The 5 Best Portable Document Scanners [Ranked]

What Are Buyers Saying?

The Epson Workforce

One of the first portable document scanners that we took a look at was the Epson Workforce DS-30. It features an ability to scan directly into the cloud, an optical sensor and has 600 dpi color with 10,368 pixels. Epson says that this portable scanner is engineered to provide robust functionality on the go. It is equipped to scan and capture plastic ID cards, documents, receipts and many more items, up to 8.5" x 14". Additionally, you'll be able to scan directly to a cloud service using included software. A relatively travel-friendly option, the single-side scanner is USB powered, so you don't need an external power supply to get it up and running.

One of the buyers that we spoke with praised it as a lightweight and compact option that retains a rugged and durable overall feel. They say that as opposed to other portable document scanners, this one genuinely provides 600 dpi resolution- legitimately quality imagery. Weighing in just over a half a pound, it does over-deliver in terms of functionality, providing easy to use auto-sizing detection, making scanning business cards simple, for example. On the downside, the software can be a little bit tricky to use, and some users did complain that the USB suffered from connectivity issues.

In practice, this user told us that after he unboxed the item, he installed the software, ran the calibration sheet, all of which was pretty painless. He began by scanning some 8.5" x 11" business documents that contained handwritten notes and found that the Epson workforce processed them smoothly. As well, business cards were a breeze, while receipts were a little bit difficult because their paper quality is so flimsy- so he advises that you need to be especially careful when dealing with them.

He exported all of these documents to Google Docs, saying that the auto size detection worked effectively and that the OCR text enhancement was solid enough that he was able to generate PDF files without too much trouble. In general, he told us that it is a solid and lightweight option, but does suffer from USB connectivity issues on Macintosh computers, much less on the PCs.

Another buyer, who described himself to us as a frequent traveling a business person, says that this portable document scanner is an essential component of his on the go work tool bag. As a professional who is required to file detailed reports on the ground from remote locations, having a portable image scanner, in conjunction with a portable printer, is indispensable for his business purposes.

He told us that the quality of the scans is decent, but not exceptional. Yet another buyer that we interviewed told us that while they appreciate the hardware, the software is, unfortunately, not very user-friendly. So, while he praises this scanner for being an efficient and fast option that outputs professional-looking scans, the software took a while to figure out and remains a sore point for this user, as well as others.

The Brother

Another option we examined was the Brother DS-620 mobile color page scanner. Its manufacturers promote it as a lightweight option that can provide quality captures of business cards, receipts, and documents. It includes PaperPort and Presto! PageManager 9 software for Windows and Mac respectively, both of which enable you to effectively manage all of your scanned documents, scan to different Microsoft office formats, as well as scan to searchable PDF, email, folder or OCR. Because they have used industry-standard drivers, which include the SANE(3) and TWAIN, integration is simplified, enabling scanning into a number of different popular applications, including the Linux operating system.

One buyer that we spoke with used this quick-scanning option for a large family photo organization task. He says that while traditional flatbed scanners do provide quality image resolution, they take forever to perform the task. If you are looking to get a lot of scanning done very quickly, it just makes sense to purchase one of these mobile scanners rather than do the tedious work in a flatbed. In fact, once you have scanned all of the photos, if you are doing a photo organization job for yourself or an organization, you can organize them with the included software, pick out the ones you want to do a high-quality scan with, and then use a flatbed scanner to perform it.

Another reviewer we spoke with said that he had purchased one of these scanners because he was interested in scanning and organizing receipts, scanning Polaroids and pictures that were clogging up his house, and then also organizing his daily mail correspondence. After using it for a couple of months, he says that this particular scanner is great for receipts, performing them in color at around 200 dots per inch.

The VuPoint

The VuPoint Solutions magic wand portable scanner was yet another option we examined. VuPoint says that their product is able to easily scan, organize and archive different files, saving them to microSD and microSDHC memory cards that are up to 32 GB in storage capacity. It is powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer battery and provides 1200 dots per inch with an 8.5" x 12.5" scanning size capacity. In terms of what they can actually handle, VuPoint says that he is able to scan nearly any type of flat media, whether that be fabric patterns, photos, business cards magazine pages, written down recipes, it's really pretty limitless.

A 1.5-inch color LCD screen enables you to preview scanned images to make sure that you have scanned everything you need. Another handy element is the docking station that transforms the manual scanning method into an auto feed process that increases the accuracy of the scans.

One buyer that we spoke with says that when he received the item, he opened it and discovered the wand scanner, the USB and AC adapter, the docking station, a protective sleeve and a dust wipe. After some use, while he applauds the concept of the LCD preview screen, he says that since it is so small it really isn't that helpful. In his case, he was looking to digitize an attic full of old photos, and he says that the VuPoint wand scanner was indispensable for completing this task. Before he began using it, he tested out a variety of different settings, determining whether to use JPEG, PDF and different quality settings, including whether to use the docking station for the digitization project.

While printing from the negative would be the best means of creating physical copies of photos, he found that the medium and high settings provided strong enough clarity for his purposes. In general, he says that after scanning 2,000 photos, it takes up about 4 GB of storage. He also advises new users to get familiar with the docking station because it can make the process of scanning massive amounts of photographs much, much faster. And then, it's very convenient to use the wand as a portable accessory so that you can move it around the room and do a quick, mobile photo scan.

The Visioneer

The Visioneer Road Warrior document scanner was another option we examined- its manufacturers unsurprisingly endorse it for the scanning of business cards, documents, handwritten notes, and receipts. Indeed, this particular portable document scanner is designed to provide quick image capture's using a compact scanning technology, enabling you to organize large sum of annoying stacks of paper clutter in your home office or at work. The bundled software will then help you to organize this information, and then you can share it with your corporate office, converting scanned documents into searchable PDFs.

One business traveler that we spoke with says that this USB-powered portable scanner is a lightweight high-resolution option that is equipped with a handy one-touch scanning feature. This means that you can insert a new page and it auto feeds, so you can pretty quickly load a number of different pages without having to click buttons in between each one. In addition, he was impressed by the software, saying that it automatically cleans up images, straightens and crops them, though he does caution you should always make sure that any paper you are loading into the portable wand scanner is free of staples or paperclips.

The Doxie

The Doxie One portable photo and document scanner was the last option we took a look at- this standalone mobile scanning option enables you to scan paper items wherever you are, without use of a computer.

Some scanners like the Doxie One don't require a computer to use- it stores scans on an included SD card. You can then sync your scans to a computer or iPad using the SD card itself, a USB or an Apple iPad SD card reader.

If you're in the market, use this page as a general resource- evaluate the different product features in the comparison table, and always make sure you figure out what the warranty entitles you to prior to purchase!