Best Business Card Reader For Mac

Posted By admin On 09.06.20

Shopping guide for best scanners Last Updated November 2018 Whether you want to archive your printed photos, digitize business records, or simply want a multifunctional machine for whatever needs arise, a decent scanner is an invaluable resource. Those were FullContact Card Reader, ABBY Business Card Reader, and ScanBizCards (which supported other CRM integrations as well). Most of the apps had at least one option other than saving the contact on the phone, ranging from cloud based portals and applications to LinkedIn integration. Discover the best Business Card Scanners in Best Sellers. Find the top 100 most popular items in Amazon Electronics Best Sellers. Which OCR Business Card Reader is the Best? Discussion in 'iPhone' started by TheFelix, Jun 7, 2010. WorldCard Mobile and Contacts are the only business card reader app working with iOS4 so far. Buisness Card Reader. 5 Interesting Mac Apps - November 2018.

How to Buy the Right Scanner

Settling on a scanner that meets your specific needs can be challenging. Most scanners on the market today can handle everyday office tasks, but they come in a wide variety of types and sizes that are fine-tuned for different purposes. Here are the key questions to ask before you buy. We'll also take a look at the different kinds of scanners and their features.

Business Card Reader looks more like something you'd find in a built-in iOS which may be appealing to a lot of people. While CamCard and WorldCard have more complex functionality, Business Card Reader is a lot simpler which means it's easier to navigate. A mac is in some cases better for business, as the calendar and reminders apps etc automatically sync with your iPhone, iPad, etc. It is true that the ms office suits are used most in businesses, but those can easily be installed to your mac. For a fast, reliable way to scan and save business cards, ABBYY Business Card Reader is the app to pick. It was the fastest and most accurate at recognizing text in our testing—and it helps you reach out to new connections and save your new contacts to your address book.

What Kind of Media Will You Scan?

Knowing what and how often you expect to scan will tell you everything you need to know about the features you'll need. The two most common classes of things that get scanned are photos and documents (that is, unbound pages), but plenty of other media are common scan targets, such as bound books, business cards, film (slides and negatives), magazines, and easily damaged originals like postage stamps. Somewhat less common are 3D objects, such as coins or flowers. You should also consider details like the maximum size of the originals (more on that in a moment) and whether you'll need to scan both sides of document pages.

Do You Need a Flatbed?

For photos or other easily damaged originals, bound material, and 3D objects, you need a flatbed scanner, which has a large glass platen on which you place the documents, books, or items. (When we talk about scanning objects, here we're talking about scanning 3D objects to two-dimensional images; 3D scanners—for scanning objects to 3D files for display or printing on a 3D printer—are a different beast entirely.)

Originals like photos and stamps can go through a sheet feeder, but you risk damaging them. If you need to scan this sort of original only once in a while, you may be able to get by with a sheet-fed scanner that comes with a plastic carrier to protect the originals. Keep in mind, however, that even brand-new, unscratched plastic carriers can degrade scan quality.

Scanner models tend to stay on the market for a long time between iterations, and this is especially true of flatbed photo scanners. Not only do they often remain on sale for years, but also, few new models are introduced. We regularly update our Best Scanners roundup, so should you encounter an 'oldie but goodie,' it simply means that no similar model that we've reviewed has yet surpassed it.

Do You Need a Sheet Feeder?

If you plan to scan documents on a regular basis—particularly those longer than one or two pages—you almost certainly want a sheet feeder. Having to open a flatbed lid and set a page in place is a minor chore, but having to repeat the process 10 times for a 10-page document is a tiresome annoyance. Some sheet-fed scanners can also handle thick originals, such as health-insurance ID cards.

If you'll primarily be scanning one or two pages at a time, a manual sheet feeder is probably all you need. If you'll be scanning longer documents on a regular basis, however, you'll want an automatic document feeder (ADF) that will scan an entire stack of pages unattended. Pick an ADF capacity based on the number of pages in the typical document you expect to scan. If you occasionally have a document that is more pages than the ADF capacity, you can add more pages during the scan as the feeder processes them. Some ADFs can also handle stacks of business cards well.

How About Duplexing?

'Duplex scanning' means scanning both sides of a page at once. If you need a sheet feeder or ADF, and if on a regular basis you expect to scan documents that are printed on both sides, you'll want a duplexing scanner, a duplexing ADF, or a scanner with a driver that includes a manual-duplex feature.

The best, swiftest duplexing scanners have two scan elements, so that they can scan both sides of a page at the same time. A design like this will be faster than a scanner with a simple duplexing ADF, but it will likely also cost more. A duplexing ADF will just scan one side, turn the page over, and only then scan the other.

