Managing accounts payable used to mean manual data entry, scattered approvals, and a lot of room for human error.
Today, fintech platforms have fundamentally changed that reality. Modern AP tools standardize workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and give finance teams better visibility into cash outflows, all while scaling alongside growing companies.
For tech companies in particular, these platforms can remove friction from day-to-day operations and free up time for higher-value financial work. If you’re building or refining your AP process, choosing the right platform is an important first step.
Choosing the Right AP Platform for Your Company
Fortunately, managing payables has gotten a lot easier in recent years. Across the tech industry, we’ve seen AP get standardized thanks to a handful of financial technology (fintech) platforms. Because these platforms offer built-in processes and automate a lot of the work, they’re a major boon to our team of CPAs and our clients.
We highly recommend companies at any stage consider establishing their AP processes on one of these platforms. Doing so earlier in your company’s life means you have less data to migrate over later, preventing duplicate entries and losses that can gum up the works.
If you haven’t yet selected an AP platform for your company, we’d like to introduce you to a few options we recommend today.
BILL
BILL is the clear market leader right now. It’s a publicly traded and well-trusted company.
BILL applies a streamlined four-step approach to AP processes within its platform:
-
- Capture: BILL uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology, which means it can scan invoices, bills, etc., and turn them into text data that feeds into the platform’s AP system, minimizing manual entry.
- Approve: Its integrated approval workflows can be tailored to your company’s rules.
- Pay: To pay an approved expense, payment options within BILL include ACH, credit card, check, and international wire.
- Sync: BILL is an agnostic platform, meaning it can sync across accounting software like QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, and Sage.
We also want to mention one big benefit of BILL: its large network.
As the industry leader, a lot of companies are already set up in their system. If you start working with a new vendor who’s already in the BILL network, you won’t need to wait for them to enter payment details (or task a team member with managing any of that). The platform connects you with their payment information so you can quickly and easily remit the payable.
Ramp
Ramp says its AI powered platform helps companies handle 10 times as many invoices with the same headcount. That AI backing paired with OCR technology gives you a way to automate data entry from invoices. It also supports automated payment for recurring bills and batch payments.
The company offers customizable approval workflows, complete with alerts for potential problems, too. And it has integrations with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage, Xero, and more. As a fraud prevention measure, Ramp also lets you customize user roles and access.
Within Ramp, you can make payments via check, credit card, ACH, or international wire – all with no fees save for some same-day ACH and international payments.
It’s also worth noting that Ramp has a free tier of AP functionality.
Brex
Brex aims to help companies speed month-end close, reduce manual workflows, and boost AP controls. It can automatically match purchase orders to invoices and direct invoices to the right person for approval. What’s more, its machine learning tools can even help you identify opportunities for discounts with your vendors.
This AP tool gives companies a way to make both one-time and recurring payments via ACH, card, or wire – with funding coming from either a Brex account or an external one. Right now, Brex supports payment in more than 50 countries.
And like the other options we’ve mentioned, Brex syncs with commonly used accounting software providers like QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and Sage. In fact, its NetSuite integration is award-winning.
Brex offers an “Essentials” pricing option that includes bill pay functionality for $0 a month.
Rho
On the surface, Rho might look like it has the least to offer since it primarily focuses on bill pay, not on full-scale AP process (e.g., vendor management, liability tracking). But it handles the bill pay portion of the process well.
Last year, Rho rolled out its One-Click AP product, which “starts by capturing bill data sourced from invoices or your ERP, then schedules thousands of corresponding payments using supported payment methods (ACH, card, checks, and wires) in seconds.” Along the way, the AP process is guided by multi-level approval routing process controls.
Today, teams working with Rho can get invoices paid by simply forwarding the invoice to their Rho inbox, where it’s analyzed by OCR technology. The platform routes it to the right people for approval, then sends fee-free payments, including same-day ACH transfers.
Staying in lockstep with its competitors, Rho integrates with Sage, Xero, NetSuite, QuickBooks, and more.
Notably, Rho doesn’t charge any subscription fees for access to its full suite of features.
Shay CPA partners with all these platforms, and our team is trained to understand the use of these platforms in your AP process.
Technology Is Only as Strong as the Process Behind It
AP platforms can dramatically improve efficiency, visibility, and control—but they’re most effective when paired with thoughtful processes and proper setup. The right tool depends on your company’s size, complexity, transaction volume, and internal resources. And as your business grows, your AP needs will evolve along with it.
Our team works closely with tech companies to implement and manage AP workflows across platforms like BILL, Ramp, Brex, and Rho. From selecting the right tool to configuring approvals, syncing with your accounting system, and ensuring expenses are recorded correctly, we help make sure your AP process supports—not slows down—your growth.
If you’re evaluating AP platforms or want help optimizing how you use your current one, get in touch with our team to see how we can support your accounts payable operations.
Disclaimer:
The content provided on this blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional accounting, tax, or legal advice. Reading or accessing this material does not create a CPA-client relationship, nor should it be construed as a substitute for individualized guidance from a qualified professional. While we strive for accuracy, Shay CPA PC makes no warranties—express or implied—about the completeness, reliability, or timeliness of the information, and we expressly disclaim liability for any errors or omissions. You should not act or refrain from acting based on any blog content without seeking the advice of a qualified CPA or other professional who can address your specific circumstances. Links to external resources are provided for convenience only and do not imply endorsement. Shay CPA PC is under no obligation to update this content and disclaims responsibility for decisions made in reliance on it.