TroubleshootingUpdated 13 July 2026

Converting scanned statements with OCR

NoRekey converts both text-based PDFs (the e-statements banks generate digitally) and scanned or photographed statements (images of paper) — there's a dedicated scanned-statement converter page if you want the overview. Scans go through OCR — optical character recognition — which reads the numbers off the image before the usual extraction and balance check run.

Scanned pages cost more allowance

OCR takes noticeably more work to run than reading a text layer, so each scanned page uses 3 pages of your monthly allowance — the same convention Sage's AutoEntry uses. A 4-page scanned statement draws 12 pages. We detect the scan at upload and tell you exactly what it will cost before anything converts, so there are no surprises.

Still balance-checked

A scan is held to the same standard as any other conversion: the extracted rows are reconciled against the statement's own opening and closing balances, and anything that doesn't tie out is flagged for review. OCR can misread a digit, so this check matters more here, not less — you get import-ready signed amounts, not a raw transcript to clean up by hand.

Which kind do I have?

Try selecting text in the PDF. If you can highlight and copy the transaction lines, it's text-based and converts at the normal 1-page-per-page rate. If the page behaves like one big image, it's a scan and converts through OCR at 3×.

Getting the best results

If your bank offers a digital statement download, that text-based PDF converts at the cheaper rate and with the highest accuracy — worth preferring when you have the choice. When you only have paper, a straight, well-lit scan or photo reads far better than a skewed or shadowed one.

Was this guide helpful?
Got a statement to convert?
Free to try — no sign-up, balance-checked, deleted within the hour.
Convert a statement