Financial clarity is one of the strongest advantages a company can have.
But clarity isn't easy to maintain. I’ve seen how fast-moving teams, marketing, sales, and operations can unintentionally stretch budgets thin. A few extra tools here, a last-minute purchase there, and before long, the numbers start to drift.
It made me wonder: how do finance teams keep spending under control without slowing everything else down?
That question led me to examine the software that helps companies manage spending day to day. To write this guide on the best spend management software, I evaluated feedback from real users across 20+ platforms, focusing on how well they support approvals, budgets, real-time visibility, and scaling financial processes.
Here are the seven solutions that stood out for making it easier to keep spending on track.
*These spend management platforms are top-rated in their category, according to G2 Grid Reports. I’ve also added their monthly pricing to make comparisons easier for you.
At its core, spend management software helps companies see how money moves and ensures it moves correctly. But it’s not just about tracking receipts or approving purchase orders.
When I started digging into the space, I realized the real value goes deeper. The best spend management software helps finance teams shape spending habits across the business. It creates visibility early, sets the right checkpoints for approvals, and ensures budgets stay connected to everyday decisions, not just end-of-quarter reports.
I started by narrowing the field using G2’s latest Grid Reports, focusing on platforms with consistently high usability, support, and overall satisfaction ratings. From there, I dove into real user reviews, not just skimming star ratings but looking for patterns in what finance and operations teams said about the day-to-day experience.
I paid close attention to where users felt the tools helped streamline approvals, control budgets, and improve visibility, and where they felt the software added more steps or complexity. When reviews mentioned specific workflows or challenges, I cross-checked them across multiple accounts and with fellow G2'ers to ensure consistency.
The screenshots throughout this article include a mix of verified visuals from vendor listings on G2 and publicly available material.
I considered the following factors when evaluating the best spend management software.
The list below contains genuine user reviews from the spend management software category page. To be included in this category, a solution must:
*This data was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity.
BILL Spend & Expense strikes a good balance between giving finance teams tighter oversight and keeping day-to-day purchasing simple for employees. It makes budgets, approvals, and transactions visible in real time.
One of the biggest strengths users called out was the platform’s approach to virtual cards. Being able to issue cards tied to specific budgets, whether for a project, a department, or a one-off event, gave companies much stronger control over where money flows. It helped avoid the typical "one card for everything" chaos that’s common in growing teams. Users also liked that spending limits could be adjusted dynamically without canceling and reissuing cards.
Another high point was real-time spend monitoring. As soon as a transaction happened, users would get immediate notifications linked to budgets, helping them catch overspending before it became a bigger problem. Instead of waiting for month-end reports, finance teams could spot trends and flag concerns mid-cycle. This made it easier to stay on top of team-level or project-level budgets.
Many reviews also mentioned ease of use. Whether an employee submitted an expense or a manager approved a purchase, the system didn’t seem to require much hand-holding. The mobile app, desktop platform, and card management flows felt straightforward for most users.
On the flip side, approval workflows sometimes created friction. A few users mentioned that while the system was generally smooth, more complicated purchase requests, like ones that crossed budgets or involved multiple approvers, occasionally led to bottlenecks. Approvals either got stuck without clear next steps or required manual overrides, slowing things down. For companies with simple workflows, this wasn’t a huge issue, but larger teams with layered approvals might feel it more acutely.
Customer support was another area where reviews showed some inconsistency. While many users had positive experiences, others mentioned that response times were slower than expected. Support quality didn’t seem to be universally bad, but it’s something I would factor in if rapid resolution is important for your team.
“I like that I am notified of a purchase and can review it prior to approving. I like that we can document that the manager has approved the expense as well. I like that we can activate or inactivate a credit card easily. This keeps spending on the card in our control.”
- BILL Spend & Expense Review, Angie K.
