
Keeping track of expenses is a key part of running a thriving business. As your company expands, monitoring where money is spent can become complicated. This is why having expense management app is crucial for any business it helps organize spending, reduces manual work, and makes financial tracking much more accurate.
A study by The Business Research Company stats that, tracking apps was estimated at $9.67 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $10.93 billion by 2025, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1%.
This rapid growth is driven by higher smartphone usage, increased awareness of personal and business finances, the expansion of digital banking services, and the growing gig economy.
Expense management is not only about recording transactions but also about understanding where money is going and how to plan different types of budgets effectively. A good expense management system helps businesses save money, improves transparency, and reduces the time employees spend on managing receipts and reports.
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Manage your business finances effortlessly with an Expense management app. Track spending, automate reports, and gain real-time insights to stay in control. Simplify your accounting and make smarter financial decisions today.
Importance of Using an Expense Management App
Managing business expenses is a critical part of running a successful company. Studies show that 70% of businesses still rely on manual expense management methods, which often leads to mistakes and wasted time. Implementing an expense management system helps businesses handle spending more effectively. Here are five key aspects that highlight its importance.
1. Accurate Tracking of Expenses
Manual expense tracking often leads to missing receipts, duplicate entries, or incorrect amounts. An expense management app records every transaction in real-time, making it easier for businesses to have a complete and accurate view of their spending. This accuracy helps avoid discrepancies and ensures that financial records are reliable.
2. Faster Processing of Employee Claims
Submitting claims through spreadsheets or paper forms can take days or even weeks. With an expense manager app, employees can upload receipts, enter details, and submit claims instantly. Managers can review and approve them quickly, which speeds up expense reimbursements, allowing employees to receive their funds promptly.
3. Clear Understanding of Spending Patterns
Businesses often struggle to identify which areas consume the most resources. An expense management system organizes all expenses by category, project, or department. This makes it easy to analyse spending patterns, identify high-cost areas, and make informed decisions for budgeting and resource allocation.
4. Simplified Reporting for Accounting
Generating reports manually is not only time-consuming but also prone to mistakes. Expense management systems can automatically create detailed reports showing spending trends, department-wise costs, and employee claims. This simplifies accounting work, makes audits easier, and allows finance teams to focus on analysis rather than data entry.
5. Support for Growth and Scalability
As a business grows, the number of transactions increases, making manual tracking almost impossible. An expense management system can handle large volumes of expenses efficiently, allowing companies to scale operations without adding extra administrative work. This ensures that expense tracking keeps pace with business growth.
Difference Between Traditional and Advanced Expense Management App
Aspect | Traditional Expense Management | Expense Management App |
Expense Submission | Paper receipts or spreadsheets | Mobile apps with receipt scanning |
Approval Process | Manual, email-based | Automated workflow approvals |
Expense Tracking | Limited visibility | Real-time tracking and dashboards |
Budget Control | Hard to enforce limits | Set limits and alerts for overspending |
Integration | Minimal integration with accounting | Connects with ERP, accounting, and payroll systems |
Scalability | Hard to scale for large teams | Easily scales for small to large organizations |
10 Best Expense Management Apps
We have compiled a list of the 10 best expense management apps to help you find the right solution for your business. These apps are designed to address common challenges such as tracking spending, managing receipts, and handling reimbursements. By exploring these options, you can choose a system that fits your needs and simplifies the way your business manages expenses.
1. Expense Tracker 365
Expense Tracker 365 is a reliable expense management app for managing business expenses and keeping financial records organized. It works smoothly with Microsoft 365, making it easy for companies to record spending, track claims, and prepare detailed reports without the hassle of manual paperwork. It integrates with Microsoft 365 apps and works effortlessly with Excel, MS Teams Outlook, and SharePoint.
The system provides real-time updates and it is east to track on business expenses, helping reduce mistakes that often occur with manual entry. Since it has centralized system, teams can access it from anywhere, whether on a computer or mobile device.
The built-in smart features automatically group and process expenses, saving both time and effort. From small firms to large organizations, Expense Tracker 365 offers a simple way to manage expenses effectively.
