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What Types Of Document Scanners Are Available?

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4 min read
What Types Of Document Scanners Are Available? image

Best Document Scanners to Buy in October 2025

1 Epson Workforce ES-400 II Color Duplex Desktop Document Scanner for PC and Mac, with Auto Document Feeder (ADF) and Image Adjustment Tools, ES-400 II

Epson Workforce ES-400 II Color Duplex Desktop Document Scanner for PC and Mac, with Auto Document Feeder (ADF) and Image Adjustment Tools, ES-400 II

  • RAPID 50-SHEET ADF STREAMLINES OFFICE AND HOME SCANNING.
  • EPSON SCANSMART SOFTWARE SIMPLIFIES PREVIEWING AND SHARING SCANS.
  • EFFORTLESS INTEGRATION WITH DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TOOLS.
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$299.99 $379.99
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Epson Workforce ES-400 II Color Duplex Desktop Document Scanner for PC and Mac, with Auto Document Feeder (ADF) and Image Adjustment Tools, ES-400 II
2 Epson WorkForce ES-50 Portable Sheet-Fed Document Scanner for PC and Mac

Epson WorkForce ES-50 Portable Sheet-Fed Document Scanner for PC and Mac

  • FASTEST SCANS: 5.5 SECONDS PER PAGE, PERFECT FOR ON-THE-GO NEEDS.

  • PORTABLE DESIGN: LIGHTWEIGHT AND USB-POWERED FOR EASY MOBILITY.

  • VERSATILE DOCUMENT HANDLING: SCANS UP TO 8.5 X 72 INCHES, INCLUDES OCR.

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$129.99 $148.36
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Epson WorkForce ES-50 Portable Sheet-Fed Document Scanner for PC and Mac
3 ScanSnap iX2500 Wireless or USB High-Speed Cloud Enabled Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Large 5" Touchscreen and 100 Page Auto Document Feeder for Mac or PC, Black

ScanSnap iX2500 Wireless or USB High-Speed Cloud Enabled Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Large 5" Touchscreen and 100 Page Auto Document Feeder for Mac or PC, Black

  • FAST 45PPM SCANNING: DOUBLE-SIDED SCANNING STREAMLINES PRODUCTIVITY.

  • CUSTOMIZABLE QUICK MENU: PERSONALIZE SCANNING PROFILES FOR EASY ACCESS.

  • STABLE WI-FI 6 CONNECTIVITY: SECURE CONNECTIONS FOR EFFORTLESS CLOUD SCANS.

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$419.99 $449.99
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ScanSnap iX2500 Wireless or USB High-Speed Cloud Enabled Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Large 5" Touchscreen and 100 Page Auto Document Feeder for Mac or PC, Black
4 ScanSnap iX1300 Compact Wireless or USB Double-Sided Color Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Auto Document Feeder and Manual Feeder for Mac or PC, Black

ScanSnap iX1300 Compact Wireless or USB Double-Sided Color Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Auto Document Feeder and Manual Feeder for Mac or PC, Black

  • MAXIMIZE SPACE WITH INNOVATIVE, COMPACT DESIGN SAVE DESK SPACE EFFORTLESSLY WITH OUR SMALL FOOTPRINT SCANNER.

  • VERSATILE SCANNING FOR ALL DOCUMENT TYPES EASILY SCAN PHOTOS, CARDS, AND MORE WITH JUST ONE TOUCH.

  • SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY AND EASY ORGANIZATION SCAN ANYTIME, ANYWHERE; MANAGE YOUR FILES EFFORTLESSLY WITH SOFTWARE.

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$279.99 $348.00
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ScanSnap iX1300 Compact Wireless or USB Double-Sided Color Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Auto Document Feeder and Manual Feeder for Mac or PC, Black
5 Brother DS-640 Compact Mobile Document Scanner, (Model: DS640) 1.5"x2"x11.9"

Brother DS-640 Compact Mobile Document Scanner, (Model: DS640) 1.5"x2"x11.9"

