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Scanned PDF OCR tools compared

Read the assessment, then compare prices, capabilities and constraints.

This topic covers 10 published scanned pdf ocr assessments: 8 support guest export without login or watermarks, 10 deliver watermark-free files, and 0 offer sourced commercial-use plans. All scores are bound to fixed benchmark fixtures and dated native exports.

Quick scenarios:
More requirements & budget

10 published assessments

Test scope & pricing dates
Pricing shows its own verification date and scope; tests retain their original dates. Vendor claims and test results are separate; paid specifications may be untested. About the scope →

Scan the candidates

Select 2–4 tools to compare. Pricing links jump to every recorded plan; scores cover seven aspects and assessments highlight key trade-offs; complete facts follow below.

ToolOverall score & assessmentTested exportKnown price & all plans

98/100 100% free and unlimited without login, converting our 2-page raster scan into a 567.5 KB searchable PDF in 6.24s with 100% recall across all 4 headings and 12 confusable invoice table cells.

Guest flow · 2026-10-25

PDF · Output attached

Ad-supported free · Free

The page states free access without limits; numeric page or file-size limits are not stated.

1 plan / period records ↓

95/100 Completes scanned PDF OCR without login in just 3.45s and auto-downloads an unwatermarked 2-page searchable PDF with 100% accuracy across all 12 confusable invoice table cells, clipping only the trailing word of the Page 2 white-on-navy banner (94.4% overall text recall).

Guest flow · 2026-10-25

PDF · Output attached

Basic · Free

Basic tools; limited documents, batching and file size, without numeric limits.

5 plan / period records ↓

95/100 Offers 3 free OCR tasks per hour (up to 10 pages) without login, converting our 2-page raster scan into a 651.9 KB searchable PDF in 7.50s with 100% recall across all 4 headings and 12 confusable table cells.

Guest flow · 2026-10-25

PDF · Output attached

Free · Free

No account required; documents up to 50 pages or 50 MB and up to 3 tasks per hour; files automatically deleted after 2 hours.

4 plan / period records ↓

94/100 Powered by Orpalis (GdPicture) enterprise OCR, converts our 2-page raster scan into a 661.1 KB searchable PDF in 3.73s without login at 100% text and table accuracy, though capped at 2 free actions with free-tier AI training terms.

Guest flow · 2026-10-25

PDF · Output attached

AvePDF Free · Free

Maximum 2 processing actions per 6 hours; max file size 128 MB, up to 10 files per processing across 50+ document tools

2 plan / period records ↓

91/100 Converts our 2-page raster scan into a 2-page searchable PDF without login with 100% recall across all 4 headings and 12 confusable invoice table cells, though re-rendering inflates file size to 3,037.5 KB and takes 29.38s end-to-end (10.32s server OCR).

Guest flow · 2026-10-25

PDF · Output attached

Free · Free

Up to 50 MB without registration; limited processing, no batching; exact count not listed.

8 plan / period records ↓

90/100 Powered by Apryse (PDFTron) cloud OCR with 1 free daily task without login, exporting a 687.6 KB 2-page searchable PDF in 5.00s; achieves 100% accuracy on body text and all 12 confusable invoice table cells, though binarization skips the two white-on-navy top banners (88.9% overall text recall).

Guest flow · 2026-10-25

PDF · Output attached

Web free allowance · Free

1 action/day with limited access to web tools.

9 plan / period records ↓

89/100 Unlocks free PDF OCR without login, completing server OCR in 10.41s to export a 689.4 KB 2-page searchable PDF via its PDFTron OCR engine; achieves 100% accuracy across all 12 confusable invoice table cells and body text while skipping the two white-on-navy top header banners (88.9% overall text recall).

Guest flow · 2026-10-25

PDF · Output attached

Free · Free

Daily downloads and file size are limited, without exact figures; PDF-to-Word OCR is a Pro feature.

7 plan / period records ↓

87/100 Offers 1 free OCR task per hour without login, recovering 100% of all 4 headings, 12 confusable invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token in 8.99s, but exports only a plain-text `.txt` file (1.6 KB) rather than a layout-preserving searchable `.pdf`.

Guest flow · 2026-10-25

TXT · Output attached

Free · Free

No account; page, hourly and file-size limits; no batching. Numeric limits are not listed.

4 plan / period records ↓

82/100 Requires a free account login to run basic OCR exporting a 2-page `.docx` (11.3 MB, 26.61s server wait) with 100% recall across all 4 headings and 12 confusable invoice table cells, while Searchable `.pdf` export is locked behind VIP.

