There are numerous scanning apps on the market. We analyze their features and the specific needs they best address.
James Bond used to carry a hidden high-resolution camera in his pocket to photograph secret documents—something that once seemed like science fiction. However, now that we all carry high-quality cameras, it is possible to photograph, scan, and save important images and documents wherever we go, even if we aren’t Agent 007. Here are the key features to look for in a mobile scanning app for organized document storage:
Operating Systems
One of the first factors to consider when choosing a mobile scanning app is its compatibility with your phone. It is surprising how many apps run exclusively on either Android or iOS. However, many of the best options—such as Adobe Scan, Microsoft Office Lens, Genius Scan, and ScanBot—are compatible with both systems.
Price
You are unlikely to have to pay a large amount for a mobile scanning app; prices range from free to around $8 per month. Evernote Scannable and Adobe Scan are free. There are “freemium” models that offer basic services for free but require payment to access additional features. CamScanner and Tiny Scanner are freemium apps, whereas Genius Scan, ScanBot, and Scanner Pro cost between $5 and $8 per month and do not offer free versions.
Scanning Speed
If you plan to use a mobile scanning app to capture a large number of documents or scan images, the time it takes to scan an item can make a real difference. Evernote Scannable is arguably the fastest mobile scanning app on the market; in fact, it is faster than standard image capture tools. It quickly recognizes, scans, crops, and saves whatever you point it at, without wasting any time.
Genius Scan is a mobile scanner that may lack flashy features, but it gets the job done efficiently and quickly. It instantly detects the document in front of you and aligns the edges—completing the process without requiring a single tap.
Easy to Use
When you download a scanning app, you don’t want to waste time trying to figure out how it works. Having an intuitive and easy-to-use app is important, whether you are tracking expenses or managing work projects. Scanbot is an excellent choice for those looking for an app that is ready to use right out of the box. Its interface is simple and intuitive, so there is no need to consult instructions to figure out what to do; furthermore, the automatic settings are highly effective, eliminating the need for manual adjustments. Another user-friendly alternative is CamScanner. It features an intuitive interface and sma
Clarity of Text
If you’re simply taking receipts to track expenses, then the quality of the text won’t matter too much. On the other hand, if you want to edit and preserve text for work purposes, you will need a mobile scanner app with high OCR (optical character recognition) capabilities. Capturing contracts for signing and retention also requires the most legible and clear version possible. Scanner Pro stands out for providing the highest quality text capture. It can correct text distortion caused by curved pages, the glare of whiteboards, and twisted or crushed papers. Scanner Pro’s OCR text recognition is extremely effective at producing readable and editable text.
Another good option for readable documents is Microsoft Office Lens. It stands out for producing clear and readable documents in PDF or JPG format and can transform them into editable .doc format quickly and easily. Office Lens manages to clean documents, cards and photos, as well as clean muddy backgrounds. It’s good at straightening photos and pages scanned at an angle and can handle whiteboard text, although it stops short of fixing curved pages.
While Turbo Scan is a basic, simple mobile scanner that doesn’t offer many bells and whistles, it excels in image quality. It’s unfortunate that it doesn’t include OCR text recognition, but if you want to save images of notes, business cards, documents or whiteboard text clearly and securely, it gets the job done. Even in low lighting or blurry text, Turbo Scan captures the best possible image.
Storage Options
Once you’ve scanned your documents, it’s helpful to have some options for saving and sharing them. Google Drive has an obvious advantage: you can save your images directly to Drive and share them with any Google contact from there. This is a huge boost to productivity and makes it easy to access your scanned files from any device. You can also send them via email or Dropbox.
Both Scanner Pro and Scanbot offer extensive storage and sharing capabilities. Scanbot allows you to save scanned documents to Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, iCloud, and even Yandex.Disk. Scanner Pro, on the other hand, is compatible with Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, iCloud, Microsoft OneDrive, OneNote, and even any WebDAV server.
Security
Even if you aren’t protecting top-secret documents like James Bond, you may need to safeguard contracts, sensitive records, and confidential information from hackers or unauthorized parties. CamScanner allows you to add password protection and set an expiration date when sharing a link to a scanned document. Genius Scan adds an extra layer of security by allowing you to encrypt scanned documents in PDF format. Scanbot and Tiny Scanner also enable password protection for PDF files.
Features
In addition to the functions mentioned above, various mobile scanning apps offer other features that may be useful, fun, or unnecessary, depending on your needs. One example is the ability to save documents in JPEG and PDF formats—a feature offered by many apps, including Tiny Scanner and Evernote Scannable. This offers the advantage that JPEG files are easier to edit than PDFs. Microsoft Office Lens even allows you to save text in .doc format and quickly export it to OneNote, Word, and PowerPoint for further editing.
Another feature offered by CamScanner is in-app cloud printing. This allows you to tag, edit, and annotate a document within the app and send it directly to print without needing any other software. Like Tiny Scanner and Genius Scan, CamScanner includes a fax function that allows you to send documents via fax directly from the app.
Genius Scan offers specific invoicing features, including integration with Expensify, to automatically extract information from scanned receipts and save it to your expense management app. You can also get the Genius Scan Sign app, which allows you to sign scanned contracts directly within the app, without the need to edit or modify the text.
Evernote Scannable can connect to LinkedIn. It can recognize business cards and extract contact details during scanning, then link them to the person’s LinkedIn profile, making it easier to connect with new contacts.
Scan and Save in One
Whether you are tracking expenses, preserving work documents, or even acting as a secret agent, you can find a mobile scanning app that scans, saves, and protects your documents without damaging them.
