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

Key takeaways

• Many Canadian businesses still rely on spreadsheets or basic tools to manage expenses, creating delays, inefficiencies, and limited oversight.

• Expense management software helps automate approvals, track card spend, and speed up reimbursements across teams.

• Airwallex offers Canadian businesses a comprehensive solution to manage expenses, reimbursements, and card spending, featuring global capabilities and built-in foreign exchange savings.

Managing business expenses shouldn’t mean chasing receipts or manually updating spreadsheets. However, for many Canadian companies, that remains the reality. As teams grow and costs multiply, relying on outdated systems makes it harder to stay on top of spending.

Modern expense management tools offer a better way. They give finance teams real-time visibility, help automate approvals, and reduce the time it takes to process reimbursements. Most importantly, they bring control and clarity to business spend.

In this article, we’ll examine some of the leading expense management applications available in Canada, selected based on key factors proven critical by industry benchmarks and peer reviews, such as features, ease of use, customer adoption, and suitability for Canadian businesses.

Selection criteria for the top expense management applications

In this article, we assess 11 leading expense management platforms chosen based on three validated criteria:

1. Recognized capabilities in user reviews and analyst reports, like Gartner Peer Insights¹;

2. Presence on trusted Canadian software ranking sites such as SoftwareSuggest², Software World³, and GetApp Canada⁴;

3. Strong adoption and satisfaction among Canadian users on review platforms like Capterra⁵ and G2⁶.

Overview of business spend management solutions

Business spend management solutions help organizations streamline their financial processes and operations. They offer tools to track, control, and optimize spending across departments and geographic markets. While some 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, such as QuickBooks and Xero, focuses on core financial functions, including 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 effectively.

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 software designed to help businesses track, manage, and control employee and operational spending. Unlike general accounting tools, these applications focus on specific areas, such as 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 enhance operational efficiency, gain greater visibility into their spending, and increase profitability.

What's the difference between accounting software and expense management software?

The primary difference between accounting and expense management software lies in their distinct purposes. Accounting software handles a business’s day-to-day financial tasks, including bookkeeping, recording corporate tax liabilities, managing accounts payable, and supporting monthly account reconciliations. 

In contrast, expense management software centralizes all company expenses on a single platform, providing 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, improves accuracy, and provides better visibility into company spending, allowing you to focus more on growing your business.

Instead of juggling spreadsheets or relying solely on basic accounting tools, modern solutions provide features such as optical character recognition (OCR) for receipt scanning, automated approvals, and integrations with accounting platforms to streamline your workflows.

Some tools also offer helpful ways to organize and track spending, whether by team, location, or category. They can expedite reimbursements and offer corporate cards to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses.

With numerous moving parts involved in managing expenses, the right software can make a significant 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 in Canada

Here are 11 of the best expense management software options for businesses of all sizes in Canada, 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

Here’s a quick comparison of the five top spend management software providers in Canada, based on their key features and pricing.

Dedicated expense management tools

Accounting platforms with expense features

Review: Airwallex

Airwallex’s Expense Management is a strong option for businesses looking to streamline their global financial operations. Airwallex helps reconcile expenses from cards, bill payments, and global transfers on a single platform, utilizing integrations with existing accounting software. In addition, Airwallex offers tools for managing end-to-end financial operations, including multi-currency accounts and competitive foreign exchange (FX) and transfer services. 

By integrating Expense Management with Corporate Cards and Global Accounts, you have an integrated solution for managing international spending. With over 60 licenses and permits worldwide, Airwallex offers comprehensive global coverage, which can be particularly beneficial for businesses operating across borders.

Here’s how Airwallex supports expense management:

• Corporate cards for seamless expense management. Airwallex physical and virtual cards support the management of travel expenses, subscriptions, and payments. Admins can review and approve expenses in real-time, and all costs are automatically reconciled through 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 over 200 countries and 60 currencies, employees and vendors can receive payments directly into their local bank accounts and in their preferred currency. 

• 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 is a US-based spend management platform that combines corporate cards, budgeting tools, and real-time expense tracking. It integrates well with accounting software like QuickBooks and NetSuite, offering features such as automated expense reviews and receipt capture.

However, Brex’s offering is heavily focused on the US. Canadian businesses may face restrictions when trying to access Brex corporate cards or reimbursement features. FX fees also apply to international transactions, which could be a drawback for companies with cross-border operations. It’s a strong platform, but one that’s better suited to US-based businesses.

Review: Ramp

Ramp offers a modern spend management experience, providing free access to corporate cards, real-time expense approvals, and automated bill payments. It supports reimbursements in local currencies and integrates with leading accounting tools.

While Ramp has some global capabilities, access for Canadian businesses remains limited. Corporate cards are primarily issued in the US, and platform support outside that market isn’t always consistent. For Canadian teams, that makes it harder to take full advantage of what Ramp offers.

Review: Airbase

Airbase helps finance teams control spend by combining cards, reimbursements, bill payments, and approvals in one place. It supports multi-currency transactions and integrates cleanly with QuickBooks and NetSuite.

However, like other US platforms, Airbase is primarily built for domestic use. Canadian businesses may find that card availability is limited, and some global features are more complex to access. While it delivers strong visibility and automation, Airbase may not be the best fit for teams that need localized support or Canadian financial infrastructure.

Review: Float

Float offers Canadian businesses CAD and USD corporate cards, spend controls, employee reimbursements, and bill payments, all supported by integrations with QuickBooks and Xero.

