Are Receipt Scanners Worth It? 6 Things to Know Before You Buy

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Using a scanner for receipts can simplify the process of completing your expenditures. If you are managing your budgets for your small company or need to file taxes and other tax returns, it’s essential to know where your cash is used.

The receipts you receive from purchases will likely be lost in the crowd of paperwork and other papers. Documents that are physically stored can be damaged or lost. The shopper is ready to utilize a receipt scanner.

Converting your receipt’s printed documents to digital format could solve your problems, and a receipt printer is the best tool to do this task. Specific receipt scanners come with web-based tools that permit the user to collect all receipts and to have them accessible from any location. Ready to find a receipt scanner that can assist you in organizing your receipts?

Let’s go!

What should you look for in the scanner?

 The best receipt scanner that meets your requirements is crucial. You should only purchase one that can manage one receipt at a time, especially if you plan to use it for small volumes of receipts.

However, you should only pay a little for the software that comes with accounting software when you’re only planning to use receipt scanners for storage.

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Receipt scanners can be found in various formats, from physical (e.g., mobile and desktop) to digital. (apps as well as online software). However, this device is an investment. So, before buying one, be aware of the features the top ones offer.

Here’s a selection of the top receipt scanner that can be used for your most specific commercial needs based on the abovementioned features.

 It briefly overviews the top aspects of buying a receipt scanner. You may only need some of them; however, follow this list to select the best one to meet your requirements.

Portability

If you’re looking for a solution to organize expense reports and receipts for contractors or employees, you may require scanning devices that can be utilized on the move. It could be as a standalone scanner that you can carry around or a digital application.

The dimension of the scanner’s size is essential to its portability too. Find a slim and compact scanner that can quickly carry in a briefcase or backpack.

Online Accessibility

The portability of a receipt scanner that can be used online is handy. There is more capacity to connect with accounting software to improve the process. Also, you’ll be able to see your receipts at any location.

Storage Capacity

If you’re interested in physical or cloud storage, it is essential to consider the restrictions with the receipt scanner. Are you scanning receipts throughout the day or several times per day?

Are you using it to celebrate events or just during tax time? It can assist you in determining how much storage space you’ll require for the receipt scanner or the external drive.

Make sure you are secure with the storage that you pick. You’ll need to ensure that the receipts you store as documents are secure with more than one layer of security. Even though printed receipts or documents may be destroyed or damaged physically, electronic documents could get into the wrong hands without security safeguards.

Speed

Scanning receipts and expense reports is among the most challenging assignments for a professional. Most people would like to complete the job as swiftly as possible. A rapid receipt scanner will assist with this.

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A few scanners will create a picture of your receipts as fast as 7.5 minutes in one go. It can be helpful to scan several receipts in one go.

File Types

Based on the purpose you’ll be doing with them, receipts might require the format you prefer. Tax preparers may prefer that all receipts are scanned and converted to PDFs. Likewise, your expense software for work handles JPEG images.

Ensure you know which file formats the scanner you use supports to ensure you don’t need to convert them once they’ve been digitalized manually.

Exportability

Ensure your scanner is compatible with your workflow after scanning the receipts. Are you planning to upload your receipts onto cloud storage? Do you plan to email the documents to someone else? The receipt scanner you use will be able to transfer your scanned documents quickly and swiftly.

Once you’ve got the essential characteristics of a receipt scanner, look at the top applications for scanners available today.

Best Receipt Scanner Apps

We have compiled a list of best receipt scanner apps. these are as follows-

SAP Concur Mobile App

Best for: Corporate expenses
Apps: iOS , Android
Price: Request a quot

SAP Concur is a widely-used expense management tool that caters to businesses’ expenses and reimbursement requirements. For companies with large teams who submit expense reports regularly, The Concur mobile app can be used as an expense scanner, receipt scanner reporting system, mileage tracker, etc.

The manual entry of receipts is unnecessary; capture a photograph of the file and then upload it to the system. Concur stores receipts online and then stores them by date, making them accessible.

