ExactRead

PDF OCR

PDF to Text OCR — Compare Models, Export TXT or JSON

Run PDF to text OCR on ExactRead: upload a PDF, compare OCR-capable models on the same file, review confidence and warnings, then export TXT or JSON.

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Upload a document and compare models right here — no need to leave this page.

PDF to text OCR that shows its work

ExactRead is a PDF to text OCR workbench: upload a PDF, and it converts the pages into reviewable text instead of a black-box download. Every extraction keeps the model, status, confidence, warnings, and structured JSON, so you can see why a result was recommended before you trust it. Because PDF layouts vary — scanned pages, exported reports, multi-column contracts — the same PDF can read very differently across engines, and ExactRead makes that difference visible in one place.

Only PDF-capable models are offered

Not every OCR model reads PDFs. After you upload, ExactRead filters the model list to the engines that actually support the PDF MIME type, so you never start a job that cannot run and never waste credits on an incompatible route. Native OCR engines such as Mistral OCR, PaddleOCR, AWS Textract, and Google Cloud Vision handle multi-page PDFs directly, so you rarely need to pre-split or rasterize files before running PDF to text OCR.

Compare before you standardize

For a recurring PDF type — invoices, statements, forms — pick two or three PDF-capable models and run them on the same file in compare mode. Reading the outputs side by side is the only honest way to judge which engine preserves your tables, headings, and reading order. Once one route wins consistently, save it as a preference and reuse it for similar PDFs, or switch to a single model to keep credit use low.

Export text with evidence attached

Accepted or recommended results export as plain TXT for quick reuse or as structured JSON that keeps full text, detected tables, document type, confidence, and warnings. That makes PDF to text OCR output easy to drop into a review queue, a bookkeeping tool, or an internal automation without re-keying anything.

How it works

  1. 1

    Upload your PDF

    Drop a PDF onto the workbench or click to browse. Supported inputs are PNG, JPEG, and WebP images, plus PDF for PDF-capable models.

  2. 2

    Let ExactRead filter the models

    After upload, the model list is filtered to the OCR engines that actually support your file, so you never start a job that cannot run.

  3. 3

    Run one model or compare several

    Choose a single model when speed and cost matter, or compare mode to run several OCR models on the same PDF at once.

  4. 4

    Review confidence and warnings

    Each result keeps its model, status, confidence, and warnings, with the recommended output highlighted so you can judge accuracy quickly.

  5. 5

    Accept and export TXT or JSON

    Accept the output that reads your PDF most faithfully, then copy it or export TXT or JSON for the next step.

Models that suit this document type

Capability, format support, and credits come straight from the model catalog — a starting point, not a ranking. Test on your own documents to decide.

ModelProviderTypeFormatsCredits / doc
Mistral OCRMistral AINative OCR engineImages and PDF2
PaddleOCRBaidu PaddlePaddleNative OCR engineImages and PDF1
AWS TextractAWSNative OCR engineImages and PDF2
Azure Document IntelligenceMicrosoft AzureNative OCR engineImages and PDF2
Google Cloud Vision OCRGoogleNative OCR engineImages and PDF2
MinerUOpenDataLabNative OCR engineImages and PDF1

Supported formats

PDF, filtered by model support

Model guidance

Start with Mistral OCR, PaddleOCR, Textract, or Azure

Credit note

Charged per PDF-capable model run

Back to ExactRead homeView OCR credit pricing

Frequently asked questions

Can every model process PDFs?

No. ExactRead filters the model list after upload so PDF-capable and image-only engines are clear before you run a job. Only models that support the PDF format appear as options.

Can I export JSON from a PDF OCR job?

Yes. Accepted or recommended results export as TXT or JSON. The JSON keeps full text, tables, document type, confidence, and warnings alongside the plain text.

Do I need to split a multi-page PDF first?

Usually not. Native OCR engines like Mistral OCR, AWS Textract, and Google Cloud Vision read multi-page PDFs directly. Only split a file if a specific model rejects its size or page count.

How are credits charged for PDF to text OCR?

Each model run costs that model's per-document credit amount. A single model charges once; compare mode charges each selected model. The free plan includes 100 OCR credits every month to test with.

Is scanned-PDF OCR always accurate?

No OCR is guaranteed accurate on every scan. ExactRead helps by exposing confidence, warnings, and competing model outputs so you can catch errors, but important PDFs should still be reviewed before use.