Need an Alternative to Neat Receipts? Here Are 5 Top Picks

Business owners have a lot on their plate. 

From managing inventory to organizing receipts for tax time, more goes into business financials than meets the eye.

Neat is a popular accounting software for businesses, but it’s not for everyone, and if you’re here, you’ve already discovered that Neat has too few (or too many) features to suit your needs.

If you’re looking for a way to manage the influx of receipts that you generate or receive daily, there are alternatives to Neat’s receipt scanning service that really pack a punch when it comes to organizing finances.

This guide will explore the best alternatives to Neat, their receipt-scanning and storing functions, and other features that may interest business owners or those looking to control their finances better.

What is Neat Receipts?

Neat Receipts is a powerful tool designed to help you manage and organize your receipts and documents more efficiently.

Using Neat, you can scan your receipts, documents, and other essential papers for easy storage and retrieval.

What are Neat’s key features?

1. OCR technology

One of the key features of Neat is its Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology which accurately identifies and extracts important data from your scanned receipts and documents.

The OCR technology enhances the scanning process, saving you time and effort while ensuring accurate data entry.

2. Tax compliance

Using Neat for scanning and processing your receipts is not only convenient but also useful for tax purposes.

By creating a digital catalog of all your receipts, you can easily access, categorize, and filter the information you need during tax season. 

This feature, in turn, helps streamline your financial reporting processes.

3. Customization

Neat allows you to efficiently organize your receipts and documents, making it easier for you to find and manage the information you need.

With a user-friendly interface and customizable organization options, you can create a personalized system that works best for your needs.

That said, Neat isn’t the be-all and end-all of receipt management systems, and if it doesn’t quite cut it for you, the alternatives below just might.

What are the best alternatives to Neat Receipts?

1. Shoeboxed

According to Forbes, Shoeboxed is the “#1 best receipt tracking app” for businesses and by far the best alternative to Neat Receipts.

Shoeboxed has a mobile app that allows you to scan your receipts wherever you are.

When you scan receipts with your phone, the data is extracted using OCR technology, human-verified for accuracy, and then uploaded to your Shoeboxed account under 15 editable tax categories.

Shoeboxed has been trusted by over 1 million businesses worldwide

You can also snap photos of other documents that have important information for your business, including business contact cards, invoices, and tax documents, and the data will be digitized and organized in your Shoeboxed account.

With Shoeboxed, you can create expense reports if you’re ever audited, import digital receipts from your Gmail, and more!

Shoeboxed’s most unique feature—and a feature that other Neat alternatives don’t have—is the Magic Envelope, which allows users to outsource their receipt scanning using a pre-paid envelope.

If you opt for the Magic Envelope, you’ll never have to worry about receipt management again, as receipts are scanned and automatically uploaded and categorized in your account.

How to use Shoeboxed

Pros:

• Shoeboxed automatically categorizes receipts into 15 tax categories. Edit the categories or add categories specific to your business.

• Magic Envelope removes the stress of organizing business receipts and takes the paper clutter out of your office.

• Add an unlimited number of sub-users to your account free of charge, including your accountant, bookkeeper, or employees.

• Scan receipts on the go and never worry about losing a receipt again.

• Create expense reports with receipts attached in case you’re ever audited by the IRS.

• Integrate Shoeboxed with accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero for easier financial management.

• Has everything you could ever need for receipt management without unnecessary features.

• Free built-in mileage tracker. Track the mileage you and your employees spend on the road for accurate invoicing and tax deductions.

• Auto-forward receipts from your inbox.

• Store receipts, business contacts, and digital copies of business documents.

Cons:

• The Magic Envelope is included on desktop plans only. Be sure to visit the website for plans that include outsourcing your receipt scanning.

Pricing:

• The Digital Download Only Starter Plan is $4.99/month, up to $19.99/month for the Pro digital plan. Note: The Magic Envelope service is not available with the mobile app plans.

• Plans that include the Magic Envelope start at $18/month, up to $54/month. Plans that include the Magic Envelope are available for purchase on desktop only.

• 30-day free trial.

How does Shoeboxed compare to other receipt scanner apps?

2. Expensify

From our experience with it, Expensify is another great alternative for receipt management and offers users a mobile app for receipt scanning on the go.

With Expensify, you can add administrators and employees to your account to scan receipts and approve business-related expenses for reimbursement. 

You can also create view-only expense reports in case the auditor ever comes knocking.

Expensify homepage

Businesses can also manage corporate spending with card reconciliation from right in the app.

Expensify also offers other features to help businesses manage their day-to-day operations, including invoicing capabilities to request and receive funds directly from your customers, Bill Pay to pay your bills through Expensify, Payroll for employees, and more.