Signed-in flow; paid tier not standardized · 2026-10-25

DOCX · Output attached

Free Plan · Free

Web only; max file size 10 MB, 1-year cloud storage for up to 5 files; downloading converted DOCX requires signing in to a free account

4 plan / period records ↓

77/100 Blocks unauthenticated downloads after OCR completes with a mandatory login gate; signing into a free account exports an 8.3 KB 2-page `.docx` (19.75s server wait, not a searchable PDF) with 100% accuracy across all 12 confusable invoice table cells and the Page 2 token (77.8% strict substring recall due to Word auto-numbering on headings).

Signed-in flow; paid tier not standardized · 2026-10-25

DOCX · Output attached

Web free account · Free

Convert and download DOCX after signing in to a free Wondershare account; numeric daily and file-size limits are not listed on the page (uploaded files deleted within 60 minutes)

1 plan / period records ↓

pdf24.org · Scanned PDF OCR

98/100
Seven-aspect task score

100% free and unlimited without login, converting our 2-page raster scan into a 567.5 KB searchable PDF in 6.24s with 100% recall across all 4 headings and 12 confusable invoice table cells.

Tested export PDF · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 100% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 100% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (15 BT / 241 TJ text operators) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Original historical observation

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (15 BT / 241 TJ text operators) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to turn image-only scanned PDFs into Ctrl+F searchable PDFs with selectable invoice IDs and financial table figures

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page searchable PDF (567.5 KB · 15 BT / 241 TJ · watermark-free)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 8.06s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 6.24s · End-to-end reference: 8.06s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

No login in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

No login in this test

Sign-in methods

No Login Required

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

No registration or email required, exposing multi-language OCR dictionaries, Force OCR, and Deskew toggles upfront; a single clearly labeled static Advertisement banner sits below the workspace without obstructing the Download button.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

Geek Software GmbH · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

Geek Software GmbH

Recorded origin

Berlin, Germany

Domain history record

2006–Present (20-year German document utility benchmark)

Background & reputation assessment

Developed and maintained by Geek Software GmbH in Berlin, Germany since 2006, widely trusted across enterprise and academic document workflows.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

Complies with German and EU GDPR standards, provides an instant "Erase" button on the result screen to wipe temporary server files, and offers the 100% offline PDF24 Creator desktop suite.

Retention statement

Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

PDF24 online PDF-to-Word · 2026-10-20

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Ad-supported free2026-10-20 ↗
Free
Free
Free The page states free access without limits; numeric page or file-size limits are not stated.

1 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

The tool page explicitly states free, ad-supported access without limits. Arbitrarily large files and complex scans were not verified; no new performance test was conducted.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

Cancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies.

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

100% Free & Unlimited (Includes Free Desktop App)

Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap

ilovepdf.com · Scanned PDF OCR

95/100
Seven-aspect task score

Completes scanned PDF OCR without login in just 3.45s and auto-downloads an unwatermarked 2-page searchable PDF with 100% accuracy across all 12 confusable invoice table cells, clipping only the trailing word of the Page 2 white-on-navy banner (94.4% overall text recall).

Tested export PDF · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 94.4% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 94.4% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (15 BT / 233 TJ text operators) with 12/12 invoice table cells and the Page 2 verification token intact; clipped the end of the Page 2 white-on-navy banner CONTINUATION -> CONTI I (94.4% text recall).

Original historical observation

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (15 BT / 233 TJ text operators) with 12/12 invoice table cells and the Page 2 verification token intact; clipped the end of the Page 2 white-on-navy banner CONTINUATION -> CONTI I (94.4% text recall).

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to turn image-only scanned PDFs into Ctrl+F searchable PDFs with selectable invoice IDs and financial table figures

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page searchable PDF (2473.6 KB · 15 BT / 233 TJ · watermark-free)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 4.36s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 3.45s · End-to-end reference: 4.36s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

No login in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

No login in this test

Sign-in methods

No Login Required

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Zero ad popups or email capture walls; clicking Apply OCR completes in 3.45s and automatically triggers the output download.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

iLovePDF (ilovepdf.com) · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

iLovePDF (ilovepdf.com)

Recorded origin

Barcelona, Spain

Domain history record

2010–Present (16-year global PDF utility leader)

Background & reputation assessment

Operated in Barcelona, Spain by iLovePDF SL since 2010 with ISO/IEC 27001 information security certification.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Claims deletion within 2 hours; deletion not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

End-to-end HTTPS transport with automatic 2-hour server file purge and an instant manual delete button on the completion screen.

Retention statement

Claims deletion within 2 hours; deletion not independently verified

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

iLovePDF USD single-seat web plans; 25+ users quoted · 2026-10-20

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Free
Free
Free Basic tools; limited documents, batching and file size, without numeric limits.
USD 9/month
USD 60/year
Monthly Single seat; unlimited document processing across web, mobile and desktop, with batching; 2,000 AI credits are not a conversion count.
Annual Single-seat annual bill USD 60; same capabilities as monthly.
Contact sales
Quoted
Quoted 25+ users, contact sales; custom contracts and SSO.
Education eligibility plan2026-10-20 ↗
—
USD 0/year
Annual Students and academics can apply for one free year of Premium, subject to eligibility.

