Head-to-Head Shootout: Top Online Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) Tools

In this head-to-head shootout of top online handwriting recognition (HTR) solutions, I put 4 popular tools to the test using a sample of the same handwritten English note (source). And the results were quite surprising!

The simple yet mighty Pen2Txt (https://pen2txt.com/) emerged as the undisputed champion, accurately transcribing every single word in my test file.

The other solutions didn't fare quite as well on this particular handwritten sample:

GrabText (https://www.grabtext.ai/) came in second place, behind Pen2Txt.

Nanonets (https://nanonets.com/convert-handwriting-to-text), the well-known OCR platform, took third.

Transkribus (https://www.transkribus.org/), despite offering trained handwriting recognition models, ended up in last place for this test case.

While I expected the powerful AI-driven OCR engines like Nanonets and Transkribus to blow the competition out of the water, the basic Pen2Txt tool handily outperformed them all in transcribing my specific handwriting style accurately.

It really demonstrates how results can vary drastically depending on factors like handwriting style, image quality, language, and the inherent strengths of each HTR solution. The best option isn't always the one you'd expect!

I've attached the handwritten sample and transcribed outputs so you can examine each tool's performance yourself. Let me know if you have any other questions about this head-to-head shootout of top online handwritten text recognition tools!

And why not try out other online HTR tools (without any training !) on the same file? Share your results in the comments!


pen2txt :

I am feeling a renewed sense of optimism and purpose in the new year. I suppose that it is to be expected, but it makes it no less a real feeling. Often, I have gotten down on myself in the face of kinks and jerks in the road, yet thankfully these habits seem to be fading as my mindfulness practice continues. I have to chuckle at just how helpful and insightful those little quotes are on my home screen. Waking up to a new bit of insight every day keeps them from aging into cliché. This newfound calm and perspective has really helped me work through these recent familial issues, perhaps most unexpectedly, in the expression of allowing me to be mindful of my own actions and shortcomings. Oh, stop! I have just remembered the study in which it was shown that writing about an event that happened to you or an idea can help you better process and understand. What if there was some way to be given daily prompts on different lenses to journal in? Perhaps one day it's a guilty noir, the next it's a non-com. Maybe it could prompt different characters in an internal family systems. Or a sibling or friend. Maybe from an eternal deity or a stranger on the street. I must share this with Josh and Toya tout suite! It is also seven; I must conclude this entry now and rejoin the world.

Nanonets:

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Transkribus:

in feeling a renewed rense of optemtsm and purpose in the new year.

issuppose that it is to to be expected, but it makes it non the leas as

real feeurg often i have gotten down on myself in the face of kinks

and jerks in thee road, yet thankfully these nabits reem to be

joding as my mindfull yess pracrice continues. I have to chuckle at

us It how helpful and ineightful those tittle quoter are on my home

serven waking up to a new bit of insight everel day keepe t Then fumm

aying toto clicke. this new found I alm and perpectovse har really relfed

me work through these recent familial issues, perhape most unaxpectady

in the expression of allowing me co. be mindfull of my own actions and

phortcomings. Fro stop at I have just rememberad the studly in which it

was shown that writing about an event that happened to you or an iden you

can help you better proceess and understaint. what if there war some

way to be given daily prompte on different tenses to journal in perhaps one

day its a gritty noir, the next its a nor-com. may be it could prompt

different cha ractes in an intereal family systems. Or a sibling or friend

maybe from an eternal diety or a stranger on the street. imust share

this with joch and taya tout suite! it is also sever i must concludle

this eitry now and rejoin the world.

GrabText:

i'm feeling a renewed sense of optimism and purpose in the new year.

i suppose that It is to to be expected, but it makes it non the less as

real feelings often i have gotten down on myself in the face of kinks

and jerks in the road, yet thankfully these habits seem to be

lading as my mindfull ness practice continues. I have to chuckle at

Bjust how helpful and insightful those little quotes are on my home

screen waking up to a new bit of insight ever day keeps then from

aging into Cliche. this newfound calm and perspective has really helped

me work through these recent familial issues, perhope most unexpectedly

in the expression of allowing me to be mindfull of my own actions and

phortcomings, he stop ai have just remembered the study in which it

was shown that writing about an event that happened to you or an idea you

can help you better proccess and understand. what if there was some

way to be given daily prompte on different lenses to journal in, perhaps one

day its a guilty noir, the next its a non-com. may be it could prompt

different character in on internal family systems. ar a selling or friend

maybe from an eternal diety on a stronger on the street. i must share

this with josh and toya tout suite! It is also seven, i must conclude

this entry now and rejoin the world .