Comparison

PivotBank vs
BankStatementConverter

Both tools convert bank statement PDFs to spreadsheets. But the difference in privacy, features, and output quality is significant. Here's an honest comparison.

Feature Comparison

FeaturePivotBankBankStatementConverter
Client-side processing (no uploads)
Data never sent to server
GDPR-safe by design
Safe for government & regulated bodies
Passes data sovereignty requirements
Excel (XLSX) export
CSV export
JSON export
Transaction categorisation
Spending insights dashboard
Recurring payment detection
Multi-page PDF support
1000+ banks supported
Modern, clean UI
Free tier available
3 pages/day
Limited
Pro / unlimited plan

Comparison based on publicly available information. Last reviewed January 2026.

The Key Differences

Privacy

BankStatementConverter uploads your PDF to their servers for processing. PivotBank processes everything in your browser — your data never leaves your device. For financial professionals handling client data, this is not a small difference.

Insights

PivotBank Pro includes automatic transaction categorisation, merchant analysis, spending breakdowns, and recurring payment detection. BankStatementConverter produces only a basic spreadsheet — no analysis layer.

Output Quality

PivotBank produces a formatted XLSX with a summary sheet, full CSV, and structured JSON. The output is designed for import into professional accounting tools or custom analysis pipelines.

A Real Architectural Difference

Why Compliance-Sensitive Organisations Cannot Use Server-Side Converters

Server-side converters — including BankStatementConverter — require your PDF to be uploaded to a third-party server. For government bodies, regulated financial institutions, law firms, and organisations with data residency requirements, this creates a compliance problem that no privacy policy can resolve: the sensitive financial document is now on someone else's server.

PivotBank's client-side architecture eliminates this entirely. The PDF is parsed inside the browser tab using a local JavaScript engine. Nothing crosses the network. There are no server logs to audit, no DPA to sign, and no third-party data processor in the chain.

0

Network requests during PDF processing

None

Data transmitted to PivotBank servers

None

Third-party data processors involved

Try the Better Alternative

Start free with 3 pages/day. No account required. Your data stays on your device.