Pros:

• Manage receipts using Expensify’s user-friendly mobile app.

• Add admins and employees to your account to scan receipts and approve expenses.

• Create view-only expense reports for auditors.

• Integrate Expensify with your accounting software, like QuickBooks, Sage, or Xero.

• Get access to other tools to help you manage your business, including Payroll, Bill Pay, and invoicing.

Cons:

• Does not include an outsourcing option for receipt scanning. You and your employees will have to keep up with paper receipts.

• Payroll, Bill Pay, invoicing, and other features may be unnecessary for those with software that already offers these features.

• An additional cost per user. This can definitely rack up the costs for large teams.

• Features are limited in the Free and Collect plans. All available features are only able to be accessed through the Control plan.

Pricing:

• Free plan with limited features and low customization.

• Collect Plan for small teams – Starts at $5/month per user.

• Control Plan for small businesses – Starts at $9/month per user.

3. SAP Concur Expense

SAP Concur offers a comprehensive solution for managing your expenses and receipts and offers users a receipt-scanning app to manage expenses on the go.

Concur Expense integrates with dozens of apps, including Uber, American Airlines, and other business-related apps.

Concur Expense home page

These businesses are automatically recognized in your receipts and when you snap a photo of your receipts, the data is pulled and organized in your account.

Employees can use Concur Expense to create expense reports for their business expenses and edit the details of receipts to include attendees and other information.

Managers can view expense report details and receipts and either approve the expenses or send the report back for editing. 

When a report is approved, employees are notified of reimbursement.

Pros:

• Great for businesses with employee expenses that require reimbursement.

• Create and approve expense reports for reimbursement directly from the app.

• Multiple integrations with accounting software, travel apps, and more.

Cons:

• No human verification process for receipt data.

• Pricing isn’t transparent, so there’s really no way to eyeball if this option would be affordable for your business.

• No way to outsource receipt scanning.

Pricing:

• Not transparent. Request a quote.

4. Zoho Expense

Zoho Expense is another good Neat alternative worth considering based on our personal experience with the software.

Zoho Expense simplifies expense reporting by automating receipt scanning, approval workflows, and report generation.

Zoho Expense receipt tracking

This software has a receipt-scanning app that allows users to snap photos of receipts on the go and automatically sort and upload the data into their accounts. 

Users can also manually add receipt details if they’re hard to read.

Business receipts can also be auto-imported from email inboxes, downloaded from the cloud, or added to Zoho in bulk if there are multiple receipts from one business trip or transaction.

Pros:

• Receipt scanner reads receipts in 14 languages including French, Spanish, Chinese, and Italian.

• Automatically forward business receipts from your inbox.

• Attach receipts from the Cloud and import from Evernote, Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.

• Add bulk receipts to Zoho and Zoho will create individual expenses for each receipt.

• Snap photos of receipts with your phone for receipt organization on the go.

• Images of receipts are attached to expenses as proof of purchase.

Cons:

• No option for outsourcing receipt scanning.

Pricing:

• 14-day free trial.

• Free plan with limited features.

• Standard – $5/month per user OR $3/month per user, billed annually (minimum of 3 users).

• Premium – $8/month per user OR $5/month per user, billed annually (minimum of 3 users).

• Enterprise – $12/month per user OR $8/month per user, billed annually (minimum of 200 users).

5. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is another Neat alternative that offers receipt management features and accounting capabilities in a single system.

FreshBooks mobile receipt scanning

You can easily snap photos of your receipts, categorize them, and attach them to expenses in your account. 

FreshBooks is a cloud based solution, so you’ll never have to worry about losing your receipt and expense details.

FreshBooks also provides an array of other accounting and invoicing tools, making it a versatile alternative to Neat Receipts.

Pros:

• Categorize expenses for tax time.

• Snap photos of receipts on the go.

• Integrates with other Zoho features, including accounting, to manage all aspects of your business.

• Invoicing, payments, time tracking, and other features necessary to keep your business running.

Cons:

• No ability to outsource scanning.

• Receipt data isn’t human-verified.

• Can be pricy for some businesses.

Pricing:

• Lite – $8.50/month for 3 months, then $17/month OR $158.10/year

• Plus – $15/month for 3 months, then $30/month OR $279/year

• Premium – $27.50/month for 3 months, then $55/month OR $511.50/year

• Select – Create a customized plan for your business needs.

Which alternative has the most versatile receipt-scanning features?

Winner: Shoeboxed

Not only can you scan receipts with the mobile app, but Shoeboxed stands out from the rest with its Magic Envelope service.

How does Shoeboxed’s Magic Envelope service help businesses?

Shoeboxed’s free Magic Envelope service

The Magic Envelope service is unique to Shoeboxed and allows business owners to outsource their receipt-scanning, management, and categorization.

