Airbase Reviews: 4.8/5 — Highly Rated
Airbase is a modern finance and expense management platform that automates and streamlines financial processes. It offers a suite of features that include virtual cards, spend management, and real-time expense tracking. Additionally, Airbase integrates with various other business tools such as payroll, accounting, and invoicing systems, making it a one-stop-shop for all finance needs.
| Capabilities |
API
|
|---|---|
| Segment |
Small Business
Mid Market
Enterprise
|
| Deployment | Cloud / SaaS / Web-Based, Mobile Android, Mobile iPad, Mobile iPhone |
| Training | Documentation |
| Languages | English |
Airbase is now Airbase by Paylocity, and airbase.com/pricing redirects to Paylocity’s pricing page. Paylocity completed the $325 million acquisition on 1 October 2024, and the product has been absorbed into its HCM platform. That single fact matters more than any feature comparison, because virtually every review you will find describes a standalone company that no longer sells to you on its own terms.
- What it is: A spend management platform covering corporate cards, bill pay, expense management, and procurement, now part of Paylocity.
- Best for: Mid-market companies that also want Paylocity’s payroll and HR, so spend and payroll sit on one platform.
- Pricing: No longer published separately. Airbase’s pricing page now serves Paylocity’s, which is quote-only via a demo request form.
- The honest catch: Older reviews, comparisons, and pricing guides describe pre-acquisition Airbase and should not be relied on.
What Happened to Airbase
Paylocity announced its agreement to acquire Airbase on 4 September 2024 and completed the deal on 1 October 2024 for approximately $325 million, funded through its revolving credit facility. Both companies confirmed the completion publicly.
The strategic logic was explicit: Paylocity sells HR and payroll, Airbase sold spend management, and the combination lets a company manage payroll and non-payroll spend on one platform. Paylocity described the goal as a single pane of glass across all company spending, with real-time visibility and a faster financial close.
The practical consequences for a buyer in 2026 are concrete. The airbase.com homepage now identifies the product as “Airbase by Paylocity”. The pricing page redirects to paylocity.com. And Paylocity does not publish prices — its pricing page is a demo request form asking for your employee count, job title, and business zip code.
The product has not been discontinued. But it is no longer a standalone purchase in the way it was, and the evaluation you run should be an evaluation of Paylocity.
What Airbase Does
The underlying capability is well regarded and was the reason for the acquisition price:
- Corporate cards with policy controls applied at the point of purchase.
- Bill pay and AP automation, which was Airbase’s strongest area and a genuine differentiator against card-first competitors.
- Expense management with receipt capture, coding, and reimbursement.
- Procurement and intake, covering purchase requests and approvals before spend happens.
- Approval workflows across all of the above, which is what distinguished it from simpler card products.
- Accounting integration for close automation.
That combination — cards plus AP plus procurement in one approval framework — is what mid-market finance teams valued, and it remains the substance of what Paylocity now sells under the Airbase name.
Airbase Pricing
There is no published Airbase pricing to report. Its pricing URL serves Paylocity’s page, which offers “Request Pricing with a Free Demo” and collects your details rather than displaying rates.
This is a meaningful downgrade in transparency for evaluation purposes. Pre-acquisition, Airbase published tiered plans. Now:
- Every price is quoted. You cannot compare Airbase against Ramp or Brex without a sales conversation, and both of those publish or offer free entry tiers.
- Pricing is likely bundled with Paylocity. The commercial logic of the acquisition is cross-selling into HCM customers, so quotes may be structured around the wider platform rather than spend management alone.
- Your negotiating position is weaker. With no list price and no comparable public figures, you have no anchor.
- Ask directly whether Airbase can be bought standalone, and on what terms, before investing time in a demo. That is the question the website no longer answers.
Who Should Use Airbase Now
- Existing Paylocity customers. The clearest case by a distance. If your payroll and HR already run on Paylocity, adding spend management on the same platform is exactly the integration the acquisition was built to deliver.
