Free n8n receipt OCR: Telegram photo to Google Sheets
Snap a receipt to a Telegram bot; free OCR extracts amount/date and appends to Sheets. Text commands for income and expenses.
Setup steps
- Get OCR.space key
- Create Telegram bot
- Import template
- Connect Sheets
Steps summarized from the original Template source ↗. Use “Copy” to grab them with the tools and source link, or copy an AI prompt.
Try it with AI
Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude or your own agent for step-by-step help. Prompt written by AppToBot from this recipe's data, not by the original author. It keeps drafts for your review and asks before anything is sent or paid.
Help me set up this automation using n8n + OCR.space + Telegram + Google Sheets: "Free n8n receipt OCR: Telegram photo to Google Sheets". Goal: replace Manual expense spreadsheets. How it should work: - Trigger: Receipt photo in Telegram - Then: Free OCR reads amount and date - Then: Text commands for income - Result: Row added to Sheets Setup steps (summarized from the original source): 1. Get OCR.space key 2. Create Telegram bot 3. Import template 4. Connect Sheets Guide me one step at a time. Ask me for anything you need (accounts, sheet or channel names) before you start. Safety rules: - Build and test with sample data first, and show me a sample result before anything goes live. - Keep anything that goes to other people (emails, posts, replies, record updates) as drafts for my review until I say otherwise. - Never send, post, buy, pay, delete or change records without my approval. - Tell me about any cost (paid plans, API usage) before I'd incur it, and help me set a spending limit. - Keep API keys and passwords out of shared docs and chats. - Privacy: Receipt images go to OCR.space. Based on: https://n8n.io/workflows/6686-track-expenses-from-receipt-photos-with-telegram-and-google-sheets-using-ocrspace/
Tool names link to each official site (opens in a new tab).
Running cost: Free to run Free OCR.space key plus n8n, per source. No-code How we sort costs
Stack: n8n · Telegram · Google Sheets
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
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 Oct 15, 2026.
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 n8n receipt OCR: Telegram photo to Google Sheets. 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/
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