“The app and software can be glitchy at times. This does not happen often but it does happen. I also don't like that you have to add money to each card in the budget. If I have a person that falls under more than one budget, I have to go in and assign money to each budget for them to be able to use their card, not just to their card.”
- BILL Spend & Expense Review, Becca H.
Related: Looking to organize vendors and manage supplier performance more efficiently? Explore the best vendor management software trusted by real users.
Rippling has built a reputation for connecting HR, IT, and finance workflows under one roof, and its spend management features fit neatly into that bigger vision.
Rippling’s centralized data approach was highly praised in user reviews. Since spend management ties directly into employee profiles, teams can set clear limits based on roles, departments, or locations without managing multiple disconnected systems. It also simplifies auditing purchases, which are linked back to specific people and budgets automatically.
Ease of use is another big reason Rippling stood out. According to G2 users, the interface is clean, intuitive, and designed so that even non-finance users can submit expense reports, request approvals, or manage their cards. Spend policies surface naturally during the workflows, so teams aren’t guessing whether a purchase is allowed.
The mobile experience was also a high point in the feedback I reviewed. Users appreciated being able to work on the go directly from the app without logging into a desktop dashboard. However, a few users also noted that real-time updates could occasionally lag. Overall, the mobile experience felt modern and functional. It made spend management feel more like part of daily work.
Of course, Rippling isn’t completely without friction. Several users mentioned that setting up initial spend rules and configuring complex approval workflows could be challenging. It’s flexible, but that flexibility comes with a learning curve if your needs are more advanced.
Lag and occasional refresh delays also came up in the reviews. While the platform generally runs smoothly, a handful of users said that expense updates on the mobile app sometimes took longer than expected to sync. It wasn’t a deal-breaker for most, but when you depend on real-time spend visibility, even small lags can create some frustration.
“One of the things I like best about Rippling is its ease of use. The platform is incredibly intuitive, allowing even new users to navigate HR, IT, and finance functions with minimal training. Ease of implementation was another standout — we were able to get set up quickly without needing extensive customisation or long onboarding times. I also appreciate how frequently we use Rippling across different teams; it's become a daily tool for managing everything from employee onboarding to payroll and benefits. Finally, the ease of integration with other platforms we already use made the transition even smoother, helping us centralise our processes without disrupting our existing workflows.”
- Rippling Review, Ajay T.
“While Rippling is a powerful and streamlined platform, there’s a bit of a learning curve at first. Some of the deeper settings or workflows can take time to fully understand, especially if you’re new to HR or IT processes. Also, while the automation is great, occasionally you’ll need to dig into help docs or reach out to support to clarify how something works. That said, the support team is generally helpful and responsive once you get in touch.”
- Rippling Review, Asad B.
Related: Need a better way to track, approve, and control employee expenses? Check out the best expense management software designed to simplify the process.
For companies looking to tighten their grip on budgets while still moving fast, Brex offers a clean, flexible approach to managing purchases across teams.
A major strength is Brex’s ability to issue both virtual and physical cards with customizable limits. This setup allows teams to allocate budgets while reducing the risk of rogue spending. Cards can be canceled or adjusted in real time, which is helpful when approvals need to change quickly. Users appreciated not having to manage one shared corporate card or chase receipts across platforms.
Real-time visibility was another clear win. Every transaction appears instantly, and admins are notified of activity as it happens, allowing finance teams to intervene early if something looks off. The feedback made it clear: users value knowing exactly where their budgets stand at any moment, not just after reconciliation.
Brex also integrates smoothly with major accounting platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite. Users highlighted how much manual work it helped reduce. Transactions flow automatically into the right categories, which means fewer hours spent manually tagging or moving data around. The fewer steps between spend and systems, the better.
However, there were still some gaps when it came to automation. A few users noted that they still had to do manual work for certain processes despite the integrations. Brex’s strength lies in its card-first model, so anything outside that flow sometimes requires a workaround. It’s a solid setup if your team is card-centric, but if you’re managing more complex vendor payments, it may take extra effort.