- Companies evaluating Paylocity anyway. Bundling spend management into that decision may produce a better commercial outcome than buying separately.
- Mid-market finance teams needing AP depth. Airbase’s bill pay and procurement capability genuinely exceeds what card-first competitors offer.
It fits poorly for companies that want spend management alone, where Ramp and Brex are simpler to buy and publish more; for startups, where both of those have free entry tiers; and for anyone unwilling to enter a sales process to learn a price.
Honest Pros and Cons
Strengths
- Genuinely strong AP and procurement. The deepest part of the product and the reason it commanded $325 million.
- Unified approval workflows. Cards, bills, and purchase requests under one policy framework.
- Now integrated with payroll. A real advantage if you run Paylocity, and the whole point of the deal.
- Backed by a larger company. Paylocity brings scale and stability a standalone spend startup could not.
- Mid-market fit. Built for companies with real finance processes rather than a founder with a card.
Limitations
- No published pricing at all. Quote-only through Paylocity’s demo form.
- No longer straightforward to buy standalone. The commercial model now points toward the HCM platform.
- Existing reviews are out of date. Almost everything written about Airbase predates the acquisition.
- Competitors are free at entry. Ramp and Brex both offer $0 tiers; Airbase does not.
- Integration is still settling. Product direction under new ownership takes time to become clear.
Airbase Alternatives and How It Compares
- Ramp is the leading independent alternative, free at entry, with strong AP capability and a savings-oriented positioning.
- Brex is free at entry too, though it was itself acquired by Capital One in April 2026 — worth knowing that both major alternatives now sit inside larger financial institutions.
- Bill.com focuses specifically on accounts payable, which was Airbase’s strongest area, and is often the closest functional match.
- SAP Concur is the enterprise incumbent for expense and travel, heavier and more expensive.
- Zoho Expense is dramatically cheaper for expense reporting alone, with published pricing.
- Rippling offers a comparable payroll-plus-spend combination if the unified platform is what appeals.
For a broader survey, browse our expense management directory.
The Verdict
Airbase was a good product and remains one, but in 2026 the question is not whether Airbase is worth buying — it is whether Paylocity is. The acquisition completed on 1 October 2024, the pricing page now belongs to Paylocity, and the commercial model has shifted from a standalone spend management purchase to a module within an HCM platform. Evaluate it on that basis and you will not be surprised later.
For existing Paylocity customers this is straightforwardly good news. Spend management on the same platform as payroll is a genuine operational advantage, the AP and procurement capability is stronger than most card-first competitors offer, and the integration is precisely what the $325 million was spent to achieve. If Paylocity already runs your payroll, this should be on your shortlist and may well win.
For everyone else, be deliberate. Ramp and Brex are both free at entry and considerably easier to evaluate, and Bill.com covers the AP strength that was Airbase’s best feature. The absence of any published pricing means you cannot compare without a sales process, which is a real cost in itself. Before booking a demo, ask directly whether Airbase can still be purchased standalone and on what terms — that is the question the website no longer answers, and the answer determines whether this is a shortlist candidate or a Paylocity upsell.
One practical caution that applies to research rather than the product: treat any Airbase review, comparison, or pricing guide that does not mention Paylocity as out of date. A great deal of what is published still describes the independent company and its former published plans, and none of that is what you would be buying.
FAQ
Was Airbase acquired?
Yes. Paylocity announced a definitive agreement on 4 September 2024 and completed the acquisition on 1 October 2024 for approximately $325 million, funded through its revolving credit facility. Both companies confirmed completion publicly. The product now trades as “Airbase by Paylocity” and its pricing page redirects to Paylocity’s website.
How much does Airbase cost?
There is no published price. Airbase’s pricing URL now serves Paylocity’s pricing page, which is a demo request form collecting your business email, employee count, and job title rather than displaying rates. Pre-acquisition Airbase published tiered plans, but those figures no longer reflect what is on offer, and any current cost has to be obtained through a sales conversation.
Is Airbase still available as a standalone product?