5 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

Monthly and annual controls confirm USD 9/month and USD 60/year. Free processing is limited without exact figures; education and seat discounts require eligibility checks.

Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

Upgrade, downgrade or cancel in account settings. The page says prices include applicable VAT, with regional invoice treatment. Refund terms were not separately verified.

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

Free Single-File OCR + Premium Subscription ($5/mo)

Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap

sejda.com · Scanned PDF OCR

95/100
Seven-aspect task score

Offers 3 free OCR tasks per hour (up to 10 pages) without login, converting our 2-page raster scan into a 651.9 KB searchable PDF in 7.50s with 100% recall across all 4 headings and 12 confusable table cells.

Tested export PDF · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 100% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 100% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (40 BT / 265 TJ text operators) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Original historical observation

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (40 BT / 265 TJ text operators) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to turn image-only scanned PDFs into Ctrl+F searchable PDFs with selectable invoice IDs and financial table figures

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page searchable PDF (651.9 KB · 40 BT / 265 TJ · watermark-free)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 10.6s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 7.5s · End-to-end reference: 10.6s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

No login in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

No login in this test

Sign-in methods

No Login Required

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Zero ad popups or registration dark patterns; clearly presents output format (Searchable PDF / Text) and language selectors before processing, followed by a direct Download button.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

Sejda BV (Amsterdam PDF Utility Vendor) · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

Sejda BV (Amsterdam PDF Utility Vendor)

Recorded origin

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Domain history record

2016–Present

Background & reputation assessment

Developed and operated in Amsterdam, Netherlands by Sejda BV since 2010 (founded by the open-source PDFsam team), maintaining a strong reputation among technical and office users.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Claims deletion within 2 hours; deletion not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

EU GDPR-compliant architecture that automatically purges uploaded files after 2 hours and provides an immediate delete action on the result screen.

Retention statement

Claims deletion within 2 hours; deletion not independently verified

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

Sejda personal web and desktop plans (Free / Web Week Pass / Web Monthly / Desktop+Web Annual); USD · 2026-10-21

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Free
Free
Free No account required; documents up to 50 pages or 50 MB and up to 3 tasks per hour; files automatically deleted after 2 hours.
Web Week Pass2026-10-21 ↗
USD 5 · one-time payment
Usage / one-time
Usage / one-time One-time payment of USD 5 for 7 days of Sejda Web access (unlimited documents, no page or hourly limits, up to 500 MB per file; excludes Sejda Desktop).

One-time payment; does not auto-renew

Web Monthly2026-10-21 ↗
USD 7.5/month
—
Monthly Sejda Web monthly subscription (unlimited documents, no page or hourly limits, batch multi-file processing; excludes Sejda Desktop).

Recurring monthly billing; cancel anytime

Desktop+Web Annual2026-10-21 ↗
—
USD 63/year
Annual Billed annually at USD 63/year (save 30% over monthly), including 1 year of unlimited access to both Sejda Web and Sejda Desktop.

Recurring annual billing; cancel anytime

4 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

The converter page states the free allowance (documents up to 50 pages or 50 MB, 3 tasks per hour, files deleted after 2 hours); the official pricing page (/upgrade) lists the 7-day Web Week Pass (USD 5 one-time payment), Web Monthly (USD 7.50/month), and Desktop+Web Annual (USD 63/year).

Cancellation, sources & verification record

Web Week Pass is a one-time 7-day payment with no auto-renewal; monthly and annual plans use recurring billing and can be cancelled anytime.

Sejda official pricing and upgrade page ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

3 Free Tasks/Hour (≤10 Pages) + Web Pro Subscription

Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap

avepdf.com · Scanned PDF OCR

94/100
Seven-aspect task score

Powered by Orpalis (GdPicture) enterprise OCR, converts our 2-page raster scan into a 661.1 KB searchable PDF in 3.73s without login at 100% text and table accuracy, though capped at 2 free actions with free-tier AI training terms.

