Tame the Paper Chaos: How Receipt Capture Apps Can Save You Hours Each Month

If you run a creative business, chances are your desk (or inbox) is a swirl of receipts, invoices and payment confirmations. Whether it’s coffee with a client, software subscriptions or equipment upgrades, every transaction comes with paperwork and it all needs to be recorded if you want your accounts in order and your tax bill accurate.

But here's the good news: you don’t need to spend hours manually entering all this stuff. A receipt capture app can do the heavy lifting for you.

Let’s break down what that means, how it works, and which apps are worth your time.

What Is a Receipt Capture App?

A receipt capture app is a digital tool that lets you snap, upload or forward receipts and invoices straight into your bookkeeping system with no manual typing required.

You simply:

• Take a photo of your receipt (or forward a PDF invoice).
• The app reads the key info (supplier, date, amount, VAT etc.) using OCR (optical character recognition).
• Then pushes the data straight into your accounting software, like Xero or QuickBooks, with the receipt image attached.

That means:

• No more searching for lost receipts come tax time.
• No more missed VAT claims.
• And far less boring admin.
  
  

Why Creative Businesses Love These Apps

1. You’re often on the go – Whether you’re filming on location, pitching to clients or dashing between coffee shops, a paper receipt can easily get lost. A quick photo in the app and it's safely stored.

2. You wear all the hats – Most creative business owners juggle delivery, sales, and admin. These apps cut down data entry so you can spend more time doing what you’re actually good at.

3. You want accurate books – Clean records help you make better decisions, stay compliant and claim every tax deduction you're entitled to.

The Big Four: Which Receipt App Should You Choose?

Let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of the four main players used by UK small businesses.

Dext (formerly Receipt Bank)

✅ Pros:

• One of the most accurate OCR engines in the game.
• Super flexible – handles receipts, invoices, bank statements and more.
• Deep Xero integration, including tracking categories and bank rules.
• Allows multi-user access and custom workflows (great if you have a VA or bookkeeper helping out).

❌ Cons:

• One of the most expensive options, especially for solo users.
• The interface can feel a bit busy for first-timers.

Best for: Creatives with growing businesses who want powerful automation and don’t mind paying for it.

Hubdoc

✅ Pros:

• Included free with Xero business plans.
• Good for auto-fetching invoices from common suppliers (e.g. Google, Vodafone).
• Lets you forward invoices by email or snap a photo from your phone.

❌ Cons:

• OCR is slower and less reliable than Dext or AutoEntry.
• Limited user control over categorisation and coding.
• No support for supplier rules or line item extraction.

Best for: Xero users who want a no-cost option for basic needs and don't mind tidying up data manually.

AutoEntry

✅ Pros:

• Pay-as-you-go pricing - great for low or fluctuating volume.
• Extracts detailed line items from invoices and receipts.
• Also handles bank statements and even sales invoices.

❌ Cons:

• Can get expensive if you're uploading lots of documents.
• Requires more setup and review time than Dext.

Best for: Freelancers or small agencies with occasional bursts of paperwork who want more control without a fixed monthly fee.

Jenesys

✅ Pros:

• UK-based app with strong accountant-focused features.
• Works seamlessly with WhatsApp so no separate app to install on your device.
• Allows direct uploads and categorisation before pushing to accounts.
• Integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent.

❌ Cons:

• Less well-known, so support and community are more limited.

Best for: Smaller UK businesses working in tandem with their accountant on the financials. 

Final Thoughts: Which One’s Right for You?

If you just want to get your receipts into Xero with minimal fuss and don’t need much complexity, Hubdoc is a solid starting point - especially if you're already using Xero.

If you want automation that saves you time and grows with your business, then maybe Dext is worth the investment.

For occasional users or those with lots of detailed invoices, AutoEntry often hits the sweet spot.

And if you prefer to buy British and collaborate with your accountant then Jenesys is a hidden gem.

Which One Do We Use?

For our own accounts here at ESXR, we use Jenesys. It is independent, already excellent and on an upward trajectory. We provide it free to all our clients. 

Need help?

Why not book a meeting with us to discuss your circumstances and see how we can help.