cropping and auto-enhancement to ensure clear digital copies.
The extracted text is even searchable within the app, making information recovery easy. CamScanner can assist you in doing your work more easily, as it is a useful tool on your mobile phone.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Multiple scan modes
- Excellent file management
- Can work offline.
Cons
- Limited features in the free version
- Inaccurate for complex results
- Has a watermark on the free version
Pricing
Free version: CamScanner has a free version but with some limitations. Such as a limited number of conversions, OCR accuracy, a watermark at the bottom, and export formats.
Paid version: In this premium version, you can unlock the following benefits: These include unlimited conversions, higher OCR accuracy, and multiple export options.
4. Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft itself doesn’t offer the image to text tool; it has a dedicated application called OneNote, which offers it. This flexible note-taking app uses optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities.
You just insert a scanned document, photo, or screenshot containing text into your OneNote page. It will then extract the text, making it editable and searchable.
This functionality easily integrates with your note-taking workflow, allowing you to get information from images and organize it alongside your digital notes.
Pros
- Smooth integration
- Easy to use
- Editable content
- Searchable text (Once extracted, the text becomes searchable within your notes.)
Cons
- Limited features
- Accuracy may get low with the complexity of the image
Pricing
Microsoft 365 Personal: This plan is for individual users and typically costs around $69.99 per year (billed annually) or $6.99 per month. It includes access to the core Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook).
Microsoft 365 Family: This plan is for families and households and typically costs around $99.99 per year (billed annually) or $9.99 per month. It offers the same benefits as the personal plan but allows sharing with up to six users.
5. Text Scanner
Text Scanner is an app that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to turn images into text. It can detect over 100 languages, making it a flexible tool for users who work with documents in different languages. Once you’ve scanned some text, you can easily share it with other apps on your device.
Pros
- Free to use
- Supports multiple languages
- Effortless to share
Cons
- Accuracy issue
- Limited features
- Shows ADs
Pricing
This tool is free to use. And it has no paid or premium version.
6. HiPDF
HiPDF is an online tool used to get text from an image. It uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to understand the text in your given images.
Here, you just need to enter your image, and then this tool will extract the text from the visual.
This user-friendly tool supports a variety of different file formats, making it a versatile option for your document needs. You can boost your productivity with the assistance of this tool.
Pros
- Multiple file format
- Extracted Text in Editable Format
- Easy to use
Cons
- Limited features
- Inaccurate results for difficult images
- Limited file size
- Internet dependency
Pricing
Free Plan: This plan allows you to use some of its basic features but with limitations. It’s unclear from the website if the image-to-text converter is included in the free plan.
Premium Plans: HiPDF offers two premium plans:
Monthly Plan: This plan costs US$4.99 per month, per user. It grants access to all features, including OCR and AI tools, has no batch processing limit, and removes advertisements.
Yearly Plan: This plan costs US$3.33 per month (billed annually at US$31.99) per user. It provides the same benefits as the monthly plan but at a discounted price.
7. Best OCR Online
This OCR tool is used to extract the text from the given images. It used optical character recognition (OCR) technology, which extracts text from images, making it editable and searchable.
This user-friendly converter uses the power of artificial intelligence to ensure accurate conversions.
You just need to upload your image or PDF and let the tool work its wonders. The converter supports a multitude of languages, making it a versatile option for users with diverse documents.
Pros
- Free to use
- Based on AI
- Supports multiple languages
- Easy to use
- Provides different file formats
Cons
- Limited features
- Finite file size
- Internet reliance
- Inaccurate results for complex images
Pricing
Ocr.best is a free online tool. That means you can use this tool for free, but there might be limitations on features compared to a potential paid plan.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, the world of OCR technology is rapidly changing with advanced features. Whether you are a student, a marketer, or a professional, you can take advantage of many advantages of this OCR technology.
Most of the tools discussed above are free to use and have a user-friendly interface and features. Which can assist you in covering the gap between physical documents and digital convenience, streamlining workflows, and boosting your productivity.