Microsoft Lens vs ScanWow
A detailed comparison to help you choose the right document scanner
With Microsoft Lens being discontinued, many users are looking for alternatives. ScanWow was designed as a modern replacement that addresses many of Lens's limitations while adding new capabilities. Let's see how they compare.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | ScanWow | Microsoft Lens |
|---|---|---|
| Status | ✓ Active & Updated | ✗ Discontinued |
| Price | $4.99 one-time | Free |
| Subscription Required | No | No |
| Account Required | No | Yes (Microsoft) |
| AI-Powered OCR | ✓ | ✓ |
| Offline Mode | ✓ Full offline | Limited |
| Privacy Option | ✓ On-device processing | ✗ Cloud only |
| PDF Export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-page Documents | ✓ | ✓ |
| Languages | 12+ | 20+ |
| Business Card Scanning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Whiteboard Mode | ✓ Auto-enhance | ✓ |
Detailed Comparison
App Availability
Winner: ScanWow
Microsoft has confirmed that Lens is being discontinued. The app will be removed from app stores and will no longer receive updates. ScanWow is actively developed and will continue to receive updates and improvements.
Pricing Model
Winner: Tie (different approaches)
Microsoft Lens was free, supported by the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. ScanWow costs $4.99 as a one-time purchase with no subscriptions. While free is attractive, the one-time fee means no ads, no upsells, and guaranteed long-term support.
Privacy & Data Handling
Winner: ScanWow
Microsoft Lens required a Microsoft account and processed all scans through Microsoft's cloud. ScanWow offers a choice: use AI-powered cloud OCR for best accuracy, or switch to fully on-device processing for sensitive documents. Your choice, your data.
Offline Functionality
Winner: ScanWow
ScanWow offers full offline mode with on-device OCR using Tesseract.js. You can scan, extract text, and export PDFs without any internet connection. Microsoft Lens had limited offline capabilities.
OCR Accuracy
Winner: Tie
Both apps use AI-powered OCR and deliver excellent text recognition. ScanWow's cloud OCR uses Google's Gemini AI for state-of-the-art accuracy. For sensitive documents, on-device OCR provides good results while maintaining privacy.
Ease of Use
Winner: ScanWow
ScanWow requires no account creation or login. Install, open, and start scanning immediately. Microsoft Lens required signing in with a Microsoft account before use.
Best For Different Users
Business Users
Choose ScanWow for its privacy options and professional PDF output. No Microsoft 365 subscription required.
Privacy-Conscious Users
Choose ScanWow for its on-device processing option. Scan sensitive documents without any cloud transmission.
Frequent Travelers
Choose ScanWow for its full offline mode. Scan receipts and documents anywhere, even without cell service.
Microsoft 365 Users
While Lens integrated with OneDrive, you can easily share ScanWow PDFs to any cloud service including OneDrive.
Switching from Microsoft Lens
Migrating to ScanWow is simple:
- Export your Lens scans to OneDrive or your device
- Download ScanWow from the App Store
- Start scanning immediately - no account needed
For a detailed migration guide, see our complete article on the Microsoft Lens retirement.
Our Verdict
With Microsoft Lens being discontinued, ScanWow emerges as the clear choice for most users. It offers everything Lens did—and more—with the added benefits of:
- No account required
- Privacy-first design with on-device option
- Full offline functionality
- One-time purchase, no subscriptions
- Active development and support
The $4.99 investment pays for itself many times over in privacy, convenience, and peace of mind.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Join thousands of former Microsoft Lens users who've already switched to ScanWow.
Get ScanWow - $4.99