In contrast, a scanner with a driver that supports manual duplexing will let you scan one side of a stack and then prompt you to flip and re-feed the stack to scan the other side, with the scanner driver automatically interfiling the pages. Manual duplexing in the driver is the most economical alternative, and it is a good choice if you don't scan two-sided documents very often, or you are on a tight budget.

See How We Test Scanners

What Resolution Do You Need?

For most scanning, resolution isn't an issue. For, say, tax documents, even a 200-pixel-per-inch (ppi) scan will give you good enough quality for most purposes, 300ppi is almost always sufficient, and it's hard to find a scanner today that supports less than 600ppi. Similarly for photos, unless you plan to crop in on a small part of the photo or print the photo at a larger size than the original, 600ppi is more than enough.

Some kinds of originals, however, require higher resolution. If you're scanning 35mm slides or negatives, for example, you'll probably want to print them at a much larger size than the original, which means you'll need to scan them at a high resolution. Similarly, if you want to see the fine detail in an original, like a stamp, you'll need to scan it at a high resolution. In these cases, you'll want a scanner that claims an optical resolution of at least 4,800ppi.

How Big Are Your Originals?

Best Business Card Reader App

Picking a scanner that can handle the size of the originals you need to scan seems like an obvious point, but it's easy to overlook. For example, most flatbeds have a letter-size platen, which will be a problem if you occasionally need to scan legal-size pages. Most flatbeds with ADFs will scan legal-size pages via the ADF, but not all do, so be sure to check. You can also find scanners with larger flatbeds, but they will, of course, take up more desk space.

What Software Will You Need?

Most scanners will work with just about any scan-related program, but if the software you need already comes with the scanner, you won't have to pay extra for it. Depending on what you plan to scan, some of the software features you may want to look for include photo editing, optical character recognition (OCR), text indexing, the ability to create searchable PDF documents, and a business-card archiving or management program.

Best Business Card Reader For Mac

Do You Need a Special-Purpose Scanner?

Finally, consider whether you need a special-purpose, rather than general-purpose, scanner. Among the most common special-purpose choices are scanners for business cards (small and highly portable), books (designed to let pages lie flat), and slides (smaller than flatbed scanners, but no better at scanning slides than flatbed scanners with equivalent features).

Two other possibilities are portable scanners (general-purpose sheet-fed scanners small enough to fit in your laptop bag) and pen scanners (which you hold and trace over text). Some of the latest portable models can operate without a computer attached, scanning to a memory card or even to a smartphone. You can also find some that function as both portable and desktop document scanners by combining a portable scanner with a docking station that includes an ADF. Depending on what you need to scan, any one of these may be a good choice, either as your only scanner or as a supplement to a general-purpose scanner.

Let's Get Down to Scanner Shopping..

Multifunction printers (MFPs) have built-in scanners, nearly all with flatbeds and many with sheet feeders and ADFs. To get the most out of your scanning, however, you'll probably want to get a single-function scanner. Fortunately, there are many models to choose from, and the 10 below are among the best we've tested. For more advice, check out our roundup of the top scanners for photos, or our list of the best all-in-one printers, if having a scanner attached to your printer is more appealing.

And finally, after you've digitized all that paper, take a look at the best shredders we've tested.

Best Business Card Reader App

Best Scanners Featured in This Roundup:

  • Visioneer Patriot H60 Review


    MSRP: $1095.00

    Pros: Exceptional optical character recognition (OCR) accuracy. Feature-rich, easy-to-deploy software. Very fast scanning and saving to PDF. 10,000-page daily duty cycle.

    Cons: Would be more competitive at a lower price.

    Bottom Line: The Visioneer Patriot H60 scans quickly and accurately, and it has a huge daily duty cycle and a comprehensive software bundle.

    Read Review
  • Alaris S2060w Scanner by Kodak Alaris Review


    MSRP: $1295.00

    Pros: Fast scanning. Reasonably speedy when saving to searchable PDF. Onboard CPU allows for quicker, more accurate processing. Terrific OCR accuracy.

    Foxit Reader for Mac has been released, so you may find the app you are looking for on the list below. Nevertheless, if you still want to try one of the alternative PDF viewers for Mac, feel free to check other apps that can easily replace Foxit Reader for Mac. The PDF Reader for the Connected World. Foxit Reader is the PDF Reader which enables you to become part of the connected world. Provide authors with comments on documents, be notified when new document versions become available, discuss interesting topics right in the document, or securely open protected documents. Foxit reader download.

    Cons: Somewhat pricey. Expensive accessories.

    Bottom Line: The Alaris S2060w Scanner is reasonably fast and highly accurate, and it comes with an impressive software bundle, making it a good fit for medium- to heavy-volume workloads.

