★ 17k
January 2025
MIT
Learning
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 7 Sept 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 31 Aug 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 38 tools we list in Learning
- No API key required30 of 38
- Keeps your data on your own machine13 of 38
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed19 of 38
- Requires terminal commands30 that do not →
Only 7 of the 38 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
Converts an image of a mathematical formula into the LaTeX that produces it, which removes the single most tedious step in writing anything with equations — retyping them. There is a GUI for snipping straight from the screen, and a hosted demo if you want to judge the accuracy before installing anything. Complex or handwritten formulas still come back wrong often enough that you should render and check every result. MIT.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineRequired
- API keyNot required
- Sends data onlineNo
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
LaTeX-OCR FAQ
- Is LaTeX-OCR free?
- Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use LaTeX-OCR?
- It needs the command line. If you are not comfortable typing commands, expect to get stuck during setup.
- Does LaTeX-OCR work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use LaTeX-OCR commercially?
- The licence is MIT, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaTeX-OCR (this page) | Required | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| Prompt_Engineering | Required | Required | No | No | Not verified |
| aeneas | Required | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| PageLM | Required | Required | Yes | No | With conditions |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.