Expensify Buyer Guide

TrustRadius Insights
September 13, 2024
Finance & Accounting, Product Guides

Expensify Buyer Guide

Thinking about purchasing Expensify? Our buyer guide was crafted from our vetted user reviews to give you insights into how the product performs for its current customers. Find out where Expensify excels and discover potential pitfalls before you buy.

Highlight the Right Reviews

Throughout the guide below, there are links directly to reviews. Select the reviewers most relevant to you, and those links will be highlighted in blue.






Expense Management and Reporting

Receipt Management

Users consistently praise Expensify’s efficient receipt management capabilities. The ability to easily capture receipts through OCR technology and upload images from various devices has been highlighted as a major convenience. Users appreciate the feature that alerts the financial team for expense approval and the option to link bank accounts for streamlined payment processes. Additionally, the SmartScan functionality for uploading receipts and categorizing expenses has been commended for its user-friendly interface. Despite some minor concerns about receipt categorization consistency and the auto-scan feature, overall, users find Expensify’s receipt management to be a valuable asset in simplifying expense tracking and reporting. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

Expense Reimbursement

Users generally praise Expensify’s efficient expense reimbursement process. They appreciate the ease of submitting expenses and the quick turnaround time for reimbursement. However, some users have encountered challenges with setting up accounts and consolidating expenses into single reports. Despite these minor issues, Expensify’s expense reimbursement functionality is seen as a valuable asset for streamlining the reimbursement process within organizations. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Expensify is helpful in that employees can somewhat easily submit their expenses for reimbursement.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Computer Software, 51-200 employees

“Expensify not only eliminated all paperwork, but it also gets approvals done quickly.”Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 501-1000 employees

“It’s easy to use so it requires little training or setup time.”Employee in Sales, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees

Expense Reports

User sentiment regarding Expensify’s expense reports functionality is diverse. While some users praise its ease of use and time-saving features for submitting and managing expense reports, others express frustration with issues like smart scan failures and cumbersome processes for adding approvers. The platform’s ability to streamline expense tracking and reporting is acknowledged positively by some, but there are also concerns raised about certain functionalities like required date of purchase AI recognition and user account management. Ultimately, opinions on Expensify’s expense reports capabilities vary among users, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement within the system. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Expensify is helpful in that employees can somewhat easily submit their expenses for reimbursement. I have had several situations where employees are confused by the process of setting up their accounts.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Computer Software, 51-200 employees

“Expensify allows our team to quickly enter expenses on their website. It solves the problem of having to submit expense reports manually or having to save receipts.”Employee in Sales, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees

“Expensify simplifies the submission and management of my monthly expenses.”Engineer in Sales, Information Technology & Services, 501-1000 employees

Expense Processing and Organization

Expense Submission Process

Users generally appreciate Expensify’s streamlined expense submission process. The majority of reviewers find the process easy to use and efficient, especially when it comes to uploading receipts and submitting expenses promptly. However, there are some mixed opinions regarding certain aspects, such as the need for improvements in the smart scanner functionality to avoid discrepancies between manually inputted values and scanned receipts. Despite some minor concerns, users overall find Expensify’s expense submission process to be user-friendly and time-saving. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Often times I get a warning that the value of a receipt doesn’t match what I manually inputted. So making Smart scanner a little smarter, essentially.”Analyst in Marketing, Computer Software, 1001-5000 employees

“It was very difficult to cancel service when we switched to an all-in-one accounting solution that included the expense features we needed.”Executive in Corporate, Information Technology & Services, 1-10 employees

“Expensify allows our team to quickly enter expenses on their website. It solves the problem of having to submit expense reports manually or having to save receipts.”Employee in Sales, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees

Organizational Tools

Users appreciate Expensify’s organizational tools for their ability to streamline the process of categorizing and tracking expenses. The platform’s features for managing receipts and expense reports are particularly well-received, making it easier for employees to submit and track their expenses efficiently. While some users have noted minor issues with receipt scanning and categorization consistency, overall, Expensify’s organizational tools are seen as a valuable asset for maintaining order and accuracy in expense management processes. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Expensify is helpful in an organization where team members are traveling to places at the same time. Employees feel confident that it will be an easy process to submit any work related expenses.”Analyst in Information Technology, Computer Software, 1001-5000 employees

“It helps categorize business expenses really well for our accounting department. The ability to upload a picture as proof or additional information is huge.”Employee in Sales, Telecommunications, 201-500 employees

“If you chose to scan receipts, then it could take a long time for them to register. It didn’t categorize receipts consistently on its own.”Account Manager in Sales, Computer Software, 51-200 employees

