Recipes / Finance
Free OCR receipt logger
Snap a receipt to a Telegram bot; free OCR extracts amount/date and appends to Sheets. Text commands for income and expenses.
Tool names link to each official site (opens in a new tab). Links marked “aff” are affiliate links. Disclosure
App vs bot, side by side
| Old app / habit | Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Manual expense spreadsheets | n8n + OCR.space + Telegram + Google Sheets |
| Monthly cost | Not reported | Free (OCR.space free key) + n8n |
| Setup | None (already in use) | Not reported · Beginner |
| Your time | Baseline | Not reported |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | Adjust extraction rules for your receipts. |
| Privacy | Data stays with the app vendor | Receipt images go to OCR.space. |
Full comparison
| Replaces | Manual expense spreadsheets |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | n8n + OCR.space + Telegram + Google Sheets |
| Monthly cost before | Not reported |
| Monthly cost after | Free (OCR.space free key) + n8n |
| Setup time | Not reported |
| Time saved | Not reported |
| Skill level | Beginner |
| Reliability | 3/5: published template; rule-based parsing can miss unusual receipts. |
| Maintenance | Adjust extraction rules for your receipts. |
| Privacy & data | Receipt images go to OCR.space. |
| Best for | Budget trackers on a $0 budget |
| Not for | Itemized receipts |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free OCR
- Simple
Cons
- Parsing is rule-based
How it works
- Get OCR.space key
- Create Telegram bot
- Import template
- Connect Sheets
Source and evidence
Published template; rule-based parsing can miss odd formats.
Read the original Template source ↗
“Not reported” means the source doesn't say. We never fill gaps with guesses. Numbers marked “per author” or “vendor claim” are the source's own and weren't independently tested. Source last checked 2026-10-15.
Our rating is an editorial opinion based on the public source above, not lab testing. Spot an error? Request a correction.
Plain-text summary (for search and AI assistants)
Free OCR receipt logger. Replaces Manual expense spreadsheets with n8n + OCR.space + Telegram + Google Sheets. Cost before: Not reported. Cost after: Free (OCR.space free key) + n8n. Setup: Not reported, Beginner. Time saved: Not reported. Reliability 3/5: 3/5: published template; rule-based parsing can miss unusual receipts. Best for: Budget trackers on a $0 budget. Not for: Itemized receipts. Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/6686-track-expenses-from-receipt-photos-with-telegram-and-google-sheets-using-ocrspace/
Related recipes
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