Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Simple Scan VS Skanlite

Compare Simple Scan VS Skanlite and see what are their differences

Simple Scan logo Simple Scan

Project information. Part of: The Gnome Project. Maintainer: Simple Scan Development Team. Driver: Simple Scan Development Team. Licence: GNU GPL v3.

Skanlite logo Skanlite

KDE Homepage, KDE. org.
  • Simple Scan Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-25
  • Skanlite Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-29

Simple Scan features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Simple Scan boasts a clean and intuitive interface that is easy for users of all skill levels to navigate.
  • Lightweight
    The application is lightweight and doesn't consume significant system resources, making it ideal for older machines and systems with low specifications.
  • Integration
    It integrates seamlessly with GNOME desktop environments, providing a consistent user experience for those using GNOME-based systems.
  • Quick Scanning
    Simple Scan allows for quick scanning of documents and images, providing basic functionalities needed for everyday scanning tasks.
  • Open-Source
    As an open-source project, Simple Scan is free to use and can be modified by anyone, promoting transparency and community-driven development.

Possible disadvantages of Simple Scan

  • Limited Features
    It lacks advanced features such as OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and extensive image editing capabilities found in more comprehensive scanning software.
  • GNOME Dependency
    While it works best in GNOME environments, users on other desktop environments might experience less seamless integration.
  • Manual Updates
    Users need to manually check for updates or rely on their distribution's package manager, as there is no built-in automatic update feature.
  • Basic Configuration Options
    It offers limited configuration options for power users who require more control over scanning settings and output formats.
  • Scanner Compatibility
    While it supports many scanners, some less common or newer scanner models may not be fully compatible without additional driver installations.

Skanlite features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Skanlite offers a simple and clean user interface that makes it easy for users to scan documents and images without dealing with complicated settings.
  • Integration with KDE
    Being a part of the KDE ecosystem, Skanlite integrates well with other KDE applications, ensuring a seamless user experience for those using the KDE desktop environment.
  • Lightweight
    Skanlite is a lightweight application, which means it uses minimal system resources, making it suitable for older hardware or systems with limited resources.
  • Direct Scanning to Multiple Formats
    Skanlite allows users to scan documents directly into multiple file formats, such as JPEG, PNG, and PDF, providing flexibility in how scanned documents are saved.

Possible disadvantages of Skanlite

  • Limited Features
    Compared to more comprehensive scanning software, Skanlite may lack advanced features such as OCR (Optical Character Recognition) or advanced image editing capabilities.
  • Linux-only
    Skanlite is primarily intended for Linux, which means users of other operating systems, such as Windows or macOS, cannot use it unless they utilize additional tools like virtual machines.
  • Dependency on KDE
    While integration with KDE is a pro for users of that desktop environment, it can be a con for users of other desktop environments who may need to install additional KDE components.
  • Basic Scanning Options
    The application provides basic scanning settings, which may not meet the needs of professional users who require extensive customization and settings for their scanning tasks.

Analysis of Simple Scan

Overall verdict

  • Simple Scan is generally considered a good choice for users with basic scanning needs. It is particularly well-suited for users who prefer open-source software and those using Linux-based operating systems. Its ease of use and reliability make it a popular option among the Linux community.

Why this product is good

  • Simple Scan is a straightforward, easy-to-use scanning application that's part of the GNOME desktop environment. It is appreciated for its simplicity and is ideal for users who need to perform basic scanning tasks without the complexity of more advanced software. It supports a variety of scanning devices and works out of the box with minimal configuration.

Recommended for

  • Linux users
  • people who need basic scanning functions
  • those who prefer open-source software
  • GNOME desktop environment users

Simple Scan videos

To Scan Or Not To Scan..Simple Scan

More videos:

  • Review - Simple Scan Document Scanner Beginner Simple Example

Skanlite videos

SkanLite Role Play

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Simple Scan and Skanlite)
OCR
63 63%
37% 37
PDF Tools
66 66%
34% 34
PDF Editor
69 69%
31% 31
File Sharing
44 44%
56% 56

User comments

Share your experience with using Simple Scan and Skanlite. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Skanlite should be more popular than Simple Scan. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Skanlite mentions (6)

  • Cannot get scanner to work
    I have an HP Envy 6032 all-in-one printer/scanner which I cannot get to scan. Printing works just fine. I first tried using skanlite (from KDE), then the scanimage utility. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Printer-driver without scanning-functionality
    The printer I'm using has excellent printing-capabilities from within Linux, however it fails completely, when it comes to scanning. I have tried Skanlite and Gnomes Document Scanner, but none of them lists the printer as a scanning-device. Source: over 2 years ago
  • App should be in discover store, but isn't?
    I'm trying to download skanlite. According to the site it should be in the discover store, but doesn't seem to be. Is there somewhere else I can get it from? Source: over 2 years ago
  • I want printer that is compatible with Linux.
    I have a Brother DCP-L3550CDW and it works fine with Linux, I use KDE Plasma, so for scanning I use KDE's Skanlite and it works. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Skanlite – A Simple Image Scanning Tool for Linux
    The simplicity of the Skanlite Linux application makes it possible to effortlessly scan and save your raw images to flexibly usable digital format. By using flatbed scanners, you get more optimization in your image scanning routines. Source: about 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Simple Scan and Skanlite, you can also consider the following products

NAPS2 - NAPS2 is a document scanning application with a focus on simplicity and ease of use.

XSane - A good proposal for SANE-2 has been written.

VueScan - Third-party software for film scanners and flatbed scanners.

Scanitto Pro - Scanitto Pro is a simple and easy to use scanned imaging software. You can easily save the scanned images from your imaging device through this program to varying document styles and file types. Read more about Scanitto Pro.

MetaDMS Scan Software - MetaDMS Scan Software is a free to use program for the Windows operating systems for scanning paper documents within few clicks.

Windows Scan - Scan (and save) documents and pictures