LucaLedger vs Dext
Built for accounting & tax firms · Extraction built in · SOC 2 ready
The quick verdict
- Best all-in-one (extraction + books + tax): LucaLedger
- Best standalone document extraction: Dext
- Best if you're happy with your QBO/Xero/Sage + tax stack: Dext
- Best to stop paying for a separate extraction tool: LucaLedger
- Sage shops specifically: Dext (broad Sage support)
Dext and LucaLedger aren't really the same kind of product. Dext is one strong step; LucaLedger is the whole workflow that step belongs to.
Side-by-side
| Dext | LucaLedger | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Document capture / extraction feeder | All-in-one accounting & tax platform |
| Owner | IRIS Software Group | , |
| AI document extraction | ✓ mature (15 yrs, ~99%) | ✓ built in |
| Categorization | ~ AI Assist; publishes to external ledger | ✓ confidence-routed; posts to own GL |
| Keeps the books | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tax preparation | ✗ | ✓ 1040, 1120, 1120-S, 1065; 46 states + DC |
| Tax planning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Client portal | ✗ | ✓ white-label |
| Practice management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | QBO, Xero, Sage + 36 more | Two-way QuickBooks; native books |
| E-filing | ✗ | Coming November 2026 |
| Pricing | ~$17.70 to $19.20/client/mo + metered add-ons | Schedule a demo |
Where they match is extraction; where they differ is everything downstream, the ledger, the return, the portal. Dext was built to feed a stack; LucaLedger is the stack. For the cost angle, see the Dext alternative page.
When to choose Dext
- You're committed to QuickBooks, Xero, or especially Sage, and just want a mature front-end capture tool.
- Extraction accuracy and supplier-fetch are your priority and your other tools are settled.
- You have heavy ecommerce data needs (Dext Commerce).
When to choose LucaLedger
- You want extraction included in the platform that keeps the books and prepares the return.
- You'd rather not pay a separate per-client extraction subscription with metered add-ons.
- You want the books, the return, the strategy, and the portal in one system.
Migrating from Dext
Lock-in is minimal, Dext is a feeder, not the system of record, so the books and tax data already live downstream. The real switch is simply that you stop needing a separate extraction tool: when LucaLedger does extraction natively and books it, the Dext subscription (and its add-on credits) goes away. The one migration task worth planning is re-creating your supplier/categorization rules inside LucaLedger.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dext a bookkeeping system?
No, it's a capture/extraction tool that publishes to QuickBooks, Xero, or Sage. LucaLedger keeps the books and adds tax prep.
Does Dext do tax?
No. LucaLedger prepares 1040, 1120, 1120-S, and 1065 from the same documents.
Does Dext have AI?
Yes, its 2026 AI Assist learns categorization patterns. The difference is that LucaLedger owns the ledger and the return, so the AI's work lands in the books and the filing, not just a suggestion handed to another tool.
Is LucaLedger SOC 2 compliant?
LucaLedger is SOC 2 ready, controls and evidence in place, encryption in transit and at rest, row-level isolation.
How we compare: based on each vendor's public documentation and pricing, hands-on use, and LucaLedger's capabilities as of June 2026. We build LucaLedger and have worked to represent Dext fairly. Last updated June 2026.