The Best Sheetfed Document Scanners for 2024

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Need to scan lots of single- or double-sided documents in a hurry? You need a sheetfed scanner. These desk dynamos can make short work of paper stacks cluttering up your work area. We've been testing scanners in PC Labs for decades, and we've gathered a list of the best high-speed document scanners, each tested according to our rigorous, objective methodology. We run all scanners through formal, repeatable speed tests, and assess them based on design, usability, bundled software, and value. Our main focus here is on desktop document scanners, and our current top pick for most people is Fujitsu's ScanSnap iX1600. We also stand by our other recommendations, which target narrower usage scenarios (such as portable scanning). First, we'll outline the pros and cons of each of our choices. Following that summary section is a detailed guide to choosing the best document scanner for your needs.

Document scanners are classified and priced according to capacity, volume, and speed ratings, followed by connectivity and functionality (including the ability to scan to smartphones and tablets) and their software bundle. Size, weight, and specialized features may also be factored in, but the main things that push up the price of a document scanner are (1) how much work the scanner can do and (2) how quickly it can do it.

To avoid spending a lot on unnecessary functionality, start by figuring out how many pages you must scan daily. A sheetfed portable scanner might be rated for a daily duty cycle of 500 pages. On the high end, some scanners meant for professional use have daily duty cycles of 10,000 pages or more.

Another question is how many pages you must scan at a time. If you're dealing with lengthy documents, you don't want to have to break them up. A relatively inexpensive desktop model might come with a 50-sheet ADF; a heavy-duty one could hold as many as 250 sheets for serious batch scanning.

One speed factor is whether the scanner has one or two sensors for scanning double-sided documents. Another is the size of the page that you want to scan. All sheetfed document scanners can accept letter- and legal-size pages, but if you're working with larger sheets, make sure the scanner is big enough to handle them. A few high-end models can feed through sheets up to 20 feet long! On the small side, some scanners have special features for receipts and business cards, with software to help manage expense reports and contact databases.

No one wants to stand around waiting for a scan job to finish, and in the real world, that doesn't just mean the physical process of scanning. When we test scanners, our speed ratings also factor in the time the scanner's bundled software takes to process the scan and save it to either image or searchable PDF. (We'll look more closely at bundled software below.) The more you scan, the faster your scanner should be.

How Will You Operate the Scanner?

The most basic scanner interface is a Scan or Start button, which is fine if you only want to do basic scanning directly to your PC. Touch-screen panels with limited or extensive menus give you more walk-up options. Sometimes, scanning software lets you set up predefined profiles for file type, resolution, and destination that you can then select and run from the scanner's control panel.

In a few cases, the scanner's own operating system handles profile management and other features. One of the better implementations of this shared functionality is on Fujitsu's consumer and small-office ScanSnap machines. Whether you're using ScanSnap software on your computer or operating the touch screen, functions are almost identical, saving you from having to learn two different ways to do the same thing.

If you already have a document management system in place, you may not even need most of the software included with your new scanner. However, scanning software packages can do a lot. Various apps and plug-ins enhance and manipulate photos, convert scanned pages to editable text with optical character recognition (OCR), organize and archive business cards, and even extract financial data from receipts and invoices and send it to your tax prep software. Scanning apps for mobile devices are increasingly feature-rich as well.

Software varies widely from manufacturer to manufacturer and from product to product. This is one of the places where our reviews and roundups come in handy: We zero in on the specific features that make document scanners suited for particular tasks and needs.

Which Devices Will Connect to the Scanner?

Each scanner comes with a different mix of wired and wireless connectivity options. These control which computers and mobile devices the scanner can work with. They also affect how quickly the scanner can send a scan to your device, as data transfer over Wi-Fi will likely be slower than over an Ethernet or USB 3.0 connection.

USB will suffice for connecting a single computer. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, and Near-Field Communication (NFC) will let a scanner talk to a single smartphone or tablet. If you're looking for a scanner that multiple people can use, be sure it has Ethernet or Wi-Fi to connect to an office network or Bluetooth LE for handling various mobile devices. Some models don't have Ethernet pre-installed but can be expanded with an optional network interface unit.

Your computer's or phone's operating system matters much less than it used to. Most major scanner manufacturers offer drivers and software for both Windows and macOS, as well as apps for both iOS and Android handheld devices, wherever some sort of wireless connection (NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct) is available. Some devices can also scan directly to USB flash drives.

Ready to Buy the Right Sheetfed Document Scanner for You?

Before you purchase a scanner, make sure you know what you want it to do: how much you'll scan, how fast the scanning process should be, which devices the scanner will connect with, and what the software should do with your scans once they're processed. Then be prepared to make some trade-offs between features and budget. Multi-sheetfed scanners are often intended for business use and priced accordingly. But with a bit of research, you should be able to find one that meets your needs and doesn't break the bank.

Want to know more about the many scanning options out there? Check out our roundup of the best scanners we've tested. And if you need to print, copy, and fax, an all-in-one printer might be your best choice.