Features
- Cost Management
- Expense History
- Role-Based Access Control
- Expense History
- Customizable Fields & Templates
- Predictive Expense Insights
- Income Tracking Methods
- Bill Tracking
- Scan receipts and auto-extract details
- Track expenses by category or project
- Generate monthly and yearly reports
- Set budgets and track overspending
- Export data in Excel or PDF
Best Known For: Known for its ease of use, Expense Tracker 365 makes expense tracking simple while offering strong reporting and workflow features.
Rating
G2: 5
Pricing
$49 per month
Basic Plan – Free for up to 1 user.
Business Plan – Custom pricing based on company size and needs.
Hear From Our Delighted Clients – G2 Platform
“Expense Tracker 365 is a great app with excellent support. The advanced features make it a complete tool & has really improved our expense tracking and reporting workflow.”
2. Navan
Navan (formerly known as TripActions) is a expense management app that brings together both travel and expense management in one place. It is designed to support growing companies that want better control over employee spending while also making business travel easier to manage.
With Navan, employees can book flights, hotels, and transportation directly through the app while automatically managing expenses at the same time. Receipts are captured instantly, and expense reports are created without the need for manual entry. This reduces the time employees spend on filing claims and allows managers to review and approve them quickly.
Navan is widely appreciated for combining two critical needs travel booking and expense tracking into a single, easy-to-use solution.
Core Features
- Travel booking and expense tracking in one app
- Automated receipt capture
- Real-time spend tracking
- Budget alerts and limits
- Customizable approval workflows
- Analytics dashboards
- Integration with accounting software
- Multi-currency support
Best Known For: Navan stands out for bringing both travel management and expense control into a single platform. Instead of using separate systems for booking business trips and tracking related expenses, companies can manage everything in one place.
Ratings
G2: 4.7
3. Volopay
Volopay is built for modern companies that want to manage every part of business spending in one place. It combines managing corporate cards, expense tracking, and vendor payments, so finance teams don’t have to switch between different tools. With Volopay, businesses can give employees both virtual and physical cards, monitor transactions in real-time, and keep budgets under control. It is especially helpful for companies that need visibility on team expenses and faster ways to pay vendors.
Features:
- Issue virtual and physical corporate cards
- Auto-sync transactions with accounting software
- Expense categorization
- Custom approval workflows
- Multi-currency support
- Budget tracking and reporting
- Team management features
- Vendor payment automation
Best Known For: It is a good expense management app which offers seamless corporate card integration, automated expense tracking, and helping businesses gain better control over spending.
Ratings: 4.3
4. Rippling
Rippling is more than just an expense management app it’s a complete platform for HR, IT, and finance. Along with handling expenses, it connects payroll, employee data, and company policies in one system. This makes it easier for businesses of all sizes to manage reimbursements, approvals, and reports while also keeping everything linked with HR and payroll. Rippling is especially valuable for companies that want a single solution to handle multiple business functions.
Features
- Employee expense tracking
- Receipt capture and approval
- Automated reimbursement
- Integrates with payroll
- Custom approval rules
- Detailed reporting
- Mobile app for on-the-go tracking
- Policy enforcement
Best Known For:
Smooth integration with HR and payroll systems, enabling businesses to manage employee data, benefits, and pay in one unified platform. It simplifies workflows by connecting people operations with finance in a single place.
Ratings: 4.8
5. Happay
Happay is a complete expense management app for managing business expenses, travel, and procurement. It is designed to help companies set clear policies, control spending, and make expense tracking reimbursements easier for employees. Businesses can use Happay to integrate corporate cards, process vendor payments, and gain useful insights from analytics. It is widely used by companies that need strong control over spending across multiple departments.
Features:
- Multi-level approvals
- Automated reconciliation
- Corporate card integration
- Mobile and web access
- Customizable expense policies
- Analytics and insights
- Vendor payments
- Reimbursement automation
Best Known For:
Corporate expense control and policy enforcement, helping businesses streamline approvals, track spending in real time, and ensure compliance with company policies.
Ratings: 4.5
6. Zoho Expense
Zoho Expense is part of the larger Zoho suite of business applications, making it a familiar choice for companies already using Zoho products. It helps automate expense tracking and reporting, making it easier for employees to submit claims and for managers to review them. With built-in receipt scanning, mileage tracking, and compliance checks, Zoho Expense is useful for both small businesses and larger organizations that want better visibility into spending.
