Epson Scan 2 vs NAPS2

Epson Scan 2 is scanning software for Epson scanners and multifunction printers, with a graphical interface for scanner settings and saving scans in different file types. It supports USB connections and network scanning for compatible scanners. On Linux, network scanning requires installation of a plug-in package. Scans can also be started from the command line using a settings file, without opening the main window. Available image adjustments include background removal, text enhancement, color adjustment, descreening, color restoration, backlight correction, and skew correction. The Linux manual documents JPEG, PDF, TIFF, and Multi-TIFF output options. For OCR workflows, Auto Area Segmentation separates text from graphics, while Threshold can help OCR programs recognize text. Epson lists versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux, but supported operating systems and settings depend on the scanner model. Epson's Linux manual says the software has no official support and is distributed without warranty. Epson Scan 2 is free, but requires an Epson scanner or multifunction printer.

NAPS2 is free, open-source software for scanning documents and saving them as PDF, TIFF, JPEG, or PNG. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and supports WIA and TWAIN drivers with flatbed or automatic document feeder scanners, including duplex scanning. Users can reorder, interleave, rotate, crop, deskew, and adjust scanned pages’ brightness and contrast. OCR makes scans searchable, supports more than 100 languages, and can add text recognition to imported PDFs. NAPS2 can share scanners across a local network using ESCL, including with compatible Android and iPhone apps, but it must remain running on the server for sharing to work. It can send email through Gmail and Outlook, with the email address and secure sending token kept on the user’s computer and sent only to the relevant provider. Optional developer tools include a command-line interface for automation and a .NET scanning library. The free plan has no ads or restrictions, though OCR results cannot be saved directly to a text file.