OCR Tools

Not every document that has been typed out or written has been neatly uploaded to the Internet. Things such as handouts from your teacher or professor may be hard to read physically, or you may be worried about misplacing them despite their importance. Documents from a co-worker or your boss that were given to you physically but also need to be emailed or otherwise handled electronically can also be a huge inconvenience if they cannot simply be scanned, as the text may need to be cited, copied, or pasted. This is where optical character recognition technology comes in.

OCR enables documents that exist physically to be converted into a PDF readable by software such as Adobe Reader or your web browser of choice. Not only that, but you can select text as if you typed out the document then and there yourself! Outside of dedicated software like ABBYY FineReader, OCR is a feature that exists in software such as Evernote and Microsoft Office OneNote.

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ShareX
Free • Open Source
Screenshot Capture Tool
Screen Recorder
Screen Casting Tool
Windows
Steam
224 alternatives to ShareX
ShareX is a free and open source program that lets you capture or record any area of your screen and share it with a single press of a key. It also allows uploading images, text or other types of files to many supported destinations you can choose from.
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ShareX Features
1. Ad-freeShareX doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
2. Works OfflineShareX can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
3. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in ShareX without registration.
4. PortableShareX can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
5. No TrackingShareX will not track you or use your personal data.
6. Dark ModeShareX supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
7. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
8. Upload ScreenshotUpload your screenhots directly to the cloud in order to easily share them with others.
9. Color PickerShareX allows you to select and copy a color property from an image, object, or shape.
Customizable
Capture Video
Screenshot OCR
Edit screenshots
Built-in Image editor
Share screenshots
GIF recording
Image Annotations
Record videos
Support for Hotkeys
Top 3 alternatives
Evernote
Freemium • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Todo List Manager
Mac
Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
Blackberry
Android Tablet
Windows Phone
iPad
Apple Watch
Android Wear
Kindle Fire
551 alternatives to Evernote
Evernote is a cross-platform, freemium app designed for note taking, organizing, and archiving.
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Evernote Features
1. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
2. Works OfflineEvernote can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
3. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
4. Handwritten NotesEvernote supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
5. Calendar IntegrationEvernote lets you sync your tasks and events with your calendar application.
6. Dark ModeEvernote supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
7. Support for MarkDownEvernote supports MarkDown for document formatting.
8. PDF annotationEvernote support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
9. Web ClipperSave any page or content from the web with a single click with Evernote.
Text formatting
Hyperlinks
Screenshot OCR
Tagging
Folders
Sits in the System Tray
Note organization
Export to HTML
Export to PDF
Notifications
Top 3 alternatives
NAPS2
Free • Open Source
Document Scanner
Image Scanner
Windows
Mac
Linux
44 alternatives to NAPS2
NAPS2 is a document scanning application with a focus on simplicity and ease of use.
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NAPS2 Features
1. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
2. PortableNAPS2 can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
3. Works OfflineNAPS2 can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
4. Ad-freeNAPS2 doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
5. Command line interfaceNAPS2 either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
6. Built-in viewerNAPS2 shows you a quick preview of an image, page or file in supported formats.
Scan to PDF
Split and merge PDF files
Multiple Profiles
Export to PDF
PDF Page Merge
Works out of the box
Support for Batch Mode
PDF OCR
Multiple languages
Reorder pages
Top 3 alternatives
PDF-XChange Editor
Freemium • Proprietary
PDF Editor
PDF Reader
Windows
Wine
PortableApps.com
135 alternatives to PDF-XChange Editor
Compact and fast loading PDF viewer and editor.
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PDF-XChange Editor Features
1. PDF annotationPDF-XChange Editor support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
2. PortablePDF-XChange Editor can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
3. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
4. Split PDF filesPDF-XChange Editor can split PDF files into multiple documents.
5. Dark ModePDF-XChange Editor supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
PDF OCR
Add/remove pages
Edit PDF
Customizable
Stamps
Bates numbering
Split and merge PDF files
Edit metadata
Export to PowerPoint
Convert images to PDF
Top 3 alternatives
Subtitle Edit
