olmOCR vs 
MinerU
olmOCR vs MinerU compared for 2026 — features, license, ease of use, performance and which one to choose. Turn PDFs into clean training-grade text vs PDF to Markdown with formulas and tables.
Updated regularly · curated by olud.ai
olmOCR vs MinerU at a glance
| Spec | olmOCR | MinerU |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Document AI & OCR | Document AI & OCR |
| Type | OCR pipeline | Document extractor |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Runs locally | Yes | Yes |
| Primary language | Python | Python |
| Ease of use | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| Best for | bulk PDF extraction for RAG or training | scientific PDFs with formulas |
| GitHub stars | 19.2k | 75.3k |
How olmOCR and MinerU score
| Criterion | olmOCR | MinerU |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| Maintenance | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of use | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Privacy | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| License freedom | 5.0 | 3.5 |
Scores are computed automatically from public signals — GitHub stars (popularity), recent commit activity (maintenance), license type (freedom), local-first design (privacy) and onboarding complexity (ease of use). Indicative, not a verdict.
What each one is
olmOCR
olmOCR from AI2 converts messy PDFs into clean linearised text at scale, preserving reading order across columns and figures.
- Handles multi-column academic PDFs
- Built for very large batches
- Preserves correct reading order
MinerU
MinerU extracts text, tables, formulas and images from PDFs into Markdown or JSON, handling scientific documents particularly well.
- Extracts formulas as LaTeX
- Strong table structure recovery
- Handles scanned documents
Key differences
olmOCR is oCR pipeline, while MinerU is document extractor. Their licenses differ (Apache-2.0 vs AGPL-3.0), which matters if you ship a commercial product. In short, olmOCR fits bulk PDF extraction for RAG or training, and MinerU fits scientific PDFs with formulas.
Which should you choose?
Choose olmOCR for bulk PDF extraction for RAG or training. Choose MinerU for scientific PDFs with formulas.
There is rarely one winner — many setups use both. The right pick depends on your hardware, your team's skills, and whether you value simplicity or control.
Frequently asked questions
Is olmOCR or MinerU easier to use?
Both sit at a similar level (Intermediate). Your choice should come down to fit rather than difficulty.
Are olmOCR and MinerU free?
olmOCR is free and open source (Apache-2.0), and MinerU is free and open source (AGPL-3.0). Neither charges for the core software.
Can I run olmOCR and MinerU locally?
olmOCR: yes · MinerU: yes. Both can be used without sending your data to a third-party cloud where their setup allows.
olmOCR vs MinerU — which should I pick in 2026?
Choose olmOCR for bulk PDF extraction for RAG or training. Choose MinerU for scientific PDFs with formulas.
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