udoc
udoc: A free, self-hosted toolkit for extracting native PDF content into structured output. Ranked #33 of 60 in PDF Data Extraction Software by our editors (6.1/10); pricing: Free plan; best for developers extracting native text and heuristic tables.
At a glance
- Editor score6.1 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forDevelopers extracting native text and heuristic tables
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Scanned-PDF OCRNo
- Facts checked23 Oct 2026
Where it wins
- Extracts PDF text, metadata, images, and reading order
- Detects tables with heuristics and renders pages to PNG
- Offers CLI, Python bindings, Rust API, and JSON or JSONL output
Where it doesn't
- OCR depends on an external hook rather than built-in support
- Scanned PDFs yield no extracted text without OCR
- Heuristic table detection may not suit every document layout
Our verdict on udoc
udoc is a free, open-source document extraction toolkit for developers who want to process PDFs and other document formats through a command-line interface, Python bindings, or a Rust API. It is designed for local, self-hosted use, with document data available as JSON or streaming JSONL. Its focus is extraction and structured output rather than a managed interface, so it fits technical workflows better than teams seeking a ready-made visual application.
For PDFs, udoc extracts text, metadata, and images, reconstructs reading order, and detects tables using heuristics. It can render pages to PNG and process a document page by page, which gives developers options for handling long documents or consuming results incrementally. Encrypted PDFs are supported when supplied with a password. The project is dual-licensed under MIT and Apache-2.0. These capabilities make it useful where native PDF content needs to feed downstream code; table detection is heuristic, so documents with irregular layouts may require review or additional processing.
OCR is available only through optional external hooks, not as a built-in capability. Scanned PDFs without a configured OCR hook yield no extracted text, making that an important constraint for archives dominated by scans. The free, self-hosted approach suits developers who can integrate extraction into their own workflows and configure external components when needed. Teams looking for built-in OCR or a polished, integrated extraction service should consider another tool; udoc is a better fit when control over local processing and developer-facing APIs matter more.
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udoc pricing
udoc fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Scanned-PDF OCR | No |
| Table extraction | Yes |
| Form and field extraction | Not verified |
| API access | Yes |
| Max pages per file | Not verified |
| Deployment | Self_hosted |
| Batch processing | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | newelh.github.io |
| Facts checked | 23 Oct 2026 |
Alternatives to udoc
- ABBYY VantageAn enterprise document-processing platform with AI extraction, review, routing, and workflow integrations.9.4
- UiPath Document UnderstandingA workflow-oriented option for teams that need document extraction with human review and routing.9.3
- Adobe PDF Services APIA broad cloud API for extracting PDF content and automating document workflows.9.2
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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