Top 5 Document Scanning Software in 2024
What is document scanning software?
Document scanning software converts paper documents into digital files.
The document scanning software collects documents from a scanner or online data sources, then converts the scanned image into a digital file, such as a PDF or JPG, after processing the document. Document scanning software allows businesses to store, edit, and share their paper documents digitally, which can be more convenient and efficient than keeping and working with paper documents.
Simply put, document scanning software digitizes paper documents to store, access easily, and share.
What are some features to look for in document scanning software?
An efficient way to evaluate a document scanning platform is to look for the following features:
- Document Capture - Can the software capture data from all types of documents?
- Integrations - Can the software integrate with all your existing applications?
- OCR capabilities - What is the OCR accuracy of the software?
- Workflow automation - Does the software automate manual processes using workflows?
- Batch processing - Can you process documents in large batches?
- Image processing - Does the software automatically pre-processes images?
- Level of coding required- Do you need any coding to use the software?
So, let’s look at your business's top document scanning software.
5 Best Document Scanning Software in 2023
#1. Nanonets
Nanonets’ leading OCR software digitizes all business scanned paper documents into searchable digitized documents within seconds. Nanonets' intelligent document scanning platform automatically captures data from business documents, performs trigger-based actions & syncs data across applications in real-time.
Apart from digitizing documents, Nanonets’ advanced no-code workflow automation performs complex actions like document verification, payments, approval automation, document indexing, document storage, accounting automation, and more. Its easy-to-use user interface allows non-coders to automate manual processes in no time.
Pricing: Forever free plans and paid plans start from $499/month
Best for: Enterprise Document Scanning and Document Automation
Pros:
- Best OCR software in the market with 95%+ accuracy
- Extracts data from PDFs, images, scans, tables, databases, emails, and websites.
- Automatic pre-processing of documents [Deskew, rotation, removing punchholes]
- Excellent handwriting recognition
- Supports multi-language documents & 200+ languages
- No-code workflow automation
- A plethora of customization options
- Whitelabel OCR solution
- An end-to-end document management system
- Easy to use
- 24x7 technical and customer support
- Free migration support
- Dedicated customer manager
Cons
- No document generation options
- Can't be used for e-signing documents
Here's what users say about Nanonets
Do you have a use case in mind? Hop on a short 10-minute call with our automation experts to automate document scanning for your organization.
#2. Laserfiche
Laserfiche enterprise content management software provides document scanning capabilities to digitize business documents and create a centralized, searchable database for easy access. Laserfiche OCR software can capture data from documents and use workflow automation to automate intelligent data capture and data processing. Laserfiche can capture data from electronic forms, paper documents, emails, and paper forms.
Free Trial: No
Pricing: Available on request
Pros:
- Intuitive UI
- Easy document management features
- Easy to search documents
Cons:
- Licensing isn't straightforward
- Third-party support
- Limited workflow capabilities
- Expensive
#3. PaperScan
PaperScan document scanning software is a feature-packed software for efficient basic document management. PaperScan works with hardware scanners to optimize document scanning processes like - batch scanning, organizing documents, image processing, OCR, and compressing.
PaperScan comes with post-processing tools like border removal, punch-hole removal, rotation, grayscale conversion, and blank page removal. The pro version of the software supports PDF-OCR in 30+ languages, document & image annotation, and document encryption.
Free Trial: Yes
Pricing: $149/month onwards
Best for: Personal document scanning requirements at home
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Connects with all hardware devices easily
- 30+ languages supported
- Image processing & annotation capabilities
- Intuitive platform
- An offline version is available
Cons
- Limitations in batch processing for the free version
- Lots of display ads in the free version
- Basic OCR capabilities
#4. Iris PowerScan
Iris PowerScan provides a comprehensive document scanning platform for data capture from multiple sources. Iris PowerScan can capture documents from the mail, desktop, scanners, and the cloud and supports 130 languages.
Pricing: $715 onwards
Pros:
- Performs rule-based document indexing, document annotation, and document verification
- Supports PDF editing and PDF encryption
- Easy document management system
- Can extract barcodes from PDF pages
- Provides cloud storage for documents
- Supports verbal recognition
Cons
- No Free Version
- Limited workflow automation capabilities
#5. Kofax Capture
Kofax Capture document capture platform streamlines information extraction from business documents and turns them into actionable insights. Kofax Capture’s OCR technology scans all business documents efficiently and extracts text while maintaining the original formatting of the documents, including bullets, tables, and images.
Kofax Capture integrates with 300+ multifunctional printers and 140+ data sources for easy document upload.
Free Trial: No
Pricing: Available on request
Pros:
- Easy to setup
- Connects 300+ printer hardware devices easily
- A great document verification system
Cons
- Difficult UI to navigate
- Coding is required
- Fewer customization options
- Expensive as you need to buy multiple licenses to carry out any activity
- OCR precision is around 60%
Why is Nanonets the best document scanning software?
Nanonets is an easy-to-use software that you can start using from day 1. It’s easy to set up and intuitive to use. Nanonets provides many benefits that go above and beyond traditional document scanning software, which are included in the platform.
Nanonets has an advanced OCR API that extracts data from unstructured documents, images, handwritten notes, and blurry scanned documents with 95% accuracy. It also integrates with 5000+ applications via API and Zapier so that you can sync data with your business applications in real-time.
