Both collect the invoices you would otherwise dig out by hand. The difference is how much of the work stays yours.
| Stage | Booksmate | Clerk.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Before | You list your suppliers yourself. For each one not already in their catalogue you find three addresses, the homepage, the login page and the page your documents sit on, then log in by hand while their AI learns the site. Again for every new supplier. | You start it and go away. You never tell it who your suppliers are, because working that out is the job. |
| During | It fetches from the list you built. | It reads the month's bank and card lines, works out which payments have no document behind them, and goes and gets those, from your mail, supplier portals, and photos on your phone. It asks you the things only you can answer. 1 |
| After | You end with downloaded files, and send them on yourself. | You end with a folder and a drafted email to your accountant, in the language you write to them in. |
1 It does not get every one: some suppliers block automation, and when that happens it names the supplier and asks, rather than leaving a hole you hear about six weeks later.
The checkable parts. Numbers point to the fine print under each table.
| Fact | Booksmate | Clerk.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Lists your suppliers | You do | Nobody |
| Reads your bank lines | No | Yes |
| Tells you what is missing | No | Yes, by name and amount |
| Ends at | Downloaded files | A folder and a drafted email |
| Fact | Booksmate | Clerk.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19, $49 or $99 a month 2 | Free, or what you decide |
| Documents a year | 600 3 | No limit |
| To try it | Card first, seven days | Download it |
| Refund policy | None found 4 | Nothing to refund |
2 Billed annually. 3 On the $19 plan. 4 Not in their terms, privacy policy or imprint.
| Fact | Booksmate | Clerk.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Your computer, they say 5 | Your Mac |
| Your documents on their servers | Yes 6 | No |
5 We could not find a download or a supported operating system. 6 Their service at mcp.booksmate.com searches them and groups your spend.
Download it, point it at a month you have already sent off, and see what it says is missing.