The 10 Best Apps to Track & Submit Business Expenses

When it comes to business expense management, ledger books and bulky accounting software don’t have much place in the modern world. If you’re still relying on these traditional methods of bookkeeping and expense tracking, you’re probably missing out on a lot of valuable features and solutions. Today, there is an entire industry dedicated to creating robust, dynamic business apps and tools for all aspects of daily operations, including tracking and submitting expenses. 

Of course, the solutions out there come in all shapes and sizes. They offer expense reporting solutions for everyone from the solo business owner to the enterprise organization, so your first task will be to narrow down your search based on the size of your business. You don’t need a dynamic, multi-faceted app designed for extensive expense reporting and tracking when you’re a one-man operation, after all. Just some simple features will do. 

The apps available today go well above and beyond the “average”, even with the basic features and plans offered. The modern business expense tracking app is more impressive than you might expect, which is why it’s easy to get overwhelmed when it comes time to choose. We’ll help you by looking at 10 of the best apps for tracking and submitting expenses, as well as helping you better understand the world of business apps and how to make the most of them yourself. 

Apps can do a lot more than people realize. What started as a simple mobile feature with limited access has become the preferred way to do business, handle personal matters, and even enjoy entertainment. There are even tech tools like the Chromebook, which is technically a “laptop”, but it runs entirely on Chrome OS and the Google Play app store. 

As a business, you’ll want to find mobile apps that integrate with your desktop software, of course, so be sure to consider that above all else. Along with that, you’ll also want to consider the features that are offered, how much the apps cost, what kind of support is available, and how the app will grow with you over time. After all, you don’t want to have to change apps every time that your business grows. 

There are several different features that you’ll want to look for in your expense reporting and tracking apps, including some that may be more valuable to your business specifically. However, as a general rule of thumb, most people can look for things like:

• AI and automated features
• Receipt scanning 
• Expense categorization and organization
• Simple approvals 
• Custom rules and reporting options
• Other expense-related features and tools

There’s a lot that the modern expense tracking app can offer, including the chance to create a totally custom, scalable solution for your business. Keep these things in mind as you peruse the list below to help you choose the best apps for your needs. 

Put down the ledgers and get rid of that shoebox of receipts. It’s the 21st century and it’s time for a better way to track, submit, and manage expenses. Here are 10 apps worth considering.

The top 10 apps for tracking and submitting expenses

1. QuickBooks Accounting

If you’ve been in the world of accounting software, you’ve likely heard of QuickBooks. This platform was among the first in the world of accounting tools and technology and it has continued to grow and evolve over time to become a leader in the industry with its mobile solutions. 

Today, QuickBooks Accounting offers a robust mobile app with full expense reporting and budget tracking tools, along with seamless integrations, custom reporting and data exporting, and so much more. You can pick and choose from a variety of plans and live bookkeeping assistance is available for those who need it, too. 

Key features:

• Price: $12.50 per month to start
• Payroll and tax tools available
• Expense reporting and tracking
• Automated approvals
• Scalable platform
• Easy integrations with other tools

2. Zoho Expense

Zoho offers a host of tech tools and solutions to make business easier, including its Zoho Expense app and platform. It comes with a built-in GPS and maps feature so that mileage can be logged automatically, and you can even add information when you’re offline, which will sync when you reconnect. There are batch approvals available, too. 

You can also integrate Zoho Expense with your existing software and tools, as well as with the entire suite of Zoho products. It offers automatic importing of transactions, enhanced reporting and analytics, and more. If you want premium features, you can pay for access, but it’s free for up to three users to start. 

Key features include:

• Price: Free, up to 3 users
• Advanced reporting and analytics
• Scalable platform
• Integrated GPS and maps
• Expense batch approvals
• Transaction importing

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3. Fyle

Fyle is an expense management software that lets businesses take complete control of their pre-accounting process end-to-end. Employees can easily submit and track their expenses from applications they use every day like Slack, G-Suite, Teams, etc. Additionally, approvers don’t have to verify each expense report manually, as Fyle enforces compliance by automating pre-submission checks.

Recently, Fyle launched a real-time spend management solution for every Visa card user across the U.S. This means that any SMB or mid-market company can now access the powerful suite of features in an expense management software without changing their cards. With real-time feeds, Finance teams no longer need to be dependent on bank feeds and can collect receipts for card expenses via text in real-time.

Key features include:

• Price: $4.99 per user/month to start
• Receipt scanning feature
• Expense and income tracking 
• Single-stage approvals
• Personal card management
• Universal statement parser to import statements

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4. Wave

Wave has been a big name in the world of accounting software and its accounting and expense tracking app will take care of all the pesky basics that you don’t want to have to do yourself. It’s a free tool that makes tracking expenses and generating reports easier than ever. Plus, it has payroll and tax tools available, too. 

You will have to pay for payroll services and the payment processing offered through Wave, but that’s not much at all. You can integrate the platform with your existing tools, too, and scan receipts for easy organization and management. Mobile access ensures that you can manage your expenses from anywhere. 

Key features include:

• Price: Free
• Receipt scanning feature
• Expense and income tracking 
• Custom reporting available
• Fee-based payment processing

5. Rydoo Expense

With Rydoo Expense, your business will find that expense tracking (and submitting) is easier than ever. You can manage everything from the simple, dynamic app and track expenses, analyze expenses in real-time, and even integrate with the existing tools that you use. It is designed to work seamlessly with tools like NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, and others. You can create custom per diems, too. 

