AutoEntry vs Dext vs SkipEntry: Which Invoice Tool Is Right for Your Firm?

Why This Comparison Exists

If you're a bookkeeper or accounting firm evaluating invoice data extraction tools, you've probably encountered AutoEntry and Dext. They're the incumbents — established, widely used, integrated with major accounting platforms.

SkipEntry is newer. We built it specifically for bookkeepers who work primarily in QuickBooks Online and want a simpler, AI-native approach to invoice extraction.

This comparison is as honest as we can make it. We'll tell you where AutoEntry and Dext are stronger, where SkipEntry is stronger, and where you should look elsewhere entirely.

Background: AutoEntry and Dext

In 2021, Dext (formerly Receipt Bank) acquired AutoEntry. Both products still exist, though they're converging under the Dext brand. Here's the distinction:

• AutoEntry was known for its accuracy with invoices and bills, strong Xero integration, and straightforward per-document pricing. Many bookkeepers preferred it for its simplicity.
• Dext (formerly Receipt Bank) built a broader platform: receipt scanning, expense management, bank statement extraction, and integrations with a wide range of accounting tools.

Post-acquisition, Dext has been migrating AutoEntry customers to the Dext platform. Some features have been consolidated; others are still in transition. If you're evaluating today, you're primarily looking at the Dext platform, though some AutoEntry-specific features remain.

Feature Comparison

Invoice and Bill Extraction

All three tools extract data from PDF invoices. The core fields are the same: vendor name, invoice number, date, due date, line items, subtotal, tax, total.

Dext: Handles a very wide range of document types — invoices, receipts, bank statements, credit notes. Its extraction engine has been trained on millions of documents over many years. Accuracy is generally strong, especially for common vendor formats. Dext uses a combination of OCR and machine learning.

AutoEntry: Historically known for high accuracy on invoices specifically. The extraction was more focused — fewer document types, but reliable on the ones it handled. As AutoEntry migrates into Dext, this distinction is blurring.

SkipEntry: Uses large language model (LLM) AI for extraction — the same type of AI that powers tools like Claude and ChatGPT. This approach is format-agnostic: it reads the invoice like a human would, understanding context rather than relying on field-position templates. This means it handles unusual formats, multi-page invoices, and messy layouts without template setup. Accuracy on standard invoices is comparable; accuracy on edge cases tends to be higher because the AI understands context.

Accounting Platform Integration

This is where the differences are sharpest.

Dext: Deep integrations with Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage, FreeAgent, and others. The Xero integration in particular is mature — auto-publishing, tax code mapping, multi-currency support. If your firm is Xero-first, Dext is the established choice.

AutoEntry: Also strong on Xero. QBO integration exists but has historically received less attention than Xero.

SkipEntry: Built from the ground up for QuickBooks Online. The QBO integration is the primary focus — not an afterthought. Direct bill creation with line items, vendor matching, and account coding. No Xero or Sage integration currently.

Bottom line: If you're a Xero firm, Dext is the safer bet today. If you're a QBO firm, SkipEntry's QBO-first approach may give you a better experience. If you use multiple platforms, Dext covers more ground.

Receipt and Expense Scanning

Dext: This is Dext's strength. Mobile app for receipt capture, expense categorization, per diem tracking, mileage. It's a full expense management workflow, not just invoice extraction.

AutoEntry: Receipt scanning capability, though less full-featured than Dext's expense management tools.

SkipEntry: Focused on invoices and bills, not receipts or expenses. If your primary need is expense management or receipt scanning for employee reimbursements, SkipEntry isn't the right tool. We'd rather be honest about that than try to be everything.

Pricing Comparison

Pricing changes frequently, so verify current pricing on each provider's website. These are approximate as of early 2026:

The Pricing Model Difference

This matters more than the headline numbers.

Dext prices per client. If you manage 20 clients, you're paying per client — even if some clients only send 5 invoices a month and others send 200. This can work well if your client volumes are roughly equal, but it gets expensive for firms with a mix of high-volume and low-volume clients.

