Is your team still drowning in a sea of paper receipts and complex spreadsheets? The tedious process of manually tracking expenses is more than just a minor annoyance; it’s a significant drain on your company’s resources. Studies show that the average cost to process a single expense report manually can exceed $50, with a significant portion of that cost coming from the valuable hours employees and finance teams spend on data entry and corrections. When you multiply that by dozens or hundreds of reports each month, the financial impact becomes staggering.
This outdated method is not only expensive but also frustratingly inefficient. It leads to lost receipts, delayed reimbursements that hurt employee morale, and a lack of real-time visibility into company spending. This gap in oversight often results in out-of-policy purchases and missed opportunities for cost savings, directly impacting your bottom line. Without a streamlined system, your business is operating with a financial blindfold, unable to make swift, data-driven decisions.
The solution is to embrace automation with a dedicated expense management tool. These powerful software platforms are designed to automate the entire expense lifecycle—from receipt capture and report submission to policy enforcement and reimbursement. By replacing manual work with intelligent technology, you can drastically cut processing times, enforce spending policies automatically, and gain immediate insight into your company’s financial health. This shift allows your team to focus on strategic growth activities instead of administrative busywork, turning a costly problem into a competitive advantage.
10 Best Expense Management Tools for Businesses in 2025
| Tool | Best For | Key Feature Highlight | Starting Price |
| SAP Concur | Large Enterprises | All-in-one travel, expense, and invoice management. | Custom Quote |
| Expensify | SMBs | One-click SmartScan OCR technology. | Free plan available |
| Ramp | Startups & Modern Businesses | Corporate cards with built-in spending controls. | Free |
| Zoho Expense | Users of the Zoho Ecosystem | Seamless integration with the Zoho software suite. | Free plan available |
| Brex | Tech & Venture-Backed Startups | AI-powered unified financial platform. | Free |
| Navan | Companies with Frequent Travel | Integrated travel booking and expense incentives. | Custom Quote |
| QuickBooks Online | Small Businesses | Expense tracking integrated into accounting software. | $30/month |
| Pleo | European & UK Businesses | Smart company cards that eliminate expense reports. | $0/month (Essential) |
| FreshBooks | Freelancers & Service Businesses | Simple expense tracking linked to invoicing. | $19/month |
| Emburse Certify | Mid-to-Large Companies | User-friendly mobile experience and robust reporting. | Custom Quote |
1. SAP Concur
Founded in 1993 by Steve Singh, SAP Concur is one of the most established and comprehensive solutions available. It is designed for large enterprises that require a robust, all-encompassing system for managing travel, expenses, and invoices on a global scale.
The platform provides deep customization options to enforce complex multi-level approval workflows and intricate spending policies.
Its powerful analytics dashboard gives finance leaders a complete, top-down view of company-wide spending, making it an invaluable tool for budget forecasting and compliance management in complex organizational structures.
Features:
- Integrated travel booking with policy enforcement.
- Automated expense report generation and approvals.
- Comprehensive invoice management and payment automation.
- Advanced analytics and reporting dashboards.
Starting Price: Pricing is available upon request through a custom quote.
2. Expensify
Launched in 2008 by David Barrett, Expensify has become a favorite among small to mid-sized businesses due to its simplicity and powerful automation.
Its core strength lies in the SmartScan feature, which allows employees to take a picture of a receipt and have all the key details—vendor, date, and amount—automatically transcribed.
This feature drastically reduces manual data entry. The platform also offers the Expensify Card, a corporate card that ties directly into the software, making reconciliation and real-time expense reporting completely seamless for both employees and administrators.
Features:
- Unlimited receipt scanning with
SmartScanOCR technology. - Automatic approval workflows and next-day reimbursement.
- Corporate card program with real-time expense capture.
- Direct integrations with major accounting software.
Starting Price: Free plan available for individuals. Paid team plans start at $5 per user per month.
3. Ramp
Ramp was founded in 2019 by Eric Glyman, Karim Atiyeh, and Gene Lee with a unique mission: to help companies spend less.