Tested export PDF · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 100% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 100% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (240 BT / 240 TJ text operators) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 confusable invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Original historical observation

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (240 BT / 240 TJ text operators) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 confusable invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to turn image-only scanned PDFs into Ctrl+F searchable PDFs with selectable invoice IDs and financial table figures

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page searchable PDF (661.1 KB · 240 BT / 240 TJ · watermark-free)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 4.45s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 3.73s · End-to-end reference: 4.45s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

No login in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

No login in this test

Sign-in methods

No Login Required

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Clean ad-free workspace with direct OCR language selection and a straightforward one-click Download button.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

Orpalis / Nutrient (GdPicture SDK) Web Tool · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

Orpalis / Nutrient (GdPicture SDK) Web Tool

Recorded origin

Jurisdiction not publicly specified

Domain history record

Publicly operating online service

Background & reputation assessment

Built by French enterprise document-imaging vendor Orpalis (creator of GdPicture.NET / DocuVieware, now part of Nutrient), delivering enterprise-grade OCR accuracy.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Claims deletion within 30 minutes; deletion not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

Supports manual file deletion and 30-minute auto-purge, though privacy terms state free-tier data may be used to train AI models (paid tiers opted out).

Retention statement

Claims deletion within 30 minutes; deletion not independently verified

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

AvePDF web Free and Annual Premium plans · 2026-10-21

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
AvePDF Free2026-10-21 ↗
Free
Free
Free Maximum 2 processing actions per 6 hours; max file size 128 MB, up to 10 files per processing across 50+ document tools
AvePDF Premium2026-10-21 ↗
—
USD 55/year
Annual Single-user annual payment of USD 55; unlimited document processing with no hourly limit, max file size 512 MB, up to 100 files per action, no ads and technical support

Billed annually as a single USD 55 payment; cancel anytime with a 30-day money-back guarantee

2 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

The official pricing page offers a Free tier (2 actions per 6 hours, 128 MB file limit) and an annual AvePDF Premium tier billed once at USD 55/year, with no standalone monthly plan.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

Cancel anytime; the official pricing page states a 30-day money-back guarantee.

AvePDF official pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

Free 2 Tasks / Window + Orpalis Premium Subscription

Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap

pdf2go.com · Scanned PDF OCR

91/100
Seven-aspect task score

Converts our 2-page raster scan into a 2-page searchable PDF without login with 100% recall across all 4 headings and 12 confusable invoice table cells, though re-rendering inflates file size to 3,037.5 KB and takes 29.38s end-to-end (10.32s server OCR).

Tested export PDF · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 100% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 100% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (16 BT / 241 TJ text operators) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Original historical observation

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (16 BT / 241 TJ text operators) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to turn image-only scanned PDFs into Ctrl+F searchable PDFs with selectable invoice IDs and financial table figures

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page searchable PDF (3037.5 KB · 16 BT / 241 TJ · watermark-free)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 29.38s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 10.32s · End-to-end reference: 29.38s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

No login in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

No login in this test

Sign-in methods

No Login Required

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Provides multi-language OCR dictionary selection and automatic Deskew options, offering a direct login-free Download button on the result page alongside a Pro upgrade card.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

QaamGo Web GmbH (pdf2go.com) · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

QaamGo Web GmbH (pdf2go.com)

Recorded origin

Radolfzell, Germany

Domain history record

2016–Present (10-year German online PDF platform)

Background & reputation assessment

Operated in Radolfzell, Germany by QaamGo Web GmbH (parent company of Img2Go and Online-Convert) under EU data compliance standards.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Claims deletion within 24 hours; deletion not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

End-to-end HTTPS transport with 24-hour automatic file deletion and an instant manual delete button on the result page.

Retention statement

Claims deletion within 24 hours; deletion not independently verified

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

PDF2Go USD single-user plans and education eligibility plan · 2026-10-20

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Free
Free
Free Up to 50 MB without registration; limited processing, no batching; exact count not listed.
USD 8/month
USD 77/year
Monthly 64 GB files, batching, priority queue; 1× AI allowance
Annual 64 GB files, batching, priority queue; 1× AI allowance
USD 29/month
USD 278/year
Monthly 64 GB files, batching, higher priority; 5× AI allowance
Annual 64 GB files, batching, higher priority; 5× AI allowance
USD 89/month
USD 854/year
Monthly Per-person price; custom limits and centralized billing; 20× AI allowance
Annual Per-person price; custom limits and centralized billing; 20× AI allowance
Education eligibility plan2026-10-20 ↗
Free
Free
Free School-email verification; non-commercial educational use only, renewable while eligible.

8 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

The annual view explicitly shows full-year USD 77/278/854; old monthly equivalents are not extrapolated. Paid plans use shared credits without full PDF credit rules here, so no file-count conversion is made.

Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

The page states cancel anytime and a 14-day money-back guarantee; eligibility is subject to official refund terms.

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

Free Daily Credits + QaamGo Pro Subscription ($6.50/mo)

Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap

xodo.com · Scanned PDF OCR

90/100
Seven-aspect task score

Powered by Apryse (PDFTron) cloud OCR with 1 free daily task without login, exporting a 687.6 KB 2-page searchable PDF in 5.00s; achieves 100% accuracy on body text and all 12 confusable invoice table cells, though binarization skips the two white-on-navy top banners (88.9% overall text recall).