Free • Open Source
Subtitle Editor
Windows
Linux
38 alternatives to Subtitle Edit
Creating and editing subtitles.
Suggest and vote on features
Subtitle Edit Features
1. LightweightSubtitle Edit consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. PortableSubtitle Edit can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
3. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
Srt
Auto Formatting
Audio Extraction
Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
Sub
Built-in translation
Multiple languages
Subtitles synchronization
Top 3 alternatives
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Freemium • Proprietary
PDF Reader
Mac
Windows
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
103 alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Reader
View, sign, collaborate on and annotate PDF files with our free Acrobat Reader software. And to easily edit and convert your PDFs into file formats like Excel and Word, try out PDF editor and converter Acrobat Pro DC.
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Adobe Acrobat Reader Features
1. PDF annotationAdobe Acrobat Reader support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
2. Fill PDF FormsAdobe Acrobat Reader supports forms in PDF files.
3. Sign PDF filesAdobe Acrobat Reader support signing a PDF document digitally on a touch screen etc.
4. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
5. Dark ModeAdobe Acrobat Reader supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
6. LightweightAdobe Acrobat Reader consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
7. Combine PDFCombine, merge and arrange PDF files into one document.
8. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
Edit PDF
Document Annotations
Create PDF files
Multi-tabs
Top 3 alternatives
Ksnip
Free • Open Source
Screenshot Capture Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
Flathub
Snapcraft
33 alternatives to Ksnip
Ksnip is a Qt based cross-platform screenshot tool that provides many annotation features for your screenshots.
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Ksnip Features
1. Annotate ScreenshotEdit and annotate a screenshot with various editing tools and options.
2. Privacy focusedKsnip is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
3. LightweightKsnip consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
4. Ad-freeKsnip doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
5. Works OfflineKsnip can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
6. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
7. Upload ScreenshotUpload your screenhots directly to the cloud in order to easily share them with others.
8. Command line interfaceKsnip either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
9. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in Ksnip without registration.
Image Annotations
Blur Filter
Edit screenshots
Upload directly to Imgur
Customizable
Image Filters
Top 3 alternatives
GImageReader
Free • Open Source
Windows
Linux
68 alternatives to GImageReader
gImageReader is a simple Gtk/Qt front-end to the Tesseract OCR Engine.
Suggest and vote on features
GImageReader Features
1. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
Image to text
PDF OCR
Top 3 alternatives
ABBYY FineReader PDF
Paid • Proprietary
Mac
Windows
Online
79 alternatives to ABBYY FineReader PDF
ABBYY FineReader PDF is an OCR software that provides unmatched text recognition accuracy and conversion capabilities, virtually eliminating retyping and reformatting of documents. Up to 190 languages are supported for text recognition.
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ABBYY FineReader PDF Features
1. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
2. PDF annotationABBYY FineReader PDF support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
3. LightweightABBYY FineReader PDF consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
4. Sign PDF filesABBYY FineReader PDF support signing a PDF document digitally on a touch screen etc.
Convert PDF to Word document
Side-by-Side Comparison
Edit PDF
PDF OCR
Convert PDF to image
Create PDF files
Document creation
Convert PDF to Text
Convert PDF to HTML
Convert Word documents to PDF
Top 3 alternatives
Nimbus Note
Freemium • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Todo List Manager
Blog Publishing Tool
Mac
Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
iPad
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Android Tablet
217 alternatives to Nimbus Note
A productivity and task management tool appropriate for both individuals and businesses. With Nimbus Note users can create notes and to-do lists, share them with others, and archive important data.
Suggest and vote on features
Nimbus Note Features
1. Web ClipperSave any page or content from the web with a single click with Nimbus Note.
2. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
3. Works OfflineNimbus Note can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
4. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
5. Dark ModeNimbus Note supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
6. IFTTT IntegrationYou can connect different services to automatically trigger actions within Nimbus Note using IFTTT.
7. Real time collaborationMultiple users can work together in Nimbus Note simultaneously.
Multiplatform
Subfolder menu
Hyperlinks
Integrated Search
Blocks
Internal linking