It is more than just an expense tool; it’s a finance automation platform that combines corporate cards, expense management, bill payments, and accounting automation. The software actively analyzes spending and provides insights to identify duplicate subscriptions, find better vendor pricing, and increase savings.
This proactive approach to cost control makes it an ideal choice for forward-thinking startups and modern businesses focused on maximizing financial efficiency and operational control.
Features:
- Free corporate cards with built-in spending limits and controls.
- Automated receipt matching and expense categorization.
- Bill payment and vendor management functionality.
- Savings insights to help reduce company spending.
Starting Price: The core platform is free to use.
4. Zoho Expense
Part of the extensive Zoho software suite, Zoho Expense was developed to offer a powerful yet affordable solution for businesses of all sizes. It stands out for its seamless integration with other Zoho products, such as Zoho Books and Zoho CRM, creating a unified business management ecosystem.
The platform provides end-to-end automation, from scanning receipts with its mobile app to setting up multi-level approval hierarchies and processing reimbursements. With support for global currencies and per diem rates, it’s a versatile tool for companies with domestic or international operations.
Features:
- Automated scanning of receipts in 15 languages.
- Customizable, multi-stage approval workflows.
- Direct integration with Zoho Books and other Zoho apps.
- Advanced analytics to monitor policy violations and spending.
Starting Price: Free for up to 3 users. Paid plans start at $3 per active user per month.
5. Brex
Founded in 2017 by Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franceschi, Brex initially targeted venture-backed startups but has since expanded to serve a wide range of growing companies. It offers a fully unified financial stack that includes corporate cards, business accounts, travel booking, and expense management.
Brex uses AI to automate expense reporting, eliminating the need for manual receipt chasing and categorization.
Its platform is designed for scale, providing finance teams with robust controls, real-time visibility, and deep integrations with ERP systems like NetSuite, making it a powerful choice for fast-growing businesses.
Features:
- All-in-one platform for corporate cards, business accounts, and expenses.
- AI-powered automation for receipt capture and reconciliation.
- Global expense management capabilities.
- Integrated travel booking and management.
Starting Price: The core platform is free to use for card customers.
6. Navan
Originally launched as TripActions in 2015 by Ariel Cohen and Ilan Twig, Navan has evolved into a premier all-in-one solution for travel, corporate cards, and expense management. The platform is built around a superior user experience, making it easy for employees to book in-policy travel and submit expenses.
A unique feature is its rewards program, which incentivizes employees to choose more cost-effective travel options, sharing the savings between the employee and the company. This approach aligns employee interests with company goals, making it highly effective for organizations with frequent business travel.
Features:
- Unified travel booking, corporate cards, and expense reporting.
- Rewards program to incentivize cost-saving by employees.
- Real-time visibility into travel and expense spending.
- Automated policy controls and approval workflows.
Starting Price: Pricing is available upon request through a custom quote.
7. QuickBooks Online
Developed by Intuit, QuickBooks Online is the go-to accounting software for millions of small businesses worldwide. Its expense management capabilities are built directly into the platform, offering a convenient solution for existing users.
You can connect bank and credit card accounts to automatically import and categorize transactions, or snap photos of receipts with the mobile app for on-the-go tracking.
While it may not have the advanced, standalone features of other tools, its seamless integration with your general ledger makes it an efficient and practical choice for simplifying bookkeeping and tax preparation.
Features:
- Directly integrated with the QuickBooks accounting platform.
- Mobile app for receipt capture and expense organization.
- Automatic expense categorization through bank feeds.
- Bill pay and management functionalities.
Starting Price: Plans that include comprehensive expense tracking start at $30 per month.
8. Pleo
Founded in 2015 in Copenhagen by Jeppe Rindom and Niccolo Perra, Pleo was created to simplify business spending. It provides smart company cards (both physical and virtual) that empower employees to make purchases while giving finance teams full control and visibility.
When a Pleo card is used, the employee receives an instant notification prompting them to snap a photo of the receipt. From there, Pleo automates the rest, categorizing the expense and eliminating the need for traditional expense reports. It’s particularly popular in Europe and the UK for its modern, trust-based approach.