Approval workflows also showed up in the feedback. Users found the system clean for standard requests, but not always adaptable when approvals needed to route through multiple people or departments. There were some mentions of needing to manually nudge approvers or step outside the system to clarify policy exceptions. It wasn’t a blocker for most teams, but it could slow things down when the process didn’t fit into the tool’s default logic.
“To be honest, I was impressed by my experience with Brex. I'm setting up a corporate checking account for my publishing business, and the company is small at the moment. They helped me with onboarding in a smooth and quick way. They also made me feel valued, even though I'm not a big-time operation yet. I received a checking account number within a few days, and in less than a week, I had a sleek debit card with my company name. It's an amazing feeling, and they helped make it so smooth. I'm a big fan so far!”
- Brex Review, Matt O.
“We've had some integration issues with Sage, which has caused us to do some manual work instead of being able to upload transactions directly into Sage. I believe Brex is working on a solution or will be working on a solution to get this fixed. Other than that, not much to complain about."
- Brex Review, Amanda H.
Related: Want to streamline purchasing, approvals, and invoice payments in one system? Discover the best procure-to-pay software to tighten your financial workflows.
Ramp, while positioned as a financial automation platform, also focuses on proactive spend control without overwhelming users. The platform emphasizes simplicity but still offers a surprising amount of depth when it comes to managing company-wide spend.
Users repeatedly called out Ramp’s rewards system. Unlike traditional card providers offering generic cash back or travel points, Ramp structures reward around real operational spending, which aligns much more with how businesses spend money. It gave finance teams a way to earn value back without complicating approval processes or card management. Multiple reviewers mentioned how easy tracking and redeeming rewards were, which helped adoption across teams. It wasn’t just a nice-to-have; it directly supported smarter financial decisions.
According to user reviews, Ramp’s interface made it simple for employees to request approvals, submit receipts, and understand spending policies without heavy training. For finance teams, issuing new cards, updating spend limits, or tracking transactions felt intuitive and required fewer clicks than traditional platforms. Users appreciated that Ramp didn’t force them into clunky workflows or outdated processes to manage basic spending.
Spend insights were also popular among G2 reviewers. Ramp doesn’t just collect transaction data; it automatically surfaces patterns around vendors, budgets, and recurring charges. Users mentioned how helpful it was to see spend trends broken down without building complex custom reports.
However, receipt management wasn’t always seamless. Several users pointed out that while receipt matching worked well most of the time, there were occasional hiccups. Sometimes, the system failed to match transactions automatically, which meant finance teams still had to chase down compliance issues manually.
There were also some issues around card usage restrictions. While setting up and distributing cards was simple, a few users reported trouble configuring complex spend limits or restrictions at a more granular level. It’s something to weigh if your spend policies require a lot of fine-tuning.
“Ramp has allowed us to build coding rules in several different possible combinations to eliminate the need to code each individual transaction. It also suggests rules for you as it learns over time, which is super cool. We have gained significant visibility into our spend, which we then load into Power BI and layer it into our overall reporting dataset. Ramp has a lot of solid features for collaboration on specific transactions and great spend control capabilities. They also seem to iterate quickly on product build and take feedback very seriously.”
- Ramp Review, Eric A.
“Limited options for business travel and lower net cash benefit rebates versus other cards. Also, there are fewer partner benefit promotions. However, right now, the time savings are the benefit, plus we use the cash back on our spending to lower our monthly credit card bills.”
- Ramp Review, Brian V.
Navan isn't a full spend management suite, but for companies where travel is a significant budget line, Navan adds important layers of control. The platform focuses on making it easier to track travel-related spending in real time while giving finance teams better reporting tools to stay ahead of budgets.
Reporting surfaced as one of Navan’s strongest points. Users appreciated being able to pull detailed reports on travel spend by employee, department, or trip category. Having access to this data in one place made it much easier for finance teams to track how travel budgets were trending throughout the quarter. It also helped companies identify patterns, like consistently overspending vendors or underutilized negotiated rates.
