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Disclosure: AutomataDesk may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. That does not change the job, the trade-offs, or who each tool fits. Prices and features change — confirm on the vendor’s site before you pay. Questions: [email protected].
Short answer
Pick SparkReceipt if you are a freelancer, sole proprietor or small team that wants receipts pulled automatically from Gmail/Outlook, matched to bank statements, and pushed to QuickBooks Online or Xero for roughly $69–$129 a year. Pick Dext if you are a bookkeeping practice or a business processing hundreds of supplier documents a month and you need its practice tooling, supplier rules and deeper accountant ecosystem — and the ~$302.50/year starting price is a rounding error.
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Pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
| SparkReceipt Pro | SparkReceipt Elite | Dext Business (entry) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual price | $69/yr ($5.75/mo) | $129/yr ($10.75/mo) | $302.50/yr ($25.21/mo) |
| Monthly billing | $6.90/mo | $12.90/mo | $31.50/mo |
| Documents | 50/month | Unlimited (fair use) | 250/month |
| Users | 1 included, +$1/mo each; accountant free | 1 included, +$1/mo each; accountant free | 5 included |
| Line-item extraction | — | Every receipt | 5 docs included, then credits/add-on |
| Bank statement extraction | Included (monthly credits) | Included (monthly credits) | 10 sheets included, then add-on |
| Free trial | 7 days | 14 days, no card | |
Sources: sparkreceipt.com/pricing and dext.com/us/business/pricing. Taxes (VAT/GST) extra where applicable.
Feature differences that matter
- Email inbox capture. SparkReceipt connects Gmail, Outlook or IMAP and can import receipts from past mail (first 10,000 historical emails included). Dext relies mainly on a forwarding address, app capture and supplier fetch.
- Bank statement matching. SparkReceipt extracts PDF/CSV/Excel statements and matches transactions to receipts on both plans. Dext includes a small allowance and sells more.
- Accounting publish. Both publish to QuickBooks Online and Xero. SparkReceipt Elite adds a Schedule C export and Sage/DATEV/Wave templates; Dext integrates with a broader list of ledgers and practice tools.
- Practice workflow. Dext is built for accountants managing many clients. SparkReceipt gives each client an account and lets the accountant join free — fine for a handful of clients, thinner for a 100-client practice.
- Mileage. SparkReceipt includes a GPS/manual mileage tracker. Dext does not center on mileage.
Who should pick which
| You are… | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Freelancer or sole prop, mostly emailed receipts | SparkReceipt Pro or Elite |
| Small business, 2–5 people, under ~250 docs/month | SparkReceipt Elite (cheaper even with extra seats) |
| Bookkeeper with a few small clients | SparkReceipt (accountant seat free) — test on one client |
| Practice with dozens of clients, supplier-heavy | Dext |
| Construction / trades needing line-item splits | SparkReceipt Elite first; Dext if volume is very high |
Switching from Dext
- Export your Dext archive (images + CSV) before cancelling — annual Dext plans need 30 days’ notice before renewal.
- Start a SparkReceipt trial, connect your inbox, and run a historical import for the current year.
- Upload last month’s bank statement and check match rate.
- Connect QBO/Xero and publish ten test items with images attached.
- If the loop is faster, switch; if not, cancel inside the trial.
Start the 7-day SparkReceipt trial
Bottom line
For most solo operators and small teams, SparkReceipt does the receipt-capture job for less than half of Dext’s entry price, with better inbox automation. Dext stays the safer pick for accounting practices running document volume at scale.
FAQ
Is SparkReceipt cheaper than Dext?
Yes, at list prices checked 2026-10-16: SparkReceipt Elite is $129/year versus $302.50/year for Dext Business billed annually.
Does SparkReceipt work with QuickBooks Online and Xero like Dext?
Yes. Both plans publish to QuickBooks Online and Xero; Elite also exports Schedule C and Sage, DATEV and Wave templates.
Can my accountant use SparkReceipt?
Yes. Accountant access is free and does not take a paid seat.
Is there a free trial?
SparkReceipt offers a 7-day trial on Pro and Elite; Dext offers 14 days.
Try SparkReceipt free for 7 days
Not tax advice. Prices checked 2026-10-16 and change often — confirm on each vendor’s site before you pay.