kitio.aiOCR.space vs PDF to MD
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. OCR.space starts at See pricing page and PDF to MD starts at $5 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Free online OCR
- OCR web API
- Searchable PDF creation
- Handwriting recognition
- Receipt and table scanning
- 20+ languages
- Local in-browser conversion
- High-accuracy OCR
- Batch download
- API access
- MCP server
| Feature | OCR.space | PDF to MD |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Free online OCR and API for turning images and PDFs into text | Converts PDFs to Markdown locally, with paid OCR for scans |
| Category | Data & analytics | Data & analytics |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See pricing page | $5 one-time |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | a9t9 software | PDF to MD |
| Based in | Germany | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
OCR.space starts at See pricing page and PDF to MD starts at $5 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Free
Free
- Local browser conversion
- Up to 500 pages per PDF
- No account needed
OCR Pack
$5 one-time
- 200 OCR pages
- Valid for 12 months
- Works on web, API and MCP
Pro
$7.90/mo
- 100 files per batch
- 300 OCR pages a month
- 1,000 cloud conversions a month
Prices in USD, checked Oct 29, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
OCR.space
- Free API key for developers
- Handwriting support with Engine 3
- Outputs searchable PDFs
- Fewer languages than big cloud OCR
- Basic, dated interface
- Plan pricing isn't on the homepage
PDF to MD
- Free local mode keeps files private
- API and MCP included
- Prepaid OCR with no subscription
- Scans need paid OCR
- Subscription OCR does not roll over
- Local mode struggles with complex layouts
Which one should you choose?
Choose OCR.space if you want:
- Free API key for developers
- Handwriting support with Engine 3
- Outputs searchable PDFs
Watch out: fewer languages than big cloud ocr.
Choose PDF to MD if you want:
- Free local mode keeps files private
- API and MCP included
- Prepaid OCR with no subscription
Watch out: scans need paid ocr.
OCR.space vs PDF to MD FAQ
What is the difference between OCR.space and PDF to MD?
OCR.space: Free online OCR and API for turning images and PDFs into text. PDF to MD: Converts PDFs to Markdown locally, with paid OCR for scans. Both are data & analytics tools.
Is OCR.space or PDF to MD cheaper?
OCR.space starts at See pricing page and PDF to MD starts at $5 one-time. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do OCR.space and PDF to MD have free plans?
OCR.space: Yes. PDF to MD: Yes.
Who makes OCR.space?
OCR.space is made by a9t9 software, based in Germany.
Who makes PDF to MD?
PDF to MD is made by PDF to MD.
Which should I choose, OCR.space or PDF to MD?
Choose OCR.space if you value free api key for developers and handwriting support with engine 3. Choose PDF to MD if you value free local mode keeps files private and api and mcp included.