Real-time recording of spend activity was another positive that came up consistently in feedback. Navan captures transactions as they happen and ties them directly into user profiles and budget tracking. This meant fewer end-of-month surprises for finance teams trying to reconcile spend. It also gave managers clearer oversight during major events or busy travel seasons.
Navan’s integrations were another bright spot. The platform connects to major ERP and accounting systems, which helps simplify the reconciliation process. Users noted that having booking data, expense approvals, and policy violations feed directly into financial systems saved a lot of time. It reduced the need for manual uploads or disconnected spreadsheets, which are common pain points with traditional T&E processes. For finance teams focused on accuracy and audit readiness, these integrations made a tangible difference.
Of course, there were some challenges, too. Receipt management came up as an issue in several reviews. While Navan automatically records bookings, users still had to manually upload or confirm receipts for incidental expenses like meals or taxis. When employees forgot to upload receipts on time, finance teams were stuck chasing them down manually. It wasn't a platform-wide failure, but enough of a pattern that companies looking for fully automated expense tracking might want to plan additional compliance processes.
Customer support was another friction point. Some users mentioned that when issues arose, support wasn’t always as responsive as they needed. For routine booking issues, the system worked smoothly, but when real-time assistance was required to correct spending errors, the delays became more frustrating.
“Navan makes travel booking and management of expenses simple and very efficient. The interface is easy to use, and the experience is smooth. Company-approved pricing policies are visible, so you can maintain compliance easily as a user. The fact that you can manage expenses by simply downloading or taking a photo of your receipts makes the overall experience even easier. I also love the reward system; you can use it for both personal and professional trips. I recommend this app!”
- Navan Review, Ines E.
"Multiple errors in the app while trying to book. The flight credits shown are wrong. When I call to complain, I am told I should just chat or call to book or to make a change. Chat booking takes over an hour.”
- Navan Review, Ajay S.
Airbase brings different areas of spend, cards, bills, and reimbursements into a single workflow. While plenty of platforms offer pieces of spend control, Airbase connects them in a way that feels cohesive rather than bolted together.
Teams could manage corporate cards, vendor bills, and employee reimbursements without bouncing between tools, which gave them cleaner oversight across every dollar leaving the company. This wasn’t just about saving clicks; it reshaped how finance teams approached spend governance.
One pattern I noticed was how often users called out budget control as a genuine strength. They appreciated being able to assign budgets by department, project, or vendor and feel confident that approvals wouldn't just slip through based on habit.
User feedback also consistently mentioned integrations. Airbase connects smoothly with accounting platforms like QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct, which helps reduce reconciliation time. Users liked that transactions flowed into their general ledger with clean audit trails and minimal adjustments.
Setting up Airbase took longer than some users expected. Configuring approval workflows, budget rules, and integrations required significant upfront effort, especially for companies with more complex operations. While the control after rollout was strong, the initial implementation wasn’t as lightweight as simpler spend tools.
There were also occasional syncing slowdowns during periods of heavy spend activity. Users pointed out minor lags with approval updates and transaction visibility when the platform processed a high volume of vendor payments or reimbursements.
“Invoice reconciliation is made amazingly easy and quick. Before, my team was using outdated tools and processes to reconcile invoices. Airbase has transformed this process and made it easier to request virtual cards and POs for certain paid marketing channels and vendors.”
- Airbase Review, Naor V.
“While Airbase is fantastic, there are a couple of minor things I'd like to see improved. Occasionally, the automatic categorization of expenses isn't perfect, and I have to manually adjust it. It's not a huge deal, but it would be even better if the AI were a bit more accurate. Also, while the mobile app is great, I've noticed that sometimes it can be a little slow to load, especially when I have a lot of receipts to upload. These are just minor inconveniences, though, and they certainly don't outweigh the many benefits of using Airbase.”
