Overview
As the name indicates, this is an online conversion software that does just about the same thing that every other converting apps do. However, the key characteristic about this is it is online-based. Before moving on, OCR means optical character recognition, so it means that this software can recognize written text and characters from a scanned surface.
The idea of online apps have always been an appeal to me because of the ease of access anytime and anywhere and on different platforms (PC, Web, Mobile etc.). But having a PDF conversion app is quite a thing, that’s why I list it in the best PDF to word converters.
The good thing about the Free Online OCR here is that based on my test, it came out as one of the most efficient among the list of online OCR software we have today.
Without bothering you with much of this, let’s get to meet the software Free Online OCR and see what it has to offer.
Ranks in Categories
Free Download
Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Download Link |
---|---|---|---|
Free Online OCR | Windows 7/8/10 | $99.95 | Free Download |
TalkHelper PDF Converter | Windows 7/8/10 | $29.95 | Free Download |
Free Online OCR: A Review
The first thing that jumped at me on the screen was the 15MB limitation for the files that can be uploaded to the app. This is for the free version though, but 15MB may be relatively small for the file size to be uploaded per time. This means that it will take you multiple uploads to convert a handful of files.
So first off, when I got the Free Online OCR, I quickly checked the interface as is usual for me.
From first glance, this app has a very simple and direct interface that made it very easy to use. The interface contains a rectangular bar with sectional tabs for
- Uploading the file.
- Selecting the desired output language.
- Press the conversion button.
Having passed the first test of simplicity, I tried to work on the output from this software.
It is important to note that as an OCR, the quality of the file inputted can largely impact the result that will be seen. Given this case. I decided to use a high rez camera smartphone to take a shot of some text and feed it into the app and see the result.
When I uploaded the picture of the files (4MB in size), it took a little over 30 seconds to upload from 0 – 100%. That was the first lag I noticed. Then I clicked the “convert” button. The actual conversion also took almost 57 seconds to get done. This may be the result of internet speed, but I don’t want to conclude that just yet.
As per the result of the conversion, it came out quite well. Every other details in the document converted were fine except for a few dots and ellipses that were in the opening paragraph of the document.
Further to this, you can download the output file in Word format. This makes it easier for one to edit the file or modify it in any way deemed fit.
Moving on from the output result, another thing that caught my fancy was the multiple languages. This software has the ability to output conversions into over 27 languages that cuts across 3 continents!
This is massive! However, there was a little setback when I tried to translate the same English texted content to Traditional Chinese. It all came out in a combination of English language and some gibberish.
Another thing about this app is that when using the unregistered version, there is a file size limit that can be uploaded per time. However, when you register, you have more liberty of size to be uploaded.
You can get as much as 100MB size of fie to be uploaded at a time when you register to use the app and this does not cost you anything. Just to enter a few personal details and you are good to go.
Conclusion
On a general note, beside the fact that the mobile version of the web-based app is not designed to fit mobile screen and you need to scroll left to right to see the full screen, I like the sleek and smooth process of the Free Online OCR converter. It is a good tool that can truly be said to be with you everywhere you go.