Expensify vs. Ramp: Which should you choose?
If you're evaluating expense management platforms, an important consideration is card program compatibility: Will the platform work with your existing corporate card, or does it require you to switch?
Expensify is card-agnostic, meaning it works seamlessly with any corporate card program: Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, or your current bank partner. This allows you to maintain your existing rewards programs, credit limits, payment terms, and banking relationships.
Ramp's platform is built around their proprietary card program. For some businesses, this integrated approach works well. For others, it means transitioning away from established card programs and negotiated benefits.
Both platforms offer expense management automation, but they take different approaches. Expensify provides Concierge with text commands, offline mode, realtime syncing to 30+ accounting systems, and supports businesses from solopreneurs to enterprise teams. Ramp focuses on combining their card with expense management in a unified platform.
In this guide, we'll compare Expensify vs. Ramp across features, pricing, and use cases to help you make an informed decision.
Key features comparison
Expensify and Ramp take fundamentally different approaches to expense management. Expensify works with any corporate card program and supports businesses of all sizes, while Ramp requires their proprietary card as the foundation of their platform. Here's how they compare:
| Feature | Expensify | Ramp |
|---|---|---|
| Card program flexibility (BYOC) | Works with ANY corporate card program—Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, or your existing bank partner. Keep your rewards, credit limits, and payment terms. | Requires using the Ramp card. Switching means abandoning existing card benefits and renegotiating terms with a new provider. |
| Expense reporting | Automated entry with SmartScan technology featuring live OCR preview for instant verification. Supports offline mode, batch scanning, drag-and-drop uploads, and text-to-expense commands via Concierge AI. | Automated receipt matching and expense categorization with AI-powered coding. Requires internet connectivity for most functions. |
| Receipt capture | Multiple options: in-app camera, text to 47777, drag-and-drop desktop, batch scanning for processing multiple receipts simultaneously. Live preview confirms accurate capture. | Mobile receipt capture with automated matching to card transactions. |
| AI automation | Concierge AI auto-categorizes expenses, flags prohibited spend, and responds to text commands like "Create a $50 expense for dinner with ACME." | AI-powered expense coding and merchant categorization. |
| Policy enforcement | Transparent policy engine with soft approvals, giving admins full visibility into enforcement logic and flexible rule configuration. | Automated policy enforcement with spending limits and controls. |
| Offline capabilities | Submit, approve, and pay expenses without internet connectivity for uninterrupted productivity. | Requires internet connection for most functions. |
| Corporate cards | Expensify Visa Commercial Card available with instant virtual card provisioning, automatic receipt matching, realtime accounting sync, and up to 2% cash back. Optional—use your own cards instead. | Ramp card required for full platform functionality. Virtual and physical cards available with spending controls. |
| Card reconciliation | Automatic receipt matching for ANY card program with one-click statement reconciliation and realtime bank sync. | Automatic reconciliation for Ramp cards only. |
| Invoicing and bill pay | Streamlined invoicing capabilities with automated bill pay and one-click accruals. | Bill pay integrated into platform with vendor management. |
| Reimbursements | ACH payments with next-day reimbursement option available for direct deposit. | Standard ACH reimbursements available. |
| Spend management | Detailed reporting with built-in spend controls, custom columns, and realtime visibility across all card programs. | Comprehensive spend analytics and insights focused on Ramp card usage. |
| Travel | NDC + Expedia + GDS inventory for booking flights, hotels, rental cars, and trains. Features 85% self-service flight changes, in-app alerts, automatic rewards program integration, built-in chat, and full rail support. | Basic travel booking available through mobile app with limited inventory and self-service options. |
| Integration sync | Realtime API sync to 30+ accounting systems and ERPs including NetSuite, Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage Intacct with live data updates. Free integrations included. | Integrations available but may require fees. Manual export options for expenses. |
| Approval workflows | Highly customizable multi-level approvals with soft approvals, vacation delegates, and flexible routing options. | Approval workflows available with spending limit controls. |
| User base | Supports individuals, freelancers, startups, mid-market, and enterprise customers. | Primarily targets venture-backed startups and mid-market companies. Does not support individual users or freelancers. |
