Accounts payable software helps you keep track of the debts your company owes, such as unpaid bills, and when payments are due — a key component of successfully managing accounts payable and your business in general. The best accounts payable software options automate the otherwise manual process and include timesaving features, like invoice scanning and accounting software integration.
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Here are NerdWallet’s picks for accounts payable software for small businesses.
Best Accounts Payable Software Solutions
Product | Best for▼ | Starting at▼ | Promotion | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|
QuickBooks Online Learn more on QuickBooks Online's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for All-in-one solution | $30/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60, $90, $200. | 50% off for first three months or free 30-day trial. | Learn more on QuickBooks Online's secure website |
Xero Learn more on Xero's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for All-in-one solution | $15/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on Xero's secure website |
FreshBooks Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for All-in-one solution | $19/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website |
Sage Intacct Learn more on Sage Intacct's secure website | Best for All-in-one solution | N/A Quote-based. | N/A | Learn more on Sage Intacct's secure website |
Stampli | Best for Accounts payable automation software | N/A Quote-based. | N/A | |
Lightyear | Best for Businesses with high bill and purchase order volume | $149/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $399, $699. | 30-day free trial | |
Bill.com | Best for Low-cost, high-value accounts payable software | $45/month Per user. Additional pricing tiers (per user, per month): $55, $79, custom. | N/A | |
AvidXchange | Best for Industry-specific accounts payable software features | N/A Quote-based. | N/A | |
Tipalti | Best for Customer support | $129/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): custom. | N/A | |
Airbase | Best for Multicurrency bill pay | N/A Quote-based. | N/A |
Our picks for
All-in-one solution
If you prefer an all-in-one software solution that can handle your accounting needs along with your accounts payable, or bill paying, requirements — without needing to consider which software integrates well — then one of these accounting mainstays may do the job for you. QuickBooks Online and FreshBooks require you to purchase one of the higher-tier plans to access the accounts payable features, while Xero’s cheapest plan limits you to only five bills per month. Sage Intacct cloud software pricing is quote-based, and the product is geared toward larger organizations seeking a full enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.
QuickBooks Online
5.0
NerdWallet rating
on QuickBooks Online's secure website
Starting at
$30/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60, $90, $200.
Promotion
50% off
for first three months or free 30-day trial.
QuickBooks Online is an industry leader in the accounting field, thanks to its strong feature set, scalability and ability to accommodate small businesses with more complex financial needs. With millions of users worldwide, your accountant will likely be familiar with it.
Read full review
Pros
- Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
- More than 750 app integrations, including live, in-house bookkeeping.
- Robust feature set includes thorough record-keeping, comprehensive reporting, excellent invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
- Daily phone support and 24/7 chat support in all plans.
Cons
- Expensive compared with the competition.
- Limited account users with each plan.
Read full review
Xero
5.0
NerdWallet rating
on Xero's secure website
Starting at
$15/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
Xero allows unlimited users at every subscription tier, a valuable feature for businesses where several users may need at least limited access to the system to run reports or analyze performance. In terms of functionality and features, Xero is one of QuickBooks Online’s biggest competitors and has a more customizable dashboard that lets each user rearrange or hide panels.
Read full review
Pros
- Unlimited users in all pricing plans.
- Integrates with more than 1,000 third-party apps.
- Feature set includes an excellent mobile app and suite of reports, capable invoicing features, plus automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.
- Simple layout and easy to use.
Cons
- No phone number for customer support listed.
- Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
Read full review
FreshBooks
4.5
NerdWallet rating
on FreshBooks' secure website
Starting at
$19/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
FreshBooks is a simple and affordable option for freelancers and very small businesses that don’t require many users and prioritize being able to operate on the go via mobile app. It’s an especially inexpensive choice for those who can work within lower-tier plans’ billable client limits, and all plans include time tracking.
Read full review
Pros
- Stay in touch with clients through the FreshBooks mobile app and get notified when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
- Track time and add billable hours to invoices in all plans.
- Weekday phone support in all plans.
Cons
- Lacks features that quickly growing companies need, like audit trails for accountants to review.
- Highest-tier Select plan only comes with two users (additional users add $11 per month) and lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
- Least expensive plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.