Scanning receipts takes only minutes with Concur’s mobile application and is uploaded instantly. Your company’s specific requirements decide the storage capacity, so speak to Concur’s sales department to get a total price.

sap concureImage Source

Pros:

  • Transfer receipts to your photo upload
  • Online storage for receipts
  • All-in-one expense report solution

Cons

  • Price is upfront and not announced.

Expensify

Best for: all-around receipt scanner app
Apps: iOS, Android
Cost: Free or a subscription from $4.99

Expensify offers a cloud-based application to be used on both iOS and Android. It’s software for managing receipts that connects to Expensify tools to report expenses. This scanner for receipts is mobile, web-based, and cloud-based, so it won’t be a problem to worry about reports on expenses or receipts being a burden on your gadget.

Using your smartphone camera to snap a picture of the receipt is possible. Once you’ve taken the photo, the software will automatically extract the cost. Then, you can connect the transaction to the expense report.

Remember that, at times, the scanner you use to scan your receipt cannot accurately capture the information on the receipt. Double-check all costs to ensure that your receipt expenses are calculated correctly.

expensifyImage Source

Pros: 

  • Version for free
  • Cloud-based

Cons:

  • Sometimes, it is not possible to record every detail of receipts

Receipts by Wave

Best For: Ideal for freelancers as well as small-scale business owners.
Apps: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for paid plans priced at 2.9%+0.30 cents for each transaction per use

Receipts from Wave is a receipt-tracking application used by owners of small-sized businesses (with around 10 people) to keep track of their receipts. It can sync with your expense management software on the cloud that is accessible on the go and your desktop.

One of the advantages of this app is that it can be used at no cost; it makes the receipt scanner perfect for smaller businesses and freelancers just starting.

The data you store can be synced with Wave Accounting. Wave Accounting app so you remain in control of your expenses. It is also possible to export your data into a range of accounting software, including QuickBooks and Excel, should you need to.

While this platform doesn’t provide two-factor authentication, All your receipts will be transferred directly to the cloud, ensuring access to them whenever you want.

wave

Pros:

  • Version free
  • Desktop and mobile friendly

Cons:

  • The interface requires a steep learning curve

NeatDesk

Best: Ideal for bulk scanning
Price: $379.99

NetDesk is a combination of hardware and software ideal for scanning perfect receipts. The scanner and software are for the most efficient usage of the product, and based on Amazon reviews, it’s worthwhile.

The scanner for receipts can read and extract information from any document you choose to scan. At 24 pages per minute, it can read documents quicker than you do. It can simultaneously scan up to 50 pages and extract vital information to create an organized and efficient digital file.

NeatDesk documents are exported into the NeatDesk cloud, part of the application. You can send your receipts scanned directly to applications like Excel, Turbotax, H&R Block tax software, and Outlook, among others.

However, the receipt scanner can be challenging to transport with you when traveling, so keep this in mind when purchasing one.
neatdesk

Pros:

  • Up to 50 pages at once.
  • Uses Excel, Turbotax, and Outlook

Cons:

  • No mobile scanning

NeatReceipts

Best for: Team Collaboration
Apps: iOS, Android
Price: Starting at $24 per month

If you’re looking to share the receipts you’ve scanned with several people or get them inspected by an administrator, This app is perfect ideal for those who need to share their receipts with managers or colleagues; this app is for.

This app for receipts is accessible to iOS as well as Android users. The scans will be synced across all different devices. This app can be used any time you connect to wireless internet, making it a remote-friendly app.

Just use the program to take a picture of your receipt regardless of whether you’re working in a workplace in your home or away from the office, and it will identify the wording that appears on the page.

You can then make expense reports or even expense lists that are itemized. NeatReceipts can handle all the major file formats, such as PDF, JPG, TIFF, PNG, and HTML.

