OCR API - FAQ

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions


1. Do you store documents in your servers?

We do not store any docs/images on our servers, as explained in our privacy policy.

2. Is this service available 24/7?

Yes!

3. Is it possible to use the free service in a commercial project?

Yes, you can use the free API in a commercial project, but the free plan comes with no (uptime) guarantees.

4. What is the difference between the free OCR API and the commercial version?

  • The PRO version of the OCR API has distributed OCR API endpoints, and has an 100% guaranteed uptime per month (see also the next question #5).
  • The PRO version has a much higher rate limit.
  • The PRO version includes priority tech support.

    • 5. What happens if you miss your 100% uptime guarantee?

    Our SLA (service level agreement) is easy: 100% uptime guarantee - there is always at least one PRO access point available. If all access points would be down, please contact us and report the issue. In this case we will refund 100% of your monthly invoice.

    6. What happens if I am unhappy with the PRO account for a reason other than uptime?

    Please contact us. If we can not fix the issue, we will refund you the current month in full.

    7. Do you store my credit card on your servers?

    No. We do not store any payment information on our servers. All subscription billing is managed by Fastspring. You can edit, update and cancel your PRO/PROPDF subscription any time in their customer portal.

    8. What are the URLs for the commercial OCR API access points?

    Upon signing up for a PRO or PRO PDF account, you will immediately receive a welcome email containing your API key and the URLs for two geographically distributed access points. This dual-endpoint setup ensures high availability and low latency.

    9. Where are the access points located?

    Our OCR API is built for global speed. Our OCR servers sit directly on major internet backbones across Europe (France, Germany, and Finland) to deliver fast, worldwide performance. Need localized speed? We can deploy custom access points in many regions in the world upon request.

    10. I am an indie developer. I am looking for a free/low cost OCR solution.

    You found the right place :-)

    11. How do you notify users of planned maintenance?

    We strive for 100% uptime through our distributed server network and do not have scheduled maintenance that affects all endpoints simultaneously. In the unlikely event that a broad announcement is required, it will be posted in advance on our OCR API forum.

    12. I’m getting the message that the API key is invalid. Does it take a while until it is active?

    All API keys (free and PRO) are active immediately. If you have any issue with the API then:

  • Try our cURL example and see if this works.
  • Try the "helloworld" API key (free API only). This key is great for a quick test, but do not use it in your project, as it is severely rate limited.
  • Please ask us if you have any issue getting started!

    • 13. If your question is not answered here,...

    ...please contact us.

    View OCR API Performance
    Our OCR Browser Extension
    Open-Source RPA Software
    Selenium IDE
    Need to automate browser tasks like web testing or form filling? Check out our sister product Ui.Vision - a free and open-source RPA browser extension with over 100,000 users that leverages our computer vision and OCR.Space technology to power automation workflows.

    Do you have an OCR API question? Please email us or visit the OCR API Forum - we love to answer OCR questions.