Spending Categorization

Users consistently praise Expensify for its efficient spending categorization features. They appreciate the ease of categorizing expenses accurately, which streamlines the accounting process for their organizations. Despite some minor issues with the receipt scanner and the need for more categories, users find that Expensify excels in helping them track and categorize their spending effectively. The ability to upload images of receipts and link personal cards for quick reimbursement adds to the overall positive experience users have with Expensify’s spending categorization functionality. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“It helps categorize business expenses really well for our accounting department. The ability to upload a picture as proof or additional information is huge.”Employee in Sales, Telecommunications, 201-500 employees

“SmartScan – easy to upload receipts. Putting things into categories – helpful when you have a lot of receipts.”Employee in Human Resources, Consumer Services, 51-200 employees

“If you chose to scan receipts the it could take a long time for them to register. It didn’t categorize receipts consistently on its own.”Account Manager in Sales, Computer Software, 51-200 employees

Employee and Travel Expenses

Employee Expense Management

Users generally praise Expensify for its efficient employee expense management capabilities. They appreciate the ease with which employees can submit expenses for reimbursement and the streamlined process for administrators to review and approve these expenses. Despite some minor issues like confusion during account setup and occasional technical glitches, users find Expensify to be a valuable tool for managing and reimbursing employee expenses promptly and accurately. The platform’s user-friendly interface and mobile app functionality contribute to a positive experience for both employees and administrators alike. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Expensify is helpful in that employees can somewhat easily submit their expenses for reimbursement. I have had several situations where employees are confused by the process of setting up their accounts.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Computer Software, 51-200 employees

“Expensify is perfect for companies looking to simplify employee expense management & reimbursement process. It’s very user-friendly, which saves time for the employees submitting expense reports & for the administrators who review, approve, and process reimbursement.”Strategist in Sales, Information Technology & Services, 11-50 employees

“Every once in a while it gets a little buggy when uploading a receipt, and I have to press the back button and start again. This is pretty rare though.”Employee in Sales, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees

Travel Expenses

Users consistently highlight Expensify’s travel expenses functionality as a standout feature, praising its ease of use for capturing and categorizing travel-related expenses. The ability to quickly upload images of receipts, especially for mileage and transportation expenses like Uber and Lyft, is a particularly appreciated aspect. Reviewers also note that Expensify streamlines the process of submitting travel expenses for reimbursement, saving them valuable time and effort. Additionally, the platform’s user-friendly interface and intuitive design make it a preferred choice for managing travel expenses, especially for individuals who frequently travel for business purposes. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“I use it to report and get reimbursed for my monthly expenses – this includes, travel, software licenses, subscriptions, hardware, fees, etc. As an international contractor, I do have common expenses that my company reimburses me for.”Analyst in Marketing, Computer Software, 1001-5000 employees

“Expensify is perfect for a small team or a small business. It’s affordable (I believe there is even a free version) and it is very easy to submit reports and to teach others how to submit reports.”Employee in Sales, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees

“We’ve used Expensify to manage our team’s expenses for over four years. We mainly used it to track travel and events expenses. We like their service and depended on it for four years; however, this year we decided to end our service with them and find an alternative.”General Manager in Corporate, Marketing & Advertising, 1-10 employees

Financial Integration and Management

Accounting Integration

Users generally praise Expensify’s accounting integration capabilities, highlighting its smooth integration with popular accounting software like QuickBooks and SAP. Reviewers appreciate the ease of syncing expense data with their accounting systems, streamlining the reconciliation process and ensuring accurate financial records. While some users mention minor areas for improvement, such as enhancing integration with banking systems for better expense tracking, overall sentiment leans towards positive experiences with Expensify’s accounting integration features. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, , 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“It provides smart scanning of receipts, and autofills line items from receipts; Receipt integration with 3rd-party apps. We’re able to reconcile business receipts and expenses with accounting and finance.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Internet, 201-500 employees

“Great image capture and image to text conversion capability; Seamless reporting integration with SAP tool; Great user experience for power users; Mobile integration has been improved further.”General Manager in Sales, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees

“CONS: Integration with banking systems to improve expense tracking.”

