Scan your paper documents and convert them to digital with the best scanning software.
The paperless office is now possible thanks to the increasing availability and accessibility of scanning technology. Many businesses now use document scanner apps to convert files into electronic copies that they can store locally or in the Cloud.
There are many types of scanning software and document types that you can choose from. The best scanner software can be used to meet a variety of needs, and will also be capable of storing documents in various formats. This will most often be PDF files as it is universal. However, sometimes Word or other office file formats may be needed as well as different image formats.
Also, quality is an important consideration. Scanned documents must be legible and accurate. Software that cannot correctly represent numbers or letters will not work. These days, most scanners produce high quality documents. However, if your software is not up to scratch, you can always send your documents to a scanning service to have it done for you.
Check out these top-rated document scanning and converting services, which range from powerful, enterprise-oriented Adobe platforms to simple, affordable options for small businesses. In recommending the best scanner software, we considered available features, relative prices, and user experience.
1. Adobe Acrobat DC
Software giant, Microsoft has a powerful tool Today’s Top Deals
There are many reasons to buy
+Powerful suite+Extensive range tools and capabilities+Lots integrations
Avoidable reasons
Higher price
Adobe is a software company that can handle a few documents. Acrobat DC stands for “Document Cloud” and almost everyone has used Adobe Acrobat Reader to open a PDF.
You can create PDFs almost anywhere: Microsoft Office apps, your smartphone’s camera, HTML pages, even emails and spreadsheets.
The key features include passwords, permissions for extra security, standard templates to keep your documents consistent in design, the ability edit and annotate both normal and data in tables, a comparison tool to identify differences between versions of the document and reverse conversions from PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Integrations with Dropbox, OneDrive, and Box make it easier to store all the converted files.
Adobe Acrobat scans your document quickly and easily. However, this platform is not cheap, as are many other Adobe tools.
2. Abbyy FineReader
An excellent OCR tool Today’s Top Deals ABBYY FineReader Pro Mac
US$119.99
ABBYY FineReader 14 Standard
US$199.99
ABBYY FineReader 14 Corporate
US$399.99
There are many reasons to buy
+Easy to use+Includes batch processing+Perpetual License
Abbyy is the creator of a variety of enterprise-oriented software tools, including FineReader, a platform for document scanning. This software allows you to edit, review and protect PDFs and scans.
You can comment on and annotate PDFs with the free PDF editor, which makes it ideal for collaboration. Compare, for example, allows you to identify text changes between different versions, which saves time and helps with back-checking and proofreading.
FineReader’s OCR (optical Character Recognition) technology is referred to as ‘world-leading’. It promises accurate conversions of paper documents, scans, and PDFs to Word and Excel. Searchable PDFs can also be converted.
The Hot Folder feature can be used to schedule batch processing or track documents for conversion using ‘watched folders. FineReader is capable of recognizing 192 languages so no matter where you are getting your documents, FineReader should cover them all.
(Image credit: PaperScan)
3. PaperScan
Software for scanning documents Today’s Top Deals
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There are many reasons to buy
+Affordable+Multi-language support+Free tier
Avoidable reasons
-Not suitable to be used in the cloud
PaperScan is a software upgrade that allows you to make the most of your scanner’s features. Software is often overlooked in scanners, as manufacturers tend to focus on the hardware and leave the software behind.
PaperScan, on the other hand, aims to offer additional features that allow you to scan and organize your documents. The free version includes post-processing tools like rotation, border removal, hole punting removal and color adjustments with filter options. This version is however ad-supported.
PaperScan’s Home edition includes the same features, but with no ads and a few file format options. All this for a one-time charge.
The Professional edition is where PaperScan truly shines. It offers a wide range of features that can be added to your scanner to make scanning easier. This edition supports PDF-OCR in more than 60 languages, batch processing with an automatic blank page removal, annotations and additional color editing tools.
Overall, PaperScan is a great tool set at a reasonable price point compared to other vendors.
