You’ve probably heard the phrase “spend management.” It’s been a buzzword in recent times, driven by an explosion in tech and AI. But what does it really mean?
Spend management is the force that increases operational efficiency, drives significant cost savings, and improves decision-making through automation, visibility, and data analytics. It’s all those corporate cards, expense reporting, expense tracking, and reimbursements rolled into one. Simply put, if your finance team isn’t honing in on a spend management platform, it’s falling behind.
In the race to become the premier name in the spend management space, many companies have emerged. It’s only right to assume that you’re wondering which one stands out.
Ramp is jut one of these platforms. But with unique features, tiered pricing, and an easy-to-use dashboard, Ramp has asserted itself as a welcome — if not top-tier addition — to the world of spend management technology.
Come along with us as we look at the good and the bad of a company that counts 45,000 companies among its customers in this Ramp review.
Named a 2025 Top Rated Winner for Spend Management by TrustRadius and the #1 Most Innovative Company in North America by Fast Company in 2023, Ramp’s reputation precedes itself. However, it’s not by happenstance. Ramp’s offerings rival or exceed many of its competitors thanks to a comprehensive set of innovative features. Here are some of the best.
Real-time reporting and spend control are two of the top features of the Ramp platform. As part of its expense management software suite, Ramp allows users to track spending in real time across corporate charge cards, business expenses/bills, and employee reimbursements.
Ramp’s user-friendly dashboard also allows users to set spending limits for each cardholder — whether they have physical cards or virtual cards. You can even get a notifications via the mobile app or email, making Ramp’s tracking and spend control the ultimate time saver. The feature also ensures that you can limit out-of-policy company spending while tracking repeat offenders.
Real-time tracking functionality also allows you to improve spending workflows, eliminate bottlenecks to the reimbursement or spend approval process, and secure a controlled cash flow.
Ramp integrates with over 200 banking, ERP, and accounting software solutions, bolstering the platform’s ease of use and eliminating the need for manual processes or data entry. The list of integrations includes over 200 popular business-related programs, such as:
On top of this feature, Ramp’s unrivaled receipt matching technology automatically integrates with email platforms such as Gmail or Outlook to capture receipts and upload them to your dashboard automatically. In addition, receipts submitted via SMS (text) or the mobile app are reviewed by Ramp’s AI system and verified in seconds with over 90% accuracy.
If you’re aiming to eliminate the tedium of data entry and streamline the accuracy of expense reporting and reimbursements, integrations and receipt matching truly stand out in this Ramp review.
The Ramp card is one of the most versatile corporate cards on the market today. The ability to use it as either a charge card or a debit card is alluring for businesses of all sizes, keeping your expenditures within budget.
If you choose a charge card, don’t worry about your credit report. Rather than using a personal credit report or a personal guarantee for approval or to set your credit limit, Ramp uses financial factors such as revenue or dollars raised. Plus, every charge card comes with a 30-day payback.
If the thought of giving your staff a charge card sends shivers down your spine, a pre-approved debit card might be more your style. Move money from your business bank account to Ramp, and the card automatically deducts from this amount. There’s no overspending, and you still get the reporting and tracking to keep you on track.
Regardless of which card you use, Ramp has a cash back program that puts money back in your pocket every time you spend.
In the dynamic business world, you’re always on the go. Without a proper app to monitor spending, you’re stuck until you find your way back to the laptop.
Thankfully, the Ramp mobile app functions as a dashboard and spending method right on your phone. View transactions, submit expense reports, pay with your digital card, book travel, or chat with customer support. It’s a superb user experience that’s almost as versatile as the full-fledged website.
Expense management is just one facet of spend management, but it’s every bit as important. With its AI-powered platform, Ramp automates expenses with built-in controls to keep spending in check.
Employees can request spend from pre-set budgets, while users can proactively set auto-enforced limits, controls, and submission requirements. Once an employee makes a purchase, Ramp’s expense management system ensures that only the right stakeholders are notified.
Intertwining business banking with spend management seems obvious, but few companies offer both in a single product. Fortunately, Ramp heard you loud and clear.
Ramp’s business banking allows you to hold funds for your Ramp card, all while earning interest. The Ramp Business Account nets you 2.25%, or you can open an investment account that yields 4.12%. There are no minimum balance requirements, fees, or transfer caps — just a reliable bankroll attached to your Ramp account.