Tested export PDF · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 88.9% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 88.9% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (456 BT / 456 TJ text operators) with 12/12 invoice table cells, 2/2 body phrases, and the Page 2 verification token intact, skipping only the 2 dark-background white-text header banners (88.9% text recall).

Original historical observation

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (456 BT / 456 TJ text operators) with 12/12 invoice table cells, 2/2 body phrases, and the Page 2 verification token intact, skipping only the 2 dark-background white-text header banners (88.9% text recall).

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to turn image-only scanned PDFs into Ctrl+F searchable PDFs with selectable invoice IDs and financial table figures

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page searchable PDF (687.6 KB · 456 BT / 456 TJ · watermark-free)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 8.72s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 5s · End-to-end reference: 8.72s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

No login in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

No login in this test

Sign-in methods

No Login Required (1 Free Daily Task)

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Clean professional workspace supporting .pdf or .txt output format and language selection with zero third-party ad popups.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

Apryse Software Corp. (formerly PDFTron Systems Inc.) · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

Apryse Software Corp. (formerly PDFTron Systems Inc.)

Recorded origin

Vancouver, Canada / Denver, USA

Domain history record

Xodo launched in 2014 (parent company PDFTron founded in 1998)

Background & reputation assessment

Developed and operated in Vancouver, Canada by enterprise PDF SDK leader Apryse (formerly PDFTron Systems Inc.), powered by the commercial Apryse OCR module.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

Uses encrypted AWS S3 direct upload and stateless `/production/ocr` processing endpoints with automatic temporary file purge.

Retention statement

Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

Xodo USD individual web and cross-platform suite; desktop alternative identified · 2026-10-20

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Web free allowance2026-10-20 ↗
Free
Free
Free 1 action/day with limited access to web tools.
USD 10.99/month
USD 95.88/year
Monthly 40+ web tools and unlimited document downloads Rules [1]
Annual 40+ web tools and unlimited document downloads Rules [1]
Xodo Document Suite2026-10-20 ↗
USD 24.99/month
USD 107.93/year
Monthly Web, desktop and mobile bundle with unlimited web use Rules [1]
Annual Web, desktop and mobile bundle with unlimited web use Rules [1]
Xodo Desktop · PDF Studio2026-10-20 ↗
USD 19.99/month
USD 119.88/year
Monthly Desktop alternative, not web access Rules [1]
Annual Desktop alternative, not web access Rules [1]
Web / suite trial2026-10-20 ↗
Free trial
Trial
Trial 3 days; valid payment method required, cancellable during the trial.
Custom team plan2026-10-20 ↗
Contact sales
Quoted
Quoted Price varies by app bundle, seats and billing cycle; not all combinations verified.

9 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

[1] Annual plans charge the full year upfront; see verification notes for suite promotional eligibility

Monthly and annual bills confirmed. Document Suite USD 107.93/year is a new-annual-subscription promotion through 2026-12-31, retained while the annual subscription stays active. Team seat combinations and desktop perpetual licences were not exhaustively checked.

Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

Monthly subscriptions can be cancelled anytime; trials require a valid payment method. Refund terms were not fully verified.

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

1 Free Task/Day + Xodo Pro Subscription ($12/mo)

Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap

smallpdf.com · Scanned PDF OCR

89/100
Seven-aspect task score

Unlocks free PDF OCR without login, completing server OCR in 10.41s to export a 689.4 KB 2-page searchable PDF via its PDFTron OCR engine; achieves 100% accuracy across all 12 confusable invoice table cells and body text while skipping the two white-on-navy top header banners (88.9% overall text recall).

Tested export PDF · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 88.9% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 88.9% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (456 BT / 456 TJ text operators) with 12/12 invoice table cells, 2/2 body phrases, and the Page 2 verification token intact, skipping only the 2 dark-background white-text header banners (88.9% text recall).

Original historical observation

Generated a 2-page searchable PDF (456 BT / 456 TJ text operators) with 12/12 invoice table cells, 2/2 body phrases, and the Page 2 verification token intact, skipping only the 2 dark-background white-text header banners (88.9% text recall).

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to turn image-only scanned PDFs into Ctrl+F searchable PDFs with selectable invoice IDs and financial table figures

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

PDF · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page searchable PDF (689.4 KB · 456 BT / 456 TJ · watermark-free)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 13.07s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 10.41s · End-to-end reference: 13.07s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

No login in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

No login in this test

Sign-in methods

No Login Required

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Automatically runs cloud OCR upon upload and presents an interactive 2-page selectable text preview with a clear Download button and zero ad popups.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

Smallpdf AG · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

Smallpdf AG

Recorded origin

Zurich, Switzerland

Domain history record

2013–Present

Background & reputation assessment

Operated in Zurich, Switzerland by Smallpdf AG since 2013 with ISO/IEC 27001 certification and GDPR compliance.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

End-to-end TLS encryption with automatic 1-hour server file purge.