SkipEntry prices per page, pooled. Your 200 or 1,000 pages can be used across any number of clients. A client sending 3 invoices and a client sending 300 invoices draw from the same pool. This tends to be simpler and more cost-effective for firms where client volumes vary significantly.

Run the math on your actual client mix. Neither model is universally cheaper — it depends on your specific volume distribution.

Where Each Tool Is Stronger

Dext Is Stronger When:

• Your firm is Xero-native. Dext's Xero integration is the most mature in the market. If Xero is your primary platform, Dext is the path of least resistance.
• You need expense management. Receipt scanning, expense tracking, and employee expense workflows are core Dext features. SkipEntry doesn't compete here.
• You need broad platform support. Dext integrates with Xero, QBO, Sage, FreeAgent, and others. If your firm uses multiple platforms across different clients, Dext covers more.
• You value an established vendor. Dext has been in market for over a decade. They have a large support team, extensive documentation, and a broad user community.

SkipEntry Is Stronger When:

• Your firm is QBO-focused. SkipEntry is built for QuickBooks Online from the ground up. The integration is the product, not an add-on.
• You process a lot of unusual invoice formats. LLM-based extraction handles messy, inconsistent, and unusual formats better than template-based systems. Multi-page invoices, handwritten notes, non-standard layouts — the AI approach adapts.
• You want simpler pricing. Per-page pooled pricing is easier to predict and often cheaper for firms with uneven client volumes.
• You prefer a focused tool. SkipEntry does one thing — extract invoice data and get it into QBO. No expense management, no receipt scanning, no platform sprawl. If invoice extraction is your bottleneck, a focused tool can be a better fit.
• You want to try before committing. 50 free pages with no credit card means you can test on real invoices before any financial commitment. See our pricing page for details.

What About Accuracy?

This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on your invoices.

All three tools handle standard, clean, digital-native PDF invoices well. Accuracy differences show up at the edges:

• Scanned paper invoices: All tools handle these, but quality degrades with scan quality. Dext has years of training data on scanned documents. SkipEntry's LLM approach can sometimes compensate for poor scan quality by using context to infer unclear characters.
• Multi-page invoices: This is where template-based approaches struggle. SkipEntry's AI reads the full document and understands which pages belong together.
• Unusual formats: Invoices from foreign vendors, handwritten invoices, invoices with non-standard layouts. LLM-based extraction generally handles these better because it reads for meaning, not position.
• Receipts: Dext has extensive training data on receipts. SkipEntry doesn't target receipts.

The only way to know which tool works best for your invoices is to test all three on your real documents. Marketing accuracy claims (including ours) are based on favorable test sets. Your invoices are different.

Migration and Switching Costs

If you're currently on AutoEntry or Dext, switching has real costs:

• Retraining staff. Any new tool means learning a new interface and workflow.
• Vendor mapping. Your existing vendor-to-account mappings don't transfer between tools.
• Integration setup. Reconnecting to QBO/Xero, configuring settings, testing the workflow.
• Historical data. Your extraction history stays in the old tool.

Factor in 2-4 weeks of parallel running (using both tools simultaneously) to validate the new tool before fully switching. The time investment is real — make sure the long-term benefits justify it.

Our Recommendation

We're biased — we built SkipEntry. So here's the most honest recommendation we can give:

1. If you're a Xero firm: Start with Dext. Their Xero integration is excellent, and switching to a QBO-focused tool doesn't make sense for your workflow.

2. If you need expense management: Dext is the more complete solution. SkipEntry doesn't do receipts or expenses.

3. If you're a QBO-focused bookkeeping firm and your primary pain point is invoice data entry: give SkipEntry a serious look. The QBO-native integration, AI extraction, and simpler pricing model are designed specifically for your workflow.

4. If you're unsure: Try all three on your real invoices. Free trials exist for a reason. Run 20-30 invoices through each tool and measure: extraction accuracy, time to review, QBO integration quality, and how the pricing works for your actual volume.

The best tool is the one that saves you the most time on your actual invoices with your actual clients. Test before you commit.

Try SkipEntry free — 50 pages, no credit card.