Credit Card Management

User opinions on Expensify’s credit card management functionality are diverse. While some users appreciate the ease of linking and tracking expenses on company credit cards, others have encountered challenges with syncing transactions and resolving issues with duplicate entries. The ability to link personal credit cards for reimbursement is seen as a convenient feature by many, although some users have faced difficulties with certain credit card providers. Expensify’s credit card management capabilities seem to elicit a range of experiences and perceptions from its users. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“I don’t tend to need support very often, which I guess is a good thing. The only thing that has been a bit frustrating is my US Bank credit card could never link to the Expensify account. That issue, though, was between Expensify and US Bank, so it was something they needed to work out. Ultimately, I stopped using that card entirely because it wasn’t working.”Program Manager in Product Management, Non-Profit Organization Management, 1-10 employees

“Their pricing model is very complicated and keeps changing; Their customer service has deteriorated in the past two years; Pushing other products, such as their credit card, on customers by preventing them from keeping their current plans unless they include and pay for the new service.”General Manager in Corporate, Marketing & Advertising, 1-10 employees

“Two of our big companies have company credit cards, and we are also managing one owner’s personal credit card, as well as all the employees’ expense reimbursements across all companies. It allows us to easily capture expenses, generate reports, review and approve various expenses using different policies. It has a simplified cloud-based interface.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Accounting, 11-50 employees

Corporate Card Reconciliation

Opinions among users regarding Expensify’s corporate card reconciliation feature are somewhat mixed. While some users appreciate the ease of syncing corporate credit card transactions with Expensify for streamlined reconciliation and receipt management, others express concerns about the platform’s scalability and integration with larger corporate systems. It seems that the effectiveness of Expensify’s corporate card reconciliation functionality may depend on the specific needs and scale of the organization utilizing the tool. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

“PROS: Sync with corporate credit card account so that every transaction appears in Expensify requiring receipts and job tags; Simple and organized use for employees via mobile app; ACH reimbursements”Account Manager in Finance and Accounting, Construction, 51-200 employees

“On our sales team, I’m not sure how we would operate or survive without having Expensify. I do not like the idea of having a corporate credit card so this is a perfect alternative. We’re always making little charges on our personal cards and then plugging those into Expensify right away.”Employee in Sales, Telecommunications, 201-500 employees

“We used Expensify for our expense management & corporate card platform until we found a better & more modern solution that was more cost-effective for my company and also provides a better customer experience than Expensify did for us.”C-Level Executive in Corporate, Financial Services, 11-50 employees

Workflow and Compliance

Approval Workflow

User feedback on Expensify’s approval workflow capabilities varies. While some users appreciate the ease of setting up approval flows tailored to individual employees, others have encountered challenges with the automated receipt processing feature. The multi-step approval process through managers and finance teams is generally seen as beneficial, although some users have reported occasional issues with the smartscan feature on mobile devices. Despite these mixed opinions, Expensify’s approval workflow functionality remains a key aspect of its expense management solution. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“The automated workflows get approval requests in front of the necessary people quickly. This also keeps the requested up-to-date on the status of a reimbursement.”Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 501-1000 employees

“Most of the time, the smartscan feature fails or freezes for a long period of time on mobile and I have to enter things manually. I can’t choose to submit my expenses to different people (only my manager), example if I incurred expenses from a different department head I can’t send to them for approval.”Manager in Marketing, Education Management, 51-200 employees

“The approval flows; The report exports.”Executive in Corporate, Information Technology & Services, 1-10 employees

Approval and Compliance

User consensus seems to be that Expensify’s approval and compliance capabilities are highly regarded by reviewers. The platform’s ability to enforce policies, specify rules for each category, and streamline the approval workflow has been praised consistently. Users appreciate the ease of use, mobile capture features, and the ability to set up multi-step approval processes tailored to different employees. While some minor issues like occasional SmartScan failures have been noted, overall, Expensify is seen as a reliable tool for ensuring compliance and facilitating efficient approval processes. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Expensify is used by our organization for expense report management, integrated with our accounting ERP system, Intacct. It allows our mostly remote team to submit expense reports paperlessly and makes approval and reimbursement very easy.”Manager in Finance and Accounting, Accounting, 51-200 employees

“It is being used across the whole organization to manage employee expenses and reimbursements. It solves the problem of expense approval workflow as well as the need for receipts to ensure proper accounting and bookkeeping.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Information Technology and Services, 51-200 employees

“Expensify is well suited for enforcing travel policies and travel budget guidelines. The process for approval is easy.”C-Level Executive in Corporate, Marketing and Advertising, 11-50 employees

Tools and Accessibility

Expense Tracking Apps

Users consistently laud Expensify’s expense tracking apps for their intuitive design and ease of use, particularly emphasizing the convenience of the mobile app for capturing and managing receipts. While some users mention minor issues with the desktop experience, the overall sentiment leans heavily towards the app’s effectiveness in simplifying expense tracking processes. The mobile app’s ability to streamline expense submission and reimbursement stands out as a key strength of Expensify, resonating positively with users who prioritize efficiency and convenience in managing their expenses. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“I love the ease of use of the app: you just have to take a picture of your invoice and the system will do the rest! In some situations, I have to select the expense category, but usually all fields are completed automatically.”Director in Professional Services, Building Materials, 1001-5000 employees