Retention statement

Claims deletion within 1 hours; deletion not independently verified

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

Smallpdf USD web individual and team plans; default 2-seat team bill · 2026-10-20

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Free
Free
Free Daily downloads and file size are limited, without exact figures; PDF-to-Word OCR is a Pro feature.
USD 15/month
USD 120/year
Monthly 1 user; unlimited document downloads; OCR and text editing.
Annual 1 user; actual annual bill USD 120; unlimited downloads with OCR.
Team · 2 seats2026-10-20 ↗
USD 24/month
USD 192/year
Monthly 2-seat total; USD 12/seat/month; supports 2–19 seats.
Annual 2-seat annual total USD 192; shown equivalent USD 8/seat/month; supports 2–19 seats.
Contact sales
Quoted
Quoted 20+ users, contact sales; centralized management.
Free trial
Trial
Trial 7-day trial; verify billing conditions before starting.

7 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

Current USD web prices show actual annual bills. Team entries use the default 2-seat total and identify the per-seat rate. The free daily allowance is not quantified.

Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

FAQ says the trial can be cancelled without charge, reverting to Free at the end of 7 days. Paid refund details were not verified.

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

Free Daily Task Quota + Smallpdf Pro ($12/mo)

Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap

pdfcandy.com · Scanned PDF OCR

87/100
Seven-aspect task score

Offers 1 free OCR task per hour without login, recovering 100% of all 4 headings, 12 confusable invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token in 8.99s, but exports only a plain-text `.txt` file (1.6 KB) rather than a layout-preserving searchable `.pdf`.

Tested export TXT · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Guest flow · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 100% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 100% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Exported a 1.6 KB UTF-8 plain-text `.txt` file (not a searchable PDF) with 100% recall across all 4 headings, 12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Original historical observation

Exported a 1.6 KB UTF-8 plain-text `.txt` file (not a searchable PDF) with 100% recall across all 4 headings, 12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to extract scanned PDFs into editable .txt text with 100% financial table number accuracy

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

TXT · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

TXT · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page UTF-8 plain text .txt (1.6 KB · not searchable PDF)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 13.13s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 8.99s · End-to-end reference: 13.13s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

No login in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

No login in this test

Sign-in methods

No Login Required

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Clean ad-free interface with multi-language OCR selection and a direct "Download file" button upon completion.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

Icecream Apps Ltd. (PDF Candy) · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

Icecream Apps Ltd. (PDF Candy)

Recorded origin

Cyprus (European software team)

Domain history record

2016–Present (10-year PDF utility suite)

Background & reputation assessment

Developed and operated by Icecream Apps Ltd (Cyprus) since 2016 alongside its desktop and web document utility suite.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Claims deletion within 2 hours; deletion not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

End-to-end HTTPS transport with 2-hour automatic file purge and a manual delete button on the result screen.

Retention statement

Claims deletion within 2 hours; deletion not independently verified

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

PDF Candy USD web and desktop + web bundles · 2026-10-21

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Free
Free
Free No account; page, hourly and file-size limits; no batching. Numeric limits are not listed.
Web Monthly2026-10-20 ↗
USD 6/month
—
Monthly Monthly web-tool subscription; up to 500 MB/task, no hourly limits, and high-priority processing.
Desktop + Web Yearly2026-10-20 ↗
—
USD 48/year
Annual Billed annually at USD 48.00/year (displayed as USD 4/month equivalent); includes 500 MB/task, no hourly limits, web and desktop access, plus Video Candy and Image Candy web.

Billed annually via Paddle at US$48.00/year (applicable taxes calculated at checkout)

Desktop + Web Lifetime2026-10-20 ↗
USD 99 · one-time payment
Usage / one-time
Usage / one-time One payment; desktop perpetual licence is limited to the current major version, including minor updates.

4 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

Confirmed USD 6 monthly, USD 48 yearly (card displays promotional USD 4/month equivalent; verified at USD 48.00/year in the Paddle checkout modal after login on 2026-10-21), and USD 99 one-time. Lifetime covers the licensed version and minor updates, not future major upgrades.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

The page mentions 30-day refunds but also conditions them on recurring unresolved errors; eligibility follows the refund policy. Cancellation retains access through the paid period.

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Official feature and pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗

Logged-in pricing page and Paddle checkout annual bill verification ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

1 Free Task/Hour + Pro Subscription ($6/mo)

Options disclosed upfront with no post-OCR paywall trap

lightpdf.com · Scanned PDF OCR

82/100
Seven-aspect task score

Requires a free account login to run basic OCR exporting a 2-page `.docx` (11.3 MB, 26.61s server wait) with 100% recall across all 4 headings and 12 confusable invoice table cells, while Searchable `.pdf` export is locked behind VIP.