Additionally, you’ll be able to streamline the process as NeatReceipts connects to the most popular accounts software and tools, and it can be synchronized to your cloud storage service. It means that documents will be uploaded precisely how you’d like them to be with a straightforward mouse click.

neatreceipts

Pros:

  • Supports various formats of files
  • Remote-friendly

Cons:

  • The variety of features available can be too many to handle

Evernote Scannable

Best for: iOS users
Apps: iOS
Price: Free

For iPhone and iPad owners, you’re an iPad or iPhone user, there’s a smartphone receipt scanner specifically designed for iPad and iPhone users. Most likely, you’ve heard about Evernote as a great note-taking application.

However, it’s an all-purpose device that could be utilized to meet even more organizational requirements. Like most mobile scanners on this list, You can view the scan before you and discard or recreate the picture if it doesn’t seem sufficiently clear. All receipts will be stored in Evernote’s cloud-based software and accessible online anytime.

Here’s why Evernote sets itself apart from the others. The app lets you edit scanning receipts within the application. You can add text, audio, or even pictures to your scanned documents so that they are as personal as possible.

You can keep track of receipts according to a selection of criteria you decide to use, not one determined through your Evernote database system.

Most importantly, you can use the scanner to search for your documents, and they’ll be displayed simultaneously while you type. Is this speedy accessibility online, speed, and even storage?

evernote

Pros:

  • Mobile-friendly
  • Make edits to scanned receipts

Cons:

  • The uploading process takes longer for larger-size files.

Shoeboxed

Best for: Ideal for tax season
Apps: iOS | Android
Price: Starting at $18 per month

Owners of sole proprietorships, LLC owners, and freelancers can use the option of writing off costs once it’s time to file tax returns, but how do you determine what to write off? If you’re like most people, the simplest solution is to keep track of every receipt and document it until tax time, go through everything with your accountant. It’s a huge mess.

The Shoeboxed app lets you scan receipts and keep track of miles for tax purposes. The app also offers the capability to define tax-deductible expenses, making it the perfect device for tax season.

You can create expense reports in the app and then export the reports to your coworkers or tax preparation directly from your smartphone. It’s quick and easy to use, takes just the time to snap photos, and handles various reports. The receipts will finally be removed from your desk and back to work using Shoeboxed.

shoebox

Pros:

  • Make expense reports right from the application
  • Reports on exports via your mobile
  • Define which costs are tax-deductible.

Cons:

  • Prices are high in comparison with other apps.

Veryfi Core

Best for: Privacy of data
Apps: iOS, Android
Price: Starting at $13.75 per active user per month

If you work with sensitive medical or customer data, the receipt scanner must be GDPR and HIPAA certified. Veryfi Core allows you to streamline data entry for receipts and expenses that are tense by nature and comes with top-of-the-line security options.

The software also helps with tax code automation and categorizing to simplify tax time for you and your accountant.

The speed is OK with the Veryfi application. It takes just three seconds to extract information from your receipts that you’ve scanned, organize it, and store it in a short time. Data can be accessed anytime, and you can collaborate on your team’s work whenever possible.

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For a comprehensive experience, Veryfi integrates seamlessly with Logbook, Core, and Timesheets to ensure that all your essential information is kept together in one spot.

verify core

Pros:

  • Teams can be added to make collaboration easier.
  • CCPA, HIPAA, and GDPR are fully compliant

Cons:

  • Pricey if you require multiple users

Smart Receipts

Best for: custom reports
Apps: iOS, Android
Price: Free

No one’s favorite thing to do during your day is scanning receipts. Smart Receipts help make the task much less tedious. Created by a travel expert, This receipt scanner app was created to be fast, portable, and easy to use to be in the back of their minds.

After you’ve converted the receipts to Smart Receipts, it’s possible to build your reports in PDF, CSV reports in ZIP, and PDF formats without choosing the type of file of each document you’ve scanned.

If you’re ready to arrange your receipts scanned into Smart Receipts, there are 20 standard data types you can sort and filter (e.g., dates, price categories for receipts, payment methods, and much more.)

One of the unique features of Smart Receipts is their white-labeling capabilities. Companies can use these services to develop an expense report app customized for customers and users.

smart receipts

Pros:

  • Sorting and categorization features that are easy to use
  • Make and modify different file types

Cons

  • Upgrade to a paid version to have automatic backups to Google Drive.

