Top 8 spend management software solutions for your business

When it comes to growing your business, revenue is just one part of the equation. You also need to carefully manage expenditures and allocate resources for maximum efficiency. 

Beyond the dangers of employee overspending, information silos can pose an even larger threat to your budget. Without a big-picture view of where your organization spends its money, decision-makers struggle to plan effectively and make data-driven decisions. 

Inefficient systems can also result in significant discrepancies across financial records, creating both unnecessary uncertainty and migraine-inducing financial audits down the line. 

Spend management software can alleviate or even eliminate many of these challenges. 

By consolidating different buckets of company spend — like payroll, expense reimbursements, corporate cards, and vendor bills — the right spend management platform can help you control costs while empowering your workforce to make swift and smart business purchases. 

In this post, we’re going to talk about the top eight spend management tools for businesses of all shapes and sizes, based on an extensive review and assessment process. While Rippling is a top choice with an all-in-one solution and enterprise features that scale with your business, we’ll also discuss other platforms that you may want to consider. 

What is spend management software?

Spend management software broadly refers to a suite of solutions that helps companies with critical financial tasks, including:

• Tracking expenses

• Monitoring vendor transactions

• Setting and assessing budgets

• Making purchasing decisions

• Automating accounting processes  

While the capabilities and features of the most popular spend management solutions vary, the majority offer some combination of payroll management, expense management, corporate cards, and bill tracking. 

More advanced tools can also include procurement features and supplier management functionality.

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Quick comparison: Best spend management software at a glance

Not all spend management software is created equal — some excel at corporate cards, others at procurement, and a few actually unify everything. We’re going to dive deep into each of our top software recommendations, but here’s a quick overview. 

Methodology: How we chose the best spend management software

We evaluated leading spend management platforms through a combination of analysis of vendor capabilities. We combed through reviews from hundreds of verified customer experiences on G2 and Capterra to understand real-world performance versus marketing promises. We also had hands-on experience with some of the solutions we’re recommending, and took advantage of product walk-throughs when they were available. 

Our core evaluation criteria included: 

• Spend visibility: We prioritized platforms that provide real-time visibility across all spending categories — not just expense reimbursements or corporate cards in isolation.

• Automation capabilities: Manual expense reports kill productivity. We assessed automation depth for receipt capture, approval routing, and accounting reconciliation.

• Integration ecosystem: Spend management doesn't exist in a vacuum. We evaluated native integrations with accounting software, ERPs, and HRIS platforms.

• Control mechanisms: We looked for granular spend controls, policy enforcement, and the ability to set dynamic limits based on role, department, or project.

• User adoption: The best features mean nothing if employees won't use them. We analyzed user reviews for actual adoption rates and ease of use.

• Rippling editorial policy: Rippling puts our customers (and prospective customers!) first. The Rippling team is committed to providing information supported by product data, insights, and customer feedback to inform our content.

Top 8 spend management software solutions for businesses in 2025

We spent hours combing through different reviews, assessing product capabilities, and identifying both major selling points and potential limitations. Let’s take a closer look at our top eight spend management software recommendations for 2025, and who may benefit from each. 

Rippling

Rippling unifies spend management with HR, payroll, and IT on one platform, eliminating the need for separate expense, card, and bill pay systems.

Why it stands out: Unlike standalone spend tools, Rippling's spend management runs on the same data model as your employee records. 

Issue a corporate card? It's automatically configured with spending limits based on role and department.  Process an expense report? It flows directly to payroll. 

The platform handles everything from corporate cards to bill pay to travel booking, and it’s all connected to your employee data. Rippling also has extensive integrations with third-party platforms, including accounting tools like Quickbooks, for optimum ease of use. 

Where it can fall short: The extensive functionality beyond spend management might overwhelm companies only seeking basic expense tracking. 

It's right for you if: You want spending controls that automatically adjust with employee changes, need to consolidate multiple spend systems, or value having payroll and expenses in one platform. 

Feature snapshot:

Expensify

Expensify was an early player in receipt scanning automation, and they still excel in simplifying expense report simplification for businesses of all sizes. 

Why it stands out: Expensify’s automation features are strong. Their SmartScan technology extracts data from receipts with impressive accuracy, and automatic mileage tracking using GPS eliminates manual logs. The platform excels at making expense reports painless for employees, which is critical for adoption.

Where it can fall short: The platform is slightly more limited than some competing tools like Rippling. Some users report scanning issues that require manual uploads, and some users report that they wished it integrated with more tools in their tech stack. 