Features:
- Smart company cards with customizable spending limits.
- Automated receipt capture and expense categorization.
- Real-time spending overview for administrators.
- Direct integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, and other systems.
Starting Price: The Essential plan is free. Paid plans with more features start at £39 per month.
9. FreshBooks
Launched in 2003 by Mike McDerment, FreshBooks is an accounting software designed specifically for freelancers and small service-based businesses. Its expense management functionality is straightforward and built to work in harmony with its popular invoicing and time-tracking tools.
Users can automatically track expenses by linking their bank accounts or use the mobile app to capture receipts. The platform makes it easy to assign expenses to specific clients or projects, ensuring accurate billing and providing a clear view of project profitability, which is a critical need for service providers.
Features:
- Automatic expense tracking via bank connection.
- Receipt scanning with the mobile app.
- Ability to assign expenses to clients for easy rebilling.
- Seamless integration with time tracking and invoicing.
Starting Price: Plans start at $19 per month.
10. Emburse Certify
Emburse Certify offers a user-friendly and highly-rated expense management solution tailored for mid-sized to large companies. The platform streamlines the entire T&E process, from pre-trip approvals to final reimbursement.
A standout feature is its ReportExecutive tool, which can automatically build and submit expense reports for employees, requiring them only to capture receipts. This high level of automation, combined with powerful analytics and reporting capabilities, allows finance teams to effectively manage budgets, monitor compliance, and gain actionable insights from their expense data.
Features:
ReportExecutivefor fully automated report creation.- Integrated travel booking and credit card management.
- Powerful compliance controls and policy enforcement.
- Detailed analytics for spend visibility and control.
Starting Price: Pricing is available upon request through a custom quote.
FAQs
What is an expense management tool?
An expense management tool is a software application designed to automate and streamline the process of tracking, submitting, approving, and reimbursing employee-initiated business expenses.
Why is expense management software important for a business?
It saves time and money by automating manual tasks, reduces errors, enforces spending policies to prevent fraud, and provides real-time visibility into company spending for better financial decision-making.
How do I choose the right expense management tool?
Consider your business size, the complexity of your spending policies, your need for travel booking features, and which tools integrate with your existing accounting software (like QuickBooks or Xero).
Can expense management tools track mileage?
Yes, most modern expense management tools, including Expensify and Zoho Expense, have built-in GPS mileage tracking features.
What is OCR technology in expense management?
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a technology that allows the software to automatically scan and extract key information (vendor, date, amount) from a picture of a receipt, eliminating manual data entry.
Do these tools come with corporate cards?
Many modern platforms like Ramp, Brex, and Pleo offer integrated corporate cards that provide enhanced spending control and automate the reconciliation process.
Are these tools secure?
Yes, reputable expense management tools use high levels of encryption and security protocols to protect sensitive financial data and comply with industry standards.
Can I use these tools on my mobile phone?
Absolutely. All the tools listed have robust mobile apps for iOS and Android that allow employees to capture receipts, submit reports, and approve expenses on the go.
What is the main benefit of integrating an expense tool with accounting software?
Integration automates the flow of data, eliminating the need for manual data entry into your general ledger. This ensures accuracy, speeds up financial closing, and provides a constantly updated view of your finances.
Conclusion
Choosing the right expense management tool is a critical step toward achieving financial clarity and operational efficiency. Moving away from manual spreadsheets and paper receipts is no longer a luxury but a necessity for any business looking to stay competitive. Each tool on this list offers a distinct set of features tailored to different needs—from the all-in-one corporate finance platforms of Ramp and Brex to the globally-scaled enterprise solutions of SAP Concur and the SMB-friendly automation of Expensify and Zoho Expense.
The best choice for your organization will depend on your specific circumstances: your company size, the volume of expenses, your travel requirements, and the software you already use. By evaluating your core needs against the features highlighted here, you can select a platform that not only solves your immediate administrative headaches but also provides the strategic insights needed to control costs and fuel growth. The right tool will transform your expense process from a costly bottleneck into a streamlined, data-rich asset.
