Dext vs Tabula: which one for your invoices?
These solve different problems. Dext is a paid capture app that feeds receipts and invoices into accounting software; Tabula is a free, open-source desktop tool that extracts tables from digital PDFs into CSV and has no OCR, so scans and photos are out. Choose Dext for a bookkeeper or accountant who wants receipts in the ledger; choose Tabula for a free option when your PDFs are digital and already have real tables.
Both products were checked on 22 September 2026 against the vendors' own public pages (dext.com, tabula.technology). We describe what each is built for and how it charges, and link to the vendor rather than quote figures that go out of date. Neither vendor paid to appear here and we earn nothing if you choose one. The third column is our own product, written to the same standard.
Side by side
| Dext | Tabula | Invoices to Spreadsheets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A bookkeeper or accountant who wants receipts in the ledger | A free option when your PDFs are digital and already have real tables | A folder of mixed PDFs, scans and phone photos you need as one checked spreadsheet |
| How it works | Capture app feeding accounting software | Open-source desktop table extraction, no OCR, so no scans or photos | AI extraction with the original page beside every value for review |
| Pricing model | Per-client or per-user subscription, often sold via a practice | Free and open source | Flat monthly plans by document count, after a no-card trial |
| Where the data lands | Xero, QuickBooks, Sage and similar ledgers | CSV you clean up yourself | A table organised by project, exported to Excel or CSV |
Choose Dext when
It is the better fit for a bookkeeper or accountant who wants receipts in the ledger. How it works: capture app feeding accounting software. The data ends up in Xero, QuickBooks, Sage and similar ledgers. How Dext compares with us.
Choose Tabula when
It is the better fit for a free option when your PDFs are digital and already have real tables. How it works: open-source desktop table extraction, no OCR, so no scans or photos. The data ends up in CSV you clean up yourself.
When neither is the right shape
Both are more than some jobs need. If what you have is a folder of supplier invoices from different suppliers — PDFs, scans, photos taken on a phone — and what you want is one spreadsheet you can trust, Invoices to Spreadsheets does only that: every invoice and its line items in an editable table organised by project, each value shown beside the original page so you can check it, exported to Excel or CSV. It does not post into accounting software, and it is new, without the years of production history these products have. Try one invoice free, without an account.
What is the main difference between Dext and Tabula?
These solve different problems. Dext is a paid capture app that feeds receipts and invoices into accounting software; Tabula is a free, open-source desktop tool that extracts tables from digital PDFs into CSV and has no OCR, so scans and photos are out.
How do Dext and Tabula charge?
Dext: per-client or per-user subscription, often sold via a practice. Tabula: free and open source. We describe the pricing model rather than quote figures, because figures change; check each vendor's pricing page for current prices.
Is there an alternative to Dext and Tabula if I just want a spreadsheet?
If the job is a folder of supplier invoices — PDFs, scans and phone photos from different suppliers — that you need as one checked spreadsheet, Invoices to Spreadsheets does only that: an editable table of every invoice and its line items, each value checked beside the original page, exported to Excel or CSV. It does not post into accounting software or run approval workflows.
7 days · 50 documents · No card needed