It's right for you if: You’re a small business that primarily needs expense reimbursement automation or easy spend tracking. Avoid Expensify if you need comprehensive spend management beyond expense reimbursements, an all-in-one solution that integrates natively with other HR tools, or require complex procurement workflows.

Feature snapshot:

Brex

Brex provides corporate cards and spend management software designed specifically for startups and high-growth technology companies.

Why it stands out: There’s no personal guarantee required for the corporate card, with underwriting based on cash balance. The platform has a strong rewards program tailored to startup spending patterns, and it has powerful automation features for reimbursements, bill pay, and more. 

Where it can fall short: Brex is primarily meant for venture-backed companies, and it’s difficult to qualify otherwise. Some reviews also noted there were limited currency options compared to other solutions. 

It's right for you if: You're a venture-backed startup and want to optimize for tech spending. You likely won’t want to choose Brex if you're not venture-backed, need strong international support, or want integration with existing HR/payroll systems.

Feature snapshot:

Ramp

Ramp combines corporate cards with automated expense management, and they focus on helping companies reduce their overall spending.

Why it stands out: Automated savings insights identify duplicate subscriptions and negotiation opportunities, while the platform’s real-time spend limits prevent overages before they happen. The spend management platform also has a free plan that can benefit small teams. 

Where it can fall short: Some of Ramp’s features may not scale well or be particularly enterprise-friendly. Some users, for example, said that downloading individual sync reports or viewing each transaction with sync errors was time-consuming, and others reported that paying through ACH required significant manual key work. 

It's right for you if: You want to reduce spending (not just track it) and appreciate transparent and potentially pricing. You may want to skip it if you want improved automation for enterprise-grade companies. 

Feature snapshot:

Coupa

Coupa delivers comprehensive spend management and procurement for enterprises that need to control complex spending across multiple categories and suppliers.

Why it stands out: The platform handles true procure-to-pay automation from the moment someone requests a purchase through final payment. Their AI-powered spend analysis is also useful, digging through your supplier data to find savings opportunities you didn't know existed. 

Where it can fall short: While the AI-powered features are helpful, some reviews noted that the expense submission could be more streamlined. Configuration can also be complex, and there may be a steep learning curve.

It's right for you if: You're managing complex procurement across hundreds of suppliers and need sophisticated approval workflows. Skip it if you're a small team that just needs basic expense management, prefer a more intuitive interface, or want a more comprehensive HRIS or HCM solution. 

Feature snapshot:

BILL

BILL Spend & Expense (formerly Divvy) combines expense management with proactive spend controls that stop budget overruns before they happen.

Why it stands out: Automated receipt matching means no more manual expense reports, with receipts that automatically match to transactions. Virtual cards let you set exact spending limits for specific vendors or projects, and the mobile app is genuinely easy to use, increasing employee adoption.

Where it can fall short: Multiple user reviews noted syncing problems, which can impact cross-platform reporting and automated processes, and others noted limited integrations (including to their essential accounting platforms). The platform also lacks more advanced enterprise features offered by tools like Rippling or Coupa. 

It's right for you if: You want strong spend controls with virtual cards, and want a convenient expense management and reporting platform. Consider alternatives if you need multi-currency support, complex procurement features, or native integration with other HR tools.

Feature snapshot:

Paylocity 

Paylocity expanded into spend management through their acquisition of Airbase, adding guided procurement and expense controls to their existing HCM platform.

Why it stands out: The Airbase acquisition brought improved spend management to Paylocity's payroll and HR system. Rule-based policies enforce your spending controls automatically — no more chasing approvals. And since it's integrated with Paylocity's HCM, employee data flows directly into spending policies with granular control. 

Where it can fall short: Unlike many other platforms on our list, Paylocity doesn’t have its own native travel booking features and requires an integration with SAP’s Concur. Many users also noted that they weren’t happy with customer support or implementation processes, that the reporting features felt a bit clunky, and that there were regular system issues and glitches.   

It's right for you if: You're already using Paylocity for HR/payroll and want integrated spend management, or need procurement workflows alongside expense tracking. Skip it if you just need simple expense management or want integrated features like travel booking. 

Feature snapshot:

Workday Spend Management

Workday’s spend management platform has AI-powered features that facilitates source-to-pay processes for enterprise businesses. 

Why it stands out: Since Workday integrates natively with the platform’s HCM, spending data can directly to your employee records without integration headaches. Custom dashboards mean different stakeholders see exactly what they need, and the unified platform eliminates those annoying data silos between HR and finance.

