side-by-side guide
OCR vs text extraction
OCR and text extraction solve different problems. Choosing the right path affects speed, fidelity, and how carefully the output must be reviewed.
dimensionOCRText extraction
Best inputScans, screenshots, and image-only PDFsText PDFs and structured document files
How it readsRecognizes characters from rendered pixelsReads embedded text and document structure
SpeedUsually slower and more memory-intensiveUsually faster
Common errorsMisread characters, numbers, columns, and layoutMissing layers, odd reading order, or unsupported structure
Review needAlways review important names and numbersReview complex layouts and tables
bottom line
Which should you choose?
Use normal text extraction when a readable text layer exists. Use OCR only when the source is fundamentally an image or scan.
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