AutoEntry vs Zera Books: Unlimited Conversions Comparison
AutoEntry uses a credit-based system with monthly limits and overage charges. Zera Books offers truly unlimited conversions for $79/month. See how unlimited processing transforms accounting workflows at scale.
Try for one weekTL;DR
AutoEntry uses a credit-based pricing model where bank statements cost more credits than invoices due to higher extraction volume. Monthly credit limits range from $12-$450/month, with 10% overage charges up to 200% of your plan limit. Credits expire after 90 days.
Zera Books offers truly unlimited conversions for $79/month with no credit tracking, no overage charges, and no expiration limits. Process as many bank statements, invoices, financial statements, and checks as needed without anxiety about usage limits.
For accounting firms processing 50+ statements monthly or experiencing tax season volume spikes, unlimited eliminates cost unpredictability and "per-page anxiety."
AutoEntry's Credit-Based System
AutoEntry uses credits as its in-product currency for document processing. The number of credits consumed depends on document type and complexity, with bank statements requiring significantly more credits than invoices due to the higher volume of transaction extraction required.
How AutoEntry Credits Work
- Pricing tiers: Plans range from $12/month to $450/month based on credit allocation
- Bank statements cost more: £0.72 per page vs £0.32-0.48 for invoices (higher extraction volume)
- Overage charges: 10% extra charge for usage up to 200% of monthly limit
- Credit expiration: Unused credits expire after 90 days
The credit system creates predictability for low-volume users but introduces complexity for accounting firms with variable monthly workloads. During tax season or month-end close periods, credit consumption spikes dramatically, leading to overage charges and potential workflow disruptions when limits are reached.
The "Per-Page Anxiety" Problem
When every document consumes credits, accountants develop "per-page anxiety" - constantly calculating whether to process a statement now or wait until next month's credit reset. This mental overhead slows workflows and creates artificial decision points that don't exist with unlimited models.
Zera Books: Truly Unlimited Processing
Zera Books uses a flat $79/month unlimited model with zero usage tracking, no credit systems, and no overage charges. Process unlimited documents across four types: bank statements, financial statements, invoices, and checks.
Unlimited Conversions
No credit tracking, no page limits, no volume restrictions
Predictable Pricing
$79/month flat - no overage charges or tax season spikes
No Expiration
Process anytime without worrying about unused credit loss
4 Document Types
Bank statements, financial statements, invoices, checks
The unlimited model eliminates workflow friction entirely. Accountants never need to check credit balances, calculate overage costs, or delay processing decisions. This is particularly valuable for CPA firms managing multiple clients with unpredictable document volumes.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | AutoEntry | Zera Books |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Credit-based ($12-$450/month) | Flat $79/month unlimited |
| Monthly Limits | Yes (varies by plan tier) | Unlimited |
| Overage Charges | 10% extra up to 200% limit | None |
| Credit Expiration | 90 days | No expiration |
| Bank Statement Cost | £0.72/page (more than invoices) | $0/page |
| Document Types | Bank statements, invoices | Bank statements, financial statements, invoices, checks |
| AI Categorization | QuickBooks/Xero ready | |
| Multi-Account Detection | Manual separation required | Automatic |
| Client Management | Dashboard included | |
| Best For | Low, predictable volume (<30 docs/month) | High volume, tax season spikes, multi-client firms |
Cost Analysis by Processing Volume
The cost difference between AutoEntry's credit system and Zera Books' unlimited model becomes dramatic at scale. Here's how costs compare for different accounting firm profiles:
Small Practice (20 clients)
40 bank statements/month average, 80 during tax season
AutoEntry (estimated)
$150-200/mo
+10% overage in tax season
Zera Books
$79/mo
No tax season spike
Annual savings with Zera Books: ~$900-1,500
Mid-Size Firm (50 clients)
100 bank statements/month average, 200 during tax season
AutoEntry (estimated)
$350-450/mo
Exceeds 200% limit in tax season
Zera Books
$79/mo
Same cost year-round
Annual savings with Zera Books: ~$3,300-4,500
Large Practice (100+ clients)
200+ bank statements/month, 400+ during tax season
AutoEntry
$450/mo+
Regularly exceeds limits
Zera Books
$79/mo
Process 1,000+ statements
Annual savings with Zera Books: ~$4,500+
These estimates demonstrate how unlimited processing becomes exponentially more valuable as firm size and client base grow. For practices processing more than 50 statements monthly, unlimited pricing models eliminate cost unpredictability entirely.