  • FAST 16 PPM SCANNING FOR QUICK DOCUMENT PROCESSING ON THE GO.
  • COMPACT DESIGN UNDER 11.8 INCHES FOR ULTIMATE PORTABILITY ANYWHERE.
  • VERSATILE SCAN-TO DESTINATIONS LIKE OCR, EMAIL, AND CLOUD SERVICES.
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$134.99
Brother DS-640 Compact Mobile Document Scanner, (Model: DS640) 1.5"x2"x11.9"
6 Epson Workforce ES-580W Wireless Color Duplex Desktop Document Scanner for PC and Mac with 100-sheet Auto Document Feeder (ADF) and Intuitive 4.3" Touchscreen

Epson Workforce ES-580W Wireless Color Duplex Desktop Document Scanner for PC and Mac with 100-sheet Auto Document Feeder (ADF) and Intuitive 4.3" Touchscreen

  • EFFORTLESS WIRELESS SCANNING-SEND FILES TO ANY DEVICE INSTANTLY!
  • SWIFT 100-SHEET AUTO DOCUMENT FEEDER FOR SEAMLESS PAPER HANDLING.
  • NO COMPUTER NEEDED-SCAN DIRECTLY TO USB OR MAJOR CLOUD SERVICES!
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$379.99 $449.99
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Epson Workforce ES-580W Wireless Color Duplex Desktop Document Scanner for PC and Mac with 100-sheet Auto Document Feeder (ADF) and Intuitive 4.3" Touchscreen
7 Canon Canoscan Lide 300 Scanner (PDF, AUTOSCAN, COPY, SEND)

Canon Canoscan Lide 300 Scanner (PDF, AUTOSCAN, COPY, SEND)

  • AUTO SCAN MODE: EFFORTLESSLY DETECTS AND SCANS YOUR DOCUMENTS.
  • USB CONNECTIVITY: SIMPLE PLUG-AND-PLAY SETUP FOR INSTANT USE.
  • DIGITIZE DOCUMENTS & IMAGES: PRESERVE IMPORTANT FILES IN DIGITAL FORMAT.
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$75.00
Canon Canoscan Lide 300 Scanner (PDF, AUTOSCAN, COPY, SEND)
8 Canon imageFORMULA R40 - Office Document Scanner, Windows and Mac, Duplex Scanning, Easy Setup, Scans a Wide Variety of Documents, Scans to Cloud

Canon imageFORMULA R40 - Office Document Scanner, Windows and Mac, Duplex Scanning, Easy Setup, Scans a Wide Variety of Documents, Scans to Cloud

  • FAST DUAL-SIDED SCANNING: UP TO 40 PPM FOR EFFICIENT WORKFLOWS.
  • VERSATILE DOCUMENT HANDLING: SCANS RECEIPTS, CARDS, AND LONG DOCS EASILY.
  • EASY SETUP & COMPATIBILITY: SIMPLE USB CONNECTION FOR WINDOWS & MAC.
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$239.00 $356.00
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Canon imageFORMULA R40 - Office Document Scanner, Windows and Mac, Duplex Scanning, Easy Setup, Scans a Wide Variety of Documents, Scans to Cloud
9 Canon imageFORMULA R10 - Portable Document Scanner, USB Powered, Duplex Scanning, Document Feeder, Easy Setup, Convenient, Perfect for Mobile Users

Canon imageFORMULA R10 - Portable Document Scanner, USB Powered, Duplex Scanning, Document Feeder, Easy Setup, Convenient, Perfect for Mobile Users

  • FAST DUAL-SIDE SCANNING AT 12 PPM; EFFORTLESS DOCUMENT HANDLING!

  • COMPACT AND PORTABLE DESIGN FOR SEAMLESS USE ANYWHERE!

  • ENERGY-EFFICIENT WITH BUILT-IN SOFTWARE FOR EASY USE AND UPDATES!

