Red Flags in Scanning Quotes: What Hidden Fees to Watch For
By USA IMAGING, Inc.
When it comes to document scanning, price is often the first thing businesses look at—and understandably so. But the cheapest quote isn’t always the best deal. In fact, many scanning vendors hide significant costs in the fine print, turning what looked like a budget-friendly project into an expensive headache.
At USA IMAGING, Inc., we’ve reviewed hundreds of competitor quotes from clients who came to us after being burned. We’re sharing what we’ve learned so you can avoid falling into the same traps.
🚩 1. “Per Character” or “Per Field” Indexing Fees
At first glance, indexing (or naming files/folders) may be included in your quote—but dig deeper. Some companies charge $0.02 to $0.05 per character or per field for indexing. That means:
A 50-character file name = up to $2.50 per file
25 files in a single box = up to $62.50 extra per box
It adds up fast—and it’s often buried deep in the proposal.
🚩 2. OCR Charges That Seem Trivial—But Aren’t
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is what makes your scanned documents searchable—a key benefit of digitizing. But watch out for:
$0.001 to $0.003 per page OCR charges
Sounds small? For 100,000 pages, that’s $100 to $300 in added cost—just for OCR.
Make sure OCR is included in your base price, not snuck in later.
🚩 3. Bait-and-Switch Page Rates
Some companies quote a low price per image (not per page). What they don’t tell you is that double-sided documents count as two images. Suddenly, that $0.04/page quote becomes $0.08/page—a 100% jump.
Ask:
“Is your quoted rate based on single-sided or double-sided scanning?”
🚩 4. Document Prep Charges That Escalate
Staple removal, page repairs, sticky note handling—these are common in prep. Some providers bill hourly or per staple, and those hours can rack up:
$30–$60/hour document prep fees
Added charges for torn pages, folded edges, or bound documents
Get a clear scope: what prep work is included, and what triggers extra costs?
🚩 5. Post-Scan Delivery Format Fees
You scanned your documents—but now you want them on a flash drive, in a searchable PDF, or uploaded to a secure cloud? You may hear:
“There’s a fee for PDF formatting.”
“Flash drives are $25 each.”
“Cloud uploads cost extra.”
At USA IMAGING, we include these standard delivery formats—no surprises.
🚩 6. Minimums and Setup Fees
Some vendors add:
High minimum order charges (e.g., $500 project minimum)
Setup/admin fees of $50–$200
Always ask about minimums and one-time fees upfront.
✅ How USA IMAGING, Inc. is Different
We believe in transparent, all-in pricing. When we quote you:
Indexing and OCR are included
Double-sided documents are priced fairly
Prep labor is estimated honestly based on your actual materials
We don’t charge “nickel-and-dime” fees for formats or delivery
You get the whole picture—upfront.
📞 Let’s Talk
Before you commit to a scanning vendor, send us their quote—we’ll review it for red flags and provide a no-obligation comparison.
USA IMAGING, Inc.
📍 12923-D Pomerado Road, Poway, CA 92064
📞 858-513-6565
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 www.usa-imaging.com
