Online business owners are no strangers to digital tools and apps. If something can be digitized to make your business more efficient and profitable, you're probably already looking for it.
If you're still dealing with mountains of paper from paying bills and buying goods, it's time to go digital. Writing checks and carrying around bundles of receipts is something for the history books at this point.
Once you automate and integrate these areas of your business, you'll never have to lick another envelope again, unless of course, you're sending that birthday card to Grandma…
Here's our breakdown of the best business bill and expense management apps available right now.
App #1: Bill.com
This is our TOP recommended app for automating accounts payable and bill pay. Essentially, Bill.com takes documents, turns them into digital bills, and then processes the payment with very little effort. It has the capability to process check, ACH (bank-to-bank), and international payments. And you can manage everything from your mobile device, if that's how you roll, in addition to your computer.
We find this app's features very user-friendly, and its customer service support is prompt and ready to help with whatever questions customers have. It's an all around top-notch company that really understands how to manage business payments for the digital world. We are such big fans in fact that we even wrote a blog post all about Bill.com.
A couple of specific features we are really big fans of is its ACH set-up, which allows vendors to independently establish their bank account information for payment (a great security reassurance for them), and how the app separates payment duties into reviewer, approver, and payer (an oft-neglected, but critically important business best practice).
App #2: Expensify
Expensify is used for employee reimbursement and expense management. Simply put, using this app, employees can scan or take pictures of their receipts which the system then processes to the appropriate person for review, approval, and finally reimbursement, which it tracks automatically in your accounting software (pretty cool, huh?!).
Expensify can be used for both corporate and personal credit cards. It's a great tool all around for employees, managers, and accountants. It automates so many angles of the expense management process and integrates that information, even down to the expense category, with a variety of accounting software, including QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, Sage and more. Check out our detailed review of considering whether Expensify is a good fit for your online business.
Apps #3 & 4: Brex and BILL Spend & Expense (formerly Divvy)
These next two apps are both options for corporate credit cards, and there's an update worth calling out: Divvy is now BILL Spend & Expense, having been acquired by Bill.com's parent company back in 2021. So our App #1 pick and one of these two are now, technically, the same company (we joked about a “Brivvy” merger in an earlier version of this post, and in a roundabout way, it actually happened).
That said, they still function as distinct products with their own strengths:
- Brex has a great customer portal to manage users and expenses, plus solid integration with QuickBooks Online.
- BILL Spend & Expense has an excellent feature for managing budgets, where you can set caps for certain users depending on their expense needs, along with the same strong QuickBooks Online integration.
If you're already using Bill.com for AP, BILL Spend & Expense is worth a look first, since it now lives under the same platform. But both are solid options, and if you're mulling over which is the best fit for you (or wondering, like us at LedgerGurus, if you could use both), we'd love to talk it through with you.
App #5: Veem
This last app is one of those we just have to mention. Veem is an app for international wires. It's secure, affordable (in many cases it's even fee-free), and highly reliable. As an online business owner, we know your reach very likely extends beyond the U.S. It's a global playing field after all. With Veem, you can send international payments in more than 80 currencies and over 100 countries. Its reporting system too is integrated with major accounting software like QuickBooks Online and Xero. Win-win all around if you ask us.
Watch our review on Veem Payments.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best app for automating accounts payable and bill pay?
Bill.com is our top pick. It turns documents into digital bills and processes check, ACH, and international payments with very little effort, and you can manage everything from your mobile device or your computer.
Does Expensify integrate with my accounting software?
Yes. Expensify automates employee expense reimbursement, right down to the expense category, and integrates with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, Sage, and more.
What's the difference between Brex and BILL Spend & Expense?
Both are solid corporate credit card options, and they're actually part of the same parent company as Bill.com now. Brex stands out for its customer portal for managing users and expenses, while BILL Spend & Expense shines with budget controls that let you set spending caps by user. If you're already using Bill.com for AP, BILL Spend & Expense is worth a look first since it lives under the same platform.
Is Veem a good option for international payments?
Definitely, if international wires are part of your business. Veem supports more than 80 currencies and over 100 countries, is often fee-free, and its reporting integrates with QuickBooks Online and Xero.
Do these apps all work with QuickBooks?
Yes, all five apps we cover integrate with major accounting software, which cuts down on manual data entry and reconciliation work. That's a big part of why we recommend them.
Let's help you modernize your bill pay
Picking the right apps is one part of the equation. Getting them set up correctly, and making sure they sync cleanly with your accounting, is the other. LedgerGurus can help you evaluate which of these tools fit your business and get them running right.
