# PixConvert OCR alternative for PDFs and editable exports

## Short answer
PixConvert reads images locally in your browser and offers plain text. Choose FastOCR when you need a scanned PDF made searchable, Word or Markdown downloads, or automatic language detection. Our image OCR needs no sign-up or watermark. Pick PixConvert when keeping an image on your device matters more than PDF input or additional export formats.

By the FastOCR team · Updated 4 November 2026 · Documentation checked 4 November 2026 · We make FastOCR. Accuracy figures come from our own test of each tool we scored, ours included, on the same scans; other facts link to each tool's own pages. [How we tested](https://fastocr.org/vs/pixconvert#method)

Try it here: upload an image or scanned page at https://fastocr.org/image-to-text

## Verdict
**Pick FastOCR if:**
- You have a scanned PDF and want searchable pages, rather than processing screenshots separately.
- You need text for a document or notes, with Word and Markdown downloads.
- You want language detection instead of choosing a language before each run.

**Pick PixConvert if:**
- The image must stay inside your browser tab.
- You only need plain text from one image at a time.

## FastOCR and PixConvert side by side
| Factor | FastOCR | PixConvert |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Processing | Website OCR uploads your file. | Runs inside the browser tab. ([source](https://pixconvert.com/image-to-text)) |
| Input | Images and scanned PDFs. | JPG, PNG, WebP, BMP, TIFF or GIF. ([source](https://pixconvert.com/image-to-text)) |
| Output | Text, searchable PDF, Word and Markdown. | Copy text or download TXT. ([source](https://pixconvert.com/image-to-text)) |
| Language selection | Automatic detection, including mixed pages. | Choose one language per run. ([source](https://pixconvert.com/image-to-text)) |
| Image account | No sign-up needed for image OCR. | No account required. ([source](https://pixconvert.com/image-to-text)) |
| Watermark | No image-result watermark. | No watermark advertised. ([source](https://pixconvert.com/image-to-text)) |
| Image workflow | Upload an image here; PDFs require an account. | One image at a time, up to 50 MB. ([source](https://pixconvert.com/image-to-text)) |
| Matched accuracy | No measured PixConvert comparison. | Not tested |

## Why FastOCR
- **Scanned PDFs.** Scanned PDF in, searchable PDF out; text copies in the right order, including right-to-left.
- **Exports.** Raw text, Word (.docx) and Markdown.
- **Languages.** 100+ languages, detected automatically, including mixed pages. Share of characters wrong on our evidence scans (lower is better): Arabic 2.6%, Urdu 9.1%, Bengali 7.4%, Tamil 2.2%, Chinese 1.0%.
- **Free use.** Images: free, no sign-up, no watermark. PDFs: free account.

## Proof
PixConvert has no matched run in our evidence pack. FastOCR results alone cannot establish a head-to-head accuracy advantage.

## How FastOCR works
Figure: what FastOCR gives back besides plain text, a searchable PDF whose copied Urdu text keeps reading order and bank statement rows in a spreadsheet. The statement rows are illustrations.

## Choose by the file and output you actually need
For a multi-page scan, [make the PDF searchable](https://fastocr.org/make-pdf-searchable) in FastOCR rather than turning every page into a separate image. Sign in, upload the scanned PDF, then download the searchable version and check a distinctive phrase with your PDF reader’s search command.

For a screenshot or photographed page, [start with image to text](https://fastocr.org/image-to-text). Copy the recognized words or download Word for editing and Markdown for notes. The source image also gets a searchable PDF. Review names, figures and punctuation before reusing the text.

## Local browser OCR and uploaded OCR have different privacy boundaries
[PixConvert describes local image processing](https://pixconvert.com/image-to-text). FastOCR’s website sends the selected file to servers for recognition. Choose according to your document policy before uploading; a browser interface does not by itself mean processing stays on the device.

If you want local OCR with file exports, our free [Mac app](https://fastocr.org/mac) and [Windows app](https://fastocr.org/windows) are offline public betas. They use their platform’s OCR engines, so this website’s benchmark results do not describe their accuracy. They provide OCR and export rather than full PDF editing.

## Choose PixConvert if
- Your priority is local browser processing without installing an app.
- Plain text meets your needs and you can select the image language.

## FAQ
### Can PixConvert read PDFs?

Its image-to-text page lists image inputs, rather than a PDF OCR workflow. For a scanned PDF, use FastOCR’s searchable PDF tool with a free account and check the resulting text layer before sharing it.

### Is PixConvert private?

PixConvert says the image stays in the browser tab during recognition. That local-processing claim is useful when an upload is prohibited. We reviewed its documentation and did not independently audit the website’s network activity.

### What does FastOCR add to plain image-to-text OCR?

FastOCR supplies a searchable PDF alongside the image text, plus Word and Markdown downloads. These outputs suit different next steps: searching the scan, editing the words, or moving the content into notes.

### Do I need to select a language in FastOCR?

FastOCR detects the language automatically, including mixed pages. That removes the manual language-selection step in this workflow. Recognition can still contain mistakes, so compare unfamiliar scripts and important numbers with the original scan.

### Which option should I use for offline OCR?

For an image that must remain in a browser, consider PixConvert’s documented local workflow. For installed offline OCR and exports, try FastOCR’s free Mac or Windows public beta; desktop recognition differs from our website.

## Method
Checked the linked PixConvert vendor documentation on 4 November 2026. PixConvert was not run on our scans; no accuracy, timing or export-fidelity ranking is claimed.

## Change log
- 1 November 2026: Published the earlier sourced comparison.
- 4 November 2026: Rechecked vendor documentation and added task-specific OCR and export guidance.

## Related comparisons
- [Extract image text](https://fastocr.org/image-to-text)
- [Make a scanned PDF searchable](https://fastocr.org/make-pdf-searchable)
- [image-to-text.ai alternative for searchable PDF output](https://fastocr.org/vs/image-to-text-ai)
- [Built-in local OCR](https://fastocr.org/vs/apple-live-text)
- [ChatGPT OCR vs FastOCR: a chat reply or a dedicated OCR tool?](https://fastocr.org/vs/chatgpt)
- [Claude OCR vs FastOCR: reading scans and PDFs](https://fastocr.org/vs/claude)