Because it’s designed for the local market, Float handles Canadian tax requirements, syncs with local banks, and helps teams manage both card and non-card spend without needing a US workaround. However, it’s not a comprehensive financial suite; businesses seeking multi-currency accounts, foreign exchange tools, or global payouts may find its capabilities limited.

Review: Expensify

Expensify is known for its ease of use. Its mobile app allows employees to snap receipts, track expenses, and submit reimbursements from anywhere. The Expensify Card and accounting integrations make it appealing to small businesses looking to reduce manual admin.

Canadian businesses can access most core features, but there are limits. The Expensify Card isn’t widely available in Canada, and bill pay options are relatively limited. Still, for simple expense tracking and automated reporting, it remains a solid option for teams with straightforward needs.

Review: SAP Concur

SAP Concur is an enterprise-grade platform designed for complex expense, travel, and invoice management. It supports global reimbursement, advanced workflows, and deep integrations with ERP systems like SAP and Oracle.

SAP Concur is available in Canada and is commonly used by larger enterprises for managing travel, expenses, and approvals. It offers extensive functionality and integration options, including support for complex workflows and multi-entity organizations. Implementation typically involves more setup compared to lighter-weight solutions, and the platform is designed to support a wide range of enterprise needs. For smaller or rapidly growing businesses, it may offer more functionality than is required.

Review: Zoho Expense

Zoho Expense is part of the broader Zoho ecosystem, offering expense tracking, automated reimbursements, and policy controls at an affordable price. It supports multi-currency spend and integrates with popular accounting platforms.

Canadian SMEs will find Zoho Expense accessible and easy to implement. It’s cost-effective and well-suited to teams already using other Zoho tools. The trade-off is that it lacks more advanced bill payment capabilities, and customer support can vary depending on the chosen pricing tier. Still, it’s a good entry point for teams looking to get a handle on expenses.

Review: Emburse

Emburse Expense Professional focuses on automating travel and expense workflows. It includes OCR receipt capture, real-time approvals, and strong integration with systems like QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite.

While the platform supports international reimbursements, its multi-currency features and global infrastructure aren’t as well-developed as those of others. For Canadian businesses with frequent travel and a need for compliance tracking, Emburse offers useful tools, but it may not provide the scale or flexibility required for cross-border operations.

Review: QuickBooks

QuickBooks offers core accounting features with basic expense tracking capabilities. Businesses can categorize expenses, capture receipts via mobile devices, and connect their bank and credit card accounts for seamless 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 particularly appealing to small to medium-sized businesses (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 their expense features limited.

How do you choose the best expense management software?

Now that you’ve looked at several spend management software platforms, 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?

Multi-currency support is crucial for businesses with international operations. 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 may wonder how to implement expense management software, which can be a complex process. Learn about the customer support options available during the onboarding process. Some providers may expect you to get up and running on your own, referencing their FAQ page, while others may provide a customer support team to assist you. Also, check if they offer ongoing support, such as live chat, phone support, or a dedicated account manager.

Final thoughts on the best expense management software

Managing expenses doesn’t need to be a monthly scramble. The right software provides a clearer view of where your money is going, reduces administrative tasks, and enables your team to move faster. Whether you’re a growing startup or an established company, automating spend is one of the simplest ways to save time and tighten control.

Airwallex brings everything together in one place. You can issue cards, approve expenses, reimburse teams, and pay bills across borders, all while saving on FX and keeping your books up to date. If you’re managing spend across teams or markets, it’s worth exploring how a global-first platform like Airwallex could support your next stage of growth.

FAQs

What is expense management software?

Expense management software helps businesses track, control, and reconcile employee and operational spending. It replaces manual processes with tools for submitting expenses, setting approval workflows, and syncing with accounting systems.

Which features are most important for Canadian businesses?

Look for platforms that support CAD and USD transactions, integrate with Canadian banks, and offer GST/HST tracking. Bilingual support and compliance with Canadian accounting standards are also useful for local teams.

Is expense management software worth it for small businesses?

Yes. Even small teams benefit from automated approvals, real-time spend visibility, and faster reimbursements. It reduces admin and helps business owners stay focused on growth.

How does Airwallex compare to traditional tools?

Airwallex combines cards, reimbursements, bill payments, and global transfers in one platform. It offers multi-currency accounts, built-in FX savings, and integrations with tools like Xero and QuickBooks.

How much does expense management software cost?

Pricing varies. Some platforms charge per user or per transaction, while others offer free plans with optional upgrades. Airwallex has no monthly fees, so you only pay for what you use.

Sources

1. https://www.gartner.com/reviews/market/expense-management-software

2. https://www.softwaresuggest.com/expense-management-software/canada 

3. https://www.softwareworld.co/expense-management-software-canada/

4. https://www.getapp.ca/software/2078795/float-1

5. https://www.capterra.com/p/218771/Airwallex/reviews/

6. https://www.capterra.com/p/218771/Airwallex/reviews/

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

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

9. https://ramp.com/expense-management

10. https://ramp.com/pricing

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

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

13. https://floatfinancial.com/pricing/

14. https://www.expensify.com/

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

16. https://www.concur.ca/ 

17. https://www.zoho.com/ca/expense/pricing/

18. https://www.emburse.com/products/emburse-cards/pricing

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

20.  https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ca/pricing/

21.  https://www.xero.com/ca/accounting-software/claim-expenses/

22.  https://www.xero.com/ca/pricing-plans/