DEVELOPER API

Handwriting OCR API for cursive and handwritten text

Send a photo of handwriting, get clean text back as JSON. The same recognition engine behind our converter, available to your app with one HTTPS call.

Get a free API key Read the docs
  • 25 free calls a month
  • No card to start
  • Images never stored
Request
curl https://www.cursivetotext.com/api/v1/recognize \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CURSIVETOTEXT_API_KEY" \
  -F "image=@letter.jpg"
Response · 200 OK
{
  "id": "rec_4f1c9a2e7b3d40c8a6e1",
  "object": "recognition",
  "text": "Dear Anna,\nLife is a beautiful journey —\nkeep writing your story.",
  "confidence": 94,
  "word_count": 11,
  "processing_ms": 1180,
  "usage": {
    "plan": "API Growth",
    "limit": 5000,
    "used": 1242,
    "remaining": 3758,
    "resets_at": "2026-11-22T13:32:01.000Z"
  }
}
WHY DEVELOPERS USE IT

Handwriting recognition without the machine-learning project

Skip training models and tuning pipelines. Send an image, get text, ship your feature.

Built for real handwriting

Connected cursive, slanted script, faded ink and notebook paper — tested on the documents people actually photograph.

Clean JSON response

Text with line breaks preserved, a 0–100 confidence score, word count and your remaining quota in every response.

Fast and simple

One endpoint. Send a file or base64, get text back in about 1–3 seconds. No SDK required.

Keys in seconds

Sign in, create a key, make your first call. Revoke and rotate keys any time from your account.

Private by design

Images are processed in memory and never stored. Recognized text is returned to you, not kept.

Predictable pricing

Pay per image through a monthly plan. Failed calls and images with no text are never charged.

HOW IT WORKS

Live in three steps

  1. 1

    Create a key

    Sign in and generate a key on your account’s API keys page.

  2. 2

    Send an image

    POST a JPEG, PNG, GIF or WebP to /api/v1/recognize as a file or base64.

  3. 3

    Use the text

    Store, search or translate the returned text. Check confidence to route hard cases to review.

USE CASES

What teams build with it

Archives & genealogy

Digitise letters, diaries and parish records so they can be searched.

Education apps

Read handwritten homework, worksheets and exam answers.

Forms & documents

Pull handwritten fields from intake forms, notes and applications.

Note-taking tools

Turn photos of notebooks and whiteboards into editable notes.

CRM & field work

Capture handwritten job sheets, delivery notes and inspection reports.

Accessibility

Make handwritten content readable by screen readers and translation tools.

API PRICING

Simple plans, priced per call

API plans are separate from website plans. Start with 25 free calls a month and upgrade when your app grows. Failed calls and images with no text are free.

API Free

For trying the API and prototypes.

$0/mo

25 calls / month

Start free
  • All endpoints
  • No card required

API Starter

For side projects and early products.

$19/mo

1,000 calls / month

  • ≈ 1.9¢ per image
  • 60 requests / minute
  • Cancel anytime
POPULAR

API Growth

For apps with steady daily volume.

$49/mo

5,000 calls / month

  • ≈ 0.98¢ per image
  • 60 requests / minute
  • Cancel anytime

API Scale

For production workloads and teams.

$149/mo

20,000 calls / month

  • ≈ 0.74¢ per image
  • 60 requests / minute
  • Cancel anytime

API plans are separate from website conversion plans. Monthly calls reset each billing period; failed calls and images with no text are never charged. Need more than 20,000 calls a month? See business plans →

FAQ

Handwriting OCR API questions

More detail in the API reference, or see the image to text API overview.

What is a handwriting OCR API?+

It is a web service that takes an image of handwritten text and returns the text as data your software can use. You send a photo or scan over HTTPS and receive the words as JSON, so you can search, store or translate them.

Can it read cursive?+

Yes. The API is tuned for connected cursive as well as print handwriting, including slanted writing and older letters. Accuracy depends on image quality — sharp, evenly lit photos with dark ink work best — and every response includes a confidence score so you can flag results for review.

How much does the handwriting OCR API cost?+

Every account gets 25 free API calls per month for testing. Dedicated API plans start at $19 per month for 1,000 calls (API Starter), $49 for 5,000 (API Growth) and $149 for 20,000 (API Scale), with local prices in many countries. Failed calls and images with no text are not charged. For larger volumes, see our business plans.

Which image formats are supported?+

JPEG, PNG, GIF and WebP up to 10 MB. Send the file as multipart form data or as a base64 string in JSON. For PDFs, export each page as an image first.

Do you store the images I send?+

No. Images are processed in memory and discarded, and the recognized text is returned to you without being stored on our servers.

Is the API included in the website plans?+

No — the API has its own plans and its own monthly quota, so heavy API use never eats into conversions you make on the website, and vice versa. You can hold a website plan, an API plan, or both.

Is there a rate limit?+

Each key can make 60 requests per minute. If you need more throughput or more than 20,000 calls a month, contact us about a business plan.

Start recognizing handwriting today

Create a key and make your first call in under five minutes.

Get a free API key View documentation