11 best expense management applications in the US: features, benefits, and pricing

Tech moves fast, changing how businesses handle everything – including tracking and controlling spend. Take Microsoft Excel, for example. Launched in 1985 as a simple spreadsheet tool, it now supports over 1 million enterprises.¹ However, relying on spreadsheets for expense management can be inefficient for growing businesses, requiring manual data entry and analysis. Automating your expenses opens up new possibilities for efficiency and growth.

In this article, we’ll cover how to choose the right expense management software, highlight key features to look for, and review the top solutions available in the US. We’ll also discuss why Airwallex might be the right fit for your business.

Overview of business spend management solutions

Business spend management solutions help organizations streamline their financial processes. They offer tools to track, control, and optimize spending across departments and geographic markets. While accounting software and expense management applications support this goal, they differ in scope and functionality. Let’s dig into what sets them apart.

What does accounting software do?

Accounting software, like QuickBooks and Xero, focuses on core financial functions such as invoicing, payroll, and general ledger tracking. These tools help businesses generate key reports – including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, accounts payable, and accounts receivable – to monitor financial performance, ensure accuracy, and manage cash flow.

Small to mid-sized businesses, or those with more straightforward financial needs, often prefer this type of solution because it covers essential day-to-day operations without the added complexity of managing company-wide spending in detail.

What is an expense management application?

An expense management application is a software tool designed to help businesses track, manage, and control employee and operational spending. Unlike general accounting tools, these applications focus on areas like procurement, travel and entertainment (T&E) expenses, employee reimbursements, and bill payments.

Solutions like Airwallex, Expensify, and Concur provide real-time visibility into company spending, enforce expense policies, and streamline approval workflows, offering businesses greater control and oversight.

Key features of expense management software include:

• Physical and virtual employee cards. Monitor company card activity and transactions in real time and set limits to better manage budgets or restrict purchases.

• Expense entry and management. Enter expenses and categorize each item under specific labels, such as travel, client meetings, or office supplies. 

• Receipt claims. Take photos of receipts and upload them directly to the software via a mobile app. 

• Approval workflows. Streamline the expense approval process by automatically routing expense submissions to the right managers.

• Integration capabilities. Integrate with accounting software, such as Xero or NetSuite, for faster and more accurate reconciliation. 

• Bill pay. Automatically pay bills, schedule recurring payments, or pay hundreds of invoices in one go.

For example, suppose your employees often travel for business and use their company-issued international business debit cards. In that case, expense management software tracks every transaction, sending them for real-time review and approval. By automating and tracking these expenses, businesses can improve operational efficiency, gain visibility into spending, and boost profitability.

What is the difference between accounting software and expense management software?

The main difference between accounting and expense management software is their unique purposes. Accounting software handles a business’s day-to-day financial tasks, such as bookkeeping, recording corporate tax liabilities, managing accounts payable, and supporting monthly account reconciliation. In contrast, expense management software centralizes all company expenses in one platform, offering tools to track expenses, manage employee reimbursements, and gain insights into spending patterns. While accounting software may cover some of these areas, expense management software is a more specialized solution designed to enforce company spending policies and streamline employee expenses.

Why use expense management application software?

The bottom line is that expense management software helps reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and provide better visibility into company spending so you can focus more on growing your business.

Instead of juggling spreadsheets or relying entirely on simple accounting tools, modern solutions offer features like optical character recognition (OCR) for receipt scanning, automated approvals, and integrations with accounting platforms to streamline your workflows.

Some tools also provide helpful ways to organize and monitor spend, whether by team, location, or category. They can speed up reimbursements and offer corporate cards to eliminate out-of-pocket costs.

With so many moving parts in managing expenses, the right software can make a big difference. Whether you're looking to reduce manual work, improve visibility, or better support a growing team, modern expense management tools offer a range of solutions to fit your needs.

11 best expense management applications

Here are 11 of the best expense management software options for businesses of all sizes in the US, from startups to large enterprises. To make it easier to compare, we’ve grouped these tools into three categories:

1. All-in-one financial platforms with built-in expense management

2. Dedicated expense management tools

3. Accounting platforms that offer some expense features

Each category supports different business needs, whether looking for global scalability, travel and reimbursement workflows, or simple expense tracking within your accounting system.

All-in-one financial platforms with expense management

Dedicated expense management tools 

Accounting platforms with expense features

Review: Airwallex

Airwallex’s global Expense Management solution is a strong option for businesses seeking to streamline financial operations globally. Airwallex helps reconcile expenses from cards, bill payments, and global transfers on one platform, using integrations with existing accounting software. In addition, Airwallex offers tools for managing end-to-end financial operations, including multi-currency accounts, competitive FX and transfers, and payments acceptance.

