StatementPilot vs Excel Power Query
Excel's 'Get Data from PDF' vs a converter
Can Excel import bank statement PDFs with Power Query? Pros, cons and when a dedicated converter is faster and more reliable.
Summary
Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows can import tables from text-based PDFs via Power Query. It's free if you have it, but it doesn't read scans, splits tables by page, and needs clean-up steps for each bank's layout. A converter handles scans and verifies balances.
StatementPilot vs Excel Power Query at a glance
| Feature | StatementPilot | Excel Power Query |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan (20 pages/mo); paid from $15/mo for 150 pages | Included with Microsoft 365 |
| Balance reconciliation check | Yes — opening/closing, running balance and printed totals | No |
| Scanned statements / photos | Yes — scanned PDFs and photos | No (text PDFs only) |
| Export formats | Excel, CSV, QBO, OFX, QIF, QuickBooks CSV, Xero CSV | Excel |
| Bank-specific templates | None needed | Query per layout |
| Review before export | Editable review table with flagged rows | Manual |
| Platform | Web app, nothing to install | Excel for Windows |
Competitor details are based on their public information as of October 2026 and may change. Tell us about a correction.
About Excel Power Query
Power Query is Excel's data import and transformation tool; on Windows Microsoft 365 it can read tables from PDFs.
Where Excel Power Query is stronger
- Included with Microsoft 365 on Windows
- Reusable queries for a single bank
Where StatementPilot is stronger
- Works with scans and photos
- Works on Mac and in the browser
- No query building
- Reconciliation and accounting formats
Verdict
Fine for a tech-savvy user with one bank's digital PDFs; a converter wins on scans, mixed banks and verification.
Frequently asked questions
Does Power Query work on Mac?
PDF import is limited to Excel for Windows at the time of writing.
Convert your first statement in under a minute
20 free pages every month. No credit card. Every export format included.