Google Stack: What it is, How it Works, FAQs

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Troy Segal
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Troy Segal is an editor and writer. She has 20+ years of experience covering personal finance, wealth management, and business news.
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Updated August 26, 2022
Reviewed by Pamela Rodriguez
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Vikki Velasquez
Vikkie Velasquez
Fact checked by Vikki Velasquez
Full Bio
Vikki Velasquez is a researcher and writer who has managed, coordinated, and directed various community and nonprofit organizations. She has conducted in-depth research on social and economic issues and has also revised and edited educational materials for the Greater Richmond area.
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What Is Google Stack?

Google Stack is a document-scanning and -filing app. It digitally photographs and stores receipts, bills, and other papers as PDFs, organizing them into different categories. Free to download, it is available exclusively for Android phones and tablets in the United States.

Key Takeaways

  • Google Stack is a document-digitizing and -filing app, launched by Google in March 2021.
  • The app is free but available exclusively for Android users.
  • Google Stack uses artificial intelligence to scan and store papers as PDFs, organizing them into customizable categories.
  • Users can search their stacked docs in various ways, including by a store name, a bill’s due date, or a sum of money.
  • Copies of Google Stack documents also can be stored on a user’s Google Drive.

How Google Stack Works

Launched on March 30, 2021, Google Stack was created by Area 120, the in-house incubator of Google, owned by Alphabet Inc. (GOOG and GOOGL).

The team leader for Stack was Christopher Pedregal, creator of Socratic, an education app that Google acquired in 2018.

To use Stack—once it’s downloaded from the Google Play store—you begin by photographing a document. The app will scan it, title it for you, and suggest the right category, or “stack” (get the name now?), for you to store it in, based on details within the doc. You can also import and scan existing PDFs or photos of documents already on your Android smartphone.

The stacks have names, such as Bills, Receipts, Banking, House, IDs, Vehicles, Insurance, Legal, Medical, Tax, and Travel. If you don’t like the preset suggestions, you can change the file name, slot the doc into another stack, or create a category of your own. You can put a PDF into more than one stack, and you can edit a file’s appearance (crop, color) as well—though the app automatically does a lot of digital enhancement. One professional app reviewer was particularly impressed by Stack’s ability to gather information from and categorize a highly crumpled receipt.

Google Stack Strong Points

Scanning apps have been around for a while. The biggest deal with Stack’s is its organizing function—the way that it “reads” a document and files it.

Stack makes extensive use of Google’s DocAI tool, a Cloud-based technology for document analysis.

This ability to analyze and zero in on key data also allows you to search for your stacked docs in various ways: by a store name, a bill’s due date, a sum of money, etc. The app also enables full-text searches within a doc.

Another of Stack’s selling points is its ability to sync with Google Drive; you can opt to automatically save a copy of your stacked documents there, for access on a desktop or laptop. That way, your scans will always be available, should you ever decide to stop using Stack—or should Google discontinue it, as some cynics say it will.

Reactions to Google Stack

Stack receives largely favorable reviews on the Google Play store. As of March 4, 2022, the app has a 4.7-star rating (out of five) from 6,680 reviewers. “Use this app daily” and “amazing app” are typical kudos. Complaints have centered on AI aspect and difficulty switching cameras.

Some responders have expressed big data concerns, given how Google makes money. But according to Google's commitment to privacy policy of Workspace, the company will "never use customer data or service data (such as usage activity) for ads targeting."

100,000+

The number of Stack installs, as of March 4, 2022.

Google Stack Competitors

Document-scanning and -digitizing services are not new: CamScanner, one of the oldest, dates back to 2011. Some of the leading mobile apps that Google Stack is competing with include:

  • Microsoft Office Lens for iPhone and Android, which lets you save to OneNote or OneDrive
  • Tiny Scanner, with versions for iOS and Android devices
  • Adobe Scan for iOS and Android, which can upload PDFs or JPEGs to Adobe Document Cloud

FAQs

Is Google Stack Safe?

Stack uses Google’s advanced security and sign-in technology to protect documents. For extra safeguarding, you can require a scan of your face or fingerprint every time that you unlock the app.

How Do I Use Google Stack?

First, you sign in to the Google Stack app, using your Google account. Then tap on the + button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. You can scan and import items in three ways: the PDF option for already-digitized files, the Gallery option if it’s a photo, or the Camera option to create a digitized version of an actual document. Using Camera is akin to taking any smartphone pic: Place the paper on a well-lit, even surface, hold the phone steady, and tap the Scan button. The app automatically crops and sharpens the image.

Where Are Google Stack Documents Stored?

Google Stack documents are stored in the app itself, organized into different categories (the “stacks”). You also can opt to have copies of the docs saved to your Google Drive.

Article Sources
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  1. Google Play. “Stack: PDF Scanner by Google Area 120," Select "About This App." Arrow.

  2. Google, The Keyword. “Organize Your Documents Effortlessly with Stack.”

  3. TechCrunch. "Google Discloses its Acquisition of Mobile Learning App Socratic as it Relaunches on iOS."

  4. The Verge. “Google’s Stack Is a Clever, If Incomplete, Way to Digitize and Organize Documents.”

  5. Google Play. “Stack: PDF Scanner by Google Area 120.”

  6. Google Cloud. "Our Commitment to the Privacy and Security of Google Workspace Customer Data."

  7. BusinessWire. "CamScanner Launches GooglePlay Campaign Featuring PDF Tools."

  8. Microsoft. “Office Lens Comes to iPhone and Android.”

  9. Apple App Store. “Scanner App: Scan PDF Document.”

  10. Adobe. “Now Your Scanner Is in Your Back Pocket."

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