5 tools for better OCR invoice processing in 2026

Invoice processing has come a long way from stacks of paper, manual data entry and late-night number checks. Today, OCR (optical character recognition) technology sits at the heart of faster, cleaner and more reliable invoice workflows.

Whether it’s built into a spend management platform or delivered through standalone engines, RPA bots or AI-powered APIs, OCR turns static invoices into structured data your finance team can actually use.

We’ll walk you through five tools reshaping invoice processing in 2025 – from end-to-end AP automation solutions to flexible document-parsing APIs. Whether you're looking to cut manual admin, improve accuracy or build smarter approval flows, you'll find the right fit here.

Key takeaways:

• OCR reads invoices the way a human would, extracting supplier names, dates, amounts and line items automatically. Instead of typing everything manually, teams get clean, structured data ready for approval, validation and payment.
• Good OCR doesn’t just read documents: it reduces manual work, removes repetition and drastically cuts the risk of typos, missing details or duplicate invoices.
• From spend management platforms and ERP add-ons to RPA bots and AI APIs, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Your ideal setup depends on your team size, volume of invoices and how much automation you want.

What is OCR invoice processing software?

Once upon a time, processing invoices meant paper stacks on your desk, manual data entry and the constant risk of a typo throwing your month-end off track. Matching invoices to POs, checking supplier details, tracking due dates – it all took time. And not the good, strategic kind of time: the slow, admin-heavy kind.

OCR (optical character recognition) invoice processing software changes that. Instead of manually keying in every line item, OCR reads the invoice for you, extracting supplier names, amounts, dates, VAT and more. It turns what used to be a manual chore into a smooth, automated workflow.

Today’s OCR tools go even further than just ‘reading’ invoices. Many can validate data, flag missing information, route invoices for approval and sync everything straight into your accounting system.

Whether it’s built into a spend management platform, added to your ERP, part of a document management system or powered by AI-driven APIs, OCR has become the engine behind faster, cleaner and more reliable invoice processing.

In short: invoice admin used to slow teams down. OCR helps you speed ahead.

5 software solutions to boost your OCR invoice processing in 2025

Still typing data from invoices, hunting down missing details or trying to spot duplicate entries before they hit your books? It might be time to let OCR-powered invoice processing tools take the manual work off your hands.

We’ve compiled a list of smart solutions that turn messy documents into clean, usable data, helping you speed up approvals, cut down on errors and keep your financial workflows running smoothly. Whether you want an all-in-one platform or a flexible OCR engine to plug into your setup, these tools make invoice processing faster, easier and far less painful.

In the table below, you’ll find a quick overview of the solutions covered:

Spend management and accounts payable (AP) automation platforms

If you want a solution that does more than just read invoices, spend management and AP automation platforms are the full package. These tools combine OCR with approval flows, budgeting controls, payments and real-time visibility – all in one place. Instead of juggling multiple systems, finance teams get a single hub for capturing, processing and paying invoices quickly and accurately. It’s OCR woven into a smarter, more streamlined way to manage company spend.

1. Pleo

With more than 1,480 five-star reviews, Pleo is Europe’s most loved and trusted spend management platform – now with a powerful accounts payable solution that makes invoice routing effortless.

Forget about manual data entry, lost receipts or endless email threads chasing approvals. With Pleo, managing business spending and accounts payable isn’t just easier: it’s smarter. Capture every purchase and invoice automatically, and let the OCR technology read and extract key details from your invoices in seconds.

From issuing smart company cards and setting spending limits to capturing, validating and routing invoices for approval, Pleo’s automation keeps every step visible and compliant in real time. OCR ensures that invoice data is accurately read and matched to purchase orders or company rules, whilst built-in analytics turn your spend into insights you can actually act on.

Enjoy a faster, error-free workflow where every expense is tracked, every invoice is processed and finance teams spend less time on admin – and more time on growing the business.

Pros and key functionalities:

• Real-time spend visibility: See every purchase and invoice as it happens – OCR captures the details automatically.
• Automated tracking: Receipts, invoices and card payments are read, matched and recorded without manual entry.
• Smart approvals: Route invoices and expenses to the right people – quickly and easily.
• Seamless integrations: Sync automatically with tools like Xero or QuickBooks for up-to-date books.
• Actionable insights: Turn captured data into clear trends and spot anomalies fast.

Reasons to choose Pleo:

• Helpful customer support
• Efficient and time-saving solution
• Fast implementation and user-friendly interface

Source: G2

Pricing: Pleo offers monthly or yearly billing, with prices starting at £9.5 per month for up to 3 users.

What do our users say about Pleo?

“Pleo is very easy to use. It gives you a clear view of your expenses. It reminds you when you need to add more receipts so you can't forget anything. Also, when you (on accident) make a personal payment with your business credit card, it's very easy to mark this as a personal purchase and fix it.”

- Operations Manager Pepijn B., G2

Standalone OCR engines and document data extraction tools

Not all invoice workflows need a full spend management platform – sometimes all you need is a tool that reads and extracts data accurately, fast. Standalone OCR engines and document data extraction tools specialise in pulling key information from invoices, receipts and other documents, turning paper or PDFs into structured, usable data. No more manual typing or hunting for details; the software reads vendor names, amounts, dates and line items automatically.

2. Rossum

Rossum is a specialist in reading and extracting data from invoices and other documents. Unlike full AP platforms, it focuses purely on capturing information accurately and efficiently. Its AI-driven OCR learns to recognise different invoice formats, so it gets smarter the more you use it.

We’ve included Rossum because it shows how powerful standalone OCR can be for teams that need precise data extraction without overhauling their existing finance setup.