It has not been discontinued, and the capability still exists under the Airbase name. But the commercial model now runs through Paylocity, whose strategic rationale for the purchase was combining payroll and non-payroll spend on one platform. Whether a standalone purchase remains straightforward is a question worth asking Paylocity directly before beginning an evaluation.
What are the best alternatives to Airbase?
Ramp and Brex are the leading independent alternatives, both free at entry and much easier to evaluate without a sales process — though Brex was itself acquired by Capital One in April 2026. Bill.com is the closest match for Airbase’s accounts payable strength. Zoho Expense is far cheaper for expense reporting alone, and SAP Concur is the enterprise option.
Should I trust older Airbase reviews?
Treat them with caution. Most published reviews, comparisons, and pricing guides describe the independent company as it operated before October 2024, including plan structures and prices that no longer apply. If a review does not mention Paylocity, it predates the acquisition and does not describe what you would actually be buying today.
Compare Airbase with other popular tools in the same category.
Airbase is a great tool that helps automate and streamline company spending and consolidates 3 solutions into 1. The UI/UX is top-notch, and most importantly, it's straightforward for the user but is decisive for the finance teams. They continue to add features to the product, also providing monthly product updates that show all the latest features; I've been following Airbase for a while and am happy we can work with them. This tool is a lot more user-friendly & easy to manage than past tools I have used in the past.
I have not had a reason to dislike it thus far!
Spending Management /Expense reimbursement
Airbase is an extraordinary device that mechanizes and smooths out organization spending and unites 3 arrangements into 1. The UI/UX is first-rate, and in particular, it's direct for the client yet is unequivocal for the finance teams. They keep on adding new updates, features, and improvements, likewise giving month-to-month product refreshes that show every one of the most recent elements. I've been following Airbase for some time and am blissful we can work with them. This device is much easier to use and simple to oversee than any other product I have utilized before. Airbase also has been a hot topic in the press and has won several awards for its great product and performance. Many big named brands have been using their products and services because of their exceptional products.
Can't think of anything, to be honest, it's a pretty advanced and easy-to-use user-friendly tool that helps businesses run smoothly and work more efficiently by helping them with their day-to-day finance issues.
I've used multiple tools in the past with a very bad user interface and a really high complexity level but airbase has made it so easy to manage your spending and especially managing your expense reimbursement.
Great dashboard in the front page with all the information I need to know and very straightforward experience to ask for reimbursements
Couldn't easily find company policy on how I should use Airbase, would be good to have that in the same place
Helps make sure that employee spend with company money gets easily managed and has enough visibility without spending valueable time
This product makes it incredibly easy to submit an expense. There is absolutely no excuse for not getting your expense reports in on time.
Honestly, I have not found anything negative about this product.
Airbase allows me to easily submit my expenses. As an executive, the last thing I have time for is digging around in my wallet to find receipts. I can easily take pictures in real-time, throw away the receipts and submit my expense.
I love the layout and UI of the dashboard. Very easy to navigate and find a find what you need. I appreciate the virtual card as an option. It is much better compared to other competitors
I do not have many downsides to using airbase. Compared to other companies, I think this is a fine product and much better than a standard credit card company due to the online dashboard
I am now able to make purchases online without needing to type in a physical card number. Fast and easy is the way I like it, as I can be more efficient. This helps a ton in the day to day operations
I love being able to take a photo of a receipt with my phone and immediately attach it to the expense that was instantly generated by the app/website when I used my Airbase credit card/virtual credit card.
I wish Airbase had a function for mileage reimbursement. Then, all of my business expenses would be handled by Airbase, and I would never have to submit another expense report.
I used to spend at least an hour per month filling out an expense report, and that was an hour that I should have been spending on sales. Because of Airbase, each expenditure recorded instantly by the app/website. I can then take a photo of the receipt with my phone and attach it in real-time while I am on the road.
Before using Airbase, my company had a couple of different systems in use for expense management. This, of course, required me to toggle back and forth between systems for CC, expenses, etc. Now, I appreciate operating completely within one system. And, when fully set up, request approvals are nearly instantaneous.