Features
- Automated receipt scanning
- Policy compliance checks
- Multi-currency support
- Mileage tracking
- Approval workflows
- Integration with accounting tools
- Analytics dashboards
- Recurring expense management
Best Known For
Integration with the Zoho ecosystem, allowing seamless connectivity with other Zoho apps for accounting, HR, and business management. This makes it easier for businesses already using Zoho to manage expenses in one place.
Ratings: 4.5
7. SAP Concur
SAP Concur is one of the most recognized names in expense and travel management, used by large organizations across the world. It brings travel booking, expense tracking, and invoice management together in one platform. Businesses that deal with complex travel needs and high-volume expenses often choose Concur because of its strong reporting, compliance features, and global support.
Features:
- Receipt capture via mobile app
- Travel booking and expense management in one platform
- Automated approvals
- Advanced analytics
- Policy compliance tracking
- Integration with ERP and accounting software
- Multi-currency and tax support
- Audit-ready reports
Best Known For
Enterprise-level solutions with travel and expense integration, offering businesses advanced tools to manage compliance, automate approvals, and gain deep insights into corporate spending.
Ratings: 4.4
8. Expensify
Expensify is a well-known expense management app that simplifies expense reporting for both employees and finance teams. Its standout feature is SmartScan, which allows users to take a photo of a receipt and have all details captured automatically. This reduces the time spent on manual entry and helps keep expenses organized. Expensify is suitable for companies of all sizes and is valued for its quick setup and ease of use.
Features
- Automatic receipt scanning
- SmartScan technology
- Policy enforcement
- Approval workflow automation
- Reimbursement processing
- Multi-currency support
- Reporting and analytics
- Mobile and desktop access
Best Known For
SmartScan technology for receipts, helping users save time by automatically capturing and categorizing expenses with accuracy. It reduces manual work, speeds up reimbursements, and makes expense reporting effortless for teams.
Ratings: 4.5
9. Pleo
Pleo is designed to give employees more flexibility while helping businesses keep control of company spending. It provides smart physical and virtual cards that employees can use for work-related expenses, with every transaction automatically tracked. Managers enjoy clear, real-time insights with easy expense reporting, while employees have a smooth, stress-free way to track their spending. Pleo is especially popular with small and medium-sized businesses that want an easy and modern way to handle expenses.
Features:
- Virtual and physical cards
- Expense tracking and categorization
- Receipt capture
- Budget control
- Real-time reporting
- Multi-user support
- Approval workflows
- Integration with accounting software
Best Known For
Easy-to-use company cards for employees, giving businesses better control over spending while simplifying expense management for teams. They make it simple to set budgets, track expenses in real time, and enforce company policies.
Ratings: 4.7
10. Brex
Brex is a financial platform built for startups and fast-growing companies. It combines expense management, corporate cards, and cash management in one solution. With Brex, businesses can issue cards to employees, track every transaction, and manage budgets in real time. It is especially well-suited for tech companies and global startups that deal with multiple currencies and fast-paced spending needs.
Features
- Corporate card issuance
- Automated expense capture
- Budget tracking
- Approval workflows
- Multi-currency support
- Real-time reporting
- Vendor payment management
- Analytics dashboards
Best Known For
Helping startups and tech companies take control of their expenses with smart tools for budgeting, real-time tracking, and streamlined approvals. It enables fast-growing teams to manage spending efficiently while reducing errors and saving time.
Ratings: 4.8
How an Expense Management App Functions?
Here’s how an expense management app works
Step 1: Expense Submission
Employees record their expenses by uploading receipts, entering amounts, and selecting expense categories. Some apps allow taking pictures of receipts which are automatically read by the system.
Step 2: Approval Workflow
Submitted expenses go through a manager’s approval. Managers can review and approve or reject claims, all within the app.
Step 3: Integration with Accounting
Approved expenses are sent to the accounting system automatically, reducing manual entry and mistakes.
Step 4: Reporting and Analytics
The app generates reports showing total expenses, spending by category, and employee-wise spending. This helps finance teams understand where money is going.
Step 5: Budget Monitoring
Apps allow setting limits for departments, projects, or employees. If spending exceeds the set limit, alerts are generated.
