# i2OCR review: what the free OCR does and when to use an alternative

i2OCR is a free online OCR that reads images and scanned PDFs in more than 120 languages, one image or PDF page per run[1][2]. Its FAQ says the output is a simple text file without formatting or images[2]. For a whole multi-page scan returned as an editable Word file with its tables, LoreAI reads every page in one upload.

## What is i2OCR?

i2OCR is a browser-based OCR service. You pick the language, upload an image or a PDF, and download the recognized text[1]. Its home page says it supports 128 languages and offers downloads as plain text, Word, HTML or searchable PDF[1]. Its FAQ gives the language count as more than 120[2].

- **Price**: Free, with a paid batch service priced on request[2]
- **Runs per day**: Unlimited[2]
- **Pages per run**: One image or one PDF page at a time[2]
- **File size**: Up to 20 MB for an image and 200 MB for a PDF[2]
- **Image formats**: JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIF, BMP, GIF, WEBP[2]
- **Layout**: Detects multiple columns, output is simple text with no format or images[2]

## Where i2OCR works well

For a single printed page in a less common language, i2OCR costs nothing. The language list runs from Afrikaans and Akkadian to German Fraktur and Kurdish Sorani[1], and there is a layout switch for single or multiple columns[1]. If you need the words, not the look of the page, it does the job with no account.

## Where an i2OCR alternative fits better

i2OCR limits PDF OCR to one page at a time and points people with large PDFs to its paid batch service[2]. A twenty-page scanned contract means twenty runs and twenty downloads to stitch together. And because the result is plain text, the tables, headings and lists of the original are gone[2].

On handwriting, i2OCR's own FAQ says its recognition has a lower degree of accuracy than for typewritten text[2]. LoreAI reads cursive and printed handwriting, stamps and seals, and returns every page of the PDF as one Word file with headings, lists and tables in the original order.

## i2OCR and LoreAI side by side

*Checked on November 6, 2026, against i2ocr.com and its FAQ*

| What you need | i2OCR | LoreAI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| File types | JPG, PNG, TIF, BMP, GIF, WEBP and PDF[2] | PDF, JPG, PNG and HEIC |
| File size | 20 MB per image, 200 MB per PDF[2] | Free 3 MB, Basic 10 MB, Pro 25 MB |
| Length | One image or PDF page per run[2] | Free 3, Basic 30, Pro 100 pages in one file |
| Scanned pages | Read one page at a time[2] | Every page read in one upload |
| Handwriting | Lower accuracy than typed text, by its own FAQ[2] | Cursive and printed handwriting read into the document |
| What you download | Simple text with no format, or Word, HTML or searchable PDF[1][2] | An editable Word file (.docx) with tables |
| Phone | In the browser[1] | In the browser |
| Price | Free, paid batch on request[2] | First document free, then Basic at $12.99 a month |

## Other alternatives to i2OCR

- **LoreAI image to text**: Free, no account, one page as text or Word in a few seconds
- **LoreAI app**: Whole PDFs, handwriting and translation, one Word file back
- **Desktop OCR software**: Ranked in the [best OCR software comparison](https://www.loreai.org/compare/best-ocr-software)

All free tools from LoreAI are listed on the [tools page](https://www.loreai.org/tools), and the single page OCR is [image to text](https://www.loreai.org/image-to-text).

## Which one should you use?

- Use i2OCR for one printed page in a rare language when plain text is enough.
- Use LoreAI's free image to text tool for one page you want as Word, tables included.
- Use the LoreAI app for a multi-page scan, a handwritten letter or a document you also need translated.

## Questions people ask

### Is i2OCR free?

Yes. Its FAQ says the service is free with unlimited files a day, one PDF page at a time, and a paid batch service on request[2].

### Does i2OCR read handwriting?

Its FAQ says yes, with a lower degree of accuracy than typewritten text[2]. LoreAI reads cursive and printed handwriting into an editable Word file.

### Can i2OCR convert a multi-page PDF?

It processes one PDF page at a time and offers batch OCR as a paid service[2]. LoreAI reads every page of a PDF in one upload.

### Does i2OCR keep the layout?

It detects multiple columns, but its FAQ says the output is a simple text file with no format or images[2].

## Sources

1. [i2OCR: Free Online OCR Tool, Extract Text from Images and PDFs](https://www.i2ocr.com/), accessed November 6, 2026
2. [i2OCR: Frequently asked questions](https://www.i2ocr.com/faq), accessed November 6, 2026

By Matt Mountain · Updated November 6, 2026