olmOCR
Allen AI's document reader. It turns a PDF or a scan into text, including tables.
Installer only · Technical · Free
Pull data from invoices and forms
Read fields from scans into a spreadsheet.
The tools below run on your computer. Most of them are free, and the local work stays on your machine.
Works offline · Free options
Your computer
Describe your computer
Pick the closest line. Office PC and Mini PC are estimates. Linux and a home server stay in the list. We guess the specs, then hide models that would not fit. The guess stays cautious.
4 results
Most tools here are free.
Writing Not on the chat board
Tables and forms
Fits on:· needs ~5.5 GB · Free to download · License: Apache 2.0
Money & Paperwork OCR: 107% of ABBYY FineReader
Reads text from scans (OCR), including tilted photos. Still light enough for a laptop.
Runs in:Fits on:· needs ~0.2 GB · Free to download · License: Apache 2.0
PaddleOCR
A toolkit that finds words in a photo and types them out.
Installer only · Technical · Free
HONEST COMPARISON
Local or cloud: Pull data from invoices and forms?
Reviewed Oct 2026
- Privacy: Local winsInvoices need not be uploaded
- Cost: Local winsA local pass is free
- Quality: Cloud winsField and table extraction is more reliable
- Ease: Cloud winsA parser returns fields, not just text
Local AI
Local OCR can read a clean invoice. Tables and odd layouts are where it slips.
- Supplier invoices stay on your computer
- Fine for a tidy, printed bill
- Free to run a folder overnight
Where it falls short
- Line items and tax fields are less reliable
- You still check the numbers
Cloud & apps
Textract, Google Document AI and ABBYY are built to pull fields and tables.
- AABBYY FineReader PDFDesktop appPaid
Desktop capture that keeps the page on your PC.
Best for: Office PDFs
The desktop app can process files locally
- AAmazon TextractCloud APIUsage-basedPopular choice
Built to extract tables and key fields from invoices.
Best for: Line itemsBulk invoices
Invoices are uploaded to AWS
- GGoogle Document AICloud APIUsage-based
Invoice parsers with a free tier for a small monthly volume.
Best for: FormsInvoices
Documents are uploaded to Google Cloud
Our take
Keep sensitive invoices local and check the numbers. Use a document API when you process a pile of ordinary bills.
Choose local if…
- The invoice is sensitive
- You only need the text
Choose cloud if…
- You need line items
- You process many bills
How to do it in 3 steps
- Open the model page and pick any app under Runs in, for example PaddleOCR. Each app page links to that maker's own guide.
- Open the PaddleOCR page and check the traffic light for a few kinds of computer.
- Follow that official guide. This site does not add its own install steps.
Questions
- Does this upload my files?
- The local tools on this page don't upload your files. The cloud options in the comparison do.
- What does it cost?
- Most options are free. A few apps are a one-time purchase, and a few models need a computer with more memory.
- What if it will not fit?
- Use Check my computer, or turn on the lighter memory filters. A red light on the model page means the file is too big.
Not into local AI? Try these instead
Ordinary apps for work & office. These are normal links to the maker's site.
Microsoft 365
Documents, spreadsheets, and mail for everyday office work.
Microsoft 365LibreOffice
A free office suite for documents, sheets, and slides.
LibreOfficeStandard Notes
A private notes app with plain text and a paid extended version.
Standard Notes