A bank account with Ramp also has many other great features, including:
From small businesses and startups to nonprofit organizations and established companies, Ramp’s pricing models have the Goldilocks effect — you’re sure to find one that’s just right. Ramp has three pricing tiers, each with its own level of features.
Smaller teams that want to simplify finances will enjoy the comprehensive features of Ramp, all at $0/month per user. Some of the features of Ramp Free, include:
Perfect for midsize businesses that want to automate busywork, Ramp Plus starts for as little as $15/month per user plus a platform fee based on team size. But with annual billing, you can knock 20% off your bill for even more savings.
Ramp Plus features everything you can find in the Ramp Free version, but also adds:
For large corporations or those that need the utmost customization, the Ramp Enterprise tier is a sound option. The plan is billed annually, but costs vary by team size and your choice of features. Ramp Enterprise has all of the features of the Ramp Plus plan, but also adds:
Despite impressive offerings, Ramp still has some limitations you should know about before you make a choice on your spend management solutions. This Ramp review aims to bring these to light, not to bash the platform, but to show you that even the best options can have downsides. Here are some of the limitations you should know about
The Ramp card is an excellent option as a charge or debit card. However, it doesn’t have a corporate credit card. This means that if you use the charge card option, you have to pay off the entire balance within 30 days, which could pose cash flow problems for smaller businesses.
Although many of Ramp’s features are intuitive, some features may have a steep learning curve or go unused by teams, simply because they don’t know a feature exists. As a result, feature-rich platforms such as Ramp may require additional onboarding compared to alternatives.
Small businesses may find Ramp useful, but for freelancers or companies with less than 10 employees, Ramp may be overkill. Many of the features are catered to businesses with multiple departments, so Ramp might be a poor choice for these organizations.
With all it has to offer, Ramp is a great choice for spend management. But in a competitive marketplace, you’ll always find other options that may work better for your business needs. As such, a Ramp review wouldn’t be complete without looking at the other platforms. Here are some of the best.
Spend management is a difficult task to tackle, especially for companies with limited resources. If you want to ensure your team spends within your budget and only at approved vendors, Hoppier is an excellent Ramp alternative.
Operating as a digital gift card vendor but with plenty of extras, Hoppier is ideal for expense reimbursements, pre-approved stipends, tracking and reporting, employee rewards, Sunshine Act compliance, and so much more. Plus, starting a spend management program and navigating the dashboard is surprisingly easy.
Here’s how it works.
Create a program and name it something like “spend management” or whatever works for you, then add your company colors and logo that will appear on your digital corporate cards.
Next, choose the amount and expiration date (if you want), as well as where the user can spend the card. If you want free range, you don’t have to select vendors or an expiration, allowing your team member to spend the amount where they want until the funds run out.
When you’ve created all your cards and you’re ready to send them to your employees, manually enter your employees’ email addresses or upload a CSV and click submit. Within seconds, your employees will receive the cards with full instructions on how to use them.
After your employees have the cards, you can track spending in real time, ensuring you’re always on budget. Plus, any amount left after expiration goes back into your account, eliminating waste altogether.
Another alternative in this Ramp review is one of the OGs of the spend management space — Expensify. Centered on employee reimbursement, expense reporting, travel booking, and more specifically, expense management, Expensify serves over 650,000 clients around the world and 15 million users.
Receipt matching is one of the top features of Expensify. Using its SmartScan technology, Expensify users can upload receipts, which are automatically scanned into the Expensify system, allowing easy ACH automation for payments and reimbursements.
In addition, Expensify’s physical or digital cards — both debit and credit — offer cash-back with the American Express logo. Though it doesn’t offer a bank account, it seamlessly integrates with your finances, streamlining the expense, payment, and reimbursement processes.
Piling on feature after feature for businesses of all sizes, Ramp provides spend management solutions as lightweight or as broad as you need them. Though it’s not without a few drawbacks, it remains a leader in the spend management tech world. Only you can decide if it’s the right choice for you, so in the meantime, do your research, compare alternatives, and ultimately, you’ll find the perfect option for your business.
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
Ready to 2x your global engagement at your next event, with Ox stress?
Make Hoppier your unfair advantage today, schedule a demo
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