Read full review
Sage Intacct
on Sage Intacct's secure website
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
Sage Intacct is cloud-based accounting software that can be tailored to fit businesses in a variety of industries, including the nonprofit sector, hospitality, construction and a number of others. It includes more automation features, like automated revenue recognition and bill entry, than some of its competitors and is tailored to organizations that plan to expand.Read full review
Pros
- Automation features streamline financial processes.
- Customizable reports and dashboard enhance business insights.
- Consolidates many functions, like billing, invoicing, cash flow management payroll and HR, within a single product.
Cons
- Quote-based pricing makes it difficult to compare with competitors.
- Not suitable for small businesses that don’t plan to grow.
Read full review
Our pick for
Accounts payable automation software
Take advantage of the benefits that accounts payable automation software can offer your business by replacing time-consuming, manual processes with paperless, automated workflows. Stampli’s automation software for bill payment enables you and your team to focus on more business-critical tasks and ensures your bills get paid quickly and accurately.
Stampli
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
Stampli uses a bot to automate and streamline various tasks, such as manage approval identifications, alert you to duplicate invoices and even autopopulate fields with certain accounting codes. It integrates with several different accounting packages, including QuickBooks, Sage Intacct and Oracle NetSuite.
Pros
- Dedicated communication channel for invoices consolidates all activity related to each invoice for easy record-keeping.
- Bot alerts you to duplicate invoices.
- Audit and reporting tools.
- Mobile app available.
Cons
- Lack of pricing transparency.
Our pick for
Businesses with high bill and purchase order volume
Due to Lightyear’s unique pricing structure — pay a monthly fee to purchase credits, which are then exchanged on a 1:1 basis for each bill, statement or purchase order — which rewards higher-volumes of purchasing and bill paying with discounted credits, this software is a better fit for businesses that process a large number of purchase orders and bills each month.
Lightyear
Starting at
$149/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $399, $699.
Promotion
30-day free trial
Lightyear’s software can read invoices, extract line-item data from them, send invoices off for approval from the appropriate people and automatically assign accounting codes to the data. The product integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, Oracle NetSuite and more.
Pros
- Unlimited number of users.
- Live support.
- Mobile app, available for iOS and Android.
- Free trial.
Cons
- Price can be a deterrent for smaller businesses.
- Requires upgrade to handle purchase orders.
- Least expensive package only processes 125 bills or statements per month.
Our pick for
Low-cost, high-value accounts payable software
Bill.com’s pricing tiers come in on the lower end, compared with others on this list. Even bundling its accounts payable and accounts receivable software comes in at a reasonable price point and will fetch you tools for bill and invoice management along with automated syncs with your accounting software.
Bill.com
Starting at
$45/month
Per user. Additional pricing tiers (per user, per month): $55, $79, custom.
Promotion
N/A
Bill.com is a user-friendly platform with competitive pricing, especially for small businesses that don’t need an enterprise-level solution. With Bill.com, you have access to the essential features you need to streamline accounts receivable and accounts payable. It integrates with QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite, Xero and Sage.
Pros
- Plan options available that bundle receivable and payable software.
- Customize approval workflows for paying bills.
- Accept multiple payment methods from customers (ACH, card, check); sync received payments directly with your accounting software.
- Customer support available via live chat or call-back request.
- Mobile app available.
Cons
- Least-expensive plan includes manual integration only with accounting software.
Our pick for
Industry-specific accounts payable software features
AvidXchange is one among many on the market offering accounts payable automation software. It stands out, however, for its features tailored to a variety of industries, including real estate, healthcare, technology, financial services and construction.
AvidXchange
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
AvidXchange has automated invoice, purchase order and bill payment software that integrates with more than 225 accounting programs, making it more useful for small businesses that use something other than QuickBooks. The company offers live customer support by chat and phone.
Pros
- Integrates with many accounting software packages.
- Live support.
- Offers tool for advanced analytics and business insights.
Cons
- Lack of pricing transparency.
- No mobile app.
- No free trial.
Our pick for
Customer support
Although several providers on this list offer live customer support, Tipalti stands out for its multichannel customer support. You can reach the team seven days a week by phone and email and on weekdays by chat. The company advertises its fast response time and high satisfaction rating for the support team.