Where it can fall short: Multiple user reviews found that Workday wasn’t necessarily intuitive and could be difficult to navigate and that the mobile app could use some improvement. Others noted a steep learning curve, and in many cases, the platform could be overwhelming for businesses who don’t need such a complex solution.  

It's right for you if: You're already using Workday HCM and want to keep everything in one ecosystem. Skip it if you're not already a Workday customer — the entry cost and complexity aren't worth it just for spend management.

Feature snapshot:

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How to choose the best spend management software? 4 Key features

When choosing a spend management software, you’ll want to think carefully about your expense management needs, as well as the particular characteristics of your business. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all software solution, but the following features can benefit almost any organization.

Customizable approval payment workflows

Most company spending policies require different levels of approval for particular roles or types of purchases. New printer cartridges may require signoff only from a direct manager, for example, while a hotel overnight needs approval from a manager and a member of the finance team. 

An effective spend management tool will automatically route approval requests to the right team members based on your company’s specific spending policy to enhance overall efficiency.

Easy and quick user experience

An expense management solution with a steep learning curve can cost your HR and finance departments as much time and effort as analog bookkeeping systems or complicated spreadsheets. And while some organizations need multiple functions and features in a single tool, others may only need one or two. 

Look for spend management software that offers an intuitive interface, easy onboarding, and comprehensive support to ensure a quick startup and smooth resolution of any issues once you're up and running. 

And remember, don’t forget to choose a platform that is straightforward but can scale with your organization as it grows, too. In many cases, simple and scalable is the best combination for small businesses. 

Integrations with accounting software

A spend management tool that integrates natively with your accounting software helps keep your finance team up-to-date on your business’ overall inflows and outflows in real-time. 

Automatic syncing and reconciliation also streamline reporting processes, saving you valuable time at the end of the month and helping your team avoid manual mistakes.  

Similarly, if your business uses separate tools to handle corporate credit cards and reimbursements, you’ll want a spend management tool that can integrate with both. 

Analytics and reporting options

Understanding how much your business spends is one piece of the puzzle, but effective spend management requires a more granular understanding of where, how, and why expenses arise. 

Tools that offer customizable reporting and analytics can help you identify trends in spending behavior and prepare accurate forecasts based on your unique business’s expense and purchasing patterns. 

Which spend management software is best for you? 

The best spend management software for your business will depend on your organization’s size, industry, purchasing and procurement behaviors, and more. Here are the tools we’d recommend for different types of organizations: 

For startups: Brex offers high limits without personal guarantees and specializes in startup organizations, and Rippling provides spend management integrated with your HR and payroll systems as you scale.

For small businesses: Ramp's free pricing and savings insights work well for cost-conscious teams. Rippling offers more comprehensive functionality like native payroll integration, which can streamline processes and prevent potential errors.

For mid-market companies: Paylocity balances sophistication with usability, while Rippling eliminates the need for multiple systems by combining spend with HR and IT for better automation potential.

For enterprises: Workday makes sense if you're already in their ecosystem, Coupa excels for complex procurement, but Rippling provides enterprise features without enterprise complexity.

For expense-heavy businesses: Expensify remains the receipt scanning champion, and Rippling offers similar capabilities plus corporate cards and bill pay.

For AP automation: BILL specializes in vendor payments, and Rippling handles bill pay alongside employee expenses and corporate cards.

Consolidate, automate, and control your business spend with Rippling

Rippling’s spend management software transforms spend management by unifying it with your employee data, eliminating the disconnected systems that create blind spots in your spending.

• Spend controls that actually work: Corporate cards automatically adjust limits when employees change roles. Expense policies enforce themselves based on real employee data. Bill pay approvals route based on your actual org structure — not a static workflow.

• Complete visibility across all spending: See payroll, expenses, corporate cards, bills, and travel in one view. No more stitching together reports from multiple systems to understand where money goes.

• Automation that eliminates busy work: Receipts extract automatically. Expenses flow to payroll without exports. Credit card transactions reconcile themselves. Approved bills pay automatically.

• Travel booking built in: Rippling Travel lets employees book flights, hotels, and cars within policy. There’s no separate Concur or TripActions subscription required, and everything flows into unified spend reporting.

Rippling’s all-in-one platform and extensive customization options makes it easier for businesses to streamline expense tracking, approval processes, and even reimbursements, making it a win for businesses of all sizes (but essential for those who are scaling!).

Ready to unify your spend management and eliminate expense report headaches? Discover how Rippling Spend can streamline expense management while providing the 360 visibility your team needs.

FAQs on spend management software