Clearline vs Dext
Dext is bookkeeping software for accountants and small businesses: receipts, expenses, bank statements and invoices in one place. Clearline does one part of that job, supplier invoices and their approval, and goes further on the checks before a bill is paid.
Checked against Dext's own published pages, October 2026
Which one fits depends on what you're fixing
Pick Dext if
- You're an accounting practice running bookkeeping for many clients.
- Your team photographs receipts and submits expense claims from their phones.
- You need bank statements, mileage or online sales data handled alongside invoices.
- You want to start a free trial today without speaking to anyone.
Pick Clearline if
- Your real problem is supplier invoices, not receipts or expenses.
- You want changed bank details and repeat invoices stopped before payment.
- Suppliers send invoices in mixed formats and languages, from many places.
- You run Xero, Zoho Books, Odoo, Sage, QuickBooks, SAP Business One, NetSuite or MYOB.
Clearline and Dext, line by line
| Topic | Clearline | Dext |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Finance teams who need supplier invoices checked and approved before they're paid. | Accountants, bookkeepers and small businesses handling receipts, expenses, invoices and bank statements. source |
| Documents | Supplier invoices, credit notes, debit notes and proformas. Each one is labelled, and anything that isn't a final bill is held for a quick confirmation. | Receipts and invoices on every plan. Line items, supplier statements and bank statements are add-ons with a small free monthly allowance. source |
| How documents arrive | WhatsApp, email forwarding from approved addresses, and drag and drop upload. | Mobile app, email, drag and drop, and WhatsApp. source |
| Approvals | Every invoice is approved before it reaches your books, with a record of who approved what and what changed. | Multi-stage approvals for invoices, expenses and payment runs. source |
| Duplicate checks | Each new invoice is checked against everything that supplier has already billed, including the same number with a different amount. | Checks against your bank feed and entries already in your accounting software. source |
| Accounting software | Xero, Zoho Books, Odoo, Sage, QuickBooks, SAP Business One, NetSuite and MYOB. | 36+ accounting platforms, plus bank and e-commerce connections. source |
| How you pay | No public price list yet. Request a demo and we'll quote on your monthly invoice volume. | Plans priced by number of users and documents per month. Above your limit, documents upload but aren't read until your next billing date or an upgrade. source |
| Trying it | Guided demo. No self-serve trial yet. | 14-day free trial, no card needed. source |
| Ownership | Independent. | Part of IRIS Software Group since 2024. source |
What changes for the system you run
Most of the decision comes down to where the bills end up. Find yours below.
Xero
Dext connects to Xero too. source
Approved invoices land in Xero as bills, already filled in and ready to pay.
Clearline with Xero →Zoho Books
Dext connects to Zoho Books too. source
Every approved invoice becomes a bill in Zoho Books, filled in and ready for payment.
Clearline with Zoho Books →Odoo
Invoices arrive in Odoo as vendor bills, ready for your team to check and pay.
Clearline with Odoo →Sage
Dext connects to Sage too. source
Approved bills post straight into Sage, filled in and ready for your accounts team.
Clearline with Sage →QuickBooks
Dext connects to QuickBooks too. source
Approved invoices land in QuickBooks as vendor bills, already filled in and ready to pay.
Clearline with QuickBooks →SAP Business One
Approved invoices post straight into SAP Business One as A/P invoices, filled in and ready to review.
Clearline with SAP Business One →NetSuite
Approved invoices post into NetSuite as vendor bills, filled in and ready for your accounts team.
Clearline with NetSuite →MYOB
Dext connects to MYOB too. source
Approved invoices land in MYOB as bills, already filled in and ready to pay.
Clearline with MYOB →The checks that happen before a bill is paid
Changed bank details get flagged
Every invoice's bank details are checked against what that supplier used last time. A new account number doesn't slip through quietly.
Repeat invoices are held, not posted
Same invoice number from the same supplier, even with a different amount, is stopped for review before anyone pays it twice.
A quote never becomes a bill
Proformas and credit notes are recognised for what they are, so they don't land in your books as something to pay.
Rejections go back to the supplier
Reject an invoice and Clearline drafts the reply in the original thread, so the supplier hears why without your team writing it from scratch.
Switching doesn't have to be all at once
- 01
Decide what moves
Receipts and expense claims can stay in Dext. Move supplier invoices that need approval to Clearline, and make sure only one tool posts supplier bills to your books.
- 02
Connect your accounting software
Log in with the accounting account your team already uses. There's nothing to install.
- 03
Point invoices at Clearline
Forward supplier invoices from your existing inbox, or have it forward them automatically. Run both side by side for a month if you'd like to compare.
Clearline vs Dext, answered
Is Clearline a full replacement for Dext?
For supplier invoices, yes. For receipts, expense claims, mileage and bank statements, no. Clearline doesn't do those, so if they're most of what you use Dext for, Dext is the better fit.
Can we use Clearline and Dext together?
Yes. Some teams keep Dext for receipts and expenses and use Clearline for supplier invoices that need approval. The one rule: only one of them should post supplier bills to your accounting software, or you'll create duplicates.
Why would a finance team pick Clearline over Dext?
When the risk is paying the wrong bill rather than losing a receipt. Clearline is built around the checks before payment: changed bank details, repeat invoices, quotes posing as bills, and a clear approval record.
Does Clearline have a mobile app like Dext?
No separate app. Suppliers and staff send invoices the way they already do, by WhatsApp, email or upload, and approvers review them in the browser.
How current is this comparison?
Everything about Dext comes from Dext's own website, checked in October 2026, with links at the bottom of this page. If something has changed, tell us at hi@clearlinebooks.net and we'll fix it.
Sources
- Dext business pricing
- Dext's own comparison page
- Dext accounting integrations
- IRIS acquisition announcement
Dext is a trademark of its owner. Clearline isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Dext. Details about Dext come only from its own published pages, checked October 2026. Plans and features change, so check Dext's site before deciding.
See your own supplier invoices go through Clearline
Tell us how invoices reach you today and which accounting software you run. We'll show you what changes.
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