Ramp vs Brex (2026): features, security and which one to buy
Ramp and Brex compared on what they do, who they suit, their key features, pros and cons, and what each vendor publishes on security, admin and contract terms, with every fact checked on October 24, 2026.
Ramp or Brex: the short answer
Choose Ramp if
- Companies that want cards, expenses and AP in one tool and are fine adopting its card.
- Teams that want a free entry tier with QuickBooks Online or Xero.
Choose Brex if
- Startups and mid-size companies that want cards plus expenses on one platform.
- Teams wanting a $0 software tier.
What are Ramp and Brex?
Ramp
Corporate card and spend platform with a free tier and a paid Plus plan, where purchase orders come from a Procurement add-on. Companies content to adopt its card can begin free with QuickBooks Online or Xero, then move to Plus at $15 per user monthly plus a platform fee for NetSuite, Sage Intacct and approval workflows. Purchase orders require the Procurement add-on. Reviews praise receipt matching and mention occasional slow support.
Brex
Brex is a corporate card and spend platform with expense management, travel, bill pay and business banking, with a free base software tier. Startups and mid-size firms willing to adopt one vendor for cards, expenses, travel, bill pay and banking should compare it. Essentials costs nothing, Premium runs $12 per user monthly, and Enterprise is custom. If you want expense software independent of the card, it fits less well.
Ramp vs Brex: features compared
| Ramp | Brex | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Corporate card and spend platform with a free tier and a paid Plus plan, where purchase orders come from a Procurement add-on. | Brex is a corporate card and spend platform with expense management, travel, bill pay and business banking, with a free base software tier. |
| Best for | Companies that want cards, expenses and AP in one tool and are fine adopting its card. | Startups and mid-size companies that want cards plus expenses on one platform. |
| Company size | Startups, mid-size, enterprise (vendor) | |
| Receipt capture and OCR | Not published | AI-automated expense reports (vendor claim; OCR specifics not read) |
| Approval workflows and policy controls | Approval workflows on Plus. | AI-automated approvals (vendor) |
| Corporate cards | Corporate card included on all plans. | Global corporate cards with built-in controls. |
| Accounting integrations | Free: QuickBooks Online, Xero. Plus: NetSuite, Sage Intacct. Enterprise: Workday, Oracle Fusion. | Vendor claims thousands of two-way ERP integrations. |
| Reimbursements and payments | 1099 filing $0.65 per IRS filing, free state filing. | Bill pay, vendor cards, business accounts. |
| Travel and mileage tracking | 24/7 phone support for travel bookings on Plus. | In-app travel booking. |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan, Free trial | Free plan |
| Starting price | $0 (Free); Plus $15 per user per month plus platform fee | $0 per user per month (Essentials) |
| G2 rating | 4.8 (2,492 reviews) | 4.8 (1,515 reviews) |
Pros and cons
Ramp
Pros
- Easy expense reporting and automatic receipt matching with real-time alerts.
- Accounting integrations (QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite) save time at month end close.
- Helpful and responsive customer support in many reviews.
- Efficiency gains from one place for cards, expenses and spend controls.
Cons
- Support can be slow to resolve issues and hard to reach a person in some reviews.
- Card-first model: fraud handling can mean replacing the card; sudden limit decisions reported.
- Occasional accounting integration snags, especially QuickBooks rules and memos.
- Authorization holds slow to drop off.
Brex
Best for
- Startups and mid-size companies that want cards plus expenses on one platform.
- Teams wanting a $0 software tier.
Not ideal for
- Buyers wanting card-agnostic expense software only (pricing assumes the Brex platform, not confirmed by the vendor)
Ramp vs Brex pricing
For 20 users on the cheapest plan that fits, Brex costs $2,880 a year and Ramp $3,600 at list price, a difference of $720.
| Ramp | Brex | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | per user plus platform fee | per user (software) plus card |
| Per seat per month | $15 per user per month on Plus (plus platform fee by team size, amount not published) | $12 (Premium) |
| Billing | Monthly and annual. | Not published |
| 20 users per year | $3,600 (Plus) | $2,880 (Premium) |
| Add-ons | Procurement add-on on Plus/Enterprise; Accounts Receivable add-on; 1099 filing $0.65 per IRS filing. | Not published |
Security, admin and contract: Ramp vs Brex
What each vendor states publicly about single sign-on, provisioning, audit logs, data location and the contract. A blank is a question for the sales call, not a no.
| Ramp | Brex | |
|---|---|---|
| SAML SSO | Supported (Okta, Google, Microsoft Azure); plan not stated. | Advanced SSO on Premium and Enterprise; not Essentials. |
| Audit logs | Plus and Enterprise. | Not published |
| Contract | Plus has 30-day free trial, switch plans any time; Enterprise annual, via sales. | Not published |
Differences most comparisons miss
Worth knowing about Ramp
- PO functions are a paid add-on and need Plus, so the $0 tier has no purchase orders.
- Plus fee has a platform component based on team size that the page does not quantify.
- ERP depth rises by tier: NetSuite and Sage Intacct only from Plus, Workday and Oracle from Enterprise.
- Procurement can match card transactions to POs, tying approval to actual spend.
Worth knowing about Brex
- Advanced SSO is Premium and up ($12/user/month); Essentials is $0 but has MFA and enterprise IdP support per comparison table.
- Vendor markets 120+ countries and 35,000+ companies.
- Brex site names Henrique Dubugras as Co-CEO; ownership change not confirmed here.
Ramp vs Brex: frequently asked questions
Which is better, Ramp or Brex?
It depends on the team. Ramp is the stronger pick for companies that want cards, expenses and AP in one tool and are fine adopting its card, while Brex suits startups and mid-size companies that want cards plus expenses on one platform. Compare the feature rows above against your must-haves before you look at price.
Do Ramp and Brex support SAML single sign-on?
Ramp: supported (Okta, Google, Microsoft Azure); plan not stated. Brex: advanced SSO on Premium and Enterprise; not Essentials. Confirm the plan in writing before you compare prices.
Is Brex cheaper than Ramp?
At list price for 20 users on the cheapest plan that fits, Brex costs $2,880 a year and Ramp $3,600. Add-ons, higher tiers and annual versus monthly billing can change that order.
Can I try Ramp and Brex for free?
Ramp: free plan, free trial. Brex: free plan.
Sources
Both columns use the same sources: vendor pricing and product pages, documentation, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Full source lists are on the Ramp and Brex reviews.