And the best part? It’s absolutely free.*

When you opt for the Magic Envelope, Shoeboxed will send you a postage-pre-paid envelope every month for you to stuff your business receipts into.

From there, you’ll ship the receipts to the scanning facility where they’re scanned with professional technology, data-verified by humans, and uploaded to your account.

You can choose to have your paper receipts sent back to you or Shoeboxed will shred and recycle them to keep the clutter out of your office.

If 1 envelope isn’t enough for the hundreds or thousands of receipts you generate each month, request more envelopes or tape the Magic Envelope to a box filled with your business receipts and Shoeboxed will cover the postage.

*When you choose a plan that includes the Magic Envelope.

Shoeboxed even allows users to scan paper documents besides receipts that may be important to their business, such as purchase orders, invoices, business cards and contacts, and more.

An introduction to Shoeboxed’s Magic Envelope

What option is best for employee reimbursement?

Winner: SAP Concur Expense

SAP Concur Expense is designed with employees, managers, business travel, and reimbursement in mind.

With its expense reporting and approval features, you can’t go wrong with this receipt scanner for reimbursement.

Which choice is the most accurate and user-friendly?

Winner: Shoeboxed

While other receipt scanner have the OCR technology for data retrieval in common with Shoeboxed, Shoeboxed shines with its human verification process.

Shoeboxed mobile app

No matter if you’re snapping pictures of receipts with your phone or using the Magic Envelope to outsource your scanning, you can be sure there’s a human to double-check your data.

What are the best options for bookkeeping and accounting?

Winners: Zoho Expense, FreshBooks, and Shoeboxed

Zoho

Zoho Expense can integrate directly with your Zoho Books account, an online accounting software built for small businesses.

FreshBooks

FreshBooks’ receipt management features can be included in your FreshBooks accounting software for seamless expense tracking.

Shoeboxed

Shoeboxed integrates with popular accounting apps such as Xero and QuickBooks, making it easy for you to manage your expenses.

The most popular integration among Shoeboxed’s users is QuickBooks because it’s so simple to transfer neatly-categorized receipts over to QuickBooks for taxes and other accounting purposes.

It’s worth mentioning that the integration with QuickBooks isn’t automatic—Shoeboxed won’t pull your receipts from your Gmail and transfer them directly to your QuickBooks account.

Instead, you’ll be prompted to manually select the receipts you want to transfer to QuickBooks.

While this might seem like an extra step for you to do, it actually gives you more control over your finances by letting you pick and choose what goes into your accounting software tool.

For example, if you use QuickBooks for your business and Shoeboxed for your business and personal receipts, you’ll avoid the headache of Shoeboxed auto-sending your personal receipts to your QuickBooks account (which you would have to remove later).

What are the most affordable Neat alternatives?

Winners: Expensify and Zoho Expense

Both Expensify and Zoho Expense offer free plans with receipt-scanning and management features. These are great choices if you’re a freelancer or a small business with fewer needs.

What’s the best alternative for tax time?

Winner: Shoeboxed

Shoeboxed is an excellent way to organize your business-related expenses for tax time.If your business expenses are ever called into question, Shoeboxed has your back with its advanced search feature and filters by date, vendor, category, and more.

Example of a Shoeboxed CSV expense report

Shoeboxed also has a unique expense reporting feature that allows you to select the receipts for audited expenses, download a PDF or CSV file of the report, and view all of the expenses with receipts attached as proof of purchase.

You can also add your accountant or bookkeeper to your Shoeboxed account free of charge to view your finances and get you prepared for tax season.

Conclusion

Shoeboxed stands out as the best alternative to Neat for receipt scanning and management, offering a user-friendly platform that efficiently converts receipt images into digital data and helps in organizing expenses.

With Shoeboxed, you can feel confident in streamlining your financial management efforts, making your receipt and expense tracking even more seamless.

Hannah DeMoss is a staff writer for Shoeboxed covering organization and digitization tips for small business owners. Her favorite organization hack is labeling everything in her kitchen cabinets, and she can’t live without her mini label maker machine. 

About Shoeboxed!

Shoeboxed is a receipt scanning service with receipt management software that supports multiple methods for receipt capture: send, scan, upload, forward, and more!

You can stuff your receipts into one of our Magic Envelopes (prepaid postage within the US). Use our receipt tracker + receipt scanner app (iPhone, iPad and Android) to snap a picture while on the go. Auto-import receipts from Gmail. Or forward a receipt to your designated Shoeboxed email address.

Turn your receipts into data and deductibles with our expense reports that include IRS-accepted receipt images.

Join over 1 million businesses scanning & organizing receipts, creating expense reports and more—with Shoeboxed.

Try Shoeboxed today!