Top 7 expense management software tools for UK companies (2025 guide)

You likely already have some process in place for managing expenses. But it may not be built for scale. Maybe approvals still happen over email, receipts go missing, or your finance team spends too much time chasing staff at month-end to submit expenses. These small inefficiencies become major friction points as headcount increases and spending spreads across teams, tools and regions.

The best expense management platforms don’t just track spend. They enforce policy in real time, cut manual work, and give finance live visibility across teams, cards, and categories. Employees can submit expenses quickly. Finance can close the books faster and with fewer surprises.

With growing numbers of people working remotely or across borders, expense software has to be flexible. Cloud-based tools let employees submit from anywhere, while finance teams stay in control from one central dashboard. The right system scales with you, without adding extra admin.

What does expense management software actually do?

A good expense system quietly handles the entire process, from submission to reporting, without the back-and-forth. Here’s how a reimbursement expense process typically works:

Expense submission

Employees use a mobile app or email to capture receipts. The relevant details are  extracted, and the expense is submitted with the appropriate context (project, category, client, etc.).

Approval workflow

Expenses are routed based on your rules. Line managers, team leads, or finance heads can approve or reject directly via desktop or mobile.

Reimbursement

Once approved, reimbursement is triggered automatically via payroll, direct deposit, or linked bank account.

Accounting integration

Data flows into your accounting system, removing the need for manual reconciliation and ensuring real-time financial reporting.

Real-time insights

Dashboards and reports show spend by team, category or individual, making it easier to spot trends, control budgets, and identify waste.

Compliance safeguards

Most modern platforms enforce spend policies by default, flagging out-of-policy claims, tracking VAT for HMRC compliance, and keeping a digital audit trail for financial reporting or regulatory review.

Non-negotiable features in expense management software

The best platforms combine automation, oversight, and flexibility to help you manage expenses confidently at scale. The best offer:

• Fast and easy employee reimbursements

• Company-issued cards (virtual or physical) with spend limits

• Mobile receipt capture 

• Automated policy enforcement and approvals

• Real-time spend tracking and categorisation

• Multi-currency support for global teams

• Easy integration with accounting software

• Custom workflows, per diem/mileage tracking, and role-based access

Top UK expense management platforms in 2025

We’ve researched seven leading platforms available in the UK in 2025: Airwallex, Emburse, Expensify, Pleo, Rydoo, Spendesk, and Zoho Expense. 

All cover the basics like digital receipt capture, multi-currency support, approval workflows, and integration with tools like Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage. But each also varies in focus, depth, and pricing.

This guide breaks down where they fit best, what they do well, and how to choose based on your team’s needs.

Airwallex

Airwallex combines business accounts, company cards, and global payments in one hassle-free system. It lets teams hold and spend from multi-currency wallets with low FX fees, and offers real-time expense tracking through its mobile app. This makes it very useful for SMEs managing international spend or multiple currencies.

Need to know:

• Multi-currency corporate cards with no foreign transaction fees

• OCR-powered receipt capture and real-time visibility

• Integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, and eCommerce platforms

• Offers approval workflows, budget, andd digital audit trails

• Focus is on card-based spend rather than reimbursements or travel claims

• 5 free employee card users and up to 10 free company cards per month on the Explore plan, rising to 5 free Spend users and up to 50 company cards on the Grow plan.

Cost: Starts at £0/month, £19/month for Explore, £49/month for Grow, and £999/month for Accelerate, with custom pricing also available. Try it now.

Emburse

Emburse supports detailed policy enforcement, auditing, and card controls. Its platform can be configured to match complex approval chains and integrates into a wide range of ERP and finance systems.

Need to know:

• Company cards with spend limits and optional cashback

• Extensive approval routing and policy enforcement

• Mileage and per-diem tracking included

• Integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, NetSuite, and SAP

• May be too complex or expensive for smaller teams

Cost: Starts around $8/user/month, often custom for larger deployments

Expensify

Expensify focuses on ease of use and automation. Its SmartScan feature reads receipts instantly, and approval workflows can be configured to automatically route or approve expenses. It’s useful for SMEs looking for automation and a simple setup.

