Dext vs AutoEntry: which receipt-capture tool fits your firm?
Dext and AutoEntry do the same core job — pull data off receipts, invoices, and statements and push it into your accounting software — so the real decision isn't features, it's pricing shape. Dext charges per client; AutoEntry charges per document via credits. That single difference decides which one is cheaper for your firm.
The short answer
Choose AutoEntry if your document volume is variable or on the lower side, you want pay-as-you-go credits pooled across unlimited client companies, and you want full line-item extraction included on every plan. It starts around $17/mo for 50 credits.
Choose Dext if you want the most mature multi-client dashboard and the broadest integration ecosystem, and your clients are high-volume enough that per-client pricing works in your favor.
Both are capture tools, not full bookkeeping — you keep your existing accounting software underneath either one.
At a glance
| Dext | AutoEntry | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Receipt & document capture (pre-accounting) | Receipt & document capture (pre-accounting) |
| Owned by | IRIS Software (formerly Receipt Bank) | Sage (acquired 2019) |
| Pricing model | Per client — firm Practice plans ~$17.70/client/mo, 10-client minimum; Business from ~$25/mo | Credit-based pay-as-you-go — from ~$17/mo for 50 credits; no contract |
| How credits work | Plan includes a document allowance; some line-item & bank-statement extraction can use paid credits | 1 credit = invoice/receipt · 2 = with line items · 3 = bank statement page |
| Line-item extraction | Yes (some plans/extractions use credits) | Yes — on all plans |
| Companies & users | Multi-client dashboard; user seats vary by plan | Unlimited companies & users, credits pooled across clients |
| Integrations | Xero, QuickBooks, Sage +30 platforms, 11,500+ banks | Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent +others |
| Free trial | 14 days, no card | Free trial; buy credits when ready |
| Xero App Store rating | ~4.8 stars | ~4.7 stars |
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Quick verdict by use case
Pick Dext if… Ecosystem
- You want the most established multi-client dashboard for a practice.
- You need the widest integration list — 30+ platforms and 11,500+ banks.
- Your clients are high-volume, so per-client pricing pays off.
- You want extras like e-commerce data (Dext Commerce) and data-health checks.
- You're already standardized on Dext across your book of business.
Pick AutoEntry if… Flexibility
- Your document volume is variable or lower — pay only for what you process.
- You want full line-item extraction on every plan, no premium tier.
- You want unlimited client companies and users under one account.
- You'd rather pool credits across all clients than pay per client.
- You're in a VAT-heavy market where line-item detail matters.
What Dext does well
Dext (formerly Receipt Bank, now owned by IRIS) is the most established pre-accounting tool in the Xero and QuickBooks ecosystems. It captures supplier, date, amount, tax, and line items from receipts, invoices, and statements, then publishes into your accounting software — with a multi-client dashboard built for firms and the broadest integration list in the category. Its March 2026 AI Assist release added categorization learning and automated tax-treatment suggestions on top of the OCR engine.
The catch for firms is the pricing shape: Dext's accountant pricing is per client with a 10-client minimum, which scales smoothly for practices with high-volume clients but can get expensive fast if you serve lots of small, low-fee clients.
- Most mature multi-client dashboard for practices
- Broadest integrations — 30+ platforms, 11,500+ banks
- Extras: Dext Commerce, data-health checks, AI Assist
- Strong OCR accuracy on machine-printed documents
- Per-client pricing painful for many small clients
- Some line-item/bank extraction uses paid credits
- Renewal price increases reported by users
- 10-client minimum on Practice plans
What AutoEntry does well
AutoEntry (founded in Dublin in 2011, acquired by Sage in 2019) does one thing and does it well: extract structured data — including full line items — from invoices, receipts, bills, and bank statements, and post it into Sage, Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, and others. Despite the Sage ownership, it stays genuinely cross-platform. Its pricing is credit-based: you buy a monthly allowance and spend 1 credit per receipt, 2 for a document with line items, 3 per bank-statement page.
For practices, the appeal is real: unlimited client companies and users under one account, with credits pooled across the whole book — so nothing's wasted on a quiet client. The main gripe is that unused credits don't roll over, so seasonal volume can mean wasted credits some months and overruns in others.
- Pay-as-you-go; good for variable or low volume
- Full line-item extraction on all plans
- Unlimited companies & users, credits pooled
- No contract; cancel anytime
- Unused credits don't roll over
- Bank-statement pages burn 3 credits each
- Gets pricey at very high document volume
- Capture only — not full bookkeeping
So which should you choose?
Estimate your monthly documents and how many are line-item invoices or bank statements, then compare the two pricing shapes against that number. If your volume is steady and high across a few clients, Dext's per-client model and deeper ecosystem tend to win. If your volume is variable, spread across many small clients, or line-item-heavy, AutoEntry's pooled pay-as-you-go credits with line items on every plan are usually the more economical and flexible fit.
Either way, you're choosing a capture layer — both still sit on top of your real accounting system. If you're actually weighing capture against full bookkeeping automation, that's a different decision: see our Dext vs Docyt comparison →, or the full best AI bookkeeping tools roundup →.