EasyOCR vs Scanbot Data Capture SDK

EasyOCR is a Python module that extracts text from images, including natural scene text and dense document text. The project says it supports more than 80 languages, and compatible languages can be processed together. Its readtext method can return recognized text with bounding-box coordinates and confidence values, or provide text alone. Inputs can be image paths, NumPy arrays, bytes, or URLs. The Reader can use a GPU when available or run in CPU-only mode. Pretrained models download automatically during use, with manual downloads available for offline environments. The API also allows custom recognition networks and settings for detection, recognition, decoding, and text-box merging. Installation options include pip, source, and Docker; Windows users may need to install PyTorch manually first. A web demo is available, and the repository says EasyOCR is integrated into Hugging Face Spaces through Gradio. The public repository identifies the project as Apache-2.0 licensed. There is no paid plan listed. Handwriting recognition is not supported; the README lists it as planned work.

Scanbot Data Capture SDK provides modules that extract key-value pairs from structured documents, with the aim of replacing manual data entry with automatic capture. Modules cover credit cards, checks, vehicle identification numbers, OCR, text patterns, EHIC cards, German medical certificates, and ID cards. Credit card capture reads the card number, cardholder name, and expiration date for Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Check capture reads MICR details such as check, routing, and account numbers, with support for US, French, Kuwaiti, Australian, Indian, Israeli, UAE, and Canadian formats. The SDK supports Android, iOS, Linux, web, and Windows; listed languages include JavaScript, TypeScript, C, Java, Python, and Node.js. Scanbot says processing happens on-device and offline, usage statistics are not collected, and the SDK cannot access customer scans. Its annual license includes technical support, updates, and feature upgrades. Pricing is on request, generally starting at $2,500 a year for simple use cases, and depends on capture requirements and the number of apps or domains. A free 7-day evaluation trial is available, but its license is not for production apps.