# QuickBooks Self vs Receipt Lens

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Receipt Lens at 64% against QuickBooks Self's 24%. Receipt Lens also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and chart position (#131 vs unranked). QuickBooks Self's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. QuickBooks Self sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Receipt Lens sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Receipt Lens holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.8K and 4.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of QuickBooks Self's written reviews are positive against 64% of Receipt Lens's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | QuickBooks Self | Receipt Lens |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quickbooks-self-employed/id898076976/reviews) | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receipt-lens-expense-tracker/id1424280764/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6.8K** | 4.3K |
| Positive reviews | 23.6% of reviews | **64.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#131** |
| Size | 284 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Intuit Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/313441566) | [Glority Global Group Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499301607) |

## What reviewers say

### QuickBooks Self

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quickbooks-self-employed/id898076976)

This mobile app serves as a companion for existing QuickBooks Self-Employed web subscribers. It allows users to track mileage and expenses, with data syncing seamlessly across devices. Sign in with your existing credentials to begin.

**Highlights:** Mileage tracking, Expense tracking, Data syncs across devices, Companion app for web subscribers, Sign in with existing credentials

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| QuickBooks Self-Employed | $6.99 | per month |
| Quickbooks Self-Employed | $14.99 | per month |
| QuickBooks Self-Employed | $14.99 | per month |
| QuickBooks Self-Employed | $14.99 | per month |
| QuickBooks Self-Employed + TurboTax Bundle | $16.99 | per month |
| QuickBooks Self-Employed | $19.99 | per month |
| Self-Employed + TurboTax | $29.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent mileage tracker
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Helpful for managing tax expense deductions
- 💡 Useful for small businesses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent mileage tracking
- 🐛 Unreliable bank connection
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 🔍 Poor customer service
- 💰 Expensive for the features provided

**Reported bugs**

- Mileage tracking not working consistently
- Transactions not syncing properly with bank accounts
- Invoices not working as expected after updates
- Duplicate transactions and data loss issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to import past mileage data
- Option to manually start/stop mileage tracking
- Improved invoice customization and partial payment options
- Better categorization and rules for expenses
- Ability to handle multiple businesses


### Receipt Lens

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receipt-lens-expense-tracker/id1424280764)

**Currently charting:** #131 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

Effortlessly track expenses by scanning receipts with your phone. Automatically read and export details to generate instant expense reports. Organize and categorize spending for personal or business use.

**Highlights:** Automatic receipt scanning and data extraction, Instant expense report generation, Customizable expense categorization, Export reports with receipt images, Supports various receipt types (travel, grocery, utilities), Automatic backup and secure storage (premium)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Individual Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Professional Premium | $16.99 | per month |
| Individual Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Professional Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| Add one seat | $29.99 | one-time |
| Add 3 extra seats | $74.99 | one-time |
| Add 5 extra seats | $109.99 | one-time |
| Add 10 extra seats | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Intelligent app
- 🚀 Accurate and reliable
- 🚀 Saves time
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Organized receipts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🐛 Unreliable OCR
- 🔒 Security and account issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Limited export and customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Receipts not loading or recognizing
- Incorrect categorization of receipts
- Login and account issues
- Inability to export data

**Requested features**

- Ability to move folders and reorganize
- Export by date range or quarter
- Recognize negative amounts for returns
- Support for Canadian tax formats
- Improved customer support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is QuickBooks Self free?

QuickBooks Self is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Receipt Lens free?

Receipt Lens is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, QuickBooks Self or Receipt Lens?

Receipt Lens is rated higher. QuickBooks Self averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6.8K ratings, while Receipt Lens averages 4.7 from 4.3K ratings.

### Do QuickBooks Self or Receipt Lens have ads?

Receipt Lens shows ads; QuickBooks Self does not.

### Which is updated more often, QuickBooks Self or Receipt Lens?

QuickBooks Self ships an update monthly, and Receipt Lens monthly. Most recently, QuickBooks Self was updated on November 11, 2026 and Receipt Lens on November 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*