Workflow Impact: Mental Overhead vs Zero Friction
Beyond direct cost savings, unlimited conversions eliminate workflow friction that credit-based systems create. This mental overhead compounds across dozens of daily processing decisions.
Credit-Based Workflow
- 1.Check current credit balance before processing
- 2.Calculate estimated credit consumption for batch
- 3.Decide if processing now or waiting until next month
- 4.Monitor usage to avoid hitting 200% overage cap
- 5.Track credit expiration dates (90 days)
- 6.Process documents, worrying about overage charges
Result: 5+ decision points per batch = workflow friction
Unlimited Workflow
- 1.Upload statements whenever they arrive
- 2.Process immediately without calculations
- 3.Export to QuickBooks/Xero with AI categorization
Result: Zero friction, immediate processing, no mental overhead
For bookkeeping firms managing 30+ clients, eliminating these 5+ decision points per batch saves 10-15 minutes daily - that's 40+ hours annually recovered from administrative overhead alone.
Scaling Your Accounting Practice
The unlimited model fundamentally changes how accounting firms approach growth. With credit-based systems, adding clients directly increases monthly software costs. With unlimited processing, software costs remain flat while revenue scales linearly.
Growth Economics Comparison
AutoEntry
+$80-120/mo
Zera Books
+$0/mo
AutoEntry
+$200-300/mo
Zera Books
+$0/mo
This cost structure advantage becomes critical during aggressive growth phases. Firms using unlimited models can aggressively pursue new clients without worrying about software costs eating into margins. For practices targeting multi-entity accounting or multi-client growth, this removes a significant scaling constraint.
Real-World Use Case: Tax Season Processing
Tax season creates dramatic volume spikes that expose the limitations of credit-based systems. Here's how a mid-size CPA firm with 50 clients experiences both models during peak season:
Mid-Size CPA Firm Profile
50 clients, average 2 accounts per client = 100 statements/month
Regular Season (Sept-Jan)
AutoEntry
$350/mo plan works
Processing 100 statements stays within limit
Zera Books
$79/mo flat
Process without tracking volume
Tax Season Peak (Feb-April)
AutoEntry
$350 + 10% overage
200+ statements exceed plan, trigger overage charges
3 months × $385 = $1,155
Zera Books
$79/mo flat
Process 200+ statements without cost change
3 months × $79 = $237
Tax season savings with Zera Books: $918 in 3 months
Beyond direct cost savings, the unlimited model eliminates stress during the busiest time of year. Accountants focus on client work instead of monitoring credit consumption. This psychological benefit during tax season preparation workflows is difficult to quantify but universally appreciated.
Final Verdict: When Each Model Makes Sense
AutoEntry Works For:
- Very low volume (under 30 documents/month)
- Highly predictable processing needs
- Solo practitioners with 10-15 clients max
- Users who primarily process invoices (cheaper than bank statements)
Zera Books Works For:
- Any firm processing 50+ statements monthly
- Practices with seasonal volume spikes (tax season)
- Multi-client bookkeeping firms
- Growing practices adding new clients regularly
- Anyone who wants predictable costs and zero workflow friction
Bottom Line:
If you're processing more than 50 bank statements monthly, experiencing tax season volume spikes, or planning to grow your client base, unlimited conversion models eliminate cost anxiety and workflow friction entirely. The mental overhead of tracking credits and calculating overage costs disappears, letting you focus on client work instead of software usage management.
For firms prioritizing bank reconciliation automation or month-end close efficiency, unlimited processing is non-negotiable. The cost savings at scale combined with zero workflow friction make it the clear choice for modern accounting practices.

"My clients send me all kinds of messy PDFs from different banks. This tool handles them all and saves me probably 10 hours a week."
Ashish Josan
Manager, CPA at Manning Elliott
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Experience Truly Unlimited Processing
Process unlimited bank statements, financial statements, invoices, and checks for one flat monthly price. No credit tracking, no overage charges, no workflow friction.
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