Search by tags
Photo notes
Share notes
Embedded apps
Top 3 alternatives
Tesseract
Free • Open Source
Mac
Windows
Linux
69 alternatives to Tesseract
Tesseract.js is a javascript library that gets words in almost any language out of images.
Suggest and vote on features
Tesseract Features
1. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
Top 3 alternatives
PDF-XChange Viewer
Freemium • Proprietary
PDF Reader
Windows
PortableApps.com
69 alternatives to PDF-XChange Viewer
PDF-XChange Viewer is an alternative viewer for PDF files that enables you to view and annotate PDF files. You can add text, sticky notes, and other annotations and save them to the file, which will be compatible with the standard Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Suggest and vote on features
PDF-XChange Viewer Features
1. PDF annotationPDF-XChange Viewer support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
2. PortablePDF-XChange Viewer can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
3. LightweightPDF-XChange Viewer consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
4. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
PDF OCR
Extract annotation
Customizable
Clean design
Note extraction
Side-by-Side View
Multiple languages
Font identifier
Stamps
Discontinued
Since November 2013 the Tracker Software company states that "PDF-XChange Viewer has been discontinued and replaced by PDF-XChange Editor " , but the software has been and is still being updated from time to time as of 2020
Top 3 alternatives
Snagit
Paid • Proprietary
Screenshot Capture Tool
Mac
Windows
179 alternatives to Snagit
The ultimate screen capture tool. With Snagit’s capture, edit, organize and share technology… it’s easy to create engaging visuals that grab attention and keep it. Let images do the talking for you.
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Snagit Features
1. Full-page ScreenshotSnagit can capture complete (scrolling) web pages from your web browser.
2. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
3. Annotate ScreenshotEdit and annotate a screenshot with various editing tools and options.
4. Upload ScreenshotUpload your screenhots directly to the cloud in order to easily share them with others.
Edit screenshots
Upload directly to Dropbox
Multiple languages
Freeform capture
Upload directly to YouTube
Top 3 alternatives
Google Lens
Free • Proprietary
Screenshot Capture Tool
Document Scanner
Image Search Engine
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Online
58 alternatives to Google Lens
With Google Lens you can get information about items around you, like landmarks, posters, or barcodes, using your phone's camera.
Suggest and vote on features
Google Lens Features
1. Reverse Image SearchDiscover content that is related to a specific sample image.
2. Mobile ScannerGoogle Lens can use your mobile camera to quickly scan documents and photos.
3. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
4. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in Google Lens without registration.
5. Ad-freeGoogle Lens doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
6. Built-in viewerGoogle Lens shows you a quick preview of an image, page or file in supported formats.
7. Works OfflineGoogle Lens can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
8. Dark ModeGoogle Lens supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
Object identification
Top 3 alternatives
Xodo
Paid • Proprietary
PDF Reader
PDF Editor
Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
Chrome OS
Android Tablet
iPad
Google Chrome
100 alternatives to Xodo
Xodo is the ultimate cross-platform PDF viewer and annotator. Powerful, fast, and optimized for all phones and tablets, Xodo makes it easy to access, edit, mark up, sort, share, sync, manage, sign, and more with even the most complex PDF documents.
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Xodo Features
1. PDF annotationXodo support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
2. Dark ModeXodo supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
3. Sign PDF filesXodo support signing a PDF document digitally on a touch screen etc.
4. Ad-freeXodo doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
5. LightweightXodo consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
6. Split PDF filesXodo can split PDF files into multiple documents.
7. Combine PDFCombine, merge and arrange PDF files into one document.
8. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
9. Real time collaborationMultiple users can work together in Xodo simultaneously.
Export to PDF
Google Drive integration
Annotations
Split and merge PDF files
Multiple Open Tabs
Create PDF files
Edit PDF
Drawing on top of pdfs
Convert images to PDF
Tabbed interface
Top 3 alternatives

ShareX Features

Top 3 alternatives

Evernote Features

Top 3 alternatives

NAPS2 Features

Top 3 alternatives

PDF-XChange Editor Features

Top 3 alternatives

Subtitle Edit Features

Top 3 alternatives

Adobe Acrobat Reader Features

Top 3 alternatives

Ksnip Features

Top 3 alternatives

GImageReader Features

Top 3 alternatives

ABBYY FineReader PDF Features

Top 3 alternatives

Nimbus Note Features

Top 3 alternatives

Tesseract Features

Top 3 alternatives

PDF-XChange Viewer Features

Top 3 alternatives

Snagit Features

Top 3 alternatives

Google Lens Features

Top 3 alternatives

Xodo Features

Top 3 alternatives