With Rydoo Expense, you’ll get access to built-in local compliance features and automated approvals for expenses, based on the rules you create. This tool also integrates with Expensify, Concur, and others so that you can migrate easily when you decide you want a better solution. 

Key features include:

• Price: $7 per month (per user)
• Automated expense approval
• Built-in compliance features
• Preset spending limits 
• Custom rules and reporting

6. Abacus

Abacus is another leading platform for tracking and submitting business expenses. It offers tons of features and makes it easy to reimburse employees, reconcile your bank and credit cards, and even use geolocation to track mileage for business trips. You can automate expense approvals and customize rules, too. 

With Abacus, you’ll be able to automate direct deposits upon approval of expenses, and custom reporting makes sure that you always know where your business budget stands. You will find plenty of impressive features in the basic plans, but you can also upgrade to a premium plan for full access to all of the elite features. 

Key highlights include:

• Price: $9 per user, per month
• Strategic insights
• Real-time reporting
• Automated approvals
• Capture expenses from multiple sources

7. Shoeboxed

Shoeboxed starts by offering a postage-paid envelope to submit receipts for those who haven’t started digitizing yet. It’s an app that’s used by millions and it has been reviewed and awarded several nods for all the features that it offers. You can scan receipts through the mobile app, too, and even categorize expenses and generate custom reports. 

Shoeboxed makes it easy to manage and track expenses. It also integrates with Gmail, thanks to a handy plugin that makes submitting receipts and expenses via email a breeze. It can even automatically detect and categorize expenses for you, thanks to AI and advanced technology. 

Key features include:

• Price: $18 per month
• Mobile apps for Android and iOS
• Detailed, custom reporting
• Automatic categorization of expenses
• Envelope included for paper receipt submission via mail

8. BizXpenseTracker (BXT)

BizXpenseTracker, or BXT for short, is an app that will make expense tracking easier than ever, no matter where you are or what types of expenses you need to track. It’s a full-featured app with live mileage tracking, budgeting, and plenty of other features. Plus, it’s one of the oldest apps on the market today, debuting all the way back in 2010. 

BXT includes time tracking features, too, as well as PDF and CSV exporting for reports, email file sharing, and plenty of other features. It is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play and can integrate with tons of the tools that you already use, too. You’ll love how easy it is to customize this platform, and its affordable pricing makes it a great choice. 

Key features include:

• Price: $6.99
• Live mileage tracking
• Customized time and rate settings
• On-screen filtering
• Exporting and custom reports
• Easy calculations for overtime

9. Concur Mobile

Concur Mobile makes it easy for you to manage, track, and submit expenses for all kinds of business transactions. It’s designed specifically for those who travel a lot, though providing plenty of convenient tracking and submission tools to help with business-related travel expenses. The TripLink feature makes it easy to see what employees are spending on travel, even when they book on their own. 

Concur Mobile is a higher-end solution than most on this list, but it offers impressive features and customization solutions that can fit the needs of any modern business. You can simplify budgeting, expense reporting, and even reimbursement. It also categorizes spending automatically, saving you the trouble. 

Key features include:

• Price: Custom quote
• Automatic spend capture
• Receipt scanning for easy tracking
• Custom reporting
• Itinerary management

10. Everlance

With Everlance, you’ll be able to manage all kinds of expense tracking for your budget, including submitting expenses and more. You can even set it up to sync with your credit cards and bank accounts, track purchases, set custom rules for transactions and approvals, and more. You can even use the integrated GPS for trip tracking. 

Everlance makes it easy to export mileage and expense reports through CSV or PDF format. You can manage receipts and track revenue from more than one source through this diverse app. Your business expense tracking can even be separated from personal expenses, and you can upgrade to a paid plan for one-on-one training, integrated support, and other features. 

Key features include:

• Price: Free
• Custom expense and transaction rules
• IRS-compliant mileage log
• Exporting available
• GPS included

Bonus: Expensify

We couldn't stop at 10 so here is a bonus CRM we just had to mention. If you’re looking for the simplest accounting and expensing solution, Expensify is a great place to start. This platform offers a lot of value, starting with the fact that it’s free for most users. You’ll only pay if you’re a larger business that wants access to the custom reporting tools and other advanced features. Even then, it’s only $5 to $9 per user, per month. 

Expensify makes it easy to track business expenses, offering submitting as a standard service with all individual plans at the right price of free unless or until you need to upgrade. You can sync credit cards or use the Expensify Business Credit Card to keep everything streamlined. You can also track travel and mileage, get notifications, and more.

Key features include:

• Price: Free basic/individual plan
• Integrated expense tracking and reporting
• SmartScan receipt tracking
• Custom reporting available
• Discounts available with annual pricing

While you’re streamlining, why not partner with Smith.ai to streamline communications, admin, and more?

At Smith.ai, we know the value of using your time wisely, and more importantly, using your resources wisely. That’s why we’ve developed a business that’s designed to help you with that in several ways. Our dedicated virtual receptionists can take the communications and admin tasks off your hands by fielding phone calls, chats, SMS messages, and so much more. 

Too busy to handle leads and other admin duties? We can take care of those, too, offering solutions that include payment collection, scheduling, intake and qualification, and more. To top it off, we’ll help you craft the perfect strategy to manage it all. 

Schedule a consultation to learn what the 24/7 virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can do to improve your communications and more. You can also find us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.