Need to know:

• SmartScan OCR and mobile-first interface

• Expensify Card available but limited in the UK

• Works well without company cards by importing bank feeds

• Direct integration with Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage

• Policy configuration requires setup for UK VAT tracking

Cost: Around £4 per user per month

Pleo

Pleo provides individual company cards with spend limits and an app that captures receipts at the point of purchase. It’s popular with fast-growing teams that want to avoid traditional expense claims. 

Need to know:

• Physical and virtual cards issued per employee

• Mobile app with real-time receipt capture and push reminders

• Supports mileage reimbursements using HMRC rates

• Native integrations with Xero and QuickBooks; Sage via CSV

• Foreign transaction fees apply on international card spend

Cost: Free plan available. Paid tiers from £39/month for 3 users

Compare: Pleo vs Airwallex

Rydoo

Rydoo includes features for tracking mileage, per-diems, and travel-related approvals. It supports local compliance rules across more than 100 countries and integrates well with cloud accounting software. It’s a good option for companies with significant business travel or compliance needs.

Need to know:

• Receipt scanning, per-diem rates, and mileage tracking included

• UK-specific compliance with HMRC rules and VAT reclaim features

• Rydoo Cards available in GBP and EUR

• Integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, and enterprise systems

• UI and configuration may require more setup effort

Cost: From around £7 per user per month, with enterprise options

Spendesk

Spendesk brings together cards, approvals, invoice management and spend tracking into one platform. It’s strong in multi-entity environments and includes budgeting and analytics tools.

Need to know:

• Unlimited virtual and physical cards with custom limits

• Real-time tracking of card, invoice and subscription spend

• Deep integration with Xero and support for multi-entity reporting

• Includes some invoice and AP management capabilities

• Pricing and FX fees may be a barrier for small businesses

Cost: Starts around £199/month, with quote-based plans for scale

Compare: Spendesk vs Airwallex

Zoho Expense

Zoho Expense offers much of the functionality of more expensive tools, including approvals, mileage and VAT tracking. It works well standalone or as part of the Zoho finance suite.

Need to know:

• No native cards, but integrates with external card feeds

• OCR, approval routing, and custom per-diem policies included

• Google Maps mileage tracking with HMRC rates

• Integrates with Zoho Books, Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage

• Some features and integrations may require manual configuration

Cost: Free for up to 3 users. Paid plans from around £4–£7 per user/month

What platform is right for you?

The right platform will fit your team’s size, workflows, compliance needs, and tech stack without introducing unnecessary complexity.

Here’s what to consider:

1. Match the tool to your team size

Small businesses may prefer lightweight tools with built-in cards and minimal setup. Growing teams need flexibility. Think scalable approvals, role-based access, and robust policy enforcement. Larger companies should prioritise advanced analytics, audit controls, and integrations with enterprise systems.

2. Check your integration requirements

Will the platform sync with your accounting software? Can it support your payroll, ERP or HRIS systems? Native integrations with tools like Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite or Sage can save time and reduce reconciliation errors.

3. Understand pricing beyond the headline

Costs can add up fast. Look beyond the monthly plan, and check for per-user charges, card fees, FX rates, and feature limits. Some platforms charge extra for integrations, workflows, or advanced support. Check what’s included and what scales with usage.

4. Prioritise UK support and compliance

Make sure your platform understands UK business needs. Does it support HMRC mileage rates, VAT categorisation, and digital record-keeping for Making Tax Digital? Local support also matters, especially when compliance, payroll, or finance teams need quick answers.

Can expense software help you cut costs?

The right expense software helps you move faster, spend smarter and keep policies in check, without adding extra admin. It gives your team the tools to work efficiently and your finance team the oversight to cut waste before it adds up.

Less admin, fewer errors

Manual expense entry slows teams down and leads to mistakes. Expense software removes the friction. Employees snap receipts on the go. Claims are auto-filled and sent to the right approver instantly. Finance doesn’t need to chase receipts or fix spreadsheets. This saves hours of admin time and reduces the chance of duplicated or inflated costs.

Policy controls that actually work

Policy documents are easy to ignore if they sit outside the workflow. With software, policy rules are built in. Claims that exceed limits or miss receipts are blocked. Duplicate submissions are flagged. You can set rules for mileage, meals, or categories that no one can override. That means less manual checking, and better compliance across the board.

