Dext Alternatives: 10 Receipt and Bill Capture Tools

Dext is popular with bookkeepers because it takes the grind out of data entry. But it isn't the only way to stop receipts piling up in a shoebox, and the right tool depends on whether you're a practice handling hundreds of clients or a business owner with a few receipts a week.

The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Each description comes from the tool's own site, read this week. If you're still choosing the ledger these tools feed into, my guide to the best bookkeeping software for small business covers the main options.

Dext alternatives at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes free use or a free plan, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
AutoEntry	Data capture	Accountants with many clients	Trial only
Datamolino	Bill automation	Multi-site businesses	Trial only
Docyt	AI accounting	Hotels and franchise groups	No
Expensify	Expense reports	Employee expense claims	Trial only
Hubdoc	Document capture	Xero users	Trial only
Lightyear	AP automation	Supplier bills with line items	Trial only
Shoeboxed	Receipt scanning	Paper receipts by post	Trial only
SparkReceipt	Receipt scanner	Solo founders and freelancers	Trial only
Veryfi	OCR API	Building capture into your own app	Trial only
Zoho Expense	Travel and expense	Zoho Books and Zoho One users	Trial only

Ten Dext alternatives to consider

AutoEntry

Best for: Accounting practices that want bills, receipts and statements captured and pushed into their clients' ledgers.

Datamolino

Best for: Bookkeepers and multi-site businesses that want bills captured, approved and posted with fewer manual steps.

Docyt

Best for: Hotel, restaurant and franchise operators who want receipts, revenue reconciliation and month end handled by AI agents.

Expensify

Best for: Companies whose main headache is employee expense claims and want receipts scanned and reports approved on the go.

Hubdoc

Best for: Xero users who want bills and receipts fetched automatically and published straight into their books with little typing.

Lightyear

Best for: Businesses that need supplier bills captured line by line and checked carefully before anything reaches the books.

Shoeboxed

Best for: Sole traders drowning in paper receipts who want a receipt scanner app and a mileage tracker in one place.

SparkReceipt

Best for: Freelancers and solo founders who want an AI receipt scanner that sorts expenses ready for their accountant.

Veryfi

Best for: Developers and finance teams who want to build receipt and invoice capture into their own app with an API.

Zoho Expense

Best for: Businesses already on Zoho who want expense reports, receipts and travel requests flowing straight into Zoho Books.

How long you have to keep those receipts

Here's the rule that decides how long your capture tool needs to hold on to things. GOV.UK says self-employed people must keep their records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline of the relevant tax year.

Make sure whichever capture tool you pick keeps the original image at least that long, and that you can export everything if you ever leave. It's worth checking what happens to stored images if you cancel, because some tools delete them after a set period.

Practice tool or business tool?

Practice tools are built for accountants and bookkeepers who manage many clients at once. They focus on bulk processing, client inboxes and publishing to several ledgers. Business tools are built for owners and their teams, with mobile apps that make snapping a receipt quick and expense reports simple to submit.

If you're a business owner, ask your accountant which tool they prefer before you choose. Using the same tool means they can review your documents directly instead of chasing you for copies.

Setting up receipt capture that sticks

1. Choose one way to submit receipts: an app, an email address or both.
2. Connect the tool to your accounting software and bank feeds.
3. Set rules for regular suppliers so they're coded automatically.
4. Ask everyone to submit receipts the same week they spend.
5. Review flagged items weekly rather than at the end of the quarter.
6. Export a full backup at least once a year.

Common receipt mistakes to avoid

• Waiting until the deadline. Faded receipts and missing details are harder to fix later.
• Mixing personal and business spend. Keep separate cards and accounts where you can.
• No notes on purpose. A quick note on why you bought something helps at review time.
• Never exporting. Keep your own backup outside the tool.

When a practice tool makes sense for a business

Larger businesses with lots of supplier bills sometimes outgrow simple receipt apps. If you're processing hundreds of bills a month across several locations, look at the tools built for line-item capture and purchase order matching, as they save hours that a basic receipt scanner can't.

What accountants want from your receipts

Accountants want three things: a clear image, the supplier and date, and a note on what the purchase was for. Most capture tools grab the first two automatically, but the note is down to you. Get into the habit of adding a few words when you snap a receipt, such as the client or project, and your accountant will spend less time asking questions.

Do you make a receipt or bill capture tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on Dext alternatives

Choose the tool you'll use on a busy Tuesday, not the one with the longest feature list. The best capture tool is the one that makes snapping a receipt take seconds, because the receipts you don't capture are the ones that cause problems later.

If you work with an accountant, involve them early and agree who checks what. A short monthly review together keeps the books tidy and stops a year-end panic. For more ways to cut admin, see my guide to AI automation for accountants and bookkeepers.

Frequently asked questions

What does Dext do?

It captures receipts, bills and statements and extracts the data so it can be published into accounting software.

How long should I keep business records in the UK?

GOV.UK says self-employed people must keep records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline of the relevant tax year.

Is there a free alternative to Dext?

Most tools on this list offer free trials rather than free plans. Check the table for each one.

Do I still need paper receipts?

Check with your accountant, but most capture tools store a digital image of each receipt so you have a record.

Which tools work with Xero or QuickBooks?

Many of these tools connect with popular accounting software, so check each tool's integrations list.

Can a receipt app track mileage too?

Some receipt apps include a mileage tracker, so check each tool's features if you drive for work.