Gmail is better at telling you the brand. A bank statement is better at telling you that you still pay. Forgotten subscriptions hide in the gap between those two.
What mail catches
Receipts from Netflix, Spotify, Adobe, Apple, and software tools. Failed payments and “your plan renews” mail. What it misses: merchants that never email, iCloud Mail (not scannable), and charges on a card that is not tied to that inbox. How to scan Gmail and Outlook.
What a statement catches
Every draft that hit the card, including gyms and VPNs with no receipt. Ugly descriptors. Annual plans, if you pulled enough months. What it misses: the real product name when the descriptor says Apple.com/bill. Then you still need Settings or the receipt. How to read a statement.
The practical order
If you can connect mail, scan it first for names. Then drop in a PDF to catch stragglers. If you cannot connect mail, start with the file. Unwanted Subscription is built for that mix. The scan is free. Get the app.