AWS OCR Services vs Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer

Optical character recognition (OCR) is a technology that converts scanned documents or images of text into machine-readable text. This can be a valuable tool for businesses that need to process large volumes of paper documents, such as invoices, contracts, and other forms.

There are two leading cloud-based OCR services: Amazon Textract and Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer. Both services offer a wide range of features, including the ability to extract text from scanned documents, identify document types, and extract data from tables.

Amazon Textract

Amazon Textract is a fully managed service that uses machine learning to extract text and data from scanned documents. Textract can recognize text in a variety of formats, including invoices, receipts, contracts, and other forms. Textract can also identify the type of document being processed, which can be helpful for automating business processes.

Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer

Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer is another fully managed OCR service that uses machine learning to extract text and data from scanned documents. Form Recognizer can recognize text in a variety of formats, including invoices, receipts, contracts, and other forms. Form Recognizer can also identify the type of document being processed, which can be helpful for automating business processes.

Comparison of Features

The following table compares the features of Amazon Textract and Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer:

Document Types and Language Support: AWS OCR Services offer support for a wide range of document types, including scanned images, PDF files, and documents with mixed content. It also supports multiple languages, making it suitable for global deployments. On the other hand, Azure Form Recognizer focuses primarily on structured forms, invoices, and receipts, with support for multiple languages.

1. Data Extraction and Analysis: Both services provide efficient data extraction capabilities. AWS OCR Services, particularly Amazon Textract, uses machine learning models to extract structured data from tables, forms, and other document layouts. It can also perform entity recognition, allowing extraction of specific data points such as names, addresses, and dates. Azure Form Recognizer specializes in extracting key-value pairs from structured documents, enabling automated data extraction and analysis.
2. Training and Customization: Azure Form Recognizer offers the advantage of custom model training, allowing users to train the OCR system with their specific document types and layouts. This feature enhances accuracy and enables organizations to tailor the OCR capabilities to their unique requirements. While AWS OCR Services also provide customization options, Azure Form Recognizer offers a more extensive range of customization capabilities.
3. Integration and Ecosystem: Both AWS OCR Services and Azure Form Recognizer integrate seamlessly with other services within their respective cloud platforms. AWS OCR Services work well with AWS ecosystem services, such as Amazon S3, AWS Lambda, and AWS Step Functions. Azure Form Recognizer integrates smoothly with other Microsoft Azure services, including Azure Cognitive Services and Azure Functions.

Basic Implementation of Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer(Python):

import boto3

# Create a Textract client
client = boto3.client('textract')

# Get the PDF file from S3
response = client.get_object(Bucket='my-bucket', Key='my-pdf-file.pdf')
file_content = response['Body'].read()

# Extract text from the PDF
results = client.start_document_text_extraction(Document={'Bytes': file_content})

# Wait for the extraction to complete
response = client.get_document_text_extraction(JobId=results['JobId'])

# Print the extracted text
for block in response['Blocks']:
print(block['Text'])Basic Implementation of Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer(Python):

Basic Implementation of Amazon Textract(Python):

import os
from azure.cognitiveservices.formrecognizer import FormRecognizerClient

# Get your Form Recognizer endpoint and key from the Azure portal
endpoint = os.environ["FORM_RECOGNIZER_ENDPOINT"]
key = os.environ["FORM_RECOGNIZER_KEY"]

# Create a FormRecognizerClient object
client = FormRecognizerClient(endpoint, key)

# Upload the PDF file to Azure Blob Storage
blob_client = client.blob_client(".blob.core.windows.net")
blob_client.upload_blob("form.pdf")

# Analyze the PDF file
response = client.analyze_document("form.pdf")

# Get the extracted text
text = response.get_extracted_text()

# Print the extracted text
print(text)

Which Service is Right for You?

Both Amazon Textract and Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer are powerful OCR services that can help businesses process large volumes of paper documents. The best service for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements.

If you need a service that can recognize a wide variety of document types, then either service will be a good choice. However, if you need a service that can also identify the type of document being processed, then Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer may be a better choice.