- Airbase Review, Kyle C.
Mesh Payments helps companies streamline corporate spending through real-time tracking. It gives finance teams more proactive control over budgets. Companies looking to replace scattered manual expense processes with centralized spend visibility often turn to Mesh as a more modern alternative.
Real-time visibility was one of the first advantages that came through in user reviews. Finance teams could monitor purchases immediately, tracking activity across departments. It allowed managers to spot budget risks early and adjust before minor issues become bigger. Several users pointed out how much faster budget reviews became once transactions were visible mid-cycle.
Managing virtual cards also stood out as a strong point. Mesh made it easy to issue cards for specific vendors, departments, or short-term projects, giving companies tighter control without making spending harder for employees. Teams could set limits up front. It also made adjusting budgets midstream simpler when needs changed.
Receipt tracking was another area where Mesh added real value. Employees were prompted to upload receipts immediately after purchases, keeping spend documentation current without extra admin reminders. While occasional gaps still happened, the built-in system helped keep compliance tighter than traditional expense workflows.
Card acceptance was a downside for some users, though. Some vendors didn’t always accept mesh cards, leading to unexpected payment issues. It didn’t happen often enough to cause widespread disruption, but it was a friction point for teams that used a wide range of vendors.
Customizing reports was another challenge that showed up in the feedback. Basic reporting worked fine, but companies that needed deep, granular spend analysis had to pull data out and work with it manually.
“I like how easy it is to use. For someone who dreads the task of reporting my expenses following business trips, it simplifies and streamlines the whole experience!”
- Mesh Payments Review, Naomi F.
“While I've found Mesh to be an excellent tool for managing my finances. I think there's some room for improvement when it comes to user-level customization, especially with categorization options. As a frequent user with multiple cards, I wish I had the ability to add personalized tags or categories. Since I'm not an admin and don't have site management privileges, not being able to group cards into categories or roll up budgets within those categories feels like a limitation.”
- Mesh Payments Review, Chad B.
Based on my evaluation, Ramp and BILL Spend & Expense stood out for small businesses looking for spend control without overwhelming complexity. Ramp offers an easy-to-use platform that brings cards, reimbursements, and bill payments into a single system, making it a strong option for smaller teams that need visibility without heavy admin work. BILL Spend & Expense also fits well for small businesses, especially with its real-time spend tracking, flexible virtual cards, and straightforward expense workflows that don’t require a full finance department to manage.
Airbase stood out for growing companies that need more proactive budget control across different types of spending, cards, bills, and reimbursements without layering multiple tools. Its real-time budget enforcement and tight ERP integrations make it a strong fit for teams scaling headcount and vendor spending simultaneously.
Brex and Mesh Payments both received strong feedback for virtual card management. Brex makes it easy to issue and control both virtual and physical cards tied to budgets, while Mesh offers quick virtual card creation for specific projects, vendors, or departments, helping companies limit risk and improve compliance.
If travel spend is a primary category, Navan fits best. It combines travel booking, expense management, and spend approvals in one place, helping finance teams track real-time travel expenses while giving employees a smoother booking experience.
Airbase and Ramp were particularly strong when it came to integration. Both platforms offer reliable syncing with systems like QuickBooks and NetSuite, helping companies streamline month-end close without heavy manual reconciliation.
Keeping business spend under control doesn’t have to mean chasing receipts, wrangling spreadsheets, or hoping budgets stay on track. The best spend management software makes it easier to enforce policies, track spending in real time, and give finance teams the control they need without slowing down the business.
The tools I’ve reviewed here reflect what real users value most: flexible cards, proactive budget controls, seamless integrations, and simple ways to stay compliant. I’ve dug through user feedback to surface what works (and what doesn’t) so you can pick a platform to align your spending with your growth goals.
Want to tighten vendor payments, too? Check out the best AP automation tools to simplify and speed up how you pay vendors.
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