Tipalti
Starting at
$129/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): custom.
Promotion
N/A
Tipalti matches purchase orders with invoices and receipts and automates vendor communications. All products on this list include optical character recognition for automatically scanning invoices, but Tipalti also features machine learning that helps it perform better over time. The company is highly regarded for its responsive live support and the software integrates with Sage, QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite and Xero.
Pros
- Automated purchase order matching.
- Live support by phone, email and chat.
- Includes machine learning technology for assigning accounting codes and approval routes.
Cons
- No mobile app for accounts payable.
- No free trial.
Our pick for
Multicurrency bill pay
With the ability to pay bills in more than 145 currencies across more than 200 countries, Airbase is a strong accounts payable software solution for businesses with international vendors.
Airbase
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
Like most of its competitors, Airbase uses OCR technology to scan invoices and extract the data you need to move the process along. The mobile app makes it easier for busy business owners to get things done on the go. If you make a lot of payments to overseas vendors, Airbase’s foreign currency support might be especially attractive. It integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, Oracle NetSuite and Sage Intacct.
Pros
- Self-service vendor portal.
- Automated purchase order matching.
- Mobile app.
Cons
- Email and ticket support only.
- Lack of pricing transparency.
What is accounts payable software?
Accounts payable software helps your business manage its accounts payable — debts your company owes and will pay at a later date — and streamline the accounts payable process, which typically includes the following steps:
Receive bills from vendors and/or creditors.
Transfer important data from each bill to your accounting system.
Confirm the bill amount is correct and whether it requires specific approval before payment is sent.
Generate and send a payment for each bill.
Record that each bill is paid.
Until they’re paid, accounts payable will show up as liabilities on your balance sheet, a document that conveys your business’s financial health at a particular point in time. In addition to helping ensure your bills are paid on time and that all important details are shared with your accounting software, accounts payable software can also run reports that show how much your business owes and when. Other features may include the ability to create purchase orders, build approval workflows and schedule payments.
» MORE: How to calculate your accounts payable turnover ratio
Benefits of using accounts payable software
Accounts payable software, whether it’s a standalone product or built into your larger accounting system, enables your business to better manage cash flow and keep tabs on its debts. Here are some of the major advantages:
Avoid unexpectedly running out of cash. Keeping track of what invoices are outstanding helps you understand how much cash you’re going to need and when, so you can keep your business running smoothly.
Get discounts. Many vendors offer discounts for paying early or charge fees for paying late. Good AP software will help you make the most of those deadlines so you don’t throw money away.
Avoid having to hire extra people. It can take a lot of time to manually key in data from bills, generate payments and make journal entries, which can mean hiring more people if there’s no technology or systems to speed up the work.
Prevent errors. Accounts payable software can help detect whether you’ve already paid a bill and confirm whether the bill amount is correct.
» MORE: How online invoicing works
How to choose accounts payable software
Ask yourself these questions to help determine what accounts payable software is right for you.
How much does it cost?
Accounts payable software providers often have multiple plans at varying price points. While the cheapest base plan may work for your business now, consider how you want to grow in the future. Increasing your purchasing base or staffing levels might place you into a more expensive plan in the future. Plus, some important features might actually be add-ons with additional fees.
You’ll also want to consider how AP software factors into your overall business software costs, which can include separate programs for accounting, payroll, inventory and more. Make sure you’re not unnecessarily paying for features you may already be receiving from another software program.
Is it scalable?
Make sure to think about the future, not just the present. Many accounts payable packages set prices based on how many users or bills you have; business growth could mean rising costs. Look for software that supports the business you plan to run in a year without requiring you to leap up to a much higher pricing tier.
Is it easy to use for you and your clients?
Some accounts payable software providers offer free trials to potential customers. Take advantage of these to make sure you understand how to use the features you need. Choose accounts payable software that accommodates your vendors, especially if you have international business and need to support multiple currencies. If the vendors will interact with your accounts payable software (perhaps when they remit invoices, for example), take time to test the software from the vendor’s end, too.
Does it integrate with your accounting software?
Your existing accounting software may have all the accounts payable firepower you want. But if it doesn’t, look for an option that offers a built-in integration with your existing accounting software.
» MORE: Best accounts receivable software