    Read Review
  • Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 Review


    MSRP: $89.99

    Pros: Vibrant photo scans. Excellent software bundle. Comes with kickstand for upright positioning. Very simple to use.

    Cons: Lacks mobile device and wireless support. Could be more accurate when scanning serif fonts.

    Bottom Line: The entry-level Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 is a software-rich flatbed photo scanner that also handles text documents with ease.

    Read Review
  • Epson DS-870 Review


    MSRP: $799.00

    Pros: Fast scanning and saving to searchable PDF. Huge volume and capacity for the price. Highly accurate.

    Cons: Networking is an add-on. No wireless or mobile connectivity.

    Bottom Line: The highly capable Epson WorkForce DS-870 is a fast, no frills high-volume scanner ideal for heavy-duty scanning and document-archiving environments.

    Read Review
  • Epson WorkForce ES-60W Wireless Portable Document Scanner Review


    MSRP: $159.99

    Pros: Fast. Robust software. Accurate OCR. Built-in battery. Wi-Fi and USB connectivity.

    Cons: Lacks memory card support. No automatic document feeder.

    Bottom Line: The Epson ES-60W is a fast, accurate, and lightweight portable document scanner designed for one- and two-page scan jobs.

    Read Review
  • HP ScanJet Pro 3000 s3 Sheet-Feed Scanner Review


    MSRP: $429.99

    Pros: Excellent speed and accuracy for the price. Well-rounded software bundle, including document and business-card archiving software. High daily duty cycle.

    Cons: Primary scanning utility is slow.

    Bottom Line: The moderately priced HP ScanJet Pro 3000 delivers excellent speed and respectable accuracy, as well as an inclusive software bundle, making it a good value.

    Read Review
  • Kodak i3300 Scanner Review


    MSRP: $4495.00

    Pros: Fast scanning. Excellent OCR accuracy. Massive input capacity. Supports tabloid-size and larger pages. Robust, easy-to-use software.

    Cons: Slow at saving to searchable PDF.

    Bottom Line: The Kodak i3300 is a fast, high-volume document scanner, and it comes with excellent full-featured scanning and processing software at a competitive price.

    Read Review
  • Brother ADS-1700W Review


    MSRP: $269.99

    Pros: Fast scanning and text recognition. Accurate OCR. Strong software bundle. Supports scanning to USB drives. Color touch screen.

    Cons: No battery. Heavier than other portable scanners.

    Bottom Line: The Brother ADS-1700W is a fast and accurate portable document scanner that offers a slew of features that will be attractive to road warriors.

    Read Review
  • Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 (2019) Review


    MSRP: $229.00

    Pros: Accurate OCR. Fast. Robust software bundle. Versatile connectivity options, including mobile. Reasonable price.

    Cons: Lacks single-pass auto-duplexing.

    Bottom Line: The Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 is a fast and feature-packed manual-feed document scanner designed for light-duty data capture on the road.

    Read Review
  • Panasonic KV-N1028X Review


    MSRP: $1495.00

    Pros: Superb OCR accuracy. Customizable touch screen. Comprehensive software. Competitive speed when scanning to image files and searchable PDF. Wired and wireless networking, including Wi-Fi Direct. Three-year warranty.

    Cons: Individual workstation licenses sold separately. A bit pricey.

    Bottom Line: The Panasonic KV-N1028X is a snappy and exceptionally accurate networkable document scanner, designed primarily for enterprise environments.

    Read Review

What's the Right Scanner for Your Mac?

There's no secret ingredient in determining the best scanner for your Apple desktop or laptop, as the factors that make a Mac-friendly model great are, by and large, the same as those that set the best Windows scanners apart from the pack. As with any tech product, prospective buyers look for the ideal combination of performance and features based on their needs, and set it against the price. For a document scanner, common criteria include speed, the ability to scan to various formats, the paper capacity of the automatic document feeder (ADF), optical character recognition (OCR) performance, the ability to scan and read business cards, the presence of a flatbed, the ability to scan over a network, and portability. Among the desired traits for photo scanners are speed, high resolution, the ability to scan slides and film, as well as prints, scan quality, and dust and scratch removal.

For most of these factors, it makes little difference if your scanner is connected to a PC or a Mac. But there is one area in which Mac users are at a distinct disadvantage, and that is in software. As popular as Apple computers have become, Mac users are underserved when it comes to scanners and some other peripherals. As a Mac owner myself, I'm keenly aware that it's still largely a Windows world out there.

Get the Right Driver

In order for a scanner to work at all with a Mac, it has to have a macOS driver. Beyond that, the software that's usually bundled with a scanner may or may not be Mac-compatible. Most recent photo scanners can work with Macs. Photo scanners often just come with drivers and a scan utility, leaving it to the user to provide a photo-editing program. Popular choices, including Photoshop Elements and Photoshop CC, are available in both Windows- and Mac-compatible versions.

