Brex review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Brex is a corporate card and spend platform with expense management, travel, bill pay and business banking, with a free base software tier.
Our take for buyers
Brex is a corporate card and spend platform with expense management, travel, bill pay and business banking. Shortlist it if you are a startup or mid-size company that wants cards and expenses on one platform. The vendor markets 120-plus countries and 35,000-plus companies, and G2 shows 4.8 from 1,515 reviews. Founded in 2017 and based in San Francisco, it has a $0 software tier.
Two things deserve attention. First, ownership: Capital One agreed to acquire Brex in January 2026, and Wikipedia reports completion in April 2026, so ask how that affects product roadmap, support and contract terms. Second, scope: it is a card-plus-software platform, so it is a weaker fit if you want card-agnostic expense software. Receipt capture, approvals and ERP claims are vendor statements.
- Best for
- Startups and mid-size companies that want cards plus expenses on one platform.
- Starting price
- $0 per user per month (Essentials)
- G2 rating
- 4.8 (1,515 reviews)
What is 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. Brex was founded in 2017 and is based in San Francisco, California, United States.
Category: Expense Management Software
Brex key features
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Essentials $0, Premium $12 per user per month, Enterprise custom. |
| Target company size | Startups, mid-size, enterprise (vendor) |
| Receipt capture and OCR | AI-automated expense reports (vendor claim; OCR specifics not read) |
| Approval workflows and policy controls | AI-automated approvals (vendor) |
| Corporate cards | Global corporate cards with built-in controls. |
| Accounting integrations | Vendor claims thousands of two-way ERP integrations. |
| Reimbursements and payments | Bill pay, vendor cards, business accounts. |
| Travel and mileage tracking | In-app travel booking. |
Brex plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $0 | per user per month | |
| Premium | $12 | per user per month | Advanced SSO listed |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | ||
| Smart Card | Contact sales | procurement-focused |
Page links a fee schedule for business account and bill pay; not read.
Who should shortlist Brex
A strong fit for
- Startups and mid-size companies that want cards plus expenses on one platform.
- Teams wanting a $0 software tier.
A weak fit for
- Buyers wanting card-agnostic expense software only (pricing assumes the Brex platform, not confirmed by the vendor)
Brex alternatives
RampCompanies that want cards, expenses and AP in one tool and are fine adopting its card.
ExpensifyExpensify is a receipt-scanning expense reporting app for small teams, sold per member.
SAP ConcurMid-size to large companies that also want travel booking tied to expenses.
NavanCompanies up to 300 employees with heavy travel.
SpendeskEuropean SMBs using Xero, QuickBooks or Datev.
Bill Spend & ExpenseSMBs wanting no software fees and a charge card.
Security, admin and compliance
Published: SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II and PCI-DSS, and Advanced SSO on Premium and Enterprise but not on Essentials. Not published: SCIM, audit logs, data residency, a DPA, implementation terms and contract length. Ask for written answers on those, plus the fee schedule for business accounts and bill pay. Given the acquisition by Capital One, ask whether contract terms, data handling or support will change after the deal.
- SAML SSO
- Advanced SSO on Premium and Enterprise; not Essentials.
- Certifications
- SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II, PCI-DSS.
Contract and buying terms
- Starting price
- $0 per user per month (Essentials)
- Pricing model
- Per user (software) plus card.
- Free plan or trial
- Free plan.
What to test in a Brex demo or trial
Test the full flow with a real team: issue cards with controls, capture receipts, route an expense through approval and sync it to your accounting system. The vendor claims AI-automated expense reports and approvals and thousands of two-way ERP integrations, so verify with your own ERP rather than trusting the claim. Try bill pay and travel booking if you plan to use them. Check which features sit on Essentials versus Premium, particularly Advanced SSO. Ask about the fee schedule for business accounts and bill pay.
Questions to ask Brex before you sign
These are the points Brex's public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- Is SCIM provisioning included, or a paid add-on?
- Which plan includes audit logs, and how long are they kept?
- Where is our data stored, and can we choose the region?
- Can we sign your standard DPA without changes?
- Is there a monthly option, and what are the cancellation and renewal terms?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- 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.
Head-to-head comparisons
Brex FAQ
What is Brex used for?
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. It suits startups and mid-size companies that want cards plus expenses on one platform.
Does Brex support SSO?
Advanced SSO is on Premium and Enterprise, not Essentials. Essentials has MFA and enterprise IdP support per a comparison table.
What security certifications does Brex list?
SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II and PCI-DSS. SCIM, audit logs, data residency and a DPA are not published.
Who is Brex best for?
Startups and mid-size companies that want cards plus expenses on one platform, and teams that want a $0 software tier.
Vendor profile
- Founded
- 2017.
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, California, United States.
- Employees
- About 1,100 (2025)
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Brex's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.