Hubdoc vs Zera Books: Receipt Scanning vs Bank Statement Processing
Hubdoc bundles receipt capture with per-user fees and requires Xero/QuickBooks subscriptions. Zera Books offers unlimited bank statement processing at $79/month flat-rate—no per-user fees, no bundled requirements.
Different Tools Built for Different Workflows
If you're comparing Hubdoc and Zera Books for your bookkeeping practice, you're looking at two fundamentally different tools. Hubdoc is a receipt and document capture platform—owned by Xero and designed to photograph receipts, fetch bills, and organize expense documentation. Zera Books is a bank statement processing platform—built to convert PDF bank statements into Excel files with AI-categorized transactions ready for QuickBooks and Xero.
Hubdoc excels at what it does: mobile receipt capture, automatic document fetching, and organizing bills and invoices. But if your primary workflow challenge is month-end close with multiple client bank statements, Hubdoc's receipt-focused approach isn't the right fit. You need a tool built specifically for bank statement processing.
The pricing models also differ significantly. Hubdoc uses per-user pricing that scales with your team, and it's designed to work alongside Xero or QuickBooks subscriptions. Zera Books is $79/month flat-rate regardless of how many team members access the platform or how many clients you serve—no hidden scaling costs.
For bookkeepers focused on bank statement workflows, this comparison will help you understand when each tool makes sense.
Receipt Capture Platform vs Bank Statement Processor
Hubdoc
Receipt & Document Capture
Primary Focus
Receipts, bills, and invoice capture
Ownership
Owned by Xero, bundled with Xero plans
Pricing Model
Per-user fees, scales with team size
Requirements
Best with Xero or QuickBooks subscription
Bank Statements
Limited fetch capabilities, not PDF conversion
Best for: Firms needing mobile receipt capture and expense documentation organization
Zera Books
Bank Statement Processing
Primary Focus
Bank statement PDF to Excel conversion
Independence
Standalone platform, no bundled requirements
Pricing Model
$79/month flat-rate, unlimited everything
Requirements
Works with any accounting software
AI Categorization
GAAP-trained auto-categorization included
Best for: Bookkeeping firms focused on bank statement processing and month-end close
Per-User Scaling vs Flat-Rate Unlimited
Per-User Fees Add Up
Hubdoc pricing scales with team members. A 5-person firm pays more than a solo bookkeeper.
Zera Books: Same $79/month for any team size.
Bundled Requirements
Hubdoc works best with Xero (included) or QuickBooks. Additional subscription may be needed.
Zera Books: Standalone, exports to any accounting software.
Client Count Impact
Growing your client base may require upgrading Hubdoc plans or adding seats.
Zera Books: Unlimited clients, no per-client fees.
Predictable Costs
Hubdoc costs vary based on usage patterns, team size, and plan tiers.
Zera Books: $79/month. Period. No surprises.
Feature Comparison for Bookkeepers
| Feature | Hubdoc | Zera Books |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use Case | Receipt/document capture | Bank statement processing |
| Pricing Model | Per-user, tiered plans | $79/month flat-rate unlimited |
| Per-User Fees | Yes | No |
| PDF Bank Statement Conversion | Limited | |
| AI Transaction Categorization | ||
| Multi-Account Auto-Detection | ||
| Mobile Receipt Capture | Not primary focus | |
| Client Management Dashboard | Via Xero/QBO | |
| Works Without Xero/QBO | Limited value | |
| Batch Statement Processing | 50+ statements at once | |
| Document Types | Receipts, bills, invoices | Bank statements, financial statements, invoices, checks |
| Extraction Accuracy | Varies | 99.6% |
"We were drowning in bank statements from two provinces and multiple revenue streams. Zera Books cut our month-end reconciliation from three days to about four hours."
Manroop Gill
Co-Founder at Zoom Books
Why flat-rate pricing matters for growing firms:
"As we scaled operations across multiple locations, we needed tools that didn't penalize growth. Per-user fees and per-client costs add up fast. Zera Books' flat-rate model means our software costs stay predictable while we focus on serving more clients."
When Each Tool Makes Sense
Choose Hubdoc When...
- Your primary need is receipt capture and expense documentation
- You're already on Xero and want bundled features
- Mobile receipt scanning is a critical workflow
- You have a small team where per-user fees are manageable
- Automatic bill fetching from vendors is important
Choose Zera Books When...
- Bank statement processing is your primary workflow challenge
- You want predictable flat-rate pricing as you grow
- You need AI transaction categorization for QuickBooks/Xero
- Processing multiple client statements is a bottleneck
- You want a standalone tool without bundled subscriptions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hubdoc primarily designed for?
Hubdoc is a document management platform primarily focused on receipt capture and expense tracking. It's owned by Xero and is bundled with Xero subscriptions. While it can process some bank statements, its core functionality centers around capturing photos of receipts, invoices, and bills—not converting bank statement PDFs to Excel for bookkeeping workflows.
Does Hubdoc require a Xero or QuickBooks subscription?
Hubdoc is owned by Xero and comes bundled with Xero Business and above plans. For QuickBooks users, Hubdoc is available separately but is designed to integrate with QuickBooks Online. Zera Books works independently—no accounting software subscription required to use the platform.
How does Hubdoc pricing compare to Zera Books?
Hubdoc uses per-user pricing when not bundled with Xero, with costs scaling based on team size and client count. Zera Books is $79/month flat-rate unlimited—no per-user fees, no per-client fees, no per-page fees. For bookkeeping firms with multiple team members, the cost difference can be significant.
Can Hubdoc convert bank statements to Excel like Zera Books?
Hubdoc's bank statement processing is limited compared to dedicated conversion tools. It can fetch statements from some banks through direct connections, but doesn't offer the same PDF-to-Excel conversion capabilities with AI transaction categorization that Zera Books provides. Zera Books is purpose-built for bank statement processing with 99.6% extraction accuracy.
What document types does each platform handle?
Hubdoc focuses on receipts, invoices, and bills with mobile capture capabilities. Zera Books processes four financial document types: bank statements, financial statements (P&L, balance sheets), invoices, and checks. For bookkeepers who primarily need bank statement processing, Zera Books offers more specialized capabilities.
Which platform is better for multi-client bookkeeping firms?
For firms focused on bank statement processing and month-end close, Zera Books offers unlimited processing at a flat rate regardless of client count. Hubdoc's per-user pricing can become expensive as your team grows. Zera Books also includes a client management dashboard designed specifically for multi-client workflows.
Explore More Comparisons
Bank Statement Processing Without Per-User Fees
Stop paying more as your team grows. Zera Books is $79/month flat-rate unlimited—process any number of bank statements, with any number of team members, for any number of clients.
$79/mo
Flat-rate unlimited
0
Per-user fees
99.6%
Extraction accuracy