Best Scanner Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Brother iPrint&Scan is ranked #1 of 21 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Epson Scan 2 and NAPS2. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Epson Scan 2. The lowest first paid tier on this page is VueScan at £2.12/mo.
The right scanning software depends on your scanner, document workflow, and where finished files need to go. Compare ADF support and duplex scanning with OCR inclusion and available output formats. Cloud destinations and supported platforms can help you assess workflow fit, while free-plan availability and paid-from pricing offer cost details. Brother iPrint&Scan, Epson Scan 2, and NAPS2 begin the ranking, with GNOME Document Scanner and PaperScan among the early entries. Weigh these listed capabilities against your hardware and the way you handle scanned documents.
21 scanner software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
9 of the 21 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brother iPrint&ScanWindows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 2 | Epson Scan 2Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 3 | NAPS2Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 4 | XSaneWindows · Linux | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 5 | GNOME Document ScannerLinux | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 6 | iCopy - Free PhotocopierWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 7 | PaperScanWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 8 | PaperStream CaptureWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 9 | SkanpageLinux | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 10 | Dynamic Web TWAINWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · API | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 11 | ExactScanWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 12 | SkanliteLinux | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 13 | VueScanWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | £2.12/mo | 5.2 |
| 14 | XSaneWindows · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 15 | bcWebCamWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 16 | Quick ScanWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 17 | Scanbot Barcode Scanner SDKWeb · Windows · Linux · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 18 | ScanSpeederWindows | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
| 19 | SilverFastWindows · Mac | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
| 20 | KODAK Capture Pro SoftwareWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.7 |
| 21 | Scanitto ProWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.7 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which scanner software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Brother iPrint&Scan is ranked #1 of 21 with a score of 6.6. Epson Scan 2 is second and NAPS2 third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 21 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, VueScan has the lowest first paid tier we found: £2.12/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.