How much should I expect to spend on scanning services if I outsource?

Turning paper documents into digital format is a labor-intensive process.

Running documents through a scanner is often just the tip of the iceberg; document preparation and indexing/data entry can add significantly to the amount of labor required to complete a scanning project.

As a result, document scanning services can be costly, and prices can vary widely typically from 5 cents to 15 cents per image.

The main factors determining how much it will cost to scan your documents include:

  • The volume of documents being scanned
  • The dimensions of the documents - for example, oversized documents will be more expensive to scan as special equipment is required and the scanning process takes longer
  • How much preparation work is required before documents can be scanned (for example staple removal, removal of documents from binders)
  • How much preparation work is required after documents are scanned (for example re-stapling)
  • The number of pages per document, as well as the number of index/search fields per document
  • Whether or not you want your documents to be free-text searchable which will require Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
  • Whether the documents are to be scanned in black & white or color
  • Your required scanning resolution
  • How soon you need your project done