After adding support for 12 new file formats in Google Docs another update to the service now brings optical character recognition (OCR) to 29 additional languages (making the total supported languages to 34), the free online OCR feature allows users to upload photographed or scanned documents and convert them to editable text documents.

Nothing beats the fast results and ease-of-use of an online OCR service, and OCR Terminal is one such online OCR service which helps users convert scanned documents and PDFs into searchable and editable document formats such as MS Word, RTF and TXT. The service was one of the first online OCR services when they launched in late 2008, and they've come a long way - offering a one-of-a-kind Desktop Client that allows batch processing of documents, a Web API for developers to integrate OCR functionality in their mobile and web apps, and they now support over 20 languages for character recognition.

There are two well-known OCR software available for free namely - SimpleOCR and JOCR but both utilities require user to download and use them from desktop, however there is a better way to get images/documents converted in editable formats using free web-based OCR services, these free services allows users to upload documents in various formats and download editable version in format of their choice.

I tested some of these free online OCR services and here is a list of best ones which will get the job done easily and accurately.