Can document scanning be embedded in a web app (browser-based scanning)?

Yes, browser-based document scanning is a well-established capability, and it's a meaningful option for businesses that want to offer identity document capture without requiring users to download a dedicated mobile app first, which can otherwise introduce real friction, particularly in a signup flow where every additional step tends to reduce completion rates.

Technically, this typically works through a JavaScript SDK that accesses a device's camera directly within the browser (using standard web APIs for camera access), then runs the same kind of capture guidance and extraction logic that a native mobile SDK would provide, just within the constraints of a web page rather than a native app environment. Modern browsers, on both desktop and mobile, generally support the camera access needed for this, though the specific user experience (how the camera permission prompt appears, how the capture interface is displayed) can vary somewhat by browser and device.

There are some practical tradeoffs compared to native mobile SDKs. Browser-based scanning sometimes has less consistent access to certain device capabilities, particularly NFC for chip reading, which is more reliably available through native mobile app SDKs than through a web browser.

Camera quality and control can also be somewhat more limited in a browser context compared to what a native app can access directly from the device's camera hardware.

That said, for the core use case of capturing an ID or passport image and extracting MRZ, visual zone, and barcode data, browser-based scanning generally performs well and is a genuinely practical option, particularly for desktop use cases (where a native mobile app wouldn't apply at all) and for businesses prioritizing a frictionless, no-download signup experience on mobile web.

ScanDoc offers browser-based scanning as an option alongside its native iOS and Android SDKs, letting businesses choose the integration path that best fits where their users are actually completing a signup or verification flow, whether that's within a native app or directly on a website.