Pros and key functionalities:

• Accurate data extraction: Reads invoices, receipts and line items automatically – even from tricky formats.
• AI-powered learning: Gets smarter over time, improving recognition for different vendors and invoice layouts.
• Faster processing: Speeds up invoice handling, letting teams focus on higher-value tasks.

Reasons to choose Rossum:

• Strong integrations
• Intuitive user interface
• Helpful customer support

Source: G2

Pricing: N/A – all pricing is quote-based.

Document management systems (DMS) with OCR capabilities

Document management systems (DMS) help companies store, organise and track all kinds of files – and when you add OCR into the mix, they become powerful tools for handling invoices, too. These platforms capture documents, pull out key details and keep everything neatly tagged and searchable. Perfect for teams dealing with high volumes of paperwork or compliance-heavy environments, DMS solutions ensure that invoices don’t just get processed: they’re also stored safely and easy to find later.

3. DocuWare

DocuWare isn’t just about storing documents: it’s about making them work for you. With OCR built in, invoices, receipts and other files are automatically captured, indexed and made searchable. That means finance teams can find, process and archive documents without losing time on manual tasks.

This one earns its spot on the list because it demonstrates how DMS tools can combine storage, compliance and OCR-driven efficiency in one package.

Pros and key functionalities:

• Centralised storage: Keep invoices and documents in one organised, searchable hub.
• Quick retrieval: Find and access any document instantly, even months or years later.
• Streamlined workflows: Combine storage and OCR to simplify invoice approvals and archiving.

Reasons to choose DocuWare:

• Easy implementation
• Seamless integrations
• Accurate and reliable

Source: G2

Pricing: N/A – all pricing is quote-based.

Workflow automation and RPA platforms

If your invoice process involves lots of repetitive steps, workflow automation tools and RPA (robotic process automation) platforms can take a huge load off. These tools pair OCR with automated ‘bots’ that mimic manual tasks – like copying data, routing invoices for approval or updating systems. They’re ideal for businesses looking to reduce manual effort across multiple systems or build custom invoice workflows without reinventing how they work today.

4. Automation Anywhere

Automation Anywhere brings OCR into the world of automation. Its bots can read invoices, extract data and move it through approval workflows automatically. This reduces manual effort and speeds up repetitive tasks across systems.

We’ve included Automation Anywhere because it shows how OCR can power smarter workflows beyond just AP, making repetitive finance processes faster and less error-prone.

Pros and key functionalities:

• OCR-driven automation: Bots read invoices and extract data without manual input.
• End-to-end workflows: Move invoices through approval, validation and reconciliation automatically.
• Cross-system efficiency: Connects multiple tools and platforms for seamless processing.

Reasons to choose Automation Anywhere:

• Intuitive interface
• Strong automation capabilities
• Seamless integrations

Source: G2

Pricing: N/A – all pricing is quote-based.

Cloud-based AI document parsing APIs

For the more technical teams, cloud-based AI document parsing APIs offer maximum flexibility. These tools give developers the ability to build custom invoice-processing workflows using advanced OCR and machine-learning extraction. They’re powerful, scalable and great for companies with complex or highly specific requirements. Instead of using a pre-built interface, you plug the API into your existing systems – and let the AI do the heavy lifting behind the scenes.

5. Google Document AI

Google Document AI is a developer-friendly, cloud-based solution that uses OCR and AI to parse documents at scale. It can handle complex invoice formats, extract structured data and integrate with your existing systems.

We’ve chosen this one to show how cloud APIs enable teams to build custom, flexible invoice-processing workflows whilst leveraging cutting-edge OCR and AI technology.

Pros and key functionalities:

• Advanced OCR & AI: Extracts structured data from complex invoices and documents.
• Scalable and cloud-based: Handle any volume of documents without extra infrastructure.
• Continuous learning: AI improves accuracy over time with more documents processed.

Reasons to choose Document AI:

• Easy implementation
• Efficient document processing
• Helpful customer support

Source: G2

Pricing: Document AI is priced per page, with new customers receiving $300 in free credit.

What should you look for in an OCR invoice processing tool?

Not all OCR tools are created equal. The best ones don’t just read invoices: they make your entire accounts payable process faster, easier and more reliable.

Here are some key features worth prioritising when choosing an OCR invoice processing tool:

• Automatic data capture: Look for OCR that can read invoices and receipts instantly, pulling out supplier names, amounts, dates, VAT and line items without any manual typing.
• Smart validation: Your tool should match invoices to purchase orders and company rules automatically, flagging errors or inconsistencies before they become a problem.
• Approval workflows: A great solution routes invoices to the right people automatically, based on department, project or amount, keeping approvals fast and transparent.
• Seamless integrations: Choose a platform that connects directly to your accounting software, so invoice data and reconciliations are always up to date.
• Real-time visibility: You want full oversight of every invoice and expense as it’s captured, approved and paid – no surprises at month-end.
• Actionable insights: Beyond processing, your OCR tool should turn captured data into insights, highlighting spending trends, anomalies and opportunities for smarter decisions.
• User-friendly and scalable: Choose a solution that’s intuitive, collaborative and flexible enough to grow with your team.

With these features, OCR isn’t just about saving time on manual entry: it’s about creating a smoother, error-free and fully transparent workflow for your finance team.

Final thoughts

OCR has moved from being a ‘nice-to-have’ to a core part of modern invoice processing. It’s what makes today’s AP workflows faster, cleaner and far more accurate than the manual processes of the past. Whether you’re adopting a full spend management platform, experimenting with standalone OCR engines or building custom workflows with AI-driven APIs, the right tools can save hours of admin and give you better visibility over your company’s spending.

The goal isn’t just to automate data entry: it’s to create a smooth, reliable process where invoices move from capture to approval to payment without chaos or bottlenecks. With the right OCR-powered setup, your finance team spends less time fighting paperwork and more time driving the business forward.