See How We Test Scanners

Best Business Card Reader For Mac

It's All in the Software

Best Business Card Reader For Mac

Fewer document scanners are Mac compatible, and some are only partially so. Most document scanners (with the exception of some high-end models) come with a software suite that includes, at the minimum, document management, OCR, and business-card programs. A good bundled software package for a scanner intended for both operating systems should include a full suite of both Windows and Mac programs. However, it's not uncommon that an otherwise Mac-friendly scanner will be missing parts of the suite. You can buy the programs separately if they're even available, but that's an extra expense that you'll have to factor into your costs.

Statistically, there are far fewer Mac-friendly scanners than there are, say, printers, though their numbers are growing. It may take a bit more hunting to find the perfect scanner for your Mac than it would for a Windows-compatible model, but we've come across some excellent choices, which we present below. For more on what to look for when choosing a scanner, check out our scanner buying guide. And if you're in the market for a model specifically for photos, see our list of the best photo scanners.

Best Business Card Reader Software

Best Scanners for Mac Featured in This Roundup:

Best Business Card Scanner For Mac

  • Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 Review


    MSRP: $89.99

    Pros: Vibrant photo scans. Excellent software bundle. Comes with kickstand for upright positioning. Very simple to use.

    Cons: Lacks mobile device and wireless support. Could be more accurate when scanning serif fonts.

    Bottom Line: The entry-level Canon CanoScan LiDE 400 is a software-rich flatbed photo scanner that also handles text documents with ease.

    Read Review
  • Epson DS-870 Review


    MSRP: $799.00

    Pros: Fast scanning and saving to searchable PDF. Huge volume and capacity for the price. Highly accurate.

    Cons: Networking is an add-on. No wireless or mobile connectivity.

    Bottom Line: The highly capable Epson WorkForce DS-870 is a fast, no frills high-volume scanner ideal for heavy-duty scanning and document-archiving environments.

    Read Review
  • Epson DS-80W Wireless Portable Document Scanner Review


    MSRP: $169.00

    Pros: Fast scanning. Accurate OCR. Light and small. Easy to use.

    Cons: Lacks ADF.

    Bottom Line: The Epson DS-80W is a fast and accurate single-sheet-feed portable document scanner ideally suited for scanning short jobs to your laptop or smartphone on the road.

    Read Review
  • Epson FastFoto FF-680W Review


    MSRP: $599.99

    Pros: Quickly scans stacks of photo prints. Decent as a document scanner. Scans to searchable PDF. Solid OCR performance.

    Cons: Somewhat pricey. Slower at photo scanning than its predecessor.

    Bottom Line: The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a sheet-feed desktop scanner that excels at scanning stacks of snapshots while doing a credible job at document scanning.

    Read Review
  • HP ScanJet Enterprise Flow N9120 fn2 Document Scanner Review


    MSRP: $3999.99

    Pros: Fast. Can scan up to tabloid-size paper from either flatbed or ADF. Connects by Ethernet or USB.

    Cons: Large and heavy. A major investment.

    Bottom Line: The HP ScanJet Enterprise Flow N9120 fn2 Document Scanner offers an excellent mix of features and performance for offices that do a high volume of scanning.

    Read Review
  • HP ScanJet Pro 3000 s3 Sheet-Feed Scanner Review


    MSRP: $429.99

    Pros: Excellent speed and accuracy for the price. Well-rounded software bundle, including document and business-card archiving software. High daily duty cycle.

    Cons: Primary scanning utility is slow.

    Bottom Line: The moderately priced HP ScanJet Pro 3000 delivers excellent speed and respectable accuracy, as well as an inclusive software bundle, making it a good value.

    Read Review
  • Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 (2019) Review


    MSRP: $229.00

    Pros: Accurate OCR. Fast. Robust software bundle. Versatile connectivity options, including mobile. Reasonable price.

    Cons: Lacks single-pass auto-duplexing.

    Bottom Line: The Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 is a fast and feature-packed manual-feed document scanner designed for light-duty data capture on the road.

    Read Review
  • Panasonic KV-N1028X Review


    MSRP: $1495.00

    Pros: Superb OCR accuracy. Customizable touch screen. Comprehensive software. Competitive speed when scanning to image files and searchable PDF. Wired and wireless networking, including Wi-Fi Direct. Three-year warranty.

    Cons: Individual workstation licenses sold separately. A bit pricey.

    Bottom Line: The Panasonic KV-N1028X is a snappy and exceptionally accurate networkable document scanner, designed primarily for enterprise environments.

    Read Review