Karchu vs Manual categorization
Doing categorization by hand is the honest default. You know your money best. The problem is not accuracy - it is that manual categorization does not compound. Every month you start from zero. Karchu turns categorization into an asset that survives the next statement and every one after.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Karchu | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| First-month accuracy | High with rule defaults | Highest (you decide each row) |
| Twelfth-month accuracy | High and consistent | Depends on how tired you are |
| Time per statement | Minutes | Hours |
| Retroactive category fixes | Yes | No |
| Explainable categorization | Yes | Yes |
| Works for multiple accounts | Yes | Partial |
| Team collaboration | Yes | No |
| Cost | Free trial, then $9/mo | Your weekends |
When Manual categorization is the better fit
- You analyze one statement per year.
- You genuinely enjoy the process of manual categorization.
- You have highly unusual categorization rules the engine cannot express.
- You do not trust any tool with categorization, even one you can edit.
When Karchu is the better fit
- You analyze more than one statement per quarter.
- You have ever abandoned a spreadsheet workflow after month three.
- You need consistent categorization across time or team members.
- You want to fix a rule once and have it apply retroactively to every past transaction.
Frequently asked
Do I lose control if I use Karchu?
No. Karchu's categorization is rule-based, and every rule is editable. You can override a single transaction, edit the rule, or add a new one. The system tells you exactly why each transaction landed where it did.
How long does it take to switch?
First upload: a few minutes. The engine ships with defaults for hundreds of common merchants; you tune from there rather than starting from scratch.
Can I keep my existing categories?
Yes. Categories are fully customizable. Import your existing list and Karchu's rules will map merchants into it.
Popular bank statement analyzers
Bring a real statement to see how Karchu handles it. These bank pages walk through export steps and quirks for the most searched banks in this comparison's market.
- Chase statement analyzer
Export and analyze Chase PDF, CSV, and Excel statements.
- Wells Fargo statement analyzer
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- Bank of America statement analyzer
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- Citibank statement analyzer
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- Capital One statement analyzer
Export and analyze Capital One PDF, CSV, and Excel statements.
- TD Bank statement analyzer
Export and analyze TD Bank PDF, CSV, and Excel statements.
See Karchu on your own statement
30-day free trial. No credit card. Upload a CSV, Excel, or PDF and get categorized results in minutes.