Strategically Plan With BILL Insights and Forecasting

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Strategically plan for tomorrow—today with BILL Insights & Forecasting

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Helping you maximize business potential SMBs want clarity, control, and confidence Why this matters

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By Irana Wasti, Chief Product Officer at BILL

At BILL, innovation is at our core. We build for you—our customers—so you can keep building momentum, achieving your goals, and focusing on your business. Our scale and experience positions us to continue to redefine how small and midsize businesses (SMBs) everywhere automate their financial operations. We are continually expanding the breadth and depth of our solutions.

In my role, I have the opportunity to speak to many of our customers. I’ve also dedicated my career to serving SMBs. Through these many conversations, I’ve come to understand that running a business is both incredibly rewarding, but also challenging. You need and deserve, technology, insights, and data to help your business grow. Which is why we want to show you more great capabilities from BILL to help you manage and optimize your cash flow.

We are excited to announce BILL Insights & BILL Cash Flow Forecasting: our latest addition to the BILL Financial Operations Platform.

Helping you maximize business potential

Our new cash flow forecasting and insights tools are designed to empower SMBs and their accountants to better predict future cash flow, understand trends and opportunities, and make better business decisions, faster.

With these new capabilities, BILL delivers the most comprehensive financial operations platform enabling SMBs to optimize, manage, and forecast cash flow within a single platform. SMBs will be able to access a fully customized dashboard offering a visual guide to your financial trends as well as data-driven modeling to help plan future cash flow.

This is a game changer. Your BILL Financial Operations Platform already includes category-leading AP, AR, spend and expense management solutions. But when we look at what it takes to run a business, it’s so much more than paying bills or managing spend. You need forecasting and insights capabilities that are actionable to help you make informed and strategic decisions—whether those are decisions around capital allocation, expanding your product or service offering, raising prices, or hiring.

SMBs want clarity, control, and confidence

Even though making the right decisions is essential for future success, when I speak to SMBs, they consistently tell me they are operating without the depth of information guiding those decisions. According to recent research that BILL conducted in December 2023, among 750 SMB financial decision-makers in the U.S., only 38% of SMBs are using dedicated financial planning and analysis software when managing their financial operations. At BILL, we want to change that for the better, so we can help even more SMBs benefit from these mission-critical tools.

The average SMB uses more than seven software solutions to manage their business. That’s a lot to juggle, but it doesn’t have to be so complicated. You deserve smarter, simpler, and more integrated solutions for all of your financial operations.

Why this matters

You’re already crushing it—but it’s a competitive world out there. There are 33 million SMBs in the US, and they all want to perform at their very best. In order to stand out, you need the best strategy. You need to know that the choices you make are based on more than your gut—they rely on timely cash flow visibility.

We don’t want business leaders guessing about their future—we want to empower you with timely, accurate, actionable data and insights. We’re putting the future in your hands.

Businesses are looking for more powerful and integrated solutions to manage more of their cash flow. BILL has listened, and delivered.

A look at BILL Cash Flow Forecasting dashboard

‍

BILL's new Payables Insights dashboard

BILL Insights and BILL Cash Flow Forecasting are currently available to select SMB and accountant customers of BILL and will become more widely available in calendar Q1 2024.

Author

The BILL Team

At BILL, we supercharge the businesses that drive our economy with innovative financial tools that help them make big moves. Our vision-driven team makes a real impact on growing businesses. We operate with purpose and curiosity—because that’s what drives innovation.

Author

The BILL Team

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Frequently asked questions

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The information provided on this page does not, and is not intended to constitute legal or financial advice and is for general informational purposes only. The content is provided "as-is"; no representations are made that the content is error free.

Software Comparison

BILL Spend & Expense

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Best for AI expense automation

4.5 on G2

Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

BILL Spend & Expense pairs corporate cards with AI-powered expense management and budget controls in a single platform at no cost—teams aren't paying per user or upgrading to unlock features that competitors gate behind paid tiers.

Merchant-level spend controls and auto-freeze on incomplete transactions give admins granular oversight without manual policing, and two-way ERP integrations are included free where Ramp and Brex charge for NetSuite and Sage Intacct access. The main trade-off is an initial 12-month rewards holding period before accumulated points can be redeemed. [1][2][3][4]

Commonly compared to: Ramp and Brex (for card-first expense management), and SAP Concur (for enterprise expense programs).

Pricing

$0/user/month with no annual fee

Integrations

Two-way sync with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, and Microsoft

Ideal company size

SMB to mid-market

SAP Concur

Best for large enterprises

4 on G2

Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

SAP Concur is the incumbent in expense management software, with the largest partner ecosystem and broadest global footprint on this list. Its modular approach gives large organizations flexibility to start with expense management and layer on travel or invoice capabilities independently.