Vupoint ST470

Best for: An on-the-go, portable scanner
Price: $119.99

Scanning at high resolution (dots for each image) is necessary to get clear scans of vital documents and receipts. Vupoint ST470 scanners can be scanned as high as 1200 dpi and come with an integrated color LCD for previewing scans so that the clarity of your scans.

One of the most impressive advantages of this scanner is the ability to be 2-in-1 and portable. It is a desktop scanner, but it comes with a detachable tool that you can use to scan. It is the ideal size to carry and includes a carrying case.

Although the Vupoint ST470 does not offer the option to connect to cloud-based services, it comes with a micro SD card to save your receipts when you travel.

vupoints

Pros:

  • Clear color preview panels for better clarity
  • Scans up to 1200 dpi
  • Portable

Cons:

  • No cloud connectivity

Brother ADS 2200

Best for: Scanning receipts quickly
Price: $329.99

Its Brother ADS 2200 receipt scanner is perfect for small-scale business owners who want to scan receipts on a large scale. To scan invoices or receipts with two sides, the scanner can scan both sides simultaneously at 35 pages per second.

The scanner can scan your documents to the intended destination, such as emails, computer folders, and USB drives, to save time. File types supported include JPEG and PDF as well as TIFF, as well as PNG.

The only drawback of this scanner’s speed is the fact that it needs to be used at home or work environment where it needs to be plugged into since it’s not wireless.

The small dimensions (5.85 x 11.8x 7 inches) are a plus since you can buy the case that holds it and carry the scanner with you when you go on a trip and want to capture receipts when you are away from your office.

brother

Pros:

  • Scanners for bulk quantities
  • 2-sided scanning capability

Cons:

  • The plug must be connected to an outlet

Epson WorkForce ES-50

Best for: A multi-purpose portable scanner
Price: $99.99

The Epson Workforce E-50 is an ultra-light, compact scanner that lets you scan receipts, documents, and more. The scanner has an auto-size detector to detect if you’re scanning a smaller receipt or a larger document. It saves the file accordingly.

It is compatible with Windows as well as Mac computer systems by USB. Every word of text you’ve extracted from your images can be searched, and your files can be transferred to your PC and cloud-based software for quick access to the internet.

The Epson ES-50 can scan one page in only 5.5 seconds. It then uploads the page directly to an online storage account provided by the application. The receipt scanner is compatible with Windows and Mac devices, which means you can utilize it at work on multiple operating platforms.

epson

Pros:

  • Portable
  • Easy scanning with auto-size detection

Cons

  • Single-side scanning is only available.

ABUKAI Expenses

Best for: reports on expenses in the field
Apps: iOS | Android
Pricing: The cost is free for casual users. Prices start at $99/year for regular users.

Can the expense receipts be handled with little work? I’m interested! ABUKAI allows you to scan and save receipts in only two steps. The first step is to take a photo of the receipt. Then, you can submit your receipt for saving to your smartphone.

The app will process your receipt and record it in the expense reports you’ve created, and the reports are sent out to the email address you choose.

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As this app will send your receipts straight to your email account, there’s no need for any storage device. Ultimately, you’ll need to review your email for the required receipts. Due to this, there’s a lot to gain from this application if you scan receipts regularly.

abukai

Pros:

  • Two steps to follow for a simple, straightforward process
  • Reports are exported to your email

Cons:

  • Storage system access is restricted.
  • Unsuitable for large-volume scans.

You’re Ready to Purchase the Perfect Receipt Scanner

If you’re reading this while standing in the printer and scanner aisle of Best Buy or reading it in a separate window while searching for receipt scanners, remember the guidelines we discussed at the start of this blog.

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The receipt scanner is relatively expensive for your office or home office. I’m hoping this article helps make the choice slightly more manageable.

Although your receipt scanner may not require the latest bells and whistles, it’s essential to be sure that it has the capabilities you want and, at a cost you’re willing to spend for a clean office and well-organized storage cabinet.


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