Step 6: Reimbursement
Once expenses are approved, reimbursement is processed directly to the employee’s bank account, ensuring faster payment.
Key Features to Look in Expense Management App
When choosing an expense management app, it’s important to look for features that simplify spending, improve accuracy, and provide real-time insights for both employees and managers.
1) Mobile Receipt Scanning
Capture receipts instantly using your smartphone camera or tablet. Expense management app not only saves time but also reduces manual errors, ensuring every expense is accurately recorded. Employees can submit receipts immediately after a purchase, keeping records up to date and eliminating the risk of lost receipts.
2) Automated Expense Categorization
Expenses are automatically sorted into predefined categories such as travel, meals, office supplies, and more. Automated categorization, along with accounts payable automation, reduces manual work for employees, ensures consistency in reporting, and allows managers to quickly analyze spending patterns and identify areas for cost optimization.
3) Approval Workflow Management
Customize and streamline approval workflows to match your organization’s needs. Managers can review, approve, or reject expenses in real time, speeding up the process and maintaining compliance with company policies. Automatic notifications and reminders ensure nothing gets delayed, helping teams stay efficient and accountable.
4) Integration with Accounting Systems
Seamlessly connect the expense app with popular accounting, ERP, and your existing system Integration eliminates manual data entry, reduces errors, and provides real-time insights into financial operations. This ensures that expense data flows smoothly across all systems, making audits, reconciliations, and financial planning much easier.
Recommended Read: SharePoint Expense Reimbursement and Approval list Software
5) Multi-Currency and Multi-Country Support
Manage expenses across borders effortlessly with automatic currency conversion and support for multiple countries. This feature in expense management app enables seamless global expense management, ensures accurate reporting for international teams, simplifies expense tracking during travel, and helps companies stay compliant with local tax and regulatory requirements.
6) Budget Tracking and Alerts
Set budgets for departments, projects, or employees and receive instant alerts when spending approaches or exceeds limits. Budget tracking helps teams stay within their allocated resources, encourages responsible spending, and empowers managers to make proactive decisions before overspending occurs.
7) Detailed Reporting and Analytics
Generate comprehensive reports and actionable analytics to monitor spending patterns, track trends, and measure compliance. Detailed insights help managers identify cost-saving opportunities, plan budgets more effectively, and make informed decisions that benefit the overall financial health of the organization.
8) User-Friendly Interface
Designed for ease of use, the app’s intuitive interface makes navigation simple for employees and managers alike. A clean, well-organized interface reduces the learning curve, increases adoption across the team, and ensures a seamless expense management experience for everyone.
9) Reimbursement Processing
Process reimbursements quickly and accurately, reducing delays and ensuring employees are reimbursed on time. Efficient reimbursement management improves employee satisfaction, builds trust, and encourages timely submission of expenses, keeping financial operations smooth and organized.
10) Policy Enforcement
Automatically enforce company policies on all expense submissions. This feature in expense management app helps prevent non-compliant spending, ensures adherence to internal guidelines, and simplifies auditing. Managers can confidently track and control expenses policies while maintaining fairness and consistency across the organization.
Benefits of Expense Management App
An expense management app is a modern solution that transforms the way businesses track, control, and optimize spending. Let’s explore the key benefits that make expense management apps an essential tool for any organization.
1) Automation Enabled System
Business expense management app automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks such as managing receipts, categorizing transactions, and reconciling reports.
This not only saves employees and finance teams countless hours but also reduces the risk of human errors.
By handling these tasks automatically, the app allows teams to focus on more strategic activities like financial planning, cost optimization, and growth initiatives.
2) Real-Time Spending Visibility
Gain instant access to all company expenses in real time. Managers can monitor spending as it happens, track departmental budgets, and respond quickly to any financial discrepancies.
This level of visibility ensures that businesses maintain control over their finances, avoid overspending, and make proactive decisions that drive operational efficiency.
3) Enhanced Budgeting and Planning
When it comes to businesses there many types of budgets handled. Expense management apps help organizations plan, track, and optimize budgets with precision.
By monitoring expenses against allocated budgets, businesses can allocate resources more effectively, forecast future spending accurately, and identify opportunities for cost savings.
This ensures that financial resources are used wisely while supporting organizational growth and strategic goals.
