How much does document scanning cost?

Scanning services usually price per page or per box, and the scanning itself is the smallest part of the bill. What drives the price is the work around it: preparing the paper, indexing each document, and handling and security. The same 10,000 pages can cost several times more from one project to the next.

What drives the price of outsourced scanning

• Preparation: removing staples and clips, unfolding, repairing and sorting pages. Loose, clean paper costs far less than files full of staples and sticky notes.
• Indexing: how many fields are keyed for each document. Indexing by hand is often the largest single cost; barcodes and OCR reduce it.
• Paper: odd sizes, thin or damaged paper, bound books and large-format drawings need slower handling.
• Image settings: color and high resolution cost more than black and white at 300 dpi.
• Logistics: pickup, secure transport, a rush deadline, and storing, returning or shredding the originals.

The in-house alternative

For ongoing scanning, owning the equipment is usually cheaper over time. A capable desktop scanner such as the ScanSnap iX1300 or the Ricoh fi-8170 costs from a few hundred to around a thousand dollars, and SimpleIndex, which automates naming, indexing and filing, is a one-time license from $600. See choosing a document scanner.

Get a realistic estimate

We can assess your project and refer it. Tell us how many pages you have, what they look like and how they need to be indexed, and we'll tell you whether to outsource or scan in house. If outsourcing is the better choice, we'll refer the job to a trusted scanning partner suited to its size, security needs and location. Ask for an assessment or call 865-637-8986.

See also outsourcing document scanning.