Tested export DOCX · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Signed-in flow; paid tier not standardized · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 100% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 100% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Exported a 2-page `.docx` document (11,307.6 KB, not a searchable PDF) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Original historical observation

Exported a 2-page `.docx` document (11,307.6 KB, not a searchable PDF) with 100% recall across 4/4 headings, 12/12 invoice table cells, and the Page 2 verification token.

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to extract scanned PDFs into editable .docx text with 100% financial table number accuracy

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

DOCX · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

DOCX · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page editable Word .docx (11307.6 KB · not searchable PDF)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 29.77s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 26.61s · End-to-end reference: 29.77s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

Login required in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

Account required in this test

Sign-in methods

Free Account Login Required

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Free tier defaults to Standard OCR -> Word (`.docx`), while selecting "Searchable PDF" format triggers a VIP upgrade modal.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

AI Document Tool Suite (Wangxu Tech / Apowersoft) · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

AI Document Tool Suite (Wangxu Tech / Apowersoft)

Recorded origin

Jurisdiction not publicly specified

Domain history record

Publicly operating online service

Background & reputation assessment

Developed and operated by Hong Kong-based Wangxu Technology (Apowersoft), offering web and desktop PDF utilities.

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

Processes files via Alibaba Cloud Hong Kong OSS (`oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com`) and `gw.aoscdn.com` async task queues tied to a user account.

Retention statement

Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

LightPDF Individual Free, Monthly, Annual and Perpetual plans; Team & Business and Education tabs priced separately · 2026-10-21

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Free
Free
Free Web only; max file size 10 MB, 1-year cloud storage for up to 5 files; downloading converted DOCX requires signing in to a free account
Monthly Plan2026-10-21 ↗
USD 19.99/month
—
Monthly 1-month full access to all PDF tools across Web, Mobile and Desktop, unlimited file size, plus 1,000 AI credits/month

Promotional price USD 19.99/month (strikethrough USD 29.99), billed monthly, cancel anytime;Unused AI credits expire monthly

Annual Plan2026-10-21 ↗
—
USD 49.99/year
Annual 1-year full access to all PDF tools across 5 platforms (1 active device at a time), unlimited file size, plus 1,000 AI credits/month

3-day free trial then USD 49.99/year (strikethrough USD 89.99; skipping trial saves USD 5);1,000 AI credits per month expire monthly

Perpetual Plan (Lifetime)2026-10-21 ↗
USD 109.99 · one-time payment
Usage / one-time
Usage / one-time One-time payment for lifetime access to all PDF tools across 5 platforms, unlimited file size, plus 40,000 AI credits

40,000 AI credits granted instantly and valid until used

4 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

Individual pricing lists Free, Monthly USD 19.99, Annual USD 49.99 (with 3-day trial or $5 skip-trial discount), and Perpetual USD 109.99; per-feature AI credit deductions require hover tooltips and enterprise plans require custom quotes.

Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

Cancel recurring subscriptions via support ticket or payment platform email link; money-back guarantee is 30 days for Perpetual, 7 days for Annual, and 3 days for Monthly.

LightPDF official Individual pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

Mandatory Login + Free DOCX/TXT Export (Searchable PDF Requires VIP)

Prompts for free account login before or upon download

hipdf.com · Scanned PDF OCR

77/100
Seven-aspect task score

Blocks unauthenticated downloads after OCR completes with a mandatory login gate; signing into a free account exports an 8.3 KB 2-page `.docx` (19.75s server wait, not a searchable PDF) with 100% accuracy across all 12 confusable invoice table cells and the Page 2 token (77.8% strict substring recall due to Word auto-numbering on headings).

Tested export DOCX · Output attached

Historical test · 2026-10-25
Signed-in flow; paid tier not standardized · 2-page raster scanned PDF (0 embedded text, 644.4 KB) · Output attached

Seven-aspect rationale →

Task quality

OCR text recall 77.8% · Table cell accuracy 100% · Page 2 preserved Yes

Detailed facts & historical record
Measured fixture results

OCR text recall: 77.8% · Table cell accuracy: 100% · Page 2 preserved: Yes

Fixture findings

Exported an 8.3 KB 2-page `.docx` document (not a searchable PDF) with 100% accuracy across 12/12 confusable invoice table cells, 2/2 body phrases, and the Page 2 token; section prefixes `1.` / `2.` were converted to Word `<w:numPr>` auto-lists and `V1.0` became `VI .0` (77.8% strict substring match).

