The Modern Scantron Alternative
Why keep using outdated 1970s technology when there is a better, more affordable solution? PaperScorer delivers everything Scantron does—and more—at a fraction of the cost.
Traditional Scantron machines: costly hardware plus ongoing maintenance
Out with the old...
Scantron dates to 1972, and the workflow it created has changed little since. Schools and districts are still spending thousands on hardware and proprietary supplies when better alternatives exist.
- Requires expensive optical mark recognition (OMR) scanner hardware
- Needs specialized software to process and analyze scanned data
- Upfront hardware costs that can run into the thousands
- Ongoing service and maintenance fees year after year
- Proprietary bubble sheets you have to keep buying
- Technology designed in the 1970s
...In with the new
PaperScorer brings assessment scanning into the modern era. Use devices you already own, print on standard paper, and get instant results synced to your LMS.
- No special hardware required
- Print on any standard paper
- Scan with your smartphone
- Automatic LMS integration
- Just $25/year per user
They're already leaving the machine behind
This isn't our opinion about aging hardware. It's what universities are telling their own faculty as they shut these services down.
University of Kentucky
“Scantron services use outdated equipment, which will not be replaced or repaired.”
Central Scantron scoring ends after the Spring 2026 semester.
UK Information Technology ServicesCarleton University
“…the tools and technology underlying the service are at end of life.”
Scantron multiple-choice services wind down through Spring 2027.
Carleton Teaching and Learning ServicesPenn State
“The total number of bubble sheets scanning in Fall 2022 (69,807) is 20% of the total for Fall 2013 (366,267).”
Instructors using the service fell from 1,674 to 173 in seven years. Scanning operations closed in 2023.
Onward StateJames Madison University
“IT Test Scoring services close permanently on May 20.”
Faculty now print their own sheets and scan them with an office scanner or a smartphone camera.
JMU LibrariesMost of these schools are steering faculty toward online-only testing. That works until you need a test that runs without devices, without a login, and without the internet. The machine era is ending. Paper testing isn't. PaperScorer keeps the paper and retires the hardware.
Read which universities are ending Scantron services, and whySee the Difference
Compare Scantron's outdated approach with PaperScorer's modern solution.
| Feature | Scantron | PaperScorer |
|---|---|---|
| Scanner Cost | Thousands for dedicated hardware | Use your own phone or scanner |
| Software | Varies (often expensive) | $25/year per user |
| Scan Sheets | Proprietary forms, priced per sheet (universities publish $0.11–$0.12 each) | Print your own (free) |
| Training | Varies (additional cost) | Free web training |
| Support | Varies | Free email support |
| Maintenance | Ongoing maintenance costs | None required |
| Equipment Lifespan | Universities report equipment that will not be replaced or repaired | No hardware to age out |
| Batch Grading | Feed sheets through a dedicated machine | Upload one PDF of the whole class |
| Multiple Test Versions | Varies by system | Up to 5 shuffled versions, printed free |
| Answer Sheet Languages | Varies by system | 13 languages, chosen at print time |
Why Schools Choose PaperScorer
Modern features designed for today's educators.
Use Any Device
Scan with your smartphone, tablet, or any document scanner you already own.
Fraction of the Cost
Just $25/year per user. No expensive hardware or proprietary sheets required.
Cloud-Based
Access your data anywhere. Grades sync automatically to your LMS.
Instant Results
Students see their scores immediately after scanning.
Free Support
Get help when you need it with our dedicated support team.
Free Training
Comprehensive web-based training at no additional cost.
It isn't only cheaper. It does more.
Three things a bubble sheet built in the 1970s was never going to do.
Grade the whole class from one PDF
Run the stack through the copier you already have, save it as a single multi-page PDF, and upload it once. PaperScorer splits the pages, matches each one to a student, and scores them. No feeding sheets one at a time, and no dedicated machine to queue up behind.
- One upload for an entire class
- Pages matched to students automatically
- Every page reports its own outcome, so you see what needs attention
- Multi-page tests are reassembled per student
Five versions of the same test
Generate up to five variants of an assessment, each with question order and answer options shuffled, so neighboring students aren't looking at the same sheet. Because you print your own sheets, more versions cost nothing extra.
- Labeled A-E or 1-5, your choice
- The version prints into the bubble grid and is read at scan time
- One source assessment, one answer key
- Reporting stays in the original question order
Answer sheets in 13 languages
Choose the language at print time and the instructions and labels come out translated. A student still learning English shouldn't lose points for misreading how to fill in the form. Your questions stay in the language you wrote them.
Scantron is a registered trademark of Scantron Corporation. PaperScorer is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Scantron Corporation. Comparisons are based on publicly available information and provided for general informational purposes.
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