Updated 2026-06-01
The 2026 expense management buyer's guide
Receipts, reports, reimbursements — what to buy and what to skip.
Quick answer
TL;DR
Receipts, reports, reimbursements — what to buy and what to skip.
- •Standalone expense tools (Expensify, Concur) are losing share to bundled spend platforms.
- •Real differentiation: ERP integration depth and policy automation.
- •Receipt OCR is solved — don't pay extra for it.
The category is consolidating
Standalone expense management is being eaten by bundled spend platforms (Ramp, Brex, Pleo, Spendesk). Pure-play expense tools (Expensify, SAP Concur) are still strong in enterprise but losing SMB share.
What to look for
ERP integration depth (NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Workday). Policy automation. Pre-spend controls (not just post-spend reports). Mobile receipt capture with OCR.
What to skip
Paying premium tiers just for OCR. Standalone expense without card integration. Anything without a real ERP sync.