Navigating the complexities of a growing business means dealing with the inevitable pile-up of receipts and the daunting task of manual bookkeeping. 

But there’s a smarter way forward. In the fast-paced world of business, receipt scanner apps are the game-changers you didn’t know you needed. Designed to streamline your financial workflow, these tools ensure precision and efficiency.

Our curated selection of the best receipt scanner apps for 2024 caters specifically to the evolving needs of modern entrepreneurs like you. Whether you’re managing the finances of a thriving startup or balancing personal and business expenses, our guide will help you find the perfect app to keep your financial goals on track without sacrificing your peace of mind. 

What are you really looking for?

Before we start our list, know that not all receipt scanners are created equal. So it’s good to have a clear idea of what you’re after. Are you looking for an app that only scans receipts? Or would it be convenient if the same app offered other useful features? Do you want a receipt scanner to integrate with your existing accounting software?

To make it easier, we’ve divided our list into 2 categories:

Stand-alone receipt scanners – What you see is what you get, no frills attached. An app that uses OCR technology to scan your paper receipts and turn them into digital receipts. In most cases, you will need to email the uploaded receipt to the appropriate person. This is the group we will focus on in this article.

Expense tracking apps – These apps have other features like approval workflows, invoice creation, expense approvals and integration with existing accounting software. With these apps, all your data is automatically transferred and entered – eliminating the need for manual data entry. If this is what you need, skip the first 2 stand-alone scanners and move on to our best all round expense tracking app.

Our Top 3 Stand-Alone Receipt Scanners

1. Wave Receipt Scanner

Waveapps.com

Best for: Small businesses and freelancers

Price: $8/month to month or $6 with a yearly subscription

Wave offers many features for free, which makes it ideal for freelancers or new business owners looking to save where they can. However, receipt scanning is an add-on that comes at a small fee.

Pros of Wave’s Receipt Scanner

• Scans unlimited receipts and bulk-imports up to 10 receipts at a time
• Ease of use and a straightforward interface
• Back up receipts to the cloud

Cons of Wave’s Receipt Scanner

• You’ll still need to forward your receipts via email
• Currently only available in the USA or Canada
• Slow customer response times

2. Shoeboxed

shoebox.com

Best for: Entrepreneurs and small business owners

Price: The Startup plan is $29 per month with 50 digital and 25 physical documents per month and unlimited users. The Professional plan costs $59 a month and includes 150 digital and 150 physical documents and integrates with QuickBooks online.

Pros of Shoeboxed

• Their “Magic Mailbox” feature allows you to collect and send your paper receipts to a processing facility for free. The Startup Plan comes with 1 prepaid Magic Envelope.
• Shoeboxed provides tools for tracking expenses, making it easier for users to manage their finances and prepare for tax season.
• Easily scan receipts and automatically categorize them across 15 different tax classifications.
• Accurate mileage tracking using GPS
• Import digital receipts from Gamil

Cons of Shoeboxed

• Some users have reported issues with the consistency and reliability of the scanning feature.
• More expensive than other stand-alone scanners
• You’ll need to sign up for the Professional plan to be able to integrate with QuickBooks.
• The Magic Mailbox feature is only available in the USA.

3. Expensify

expensify.com

Best for: From small to large business owners

Price: Expensify offers a free version for up to 25 monthly smart scans for their receipt scanning app. Meanwhile, the paid version has unlimited scans and starts at $5 a month per user on a yearly plan.

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Pros of Expensify [Paid Plan]

• Automatically detects duplicate receipts and ensures accurate exchange rates with the AI-powered receipt auditing feature.
• Seamlessly works with popular accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite.
• Supports a wide range of currencies and integrates with various business applications, from finance and HR to travel apps like Uber​

Cons of Expensify

• A steep learning curve, features and integrations might require some time for new users to fully adapt and integrate into their financial workflows.
• Some users say they push their products too much.

We’ve now given you a list of what we feel are the best stand-alone receipt scanners. If you simply want an app that allows you to upload a photo of your receipts and use smart technology to extract the needed receipt data, these are what you’re looking for.

However, if you want a receipt scanner that goes the extra mile and seamlessly integrates with your existing accounting software, you need Envoice.

Best Receipt Scanner for Complete Expense Management

Envoice

Best for: From small to large business owners.

Price: Envoice offers a 14-day free trial with access to most features (and no credit card needed). You can also request a demo with the Envoice team, where product experts will guide you through using their software. Pricing then starts at €5 per month, which includes 30 free documents and €0.15 per additional document. 

Envoice is an expense management platform that helps businesses and accounting firms streamline pre-accounting processes, saving you time and money.

Pros of Envoice:

• The mobile application helps to streamline and simplify expense management and business travel requests for employees, enabling easy submission, real-time tracking of expense reports, and automating the division of reimbursable and non-reimbursable expenses based on established company guidelines and compensation limits.
• Allows you to connect with a wide variety of everyday tools like Dropbox and OneDrive, as well as popular accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, Sage and more. It also links with the popular online bank account Wise.
• Add your entire team at no additional cost – enjoy unlimited free users.

Additional Features

Conclusion

Scanned receipts are at the heart of transitioning to a more efficient, paperless financial management system. These apps provide a convenient and easy way to keep track of your or your employee’s expenses. If you are a solo entrepreneur or a freelancer, a simple app may be just what you need.

However, if your company is growing, it’s best not to spend time and money on single-feature apps. Before long, you’ll be looking for an app that not only scans receipts but also has the ability to insert them into your new accounting software. 

You’ll need software that allows you to streamline all your pre-accounting processes in one convenient place. 

Envoice isn’t merely a receipt scanner app; it’s a comprehensive expense management solution that promises to redefine how businesses and individuals handle their finances.

If you want to know more, please contact our sales team today!