By integrating Expense Management with Corporate Cards and Global Accounts, you have an integrated solution for managing international spending. With 60+ licenses and permits worldwide, Airwallex provides broad global coverage, which can be helpful for businesses operating across borders. One of its key strengths is facilitating fast, cost-effective cross-border payments and supporting multi-currency support, simplifying tracking and managing expenses in various markets. Here’s how Airwallex supports expense management:

• Corporate cards for seamless expense management. Airwallex physical and virtual cards support management of travel expenses, subscriptions, and payments. Admins can review and approve expenses in real time, and all costs are automatically reconciled via integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, and other accounting software.

• Reimbursements to automate expense claims. Employees can submit expense claims through the Airwallex mobile app, which includes OCR technology to extract receipt details, saving time and reducing errors.

• Automate bill payments and expense reconciliation to save time and reduce global FX costs. Airwallex Bill Pay automates payments to overseas suppliers and efficiently manages invoices. With a global payout network spanning 150+ countries and 60+ currencies, employees and vendors can receive payments directly in their local bank accounts and currencies. 

• Additional features to simplify and scale your operations. Airwallex’s multi-currency accounts can help businesses streamline global cash flow and reduce fees on international payments. With cross-border payouts and integrations with top accounting software, Airwallex supports managing and scaling financial operations across multiple markets.

Review: Brex

Brex offers a unified platform for managing business spend, including instant visibility into expense tracking, automated reviews, and corporate cards. It integrates with popular accounting software like QuickBooks and NetSuite and emphasizes features like budgeting controls and fast month-end reconciliation.

The platform is particularly well-suited for high-growth companies in the US that want modern tools for financial automation. However, Brex’s functionality is more limited in terms of multi-currency management and cross-border payment support, which may be important for globally distributed teams.

Review: Ramp

Ramp focuses on automating financial workflows and simplifying spend management for US-based companies. It offers real-time tools for budgeting, reporting, and expense approvals, along with cashback on purchases and seamless accounting integrations.

Ramp’s core strength is domestic spend control and efficiency. Its international capabilities are currently limited, making it a better fit for businesses without complex global operations or multi-currency needs.

Review: Airbase

Airbase provides a centralized platform for managing corporate cards, bill payments, reimbursements, and approvals. Its reporting features, real-time visibility, and integrations with tools like QuickBooks and NetSuite make it a solid choice for growing companies.

Airbase offers cashback on card transactions, which can offset operational costs. It also supports reimbursements in 44 countries and 14 currencies, offering some flexibility for international teams. That said, its global capabilities may not be as extensive as those offered by platforms specifically designed for international operations.

Review: Tipalti 

Tipalti is a finance automation platform for mid-sized to large businesses managing global payables. It combines accounts payable, expense management, procurement, and mass payouts in one system.

Key features include global reimbursements, receipt capture, approval workflows, and virtual and physical corporate cards. Tipalti supports payments to 196 countries, with FX management, multi-entity reconciliation, and built-in tax compliance. It integrates with popular accounting software like NetSuite, Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage Intacct.

Tipalti is a good option for companies with complex mass payout needs across multiple geographies. However, it may be less suitable for smaller teams or those seeking lightweight expense tools, as it’s priced at a premium and built for more advanced financial operations.

Review: Expensify

Expensify is a long-standing player in expense management. Its user-friendly mobile app allows users to scan and submit receipts, manage reimbursements, and issue employee debit cards. Expensify supports policy compliance and offers automated reconciliation through bank account and card integrations.

Expensify is ideal for businesses looking for basic expense tracking and automation. However, its support for cross-border payments and multi-currency management is relatively limited, which could be a consideration for companies with international finance needs.

Review: SAP Concur

SAP Concur is a mature enterprise solution used widely by companies in the SAP ecosystem. It offers robust tools for expense reporting, travel booking, and compliance and is known for its ability to handle complex, high-volume workflows.

Compared to modern fintech tools, SAP Concur’s UI prioritizes depth and configuration, which may involve a steeper learning curve. On top of that, the lack of built-in corporate card issuance can require third-party integrations. SAP Concur is best suited for large enterprises already using SAP products and needing deep configuration and reporting features.

Review: Spendesk

Spendesk offers flexible spend management tools for SMBs, including virtual and physical cards, custom approval workflows, and continuous expense tracking. Its platform is easy to use and helps enforce spending controls across departments.