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$164.00 $210.00
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Canon imageFORMULA R10 - Portable Document Scanner, USB Powered, Duplex Scanning, Document Feeder, Easy Setup, Convenient, Perfect for Mobile Users
10 ScanSnap iX1400 High-Speed Simple One-Touch Button Color Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Auto Document Feeder for Mac or PC, Black

ScanSnap iX1400 High-Speed Simple One-Touch Button Color Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Auto Document Feeder for Mac or PC, Black

  • ONE-TOUCH SCANNING: EFFORTLESSLY SCAN, CLEAN, AND ORGANIZE WITH A BUTTON.
  • VERSATILE DOCUMENT HANDLING: EFFORTLESSLY MANAGE BUSINESS CARDS, RECEIPTS, AND MORE.
  • STABLE USB CONNECTION: RELIABLE PERFORMANCE ENSURES CONSISTENT SCANNING EVERY TIME.
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$329.99 $349.99
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ScanSnap iX1400 High-Speed Simple One-Touch Button Color Document, Photo & Receipt Scanner with Auto Document Feeder for Mac or PC, Black
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ONE MORE?

Document scanners come in various types, each designed to cater to different needs and environments. Flatbed scanners are one of the most common types, featuring a glass bed where documents are placed for scanning; they are suitable for scanning a variety of materials, including photos, books, and documents of different sizes. Sheet-fed scanners, on the other hand, allow multiple pages to be fed into the machine automatically, making them efficient for processing a large volume of loose documents quickly. Handheld scanners are portable devices that manually scan documents by moving the scanner across the paper, which can be useful for scanning pages from books or documents in situations where traditional scanners are impractical. Overhead scanners, also known as book scanners, capture images from above, offering a non-contact method that's ideal for delicate or bound documents. There are also specialized scanners such as portable scanners, which are compact and designed for mobility, catering especially to users who need to scan on the go. Each type of scanner offers its unique benefits and is suited for specific tasks or conditions, allowing users to choose based on their individual needs, from office to personal use, or specialized scanning tasks like archiving old books or handling business cards.

What is an automatic document feeder (ADF) scanner?

An Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) scanner is a type of scanner that allows multiple pages of a document to be scanned automatically without the need for manual intervention to place each page on the scanner. This is achieved through the use of a mechanical feeder that can handle and feed a stack of papers into the scanner one by one.

Key features and benefits of an ADF scanner include:

  1. Efficiency: ADF scanners significantly speed up the process of scanning multi-page documents, making them ideal for offices and environments where high-volume scanning is required.
  2. Convenience: Users can load a stack of documents into the feeder, allowing them to attend to other tasks as the scanning process completes automatically.
  3. Versatility: Many ADF scanners can handle various sizes and types of paper, including common sizes like A4 and letter, and can often handle different media types, such as cards or envelopes.
  4. Duplex Scanning: Some ADF scanners offer duplex capabilities, meaning they can scan both sides of a page automatically. This is especially useful for documents that have information on both the front and back.
  5. Integration: ADF scanners often come with software that facilitates integration with digital document management systems, allowing for organized storage, easy retrieval, and sharing of scanned documents.

ADF scanners are widely used in business and professional settings where efficiency and productivity in document handling are prioritized.

What is an all-in-one printer with scanning capabilities?

An all-in-one printer with scanning capabilities is a multifunctional device designed to handle various office tasks beyond just printing. These printers integrate several features into one machine, typically including:

  1. Printing: The core function, allowing you to print documents, photos, and other materials.
  2. Scanning: The ability to digitize paper documents and images, saving them as digital files in formats like PDF or JPEG.
  3. Copying: Making duplicate copies of documents without needing a computer.
  4. Faxing: Although less common with digital communication advancements, some all-in-one printers can still send and receive faxes.

These printers are popular in both home and office settings because they save space and reduce the need for multiple standalone devices. When choosing an all-in-one printer, consider factors such as print quality, speed, connectivity options (like Wi-Fi, USB, or Ethernet), and additional features like duplex printing or mobile compatibility. Popular brands offering all-in-one printers include HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother.

What is a portable document scanner?

A portable document scanner is a compact and lightweight scanning device designed for easy transportation, allowing users to scan documents, photos, receipts, and other paper media on the go. These scanners are typically small enough to fit in a briefcase or backpack and are often powered by batteries or USB connection, making them convenient for use outside of a traditional office setting.

Portable document scanners come in various forms, such as handheld scanners, wand scanners, and sheet-fed scanners. Many models offer features like wireless connectivity, automatic document feeding, duplex scanning (scanning both sides of a document), and integration with mobile devices or cloud services. They are popular among professionals who need to digitize documents while traveling or for those with limited space who require a compact scanning solution.