text-extract-api vs opendataloader-pdf
Document extraction tools compared
text-extract-api processes PDFs, images, and Office files into Markdown or structured JSON using OCR and optional Ollama models. opendataloader-pdf focuses on PDFs, preserving layout in structured outputs and generating Tagged PDFs; it also offers local and hybrid processing modes.

text-extract-api: Extract Text and Data from Documents
A self-hostable API that turns PDFs, images, and Office files into Markdown or structured JSON using OCR and Ollama models. It suits teams that need document processing and PII removal with control over where files are processed.

opendataloader-pdf: Extract Structured Data and Add Accessibility Tags to PDFs
OpenDataLoader PDF turns digital, scanned, and tagged PDFs into structured formats for AI and RAG workflows, and can auto-tag untagged PDFs. It offers Java, Python, and Node.js SDKs, with local and hybrid processing modes.
| text-extract-api | opendataloader-pdf | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Python | Java |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Stars | 3.2k | 29.5k |
| Forks | 279 | 2.8k |
| Last analyzed | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 |
Key differences
- text-extract-api handles PDFs, images, and Office documents, while opendataloader-pdf focuses on PDFs.
- text-extract-api is a Python service with HTTP API and CLI access; opendataloader-pdf is Java-based and offers Java, Python, and Node.js interfaces.
- text-extract-api uses OCR strategies with optional Ollama processing, while opendataloader-pdf extracts PDF structure and offers hybrid processing for complex layouts.
- text-extract-api is MIT licensed; opendataloader-pdf is Apache-2.0 licensed, with PDF/UA export and a visual editor described as enterprise features.
- text-extract-api supports self-hosting with services such as Celery, Redis, and Ollama; opendataloader-pdf's Python quick start requires Java 11 or later, and hybrid mode requires a separate backend.
- opendataloader-pdf lists 29.5k stars and 2.8k forks and reports ongoing project activity; text-extract-api lists 3.2k stars and 279 forks.
Choose text-extract-api if you…
- need to process images or Office documents as well as PDFs.
- want OCR output refined into Markdown or JSON with Ollama models and custom prompts.
- plan to run document processing in your own environment and configure result storage.
Choose opendataloader-pdf if you…
- need PDF structure such as reading order, page numbers, and element coordinates for downstream workflows.
- want to generate Tagged PDFs from untagged files as an accessibility remediation step.
- prefer Java, Python, or Node.js interfaces for PDF processing, or need HTML and annotated PDF output.
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This comparison is generated with AI from the OSRepos analyses of both projects. Always check each project's repository and documentation before choosing.