Pricing can be complex depending on usage tiers, and while Spendesk does support some international features, businesses with significant cross-border needs may need to evaluate if it provides sufficient global infrastructure.

Review: Emburse Expense Professional

Emburse is focused on simplifying expense management, particularly for travel-related costs. Its features include OCR receipt capture, automated expense reporting, and accounting system integrations, offering visibility and control for finance teams.

It’s a good solution for companies looking to improve expense compliance and reporting. While Emburse supports international reimbursements, its capabilities for managing multi-currency accounts and foreign transactions are more limited than platforms with a global-first approach.

Review: QuickBooks

QuickBooks offers core accounting features with basic expense tracking capabilities. Businesses can categorize expenses, capture receipts via mobile, and connect their bank and credit card accounts for reconciliation. These features are valuable for small companies handling expenses within the same platform as their accounting.

However, QuickBooks isn't designed as a full-fledged expense management system and may not meet the needs of larger or global teams looking for more automation or international support.

Review: Xero

Xero combines accounting, payroll, and expense management features. It offers mobile receipt capture, real-time expense approvals, and automated categorization, making it especially appealing to SMBs. The interface is intuitive and integrates well with many third-party tools.

Xero’s focus remains primarily on accounting and small business finance. Companies with complex cross-border workflows or higher-volume international payments may find its expense features limited.

How do you choose the best expense management software?

Now that you’ve looked at several spend management software, how do you choose the right platform for your business? Here are some factors to consider:

What are the software’s strongest features, and do these features support my business needs?

Understand the software's strengths and determine how well it fits your needs. For example, if your company deals with overseas suppliers, you'll want software like Airwallex, which is built to handle bulk bill payments in multiple currencies. Aligning software features with your needs helps you gain the most value from your new solution.

What is the solution’s pricing model? Popular pricing models include subscription-based plans, usage-based fees, or tiered plans. Understanding the software’s pricing model helps you avoid unexpected expenses and ensures the solution is cost-effective for your business. 

What integrations do they support? Look for expense management software that supports integrations with your existing accounting software. This speeds up financial reporting by automatically syncing expense data and keeping your financial records accurate. Here’s an example of how to integrate Airwallex with Xero.

How well can it handle foreign currency expenses and payments? Multi-currency support is essential for businesses with overseas offices. Make sure the platform can automatically convert foreign currency expenses, apply accurate exchange rates, and manage cross-border reimbursements. Also, check for any extra fees or limitations to international transactions.

Can they support other financial services? Instead of standalone expense management software, consider an all-in-one platform like Airwallex that supports other financial services, such as overseas transfers. This reduces the need to switch between systems and offers a comprehensive view of all business expenses.

What level of customer support is available, especially during onboarding? You’ll no doubt be wondering how to implement expense management software, which can be complex. Find out what customer support is offered during the onboarding process. Some providers may expect you to get up and running yourself, referencing their FAQ page, while others may provide a customer support team to help. Also, check if they offer ongoing support like live chat, phone support, or a dedicated account manager.

Final thoughts on the best expense management software

If you're looking for a more efficient way to track and manage your business’s expenses, consider exploring expense management software that fits your team's needs. By automating manual data entry, reducing errors, and providing up-to-date visibility into spending, these tools can help save time and offer a clearer view of where your funds are going.

Airwallex is one of several strong options, particularly for companies with international operations. It offers integrations with platforms like Xero, NetSuite, and QuickBooks, along with features such as multi-level approval flows, budget controls, multi-currency accounts, and virtual and physical Corporate Cards. For businesses managing global payouts or multi-entity operations, Airwallex’s infrastructure may help simplify financial processes across regions.

Resources:

1. https://www.airwallex.com/us/spend-management/expense-management 

2. https://www.brex.com/product/spend-management

3. https://www.brex.com/pricing

4. https://ramp.com/lp2/expense-management 

5. https://ramp.com/pricing 

6. https://www.airbase.com/modules/expense-management 

7. https://www.airbase.com/pricing

8. https://tipalti.com/expense-management/

9. https://tipalti.com/pricing/ 

10. https://www.expensify.com/ 

11. https://www.expensify.com/pricing

12. https://www.concur.com/en-us/expense-management 

13. https://www.spendesk.com/platform/expense-reimbursements/ 

14. https://www.spendesk.com/pricing/ 

15. https://www.emburse.com/ppc/expense-management 

16. https://www.emburse.com/products/professional/pricing

17. https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/track-expenses/ 

18. https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/

19. https://www.xero.com/us/ 

20. https://www.xero.com/us/pricing-plans/