“Expensify is perfect for someone who is always on the road and want to log his invoices immediately. That way, if I lose my invoice, it is already in Expensify.”Director in Professional Services, Building Materials, 1001-5000 employees

“I was a previous user of ‘Webexpenses’ software which I found to be slow to use, the app on my phone would crash all of the time and the software was generally ‘glitchy’. So using Expensify is a dream in comparison.”Account Manager in Sales, Computer & Network Security, 1001-5000 employees

Mobile Accessibility

Reviewers consistently highlight the convenience and efficiency of Expensify’s mobile accessibility. Users appreciate the ease of capturing receipts on-the-go and the simplicity of submitting expenses directly from their mobile devices. The mobile app’s user-friendly interface and quick reimbursement process are frequently commended. Despite some minor issues like varying user experiences between the mobile and web platforms, overall, users find Expensify’s mobile accessibility to be a valuable asset in managing their expenses effectively. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“As a sales person, I travel a good part of the year and meet with customers frequently. Expensify is used by my company and is extremely easy for me to submit my expenses immediately. I use my mobile to snap a photo of the receipt and within minutes I can submit that expense for reimbursement.”Employee in Sales, Hospitality, 11-50 employees

“The mobile app is super straightforward and easy to use. No need to keep a pile of receipts anymore. You can take a picture of it on the fly.”Director in Marketing, Marketing & Advertising, 51-200 employees

“CONS: The mobile app and web app don’t have the same UX.”Employee in Human Resources, E-Learning, 51-200 employees

User-Friendly Interface

Reviewers have expressed mixed feelings about Expensify’s user-friendly interface. While some users find it intuitive and easy to navigate, others have encountered issues with certain functions like receipt scanning and account management. The general consensus seems to be that Expensify offers a decent user experience, but there are areas that could be improved to enhance overall usability. Additionally, the mobile app appears to provide a more user-friendly experience compared to the desktop version. Despite some challenges, users appreciate features like picture receipts and quick approval processes that contribute to a smoother expense management workflow. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“User-friendly; Nice design.”Employee in Sales, Industrial Automation, 11-50 employees

“Expensify is user-friendly while also offering critical advanced features like SmartScan.”Manager in Human Resources, Internet, 201-500 employees

“It’s not super user-friendly though and there aren’t a lot of in-app tips that are customizable to ensure end users are using the platform correctly.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Information Technology and Services, 51-200 employees

Efficiency and Savings

Time and Cost Saving Features

Users consistently highlight Expensify’s time and cost-saving features as key strengths of the platform. They appreciate how the system streamlines the expense submission process, saving them significant amounts of time. The efficiency of Expensify in automating expense reporting and simplifying reimbursement procedures is a common theme among user reviews. Additionally, users mention that the platform’s ability to save time on submitting receipts and accelerating the reimbursement process adds value to their overall experience. The consensus is that Expensify’s time and cost-saving features contribute positively to users’ productivity and financial management. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Saves me dozens of hours at end-of-year for organizing write-offs; Creates detailed and professional-looking reports when billing clients for travel and other expenses; Saved me 100’s of hours of expense consolidation over years of corporate travel.”C-Level Executive in Professional Services, Information Services, 1-10 employees

“It saves so much time; The report is straightforward and all the expenses are easy to identify. There is a list of expense, summary of receipts and receipts.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Accounting, 11-50 employees

“I was not part of the purchasing group/decision-maker. Not sure what the cost of the platform is. What I can say, is it saves time for me to submit expenses this way than in email threads. In that sense, you’re saving money on workers/working hours.”Contributor in Sales, Marketing and Advertising, 51-200 employees

Manual Entry Reduction

Users consistently praise Expensify for its automatic receipt scanning feature, which significantly reduces the need for manual entry. The system’s ability to pre-populate important fields and categorize expenses accurately has been well-received by reviewers. While some users have reported occasional issues with the smart scan feature, overall, Expensify’s manual entry reduction capabilities are seen as a strong asset by the majority of users. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“I love the ease of use of the app: you just have to take a picture of your invoice and the system will do the rest! In some situations, I have to select the expense category, but usually all fields are completed automatically.”Director in Professional Services, Building Materials, 1001-5000 employees

“CONS: Smart scan fails too often.; It would be great if there was a REQUIRED date of purchase AI recognition.”Employee in Finance and Accounting, Computer Software, 51-200 employees

“The receipt reader that allows users to take a picture, and the data is extracted into Expensify.”Executive in Sales, Information Technology and Services, 51-200 employees

About the Author

TrustRadius Insights
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