Alternatives to gImageReader
Recognize text from scans and PDFs through a desktop interface. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
gImageReader
Recognize text from scans and PDFs through a desktop interface.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as gImageReader.
OCRmyPDF
Adds a searchable text layer to a scanned PDF without disturbing the page images, producing a PDF/A you can search and copy from.
OCRmyPDF adds a searchable text layer to scanned PDFs locally on Windows, macOS and Linux, but it is command line only with no graphical area selection.
Pot
Cross-platform translation and OCR tool triggered by selecting text.
Pot is a free GPL-3.0 tool with hotkey screenshot OCR and translation on Windows, macOS and Linux, but most engines need your own API keys.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Paperless-ngx
Turns scanned paper into a searchable archive: OCR, automatic tagging, full-text search and a web interface you host yourself.
Mayan EDMS
Mature open-source document management system with workflows.
Teedy
Lightweight self-hosted document management server.
OpenKM Community
Open-source document management with workflows, OCR and search.
PDFgear
A free PDF reader, editor and converter for desktop and mobile, with online tools and an AI assistant.
PDFelement
A commercial PDF editor for creating, converting, editing, annotating, protecting and signing PDF files.