| Support | 24/7 in-app chat support with sub-minute response times, extensive self-help resources, and dedicated onboarding specialists. Always free. | Email and chat support available. Live chat support noted as a limitation by some users. |
| Pricing | Transparent pricing starting at $5 per user (Collect plan) with no transaction fees, add-ons, or hidden costs. Control plan available for advanced features. | Starts at $15 per user for paid plans. Free tier available but requires using Ramp card. |
| Multi-currency support | Full multi-currency support for international operations. | Multi-currency support available. |
| Mobile apps | Full-featured iOS and Android apps with offline mode and complete expense management capabilities. | iOS and Android apps available for expense management and basic travel booking. |
| Customer ratings | Average of 4.4 out of 5 stars with over 1,000 reviews on G2. | Generally positive user satisfaction ratings. |
| Choose if… | You want to keep your existing card program, need flexible approval workflows, require comprehensive travel booking, support freelancers/individuals, or want realtime integrations without fees. | You're comfortable switching to Ramp's card program, prioritize a unified card-and-expense platform, and don't require advanced travel booking or support for individual users. |
Expensify vs. Ramp: Similarities
Both Expensify and Ramp offer core expense management capabilities that streamline financial operations. Here's what they have in common:
Expense automation
Receipt scanning and organization with OCR technology
Automated expense categorization and coding
Multi-level approval workflows
Spend visibility and control
Realtime spend tracking and reporting
Expensify policy enforcement with SmartLimits
Detailed analytics and insights into company spending patterns
Payment capabilities
ACH reimbursements for employee expenses
Bill pay features for vendor payments
Integration with major banks for transaction syncing
Corporate card programs
Free corporate card offerings (though with different requirements) with the Expensify VisaⓇ Commercial Card
Virtual and physical card options
Mobile wallet compatibility with Apple Pay and Google Pay
Mobile functionality
iOS and Android apps for on-the-go expense management
Mobile receipt capture
Expensify vs. Ramp: Differences
While both platforms handle expense management, they take fundamentally different approaches. Here are the key distinctions:
Card program requirements
Expensify works with any corporate card program, allowing you to maintain existing banking relationships, rewards, and credit terms.
Ramp requires using their proprietary card as the foundation of their platform.
User base and accessibility
Expensify welcomes individuals, freelancers, and businesses of all sizes.
Ramp targets venture-backed startups and mid-market companies, and does not support individual users or freelancers.
Integration approach
Expensify includes realtime API sync to 30+ accounting systems at no additional cost, with automatic expense export.
Ramp offers integrations but some require fees, and expenses must be manually exported.
Travel capabilities
Expensify provides comprehensive busines travel booking with NDC + Expedia + GDS inventory, 85% self-service changes, and full rail support.
Ramp offers basic mobile travel booking with limited inventory and self-service options.
Approval flexibility
Expensify offers highly customizable approval workflows with soft approvals, vacation delegates, and flexible routing.
Ramp provides standard approval workflows with spending limit controls.
Policy transparency
Expensify uses a transparent policy engine where admins have full visibility into enforcement logic.
Ramp automates policy enforcement with spending controls.
Support model
Expensify includes 24/7 in-app chat support with dedicated onboarding specialists at no extra cost.
Ramp provides email and chat support, though some users note limitations with live chat availability.
Offline functionality
Expensify allows users to submit, approve, and pay expenses without internet connectivity.
Ramp requires internet connection for most platform functions.
Customization options
Expensify offers customized category naming mapped directly to GL accounts and extensive automation for group expenses.
Ramp provides standard categorization and expense management features.
AI capabilities
Expensify's Concierge responds to text commands, auto-categorizes expenses, and provides live OCR preview.
Ramp offers AI-powered expense coding and merchant categorization.
Expensify pricing vs Ramp pricing
Expensify offers transparent pricing starting at $5 per user per month (Collect plan) with all integrations, 24/7 support, and the flexibility to use any card program included. The Control plan provides advanced features for scaling teams.
Ramp's paid plans start at $15 per user. A free tier is available but requires using the Ramp card exclusively.
The key difference isn't just cost but what you get. With Expensify, you maintain your existing card program's rewards and benefits while adding powerful automation. With Ramp, lower-tier pricing requires committing to their card program.
Why Expensify?
Expensify stands out for its card flexibility, powerful automation, and ability to scale with businesses of all sizes without forcing you into a proprietary card program.