4) Organized and Accessible Records
All receipts, invoices, and financial data are stored securely in a centralized platform. This makes it easy to access, manage, and review expense records at any time.
Organized records simplify audits, improve compliance, and provide a reliable source of information for decision-making, enabling finance teams to operate with clarity and confidence.
5) Actionable Insights and Analytics
Expense management apps offer powerful reporting and analytics features that help businesses understand spending patterns, trends, and areas for improvement.
Managers can identify cost-saving opportunities, evaluate departmental performance, and make data-driven decisions that enhance financial health and operational efficiency.
These insights enable businesses to optimize spending and plan strategically for the future.
6) Improved Financial Transparency
With a centralized and transparent view of all expenses, organizations can foster trust and accountability across teams.
Employees and managers have access to clear, accurate financial data, which promotes alignment on goals and ensures everyone is informed about company spending.
Transparency enhances decision-making, strengthens governance, and builds confidence in the organization’s financial management strategies.
7) Boosted Employee Satisfaction
By automating expense reporting and reimbursement processes, employees experience less administrative burden and stress.
Timely reimbursements and clear workflows make expense management straightforward and hassle-free, improving satisfaction, engagement, and productivity across the workforce.
How Do I Choose the Right Expense App?
- Ensure the app fits your business size and industry so it can meet your specific operational needs effectively.
- Evaluate accessibility on both mobile and desktop devices to allow employees and managers to submit, approve, and track expenses anytime, anywhere.
- Look for seamless integration with your accounting or ERP systems to automate data flow, reduce manual work, and maintain accurate financial records.
- Review the app’s security features and data protection measures, such as encryption and user permissions, to safeguard sensitive financial information.
- Consider multi-currency and multi-country support if your business operates internationally, ensuring smooth expense management and accurate reporting across borders.
- Test the reporting and analytics capabilities to ensure you get comprehensive insights for monitoring spending, optimizing budgets, and making informed financial decisions.
- Assess how user-friendly the app is for both employees and managers to guarantee quick adoption and a smooth, efficient experience.
- Compare pricing and ROI potential to make sure the app delivers strong value and measurable benefits for your organization.
ROI on Investing in a Business Expense Management App
Investing in an expense management app saves time and money. By automating approvals, tracking spending, and generating reports, businesses can reduce manual errors and identify unnecessary costs. It also helps in faster reimbursements, which improves employee satisfaction. Over time, companies can make better financial decisions and optimize budgets, making the investment in an expense app highly valuable.
Conclusion
Expense management apps are essential tools for businesses that want to control costs and manage spending effectively. They make tracking, reporting, and reimbursing expenses easier for everyone in the company. With the right app, companies can save time, reduce mistakes, and get a clear view of their financial health, helping them make smarter decisions for growth.
Take control of your company’s spending today with Expense Tracker 365 and gain complete financial clarity. Start your free trial now!
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Frequently Asked Questions
How to keep track of expenses?
To effectively track expenses, consider using a dedicated expense management app like Easy Expense. These apps allow you to.
Scan and store receipts: Digitally capture receipts to keep records organized.
Track mileage: Automatically log business-related travel for accurate reimbursement.
Categorize expenses: Assign expenses to specific categories for better budgeting.
Generate reports: Create detailed reports for analysis and tax purposes.
By utilizing such tools, you can maintain a clear overview of your financial activities and ensure accurate record-keeping.
What are the three types of expenses?
Expenses are typically categorized into three main types:
- Fixed Expenses: Regular, unchanging costs such as rent or salaries.
- Variable Expenses: Costs that fluctuate based on usage or activity, like utilities or office supplies.
- Periodic Expenses: Infrequent costs that occur at specific intervals, such as insurance premiums or annual subscriptions.
Understanding these categories helps in budgeting and financial planning, ensuring that all expenses are accounted for appropriately.
How does this expense management app help me manage my business expenses?
This app helps you track and control all your business expenses in one place. You can easily record transactions, categorize expenses, manage receipts, and monitor spending in real-time.
How does receipt scanning work in these apps?
Users can snap photos of receipts, and the app extracts data like amount, date, and vendor using OCR technology.
Can the app handle international currencies?
Expense Tracker 365 supports multiple currencies, offering automatic conversion and real-time exchange rate updates for seamless tracking.