Original historical observation

Exported an 8.3 KB 2-page `.docx` document (not a searchable PDF) with 100% accuracy across 12/12 confusable invoice table cells, 2/2 body phrases, and the Page 2 token; section prefixes `1.` / `2.` were converted to Word `<w:numPr>` auto-lists and `V1.0` became `VI .0` (77.8% strict substring match).

Suitable uses · historical assessment

Users needing to extract scanned PDFs into editable .docx text with 100% financial table number accuracy

Result & output evidence

Open native output

Open result screenshotOpen result screenshot ↗

Full test record →

Evidence & scope →

Delivery capabilities

DOCX · Output attached · No watermark in test

Detailed facts & historical record
Recorded export specifications

DOCX · Output attached · No watermark in test

Historical specification note · not an official maximum

Full 2-page editable Word .docx (8.3 KB · not searchable PDF)

Watermark observation

Watermark-free

Batch & API

Single-file OCR on free tier; batch processing per plan quota

Recorded free-tier dimensions

Not verified

Attached file dimensions

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Speed & reliability

About 28.14s end to end in this run; reliability not retested

Detailed facts & historical record
Timing observation

Network-observed server wait: 19.75s · End-to-end reference: 28.14s

Date & fixture

2026-10-25 · anchor_pdfocr_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914)

Repeated tests & reliability

No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded.

Evidence & scope →

Interaction experience

Login required in this run

Detailed facts & historical record
Account requirements

Account required in this test

Sign-in methods

Mandatory Wondershare Account Login at Download Step

Manual adjustment

Not verified

Interaction observations

Uses a post-OCR login wall at the final Download step after guests wait through upload and recognition, and only exports `.docx` / `.xlsx` / `.pptx` / `.txt` rather than an overlaid searchable `.pdf`.

Evidence & scope →

Background & reputation

Wondershare Online PDF Suite · Long-term reputation not independently verified

Detailed facts & historical record
Service lifecycle notice

Not verified

Operator

Wondershare Online PDF Suite

Recorded origin

Jurisdiction not publicly specified

Domain history record

Publicly operating online service

Background & reputation assessment

Developed and operated by Wondershare Technology (creator of PDFelement).

External reputation record

Not verified

Evidence & scope →

Engineering & privacy

Uploaded for cloud processing;Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record

Detailed facts & historical record
Processing location

Uploaded for cloud processing

Third-party tracking record

No third-party services listed in this record; this is not proof that none exist.

Engineering & privacy assessment

Processes files via `eus-storage.pdfelement.io` and `web-api.hipdf.com` async queues, requiring a Wondershare account and `pdf-equity` quota deduction to download.

Retention statement

Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record

Evidence & scope →

Pricing & rules

HiPDF web online PDF to Word tool (former /pricing page now returns 404) · 2026-10-21

Plan · source date
Monthly / one-time
Annual bill / period
Quota & limits
Web free account2026-10-21 ↗
Free
Free
Free Convert and download DOCX after signing in to a free Wondershare account; numeric daily and file-size limits are not listed on the page (uploaded files deleted within 60 minutes)

1 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded.

The official tool page advertises free online conversion while /pricing returns 404 and header buttons promote desktop PDFelement; downloading the converted DOCX requires signing in to a free Wondershare account, and numeric daily or file-size limits are not published on the page.

Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred.

Cancellation, sources & verification record

Cancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies.

HiPDF official PDF to Word tool page ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗

Allowance & disclosure on test date

Post-OCR Mandatory Login Gate + Wondershare Pro Subscription

Prompts for free account login before or upon download

Scanned PDF OCR selection FAQ

Which scanned pdf ocr tools work without login or watermarks?

Out of 10 assessed tools, 8 exported watermark-free files without requiring an account on their test dates, led by PDF24 Tools (98/100, 2026-10-25), iLovePDF (95/100, 2026-10-25), sejda.com (95/100, 2026-10-25). Use the "Quick guest use" preset above to filter all 8 options.

Which scanned pdf ocr tool scored highest on task quality and overall performance?

By overall task score, PDF24 Tools ranks first (98/100, tested 2026-10-25); by task quality score alone, PDF24 Tools leads (65/100), while iLovePDF recorded the fastest server wait (3.45s).

How should I choose between one-off guest use and commercial plans for scanned pdf ocr?

For a one-off file, start with the 8 guest watermark-free tools or pay-as-you-go credit packs to avoid recurring subscriptions. For team or client work, use the "Verified commercial plan" preset to inspect the 0 tools with sourced commercial rights.

What do these results cover?

Historical records cover specific fixtures and test paths. Reports show samples, dates, native files and limitations.

How are tools evaluated?

Evaluation covers quality, exports, speed, pricing, interaction, background and privacy. Scores and reasons are available in each report.

Benchmark evidence preview

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