Scan batches
Connect a macOS-compatible USB scanner, scan front and back pages, and keep adding surveys to the same project over multiple sessions.
Made for stacks, scanners, and messy real paper
Turn paper surveys into clean, reviewable CSV data.
Paper surveys in. Clean data out.
Scanphibian is a Mac app for scanning batches of surveys, checking uncertain answers fast, and keeping the whole project ready to export.
Version 1.0 for macOS 14 Sonoma or newer. Universal build for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Current project
Review queue
Student Survey 2026
Scanner
USB document scanner
148Surveys
2,072Answers
19Need review
Q1Male
Q7It was fun
Q12I had a little support
Workflow
Built around high-volume survey days.
Create templates
Use a sample survey to define the question list and expected answer types so results stay aligned across colors, sizes, and layouts.
Review quickly
Low-confidence answers show a focused crop, dropdowns for multiple choice, text entry for handwriting, and keyboard-friendly approval.
How to use Scanphibian
From paper stack to usable data.
Install and connect your scanner
Download the DMG, drag Scanphibian into Applications, then connect a macOS-compatible USB scanner. Open the app and choose the scanner from the scan screen.
Create a project
Start a new project for the survey batch. Scanphibian saves projects as `.scn` files, so you can stop and continue scanning another day without losing your setup.
Build or choose a template
Use the Template tab to define each question and the kind of answer to detect, including single choice, multiple choice, checked boxes, and written responses.
Scan the surveys
Load the pages into your scanner and start a batch. Scanphibian will rotate pages, read the template, and place detected answers into the answer table.
Review uncertain answers
If an answer is unclear, Scanphibian shows a focused crop of the question so you can approve or correct it quickly. Multiple-choice questions use dropdowns to speed up review.
Export the final CSV
When the batch is complete, export responses to CSV for spreadsheets, dashboards, reporting, or a future database workflow.
Accuracy
Readable results, with a human checkpoint where it matters.
Run the local detector for quick no-cost scans, or connect an OpenAI API key when you want stronger help with handwriting, circles, boxes, and odd survey layouts.
Template-guided question matching
AI confidence thresholds
Manual correction before export
CSV export for analysis
Field notes
Designed for the imperfect stuff.
Short half-sheets, colored paper, handwritten answers, circled choices, and checkboxes can live in the same project.
Uncertain answers show a tight image crop so review feels like checking a receipt, not hunting through a page.
Projects save as `.scn`, so you can scan today, come back tomorrow, and keep appending to the same export.
Quick answers
What people usually need to know first.
What is Scanphibian?
Scanphibian is a macOS app for converting scanned paper surveys into clean, reviewable CSV data.
Does it work on Intel Macs?
Yes. The download is packaged as a universal Mac build for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 14 Sonoma or newer.
Who is it for?
It is built for teams scanning real survey batches: schools, outreach teams, research groups, events, programs, and anyone still collecting answers on paper.
Can it handle handwriting and marked answers?
Yes. Scanphibian supports circled answers, checked boxes, written answers, focused review crops, and optional AI-assisted detection for harder sheets.
What does it export?
Scanphibian exports survey responses to CSV so the data can be opened in spreadsheets, dashboards, or reporting tools.
Download
Install Scanphibian for macOS.
Download the DMG, drag Scanphibian into Applications, then create a project and start scanning.