Transkribus Review: Is It Worth Paying for Handwriting?

When it comes to dealing with documents that contain difficult handwriting, choosing the right tool to understand it is important. Transkribus claims to offer advanced handwriting recognition, but its accuracy can be a hit or miss, especially with handwriting that’s difficult to understand. In this review, we’ll break down its features and pricing and discuss whether it’s worth your money or not.

We’ll also introduce UPDF, which might be a better, more affordable choice for handwriting recognition. Try UPDF here by clicking the button below and see the difference for yourself!

Part 1. What is Transkribus?

Transkribus is a tool that helps recognize text, analyze images, and understand the layout of old documents. It uses OCR and handwriting recognition to turn old books, letters, and manuscripts into digital text. This makes it easier for researchers and historians to save, read, and search through these historical documents. With Transkribus, users can upload images of handwritten or printed documents, and the tool will automatically transcribe the text.

Part 2: Is Transkribus Free?

Though Transkribus has a free version, it’s important to note that this free version has several limitations. Let’s break down the free version and see how it compares to the paid version, which offers more advanced features.

Limitations of the free version:

• Limited access to high-quality AI models.
• Only 100 free credits for transcriptions per month.
• Export options are limited.
• No access to advanced training functionalities.

Part 3: How to Use Transkribus?

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use Transkribus.

Step 1: Start by clicking on the “Try for Free” and creating a free account on the Transkribus website.

Step 2: After you’re logged in, click on the “Quick Text Recognition” button.

Step 3: Next, you will be brought to the place where you can upload the image. Select the language. Click on the “Browse” and upload the image. The platform supports several formats like JPEG, PNG, and PDFs.

Step 4: The Transkribus will start recognizing the text in the images automatically.

Step 6: Once the text is transcribed, you can check it for any errors and use the editing tools to make any required changes.

Step 7: After you're done, you can export the text in formats like plain text, XML, image, or PDF. Or you can open the editor to make changes.

Part 4: Is Transkribus a Good OCR for Handwriting?

After assessing the accuracy, performance, and price of Tanskribus, the answer is no; it’s not the best OCR for handwriting. Here’s why:

Accuracy Problems

One of the biggest reasons that Transkribus can’t be regarded as a good OCR for handwriting is that even though it uses AI to recognize handwriting, its level of accuracy isn’t reliable. We tested it many times and found that it often makes errors, especially with handwriting that is old and hard to read. In one of our tests, we found that it misinterpreted more than 30% of the text, leaving out words. If you’re working with a document that has faded or messy handwriting, then you’re likely to notice many errors with Transkribus. 

Price

When compared to other similar tools, Transkribus is quite expensive. The free version comes with a lot of limitations, and if you want to use the paid version, then you’ll need to pay 19.99 €/month or even more, depending on which package you choose. For many people, this can feel like a lot of money for a tool that still has issues with accuracy.

Customer Reviews

As seen from the customer's reviews of this tool, many users are frustrated with Transkribus. According to many reviews, the tool gives inconsistent results, especially with documents that contain old or cursive handwriting. This causes the software to read the words incorrectly. Even after software training, its accuracy isn’t reliable. Other than this, most users think that its plans are too expensive when compared with its performance.

Part 5: Best Transkribus Alternative – UPDF

If you’re in search of a better alternative to Transkribus that not only has better monthly plans but also doesn’t compromise on accuracy, then UPDF is the best option for you. UPDF AI Online, AI Assistant in UPDF on Windows and Mac, and OCR in UPDF for iOS can help you understand and extract handwriting text without effort. Unlike Transkribus, UPDF is more accurate, easier to use, and cheaper. Whether it is old manuscripts you’re transcribing or modern handwritten notes, you can count on UPDF to provide a much more reliable and smoother experience. You can visit UPDF AI Online or download UPDF to your device to give it a try. Follow this guide to learn how to use UPDF to extract and recognize handwriting.

Here’s a quick comparison between UPDF and Transkribus:

If you're looking for the best tool for handwriting recognition, UPDF is hands down the top choice.

Why UPDF is the Best for Handwriting Recognition

Here’s why UPDF can be regarded as the best tool for handwriting recognition:

1. Better Accuracy: UPDF is more accurate than Transkribus, especially with hard-to-read handwriting.
2. Super Easy to Use: The interface is simple; you just upload your document and let UPDF do the rest.
3. Affordable: UPDF is cheaper. And you can see the price in the table above.
4. Works on All Devices: UPDF works on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Transkribus is only for Windows, Mac, and iOS.
5. AI Features: UPDF uses GPT-4o AI to help you get accurate results.
6. Great Reviews: UPDF has 4.9/5 stars, while Transkribus has mixed reviews (3/5).
7. Free Trial & Gifts: UPDF gives you 100 free prompts to use its AI features.
8. If you are using UPDF app on dektop and mobile, you can have more features. You can check out this review article and watch the video below to learn more!

Conclusion

To wrap it up, Transkribus doesn’t quite live up to expectations when it comes to accuracy and reliability for handwriting recognition. The high cost and frequent mistakes make it hard to recommend.

UPDF, on the other hand, is a much better choice. It’s more accurate, easy to use, and much more affordable. Plus, it works on all your devices and offers smart AI features.

Try UPDF today— download it now and see how much better handwriting recognition can be!