Card program flexibility
Bring Your Own Card (BYOC): Works seamlessly with any corporate card program—Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, or your existing bank partner
Keep your benefits: Maintain negotiated rewards programs, credit limits, payment terms, and accumulated points
Banking relationships intact: No need to renegotiate with a new card provider or abandon established credit facilities
Optional Expensify Card: Choose to use the Expensify Card for additional benefits, or stick with your current program—the choice is yours
Smart receipt capture
SmartScan with live preview: Realtime OCR preview in the mobile app confirms accurate capture before submitting—a capability competitors lack
Multiple upload options: Snap photos in-app, text receipts to 47777 (US numbers only), drag-and-drop on desktop, or batch scan multiple receipts simultaneously
AI-powered automation: Expensify’s AI auto-categorizes expenses, flags prohibited spend, and responds to text commands like "Create a $50 expense for dinner with ACME"
Work anywhere, anytime
Offline mode: Submit, approve, and pay expenses without internet connectivity for uninterrupted productivity
Mobile-first design: Full expense management accessible on-the-go with an intuitive mobile app
Realtime expense reports: Instant expense report creation enables rapid approval and reimbursement
Transparent policy control
Clear enforcement logic: Admins have full visibility into policy rules and how they're applied
Flexible approvals: Soft approvals allow employees to proceed while flagging issues, rather than hard-blocking workflow
Customizable workflows: Configure policies that match how your business actually operates
Instant corporate cards
Immediate provisioning: Virtual cards issued instantly when you choose to use Expensify Cards
Auto-receipt matching: Automatically pairs card transactions with receipts, eliminating manual attachment
Realtime sync: Card expenses sync to accounting systems instantly rather than overnight batch processing
Cash back rewards: Earn up to 2% cash back that offsets subscription costs (certain restrictions apply)
Seamless integrations
Realtime API sync: Live data updates to 30+ ERPs including QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, and Sage Intacct
One-click reconciliation: Automatic bank matching and card statement reconciliation for any card program
Free integrations: No additional fees for connecting accounting software, ERP systems, or HR platforms
Comprehensive travel management
Extensive inventory: NDC + Expedia + GDS options for flights, hotels, rental cars, and trains
Self-service changes: 85% of flight modifications handled in-app without agent assistance
Full rail support: Book trains with split-ticketing optimization
Automatic rewards integration: Loyalty programs sync automatically
Built for everyone
All business sizes: Supports individuals, freelancers, startups, mid-market, and enterprise teams
One-click reimbursement: Next-day payment option gets employees reimbursed fast
Custom columns and bulk editing: Personalize views and update multiple expenses simultaneously
24/7 free support: In-app chat with sub-minute response times and dedicated onboarding specialists
By prioritizing flexibility, transparency, and ease of use, Expensify delivers powerful expense management without forcing you into a one-size-fits-all card program or sacrificing the banking relationships you've built.
Why Ramp?
Ramp offers a unified platform that combines corporate cards with expense management, designed for businesses willing to commit to their proprietary card program.
Integrated card-and-expense platform
All-in-one approach: Ramp's platform is built around their corporate card, creating tight integration between spending and expense tracking
Automatic transaction capture: Card purchases flow directly into the expense system without manual entry
Virtual and physical cards: Issue cards to employees with customizable spending limits and controls
Spend visibility and controls
Realtime spend tracking: Monitor company spending as it happens across all Ramp cards
AI-powered coding: Automated expense categorization and merchant recognition
Policy enforcement: Built-in controls to prevent out-of-policy spending
Bill pay and vendor management
Integrated bill pay: Manage vendor payments alongside card expenses in a single platform
Payment scheduling: Schedule and track bill payments with approval workflows
Free tier availability
No per-user fees on free plan: Access basic features without monthly subscription costs, though this requires exclusive use of the Ramp card
Important considerations
Ramp's integrated approach works well for businesses comfortable building their expense management around a single card provider. However, this model requires several trade-offs. You'll need to transition away from existing corporate card programs, which means abandoning negotiated rewards, credit limits, and payment terms you may have spent years establishing with your current bank partner.
The platform doesn't support individual users or freelancers, focusing primarily on venture-backed startups and mid-market companies. Travel booking capabilities are more limited compared to platforms with comprehensive GDS and NDC inventory, and most functions require internet connectivity—there's no offline mode for submitting or approving expenses on the go.
While Ramp includes integrations, some require additional fees, and expenses must be manually exported rather than syncing in realtime. Support is available via email and chat, though some users note limitations with live chat availability compared to platforms offering 24/7 in-app support.
Businesses evaluating Ramp should carefully consider whether committing to their card program aligns with their existing banking relationships and whether the integrated approach outweighs the flexibility of working with any card provider.
Choosing between Expensify and Ramp
Get the information you need to make a smart decision. Let's check out the pros and cons of Expensify and Ramp.