Better visibility leads to better decisions

With full visibility over spending by team, category, and project, finance can act sooner. You can identify high-volume suppliers and negotiate better rates. Spot overlapping tools and cut unnecessary subscriptions. Monitor trends like rising travel costs before they spiral. Clear data leads to stronger procurement decisions.

Faster reconciliation, cleaner accounts

Expense software connects directly with your accounting platform. Claims and card payments sync with your ledger. Each line is automatically coded with the right category and tax rate. This speeds up month-end closes and ensures VAT is captured correctly for HMRC.

Real-time cash flow control

Most businesses only understand spend after the fact. Expense software gives you live visibility. You can track approved-but-unpaid claims, see how budgets are being used, and catch unexpected spend before money leaves the account. With Airwallex, you can also track multi-currency spend and control cash across all your entities in one place.

Built-in fraud prevention

Each expense claim has a full digital audit trail. You’ll see who submitted, edited, and approved it. Multi-step approvals follow your team structure. Policies can be tailored by role, team, or region. It’s harder for mistakes or fraud to slip through, and audits are much easier to run.

Key questions to ask when choosing expense management software 

• How do you support multi-currency expenses and global reimbursements?

• What integrations do you offer with accounting and ERP tools?

• How do you ensure data security and compliance?

• Can your system handle complex approval workflows and delegate access?

• What customer support is available during onboarding and ongoing use?

• Is your pricing transparent, and are there additional fees for card use, reimbursements, or integrations?

How to successfully get started with spend management software

Even the best software can fall short without the right implementation. Poor onboarding, unclear policies, and limited team buy-in can lead to low adoption and missed savings.

Here’s how to go from purchase to performance with confidence.

1. Define your goals from the start

Start with clarity. What do you want to achieve? Fewer manual reports? Real-time visibility? Cleaner audits? Setting clear KPIs early (e.g. % of automated expense reports or time saved per month) will help your team stay focused and measure success.

2. Get buy-in from key teams

Finance might lead implementation, but adoption happens on the ground. Bring in team leads from operations, sales, HR, and compliance early. Align ‌goals and give them a voice in configuring workflows, approval chains, and spend categories.

3. Pilot before you scale

Start small. Choose a team or department with a clear use case and run a 30–90 day pilot. Use this to test card limits, receipt capture, policy rules, and integrations. Refine based on feedback before rolling out company-wide.

4. Focus on onboarding, not just training

Equip your teams with step-by-step guides, interactive demos, and a help centre. Ensure every user knows how to submit an expense, use the mobile app, and access real-time spend data. Support ongoing learning.

5. Monitor usage and adjust

The first 90 days are key. Track system logins, expense approval times, policy violations, and user feedback. Use these insights to refine rules, close gaps, and ensure the platform works the way teams actually operate.

6. Build governance into workflows

Automation is only useful if it’s trusted. Review expense policies regularly, build in tiered approvals, and sync your accounting categories. Assign clear ownership for managing the system. Ideally that’s someone cross-functional who understands both finance and operations.

Why choose Airwallex for expense management?

Airwallex makes expense management simple for employees and controlled for finance teams. Set smart limits, approve spend in real time, and track everything in one place.

With built-in global accounts, cards, and payments, Airwallex also scales as you grow. Keep your spend, payments, and reporting all in one system. You’re ready for international business from day one.

Easy for employees

Staff can spend using virtual or physical company cards. No more paying out of pocket or filling in expense forms. Receipts are uploaded via an app, and expenses are submitted in seconds.

Efficient for finance teams

Set spend limits by team or category. Route approvals automatically. Track every transaction in real time. With full visibility, finance can stop chasing paperwork and start focusing on insights.

Designed for startups and scale-ups

Airwallex works across currencies, countries, and teams, so as you expand, you won’t need to rebuild your finance stack down the line.

All-in-one, not all over the place

Cards, reimbursements, payments, FX, and reporting all live in one place. That means less admin, fewer logins, and more time back for the work that moves your business forward.

Disclaimer:  We wrote this article in Q2 2025. The information was based on our own online research and we were not able to manually test each tool or provider. The information is provided for educational purposes only and a reader should consider the specific requirements of their business when evaluating providers. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [email protected].