Not so much a dislike, but when not set up properly, workflows can be derailed. That, however, is just part of the process of anything new - particularly software.
Anyone who travels for work has experienced the dread of month's end data input. With Airbase, a reasonable amount of notifications throughout the month help me stay on track with my expense input.
The platform's ease of use and great design
Some processes are still manual/repetitive.
Centralization of AP/Employee Reimbursements/Spend Management. This has been an invaluable tool in reviewing and managing our spending in a relatively short amount of time!
simplicity and easy-to-follow instructions. I have used this for booking travel and meal expenses. Uploading receipts is quick and convenient.
Nothing I love the service super easy to use. I highly recommend Airbase for businesses that need to get their employees physical and virtual cards.
None. I am yet to encounter any issues when using Airbase.
I like how I can setup auto pay on the card so I don't have to worry about recurring expenses being paid
No downsides and it's very easy to use which makes life easy
Wfh stipend is easy to use with airbase
I recall the first day we made the switch from a big-name competitor, we were all a bit nervous. However, the technical help we received from Airbase made the switch seamless and gave us the confidence we needed. The dashboard makes life a lot easier.
Nothing major sometimes there seems to be a lag that fixes itself fairly quickly without a complaint. Otherwise, it has helped us a lot to win time back which we reinvested in our company.
Reimbursements are very easy to deal with now, whereas previously we had to go through multiple steps. In our business, we do travel a lot which makes the app a core part of our operations.
Bill Payments and expense reimbursement.
Customer support can do a better job at handling queries being more personal
Bill Payments and reimbursement of expenses and real time reporting
Ease of use. The software is intuitive, stable, and reliable. The interface is clean and comprehensive on both PC and Mobile. Airbase is the best offering I have used and it's been a few years of expenses for me.
I would like to see if there is a way to speed up reconciling of restaurant cheks with added tips faster. The receipt would match the amount once the receit is included.
We track vendors, expenses, and receipts. We can report and approve expenses and invoices quickly. The ease of use plays into more productive days for employees and their supporting managers. The dashboard view of all expenses makes a manager's life better, which results in better cost management.
I like that we can manage all of our monthly subscriptions and expenses with virtual cards. The user experience overall is very efficient and effective - no heavy lifting.
I can't think of anything at the moment - Airbase is doing a great job with the product and I'm looking forward to new features as they come.
Airbase helps us manage the subscriptions for the tools the People Team. Being able to share a virtual card and send it directly to someone on my team has been very helpful with delegating tasks. I love this feature.
The integration with slack! It's the absolute best
Sometimes the app is clunky. Sometimes I can't attach tags or it shuts down randomly
Airbase makes the expense process more efficient
If I can name one main thing which gives Airbase the edge over the competitor we were with is their ability to quickly turn around responses to questions in the most professional manner. Those who can maintain a great customer experience will win at the end and I see Airbase strongly heading in that direction.
Simply satisfied with the product Airbase has to offer. Almost as simple as the shortcut - copy and paste! Fairly straightforward without any hurdles which makes the operations a breeze.
The ability to quickly maneuver through the dashboard and search for specific items helped us be a lot more productive. As a result, business performance has increased as we do not waste time searching for lost files.
The ability to seamlessly upload invoices and payments for reimbursement.
So far I have not come across any functions that I do no like.
The ability to track spending and reimbursement.
I like the ease of use and the ability to access whenever you need. It is also beneficial to prioritize funds and how to allocate them properly. The admin features are also very helpful.
There isn't much to dislike, so I guess ill just say that system crashes and internet problems could be an issue. Also, the lockout feature can be annoying sometimes.
We have been able to accurately view and manage our employee's spending habits and get better information as to what each department uses their allotted funds for in regards to spending.
I enjoy the AI feature - it allows me to focus more on the accuracy of coding invoices rather than manual entry. Auto populating most of the information is an enormous time saver.