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| Expensify |
• Works with any corporate card program (BYOC)—keep your existing rewards, credit limits, and banking relationships • Supports individuals, freelancers, and businesses of all sizes • SmartScan with live OCR preview for instant verification • Offline mode for uninterrupted productivity • Concierge AI with text commands and auto-categorization • Comprehensive travel booking with 85% self-service changes • Realtime API integrations to 30+ ERPs at no extra cost • Transparent policy engine with flexible approval workflows • 24/7 free in-app chat support with sub-minute response times • Next-day reimbursement option • Affordable, transparent pricing starting at $5 per user |
• Customization limitations for highly specific workflows • Learning curve for advanced Control plan features |
| Ramp |
• Integrated card-and-expense platform for unified spend management • AI-powered expense coding and categorization • Free tier available (with card requirement) • Automated policy enforcement with spending controls |
• Requires using Ramp card exclusively—cannot use existing corporate card programs • Must abandon established banking relationships, negotiated rewards, and credit terms • Does not support individual users or freelancers • Limited travel booking capabilities compared to comprehensive platforms • No offline mode—requires internet connectivity for most functions • Manual expense export required; realtime sync not available • Some integrations require additional fees • Limited live chat support availability • Higher per-user pricing ($15) for paid plans |
Expense management made easy: Why our members love Expensify
See what our members have to say about using Expensify:
“Expensify makes expense management effortless. I love how easy it is to snap a photo of a receipt and have the details automatically extracted—no more manual entry! The intuitive interface and SmartScan feature save me time and reduce errors. Plus, the seamless integration with accounting tools keeps everything organized and efficient. It’s simple, fast, and perfect for staying on top of expenses whether I’m at my desk or on the go.”
— Donald B., Community Operations Manager, G2 Expensify Review
Whether you're evaluating alternatives to Ramp or shopping for the best expense management solution in 2026, Expensify delivers the card flexibility, automation, and scalability that growing businesses need, without locking you into a proprietary card program.
Comparing other platforms? Learn how Expensify stacks up:
FAQs about Expensify vs. Ramp
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Yes, Expensify works with any corporate card program including Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, and other bank partners. This allows you to maintain your existing rewards programs, credit limits, and banking relationships.
Ramp requires using their proprietary card as the foundation of their platform, which means transitioning away from your current card program.
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Expensify is better for businesses that want to maintain their existing corporate card programs and banking relationships.
Key advantages include card flexibility (BYOC), support for all business sizes including freelancers, comprehensive travel booking, offline mode, realtime integrations to 30+ ERPs, and transparent pricing starting at $5 per user.
Ramp works well for businesses comfortable committing exclusively to their card program and prioritizing an integrated card-and-expense platform.
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Expensify combines card program flexibility with SmartScan technology featuring live OCR preview, AI-powered automation via Concierge with text commands, instant virtual card provisioning (optional), automatic receipt matching for any card program, and realtime API sync to 30+ accounting systems.
The platform offers offline mode, next-day reimbursements, transparent policy enforcement, comprehensive travel booking, and 24/7 free support, all starting at $5 per user with no transaction fees or add-ons.
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Yes, Expensify supports individuals, freelancers, solopreneurs, and businesses of all sizes. Ramp does not support individual users or freelancers, focusing primarily on venture-backed startups and mid-market companies.
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Expensify offers comprehensive travel booking with NDC + Expedia + GDS inventory for flights, hotels, rental cars, and trains.
The platform features 85% self-service flight changes, in-app alerts, automatic rewards program integration, and full rail support with split-ticketing.
Ramp provides basic mobile travel booking with limited inventory and self-service options.
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Expensify offers transparent pricing starting at $5 per user per month (Collect plan) with all integrations and 24/7 support included.
Ramp's paid plans start at $15 per user. Ramp offers a free tier, but it requires exclusive use of the Ramp card.
The key difference is that Expensify's pricing allows you to maintain your existing card program, while Ramp's model—even the free tier—requires committing to their proprietary card.
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Yes. Expensify allows users to submit, approve, and pay expenses without internet connectivity, ensuring productivity isn't interrupted by connectivity issues.
Ramp requires internet connection for most platform functions.
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Expensify offers an optional corporate card (the Expensify Card) with instant virtual provisioning, automatic receipt matching, and up to 2% cash back, but you can also use any existing corporate card program.
Ramp's platform requires using their card exclusively.
If you already have established banking relationships with negotiated rewards, credit limits, and payment terms, Expensify allows you to keep those benefits while adding powerful expense automation.
