Historical handwriting — readable text
Letters, registry extracts, ancestor notes — photo to text you can search and share. For hobby genealogists, family archives, and local history buffs. Subscription is secondary; the point is the tool exists when someone finds it.
File deleted within an hour · No card — 40 recognitions/month after sign-up · Pay by card from your account
Sound familiar?
- You have a scan but retyping Gothic or cursive script is miserable.
- Relatives send letter photos — you want to search by name.
- You need a transcription draft, not a perfect scholarly edition on pass one.
Documents we handle
| You upload | You get |
|---|---|
| Letter / postcard | Text |
| Registry extract / copy | Text |
| Diary or marginal notes | Text page by page |
Old hands and damaged paper produce more [?]. For publication, verify against the original.
How to connect
Widget on your site
Create a widget in your account, copy the iframe — visitors upload photos on your page.
<iframe src="https://toolsy.tools/embed/YOUR_ID" style="width:100%;height:480px;border:0" loading="lazy" ></iframe>WordPress, Webflow, Shopify →
API from your app
One POST — file plus recognition type. Response is JSON with text.
curl -X POST https://toolsy.tools/api/v1/ocr \ -H "Authorization: Bearer KEY" \ -F "tool=historical-manuscript" \ -F "file=@doc.jpg"PHP, Python, Node, and more →
Try the tools
Time saved
| Scenario | Docs / month | Plan | Manual entry | Per document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal archive | up to 500 | API Starter$19/mo | — | $0.04 |
| Club / project | up to 3,000 | API Growth$49/mo | — | $0.02 |
| Digitization push | up to 15,000 | API Scale$119/mo | — | $0.01 |
API plans
Same plans for every scenario. One quota for API calls and embed widgets on your site.
- · Free tier or a one-month Starter often enough
- · Clubs can share one API Starter key
Common questions
Subscription or one-off jobs?
Mostly one-off and content-driven. Pick an API plan when volume is steady.
Do I need to review the output?
Yes. Toolsy speeds up typing, not judgment — especially names, numbers, and totals.
What if the photo is crooked or glarey?
Lighting and framing matter more than anything. Retake in even light, full page in frame, no finger on the text. Unreadable bits are marked [?].
Can I try without a card?
Yes. After sign-up you get an API key with 40 recognitions per month. For steady volume, pick a plan in your account.
Ready to try on your documents?
Start with one file in the tool — no card. For your site or app, set up the API in your account: instant key, 40 free recognitions/month after sign-up.