The trade-off is complexity—pricing is opaque, there's no corporate card offering, and smaller teams may find the platform more than they need. Organizations already in the SAP ecosystem will get the most value from native S/4HANA integration. [6][7][8]

Commonly compared to: BILL (for SMB expense management), and Coupa (for enterprise spend management).

Pricing

Quote-based

Integrations

QuickBooks, Xero, Sage,TSheets, Gusto, & most business credit cards.

Ideal Company Size

Mid-market to enterprise

Ramp

Best for a broad spend platform

4.8 on G2

Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Ramp's strength is breadth—it's not just an expense tool but a full spend management platform that includes AP automation, procurement, and vendor management alongside expenses. The AI policy agent is a differentiator, reviewing every transaction against company rules rather than relying on manual manager approvals.

The trade-off is that several features mid-market teams rely on—budget tracking, ERP integrations beyond QuickBooks and Xero, and HRIS syncs—require upgrading to Ramp Plus at $15/user/month plus a platform fee. [9][11]

Commonly compared to: Brex and BILL (for corporate cards and expense management), and SAP Concur (for enterprise expense programs).

Pricing

$0/user/month

Integrations

QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, Sage Intacct, Slack, & 100+ accounting tools.

Ideal Company Size

Startups to mid-market

Brex

Best for global teams

4.8 on G2

Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Brex positions itself as a full financial stack for startups—cards, expenses, banking, and treasury in one platform. The AI expense reviews and 99% average compliance rate (per Brex's internal metrics) are notable, and the global reimbursement coverage across 70+ countries is broader than most competitors on this list.

Like Ramp, Brex gates budget management and HRIS integrations behind a paid tier, and credit limits fluctuate daily based on your bank balance. Teams that need predictable spending power or are past the startup stage may find the pricing structure adds up. [13][14][15]

Commonly compared to: Ramp and BILL (for corporate cards and expense management), and SAP Concur (for enterprise expense programs).

Pricing

$0/user/month

Integrations

NetSuite, QuickBooks, Workday,SAP Concur, Slack, & global banking portals.

Ideal Company Size

Startups to mid-market

Expensify

Best for simple reimbursements

4.5 on G2

Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Expensify's strength is accessibility—it has the lowest barrier to entry for teams that just need to start tracking expenses and submitting receipts. The bring-your-own-card support from 10,000+ banks means companies don't have to switch card providers, and the SmartScan receipt capture (by photo, email, or text) is one of the more flexible input methods on this list.

The trade-off is that several features mid-market teams expect—budget management, advanced approvals, and expense policies—require upgrading to the Collect or Control plans, and spend controls are primarily limited to the Expensify Card rather than extending across all connected cards. [17][18]

Commonly compared to: Zoho Expense (for budget-friendly expense management), and BILL and Ramp (for integrated cards and expenses).

Pricing

From $5/user/month

Integrations

QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, TSheets, Gusto, & most business credit cards.

Ideal Company Size

Small to mid-market

Zoho Expense

Best for budget-conscious teams

4.5 on G2

Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Zoho Expense offers unusually deep customization at a low price point—custom modules, workflow automation, webhooks, and configurable UI elements that most competitors don't expose. The active-user pricing model is genuinely cost-effective for companies where only a portion of employees submit expenses regularly.

The trade-off is that there's no corporate card offering—you'll need to connect your existing cards—and the platform delivers its deepest value when used alongside other Zoho products like Zoho Books and Zoho People. [19][20][21]

Commonly compared to: Expensify (for budget-friendly expense management), and SAP Concur (for global compliance and customization).

Pricing

Free (3 users); from $4/user/month

Integrations

Zoho Books, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics, & Google Workspace.

Ideal Company Size

Small to mid-market

Software Comparison

BILL Accounts Payable

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Best for AI-powered automation

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Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

BILL's strength in AP automation is its combination of AI agents and network scale. The platform has processed over 1.3 billion documents and stopped 8 million fraud attempts, with AI agents that autonomously handle invoice coding, W-9 collection, and transaction reconciliation—not just data extraction. [3][4] The 93% ease-of-use rating and two-week time-to-value make it accessible without a lengthy implementation, and benefits extend beyond AP with accounts receivable available on the same platform. [1][2]

Commonly compared to: Ramp and Tipalti (for mid-market AP automation).