Truly do not have any negative comments so far. I would like to see Airbase attempt to incorporate international ACH as an option. (1 day turnaround) Additionally. I would like more automation so that when an invoice is sent to an inbox, it's automatically updated into Airbase.
Faster AP turnaround with faster entry. This is critical in the fast-paced business that we work in. I would say the biggest problem being solved is keeping track of department spending all in one spot. Makes budgeting easier!
Airbase has made it really easy to keep my business expenses separate. I don't feel pressure to submit expense reports to get reimbursed. It's easy to use. I can request digital credit cards for one-off expenses or use my in-person card for a work event.
I'm primarily an iOS mobile user so I was afraid I would have to log onto my computer to handle my tasks but I've been pleasantly happy with being sufficient entirely through the iOS app.
I like not having to mix personal with business. Needing to use your own $ card and then having to submit an expense report and wait to get reimbursed is not always ideal.
Airbase makes it easy to track down details of our spending, keeping receipts, approvals, and details all in one place. I can view vendor history at a summary level (visually!) and from there easily drill into monthly detail if I need to look through invoices or receipts. The integration with our accounting system saves our team significant time.
It was an iterative process to get my permission settings at the appropriate level (being able to have the org-wide detail I need while maintaining appropriate internal controls. If permission settings aren't optimized, it can be difficult to navigate to the information you need. This isn't a recurring dislike but was something I had trouble with at first.
Airbase eliminates a lot of the email chains for approvals and control issues with other card management methods. The ability to create virtual cards allows our team to put necessary guide rails in place for limits and approvals to catch unnecessary or unexpected spend in time to take corrective action. If I need to track down details on an expense, Airbase is the first place I turn.
I love that there is an easy-to-use dashboard and can approve things really quickly through email.
Sometimes when I click on the task in my email, it does not directly go to that task in my dashboard, so I have to search for it.
Quick approvals for my team make them happy - And I can approve right from my email!
You dont have to use your own credit card and worry about out of policy expenses not being approved. Airbase is easy to use and accepted by a wide variety of vendors. Great way to manage budget.
Having to wait for approval from our finance team for the credit card number
-Not having out of pocket expenses -Not having to use my personal credit card - Knowing that my payment method will be secure
The ability to upload receipts and not worry about entering all the data.
When the AI fails to read receipts. It can sometimes be cumbersome entering all necessary info.
Airbase is solving payroll problems for me - as a payroll professional, I don't need to worry about YE 1099 reconciliation.
Great tool for building out your AP and payable functionality. Seamlessly pulls data into our ERP (NetSuite).
Airbase isn't recognized as much as some of their competitors - so sometimes vendors will ignore or delete the vendor onboarding email.
Airbase is allowing us to save time both onboarding vendors and processing payables.
I enjoy the platform. Keeping records of things is a pain, airbase makes things easier.
I don't dislike anything on this platform. Things work the way they should
Its helping companies manage things in an organized manner
So convenient and streamlined! Easy to use!
Maybe more functionality tailored to small businesses
Reimbursement for company meals and supplies
The platform is straightforward and easy to learn, making it a very efficient software. With Airbase, it's easy and seamless to manage expenses and reimbursements.
I honestly like everything about Airbase. I love its features and ease of use.
Before using Airbase, we needed to communicate regarding our expenses, budget, and its approval via messaging and by filling out tons of sheets. Now, we've been able to automate all of our spendings and keep track of our expenses.
Airbase is a very user-friendly platform
I work on the road (limited to just my laptop screen) and the need for a large window size can sometimes be a nuisance.
We are using Airbase for most all our company expenses
The User experience is very streamlined and easy to navigate. I love the ability to quickly snap a picture and the scan of the receipt saves a ton of time. Very happy overall.
I wish they had the ability to upload a pdf from the mobile app. I am newer to using the app so not sure if this is possible. Other than that I think everything works as expected
Money coming directly into my account is amazing and a huge time saver. Also taking out the clunky process of submitting a receipt to finance and having that team manage the process.