Comparisons & roundupsComparisons and roundups
Roundups of tools for capturing text on a Mac, with the free built-in options first and every third-party detail dated.
- Comparisons & roundups
Comparisons & roundupsBest OCR apps for Mac: an honest guide by task
OCR apps for Mac sorted by the job you need done: copy text off the screen, make scans searchable or script it. Built-in tools first, prices as of October 2026.
Comparisons & roundupsFree OCR on Mac: every option that costs nothing
Free OCR on a Mac: Live Text, Preview’s Embed Text, a Shortcuts action, open-source apps such as TRex and NormCap, and online tools, with the catch for each.
Comparisons & roundupsLive Text vs Google Lens on Mac: which is better?
Live Text vs Google Lens on a Mac, as of October 2026: where each one works, copying and translating text, what gets sent to Google, and which to use when.