Pricing

$49/user/month [2]

Integrations

Two-way sync with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Enterprise, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Microsoft Dynamics, plus custom file integration and API access [1][2]

Ideal company size

SMB to enterprise

Ramp

Best for essential AP automation

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Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Ramp's reported free tier covers basic AP automation—OCR capture, approval workflows, and multiple payment methods with no base software cost, though per-transaction fees apply. The trade-off is that Ramp reports several features mid-market teams typically need—AI auto-coding, ERP integrations beyond QuickBooks and Xero, and multi-entity support—to require upgrading to Ramp Plus at $15/user/month plus a platform fee. Ramp's advertised feature package is strongest when used as a unified platform across AP, cards, and expenses rather than as a standalone AP tool. [7][8][9]

Commonly compared to: BILL and Tipalti (for mid-market AP automation).

Pricing

$0/user/month [8]

Integrations

Free tier: QuickBooks and Xero. Plus adds Oracle NetSuite and Sage Intacct. Enterprise adds Workday and Oracle Fusion Cloud. [8]

Ideal Company Size

Startups to mid-market

Tipalti

Best for global payables

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Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Tipalti reports a strong feature listis the strongest option on this list for businesses with significant international payment needs. The combination of 200+ countries, 120 currencies, and a supplier portal in 27 languages as listed on its website will be attractive tomakes it purpose-built for global AP operations in a way that general-purpose AP tools are not. Customers profiled on the site report up to 80% reduction in AP workflow time. [10] The trade-off is complexity and cost—according to Tipalti's materials, the full global feature set requires the Advanced plan at $199/month or higher, and there is no listed free tier to start with.

Commonly compared to: BILL and Stampli (for mid-market AP), and Coupa (for enterprise procurement).

Pricing

$99/month [11]

Integrations

Native integrations with Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and QuickBooks; custom ERP integrations available via Professional Services on the Elevate tier [10][11]

Ideal Company Size

Mid-market to enterprise

Stampli

Best for deep ERP integration

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Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Stampli's reported in-house ERP integrations and the ability for teams to discuss and resolve invoice questions directly on the document appear to beare genuine differentiators for organizations with complex approval workflows. The listed 86% automation rate is strong, though the Cognitive AI tier is stated to require an upgrade—and the lack of published pricing means teams will need a sales conversation to evaluate cost. [13][14][15]

Commonly compared to: BILL and Tipalti (for mid-market AP automation).

Pricing

Quote-based [14]

Integrations

In-house integrations with SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite, and Acumatica—verified as a Sage Recommended Solution and Built for NetSuite provider [13]

Ideal Company Size

Mid-market to enterprise

Melio

Best for simple bill pay

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Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Melio appears to be the most accessible option on this list for small businesses that just need to pay bills. The reported card-to-ACH conversion feature lets businesses earn credit card rewards on vendor payments even when vendors don't accept cards, while deferring payment to the next billing cycle for cash flow flexibility. [16] (BILL does this too with BILL Pay By Card.) The trade-off is depth: Melio seems to lacklacks AI invoice coding, PO matching, and ERP integrations that growing businesses typically need, which may require migrating to a more capable platform as AP volume increases. [16][17]

Commonly compared to: BILL and Ramp (for small business AP).

Pricing

$0/month [17]

Integrations

QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop (Boost plan and above), Xero, and Amazon Business, with automatic two-way sync [16]

Ideal Company Size

Small businesses

Yooz

Best for per-document pricing

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Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Yooz reports a pricing model that's unique on this list: per-document rather than per-user. For organizations with large AP teams processing high invoice volumes, this could be more cost-effective than per-seat licensing—especially since unlimited users seem to be included. The AI-powered self-learning capabilities listed on the site say that they improve accuracy over time, and 250+ listed integrations make it compatible with most accounting environments. [18][19] The platform claims to increase productivity by 80%. [18][20]

Commonly compared to: BILL and Stampli (for mid-market AP automation).

Pricing

$1.99/document [19]

Integrations

250+ ERP and financial system integrations including Sage Intacct, Oracle NetSuite, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Acumatica, and CDK [18]

Ideal Company Size

SMB to enterprise

Software Comparison

BILL Spend & Expense

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Integrated travel and expense management

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Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

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BILL Spend & Expense is not a traditional credit card—it is an AI-powered expense management platform with a card attached. The rewards rates (up to 7x on restaurants, 5x on hotels) are competitive with premium travel cards, but the real differentiator is the built-in budgeting, approval workflows, and accounting integrations that come at no additional cost. [1][3]

Commonly compared to: Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, Capital One Venture X Business, and The Business Platinum Card from American Express (for general travel cards).

Pricing

$0/month

Rewards

Up to 7x rewards, budget controls, AI expense tracking, free employee cards

Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business

Best for flexible travel rewards with strong travel protections

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Features Pros & cons Rationale

Pros

Cons

Software Comparison\




BILL Spend & Expense with BILL Travel

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Best for automating travel booking

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Features Pros & cons Rationale
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