Nanonets offers:
- 14-day free trial
- A forever-free plan
- Free migration assistance
- 24x7 live support
- Training support
- Whitelabel OCR & Accounts payable solution
- Customization options
- Document Annotation support
- Professional services
Apart from these, here are three reasons why Nanonets is an excellent catch for businesses looking to automate their manual processes:
- Workflow Automation - Nanonets’ in-built no-code workflows can automate manual processes like approvals, document processing, vendor checks, PDF lookup, data matching, and more.
- Document Management - Nanonets’ can be used for every step of the document management journey. It can automatically capture documents and extract data from documents, digitization, annotation, and storage.
- Global Payments - You can use Nanonets to process international payments via wire transfer and ACH without leaving the platform. Pay your vendors, invoices, and employees from the venue on time.
Nanonets offers a feature-packed platform to automate everything from complex financial processes to routine data entry. With seamless integrations, no-code platform, and templates, Nanonets is perfect for businesses looking to eliminate manual intervention in business processes.
How to select the best document scanning tool?
When selecting a document scanning tool, there are several factors to consider. Some of the critical evaluation criteria include the following:
Compatibility with your existing systems and hardware:
The document scanning tool should be compatible with your organization's existing systems.
Features and functionality:
Consider the document scanning tool's features and functionality per your requirements, like the ability to scan, optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities, or integrations.
Ease of use:
The document scanning platform should be easy to use, with a user-friendly interface. Your team should be able to use it with less supervision.
Security:
The document scanning platform should have strong security measures to protect sensitive documents. The platform should have secure cloud storage and features like role-based access.
Cost:
Consider the cost of the platform, including any subscription fees or additional costs.
OCR Accuracy and reliability:
The OCR module should be able to scan multi-lingual documents with high accuracy. You can test the tool with sample documents and compare the output to get an idea.
To select the best document-scanning software for your organization, follow these steps:
- Identify your organization's specific needs and requirements for a document scanning tool.
- Research and compare different document scanning tools to find ones that meet your organization's needs.
- Read reviews and compare ratings from other users to get a sense of the quality and reliability of the different tools.
- Contact the vendors of the tools you are considering and ask any questions you may have about their products.
- Test the tools to see which ones are the easiest to use and have the necessary features and functionality.
- Choose the document scanning tool that best meets your requirements and offers the best value for the price and customer support.
Conclusion
Maintaining paper documents is costly and time-consuming. The benefits of document scanning to digitize documents for efficient document management outweigh the efforts required to make the shift. And therefore, businesses are replacing their clumsy paper cabinets with digital documents on secure cloud storage using document scanning software.
Nanonets is the perfect choice for businesses looking to automate document data extraction. Nanonets can create searchable documents to find your files at the click of a button. Our team is here to help you throughout the process. You can schedule a free call with our automation experts to see how Nanonets can help you or start a free trial to explore Nanonets yourself.
Let us help you optimize your document management processes. Book a free consultation call to see how you can save 80% costs & 90% time with Nanonets automation.
FAQs
Who Uses Document Scanning Software?
Various individuals and organizations can use document scanning software for various purposes. Some examples of who might use document scanning software and how they might use it include:
- Students and educators use document scanning software to digitize their notes, assignments, or study guides. This allows them to share and access documents easily.
- Businesses and organizations have a lot of documents. They use document scanning platforms to convert their paper documents into digital files. Document scanning software can help them search, process and store digital documents easily.
- Medical professionals might use document scanning software to digitize medical documents. This can make it easier to access and share important information with patients. It can also help to ensure that important information is recovered and found.
- Government agencies often deal with large volumes of paper documents, such as tax forms, permits, or applications. Document scanning software can help them digitize documents to easily access, share, and store information. This can improve the efficiency of government processes.
Why Use Document Scanning Software?
Businesses lose over $20,000 annually due to inefficient document management. Document scanning platforms can simplify document management. Here are some of the potential benefits of using document scanning software include:
- Improved efficiency and productivity: Businesses reduce efforts for document management with document digitization. This can improve the efficiency of various business processes, such as data management and organization. It can also help free staff to focus on more critical tasks.
- Reduced storage costs: Storing paper documents can be costly, especially for large businesses. Document scanning software reduces reliance on physical storage space, which can save money on storage costs. It also makes it easier to access important information.
- Enhanced security and compliance: Digital documents are generally more secure than paper documents, as they can be password protected and backed up quickly. Document scanning software ensures essential information is stored securely. It also ensures compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
- Better collaboration and communication: Digital documents are easy to share and access. This improves collaboration and communication within a business. Document scanning software can easily share digitized files with colleagues, customers, or partners.
Overall, document scanning software can provide a range of benefits for businesses. From helping to save time and money, and improve efficiency, to enhancing security and compliance.
What is the best software for scanning documents?
In this article, we list top 5 document scanning software:
#1. Nanonets
#2. Laserfiche
#3. PaperScan
#4. Iris PowerScan
#5. Kofax Capture
Which is the best scanning software?
Nanonets is the best free scanning software for businesses looking to extract data from documents automatically.
Find the best automation tools for your organization:
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The blog was originally published on 8 December 2022 and was updated on 11 January 2023 with relevant, fresh content.
