Readiris PDF review

Readiris has been bundled with scanners for years, and Readiris PDF 27 is the current standalone version from IRIS. The Essential edition converts paper and imported scans into searchable PDFs in 138 languages, then exports to Word, Excel or image formats. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 in 64-bit and on macOS 11 to 26, and it is sold as a perpetual license, which is unusual in a field that has moved to subscriptions. The US store showed Essential at $79, marked down from $129, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Elite, listed at $189, adds cloud export to services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Box and OneDrive, plus more automation and security. Readiris suits people who scan at home or in a small office and want to own the software outright.

Who it is for

scanner owners who want a perpetual OCR license

Price

Readiris PDF 27 Essential US$79 one-time on sale (list $129); Elite $189 list.

Readiris PDF 27 Essential Everyday PDF, OCR & Scanning $129.00 $79.00
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Converts paper to searchable PDFs in 138 languages
• Scans and imports existing documents, then converts to Word, Excel, PNG and JPG
• Perpetual license with no subscription
• Runs on Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) and macOS 11 to 26
• Elite edition adds cloud export to Dropbox, Google Drive, Box and OneDrive

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 138 OCR languages, second only to ABBYY on this list
• Strength: One-time purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee
• Strength: Works with IRIS document and portable scanners
• Weakness: The US$79 price is a sale; the list price shown is $129
• Weakness: Cloud export and automation need the Elite edition at $189 list
• Weakness: IRIS publishes fewer details on OCR proofreading than Foxit or Power PDF

Key facts

• OCR languages: 138
• License: Perpetual, no subscription
• Systems: Windows 10/11 64-bit, macOS 11 to 26

Where it ranks

Readiris PDF is No. 6 in our Best PDF OCR Software verdict.