PaperScan review
A Windows scanner app with a free edition, broad exports, and paid OCR capabilities.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
PaperScan is Windows software for individuals, schools, and organizations that need to acquire, process, annotate, and export scanned documents. It connects to TWAIN and WIA scanners, supports flatbed and document feeder hardware, imports images and PDFs, and handles duplex and batch scanning. Its feature set suits users who want more control than a basic scanner utility, particularly when document output needs to extend beyond standard PDF files.
The freemium structure gives users a $0 Free Edition with TWAIN and WIA scanning/import, flatbed and document feeder support, duplex scanning, and PDF/A output. The Home Edition costs $79 one-time and adds unlimited batch TWAIN and WIA scanning/import. Professional Edition costs $149 one-time for a single license and adds OCR, annotations, advanced compression, PDF-OCR export, and SharePoint output. A Professional site license costs $599 one-time and includes site licensing for teams. A 30-day free trial is also available.
PaperScan’s main advantage is breadth across document handling and export. It supports separator sheets, image correction and enhancement, automatic blank-page removal, PDF encryption, Fast Web View, and annotations such as highlights, shapes, text, and sticky notes. Export options include PDF, PDF/A, PDF/UA, TIFF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, PNG, JBIG2, WEBP, DOCX, DOC, XLSX, PPTX, TXT, RTF, ODT, SVG, HTML, MHTML, DXF, MSG, EML, BMP, GIF, and HEIF/HEIC. SharePoint Online, SharePoint on-premises, and Microsoft Outlook integrations help it fit Microsoft-oriented workflows. Choose PaperScan for Windows-based scanning with varied export needs; choose an alternative if you need another operating system or OCR in the lower-priced edition.
Questions about PaperScan
Does PaperScan have a free plan? Yes: the Free Edition plan is free.
Is there a free trial of PaperScan? Yes: a 30-day free trial; no card is needed.
What does PaperScan run on? Windows. It runs as a desktop app.
What does PaperScan integrate with? 3 integrations: SharePoint Online, SharePoint on-premises and Microsoft Outlook.
Who is PaperScan built for? Solo users, small businesses and mid-market companies (our editorial estimate).
PaperScan pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free edition includes duplex scanning and PDF/A output
- Supports batch scanning, OCR, image correction, and blank-page removal
- Exports to formats including PDF, DOCX, TIFF, and text
- Where it doesn't
- Available only for Windows
- OCR is limited to the Professional Edition
- Professional pricing rises to $599 for a site license
PaperScan fact sheet, pricing and score →
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