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Software · head to head

Airbase vs Zeplin

Airbase logo

Airbase

Software

The first all-in-one spend management platform

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeplin logo

Zeplin

Software

Design handoff and developer collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zeplin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Airbase airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.; Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
  • They diverge on capability: Airbase covers Corporate cards, Zeplin covers Design specs.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airbase and Zeplin actually diverge.

Attributes where Airbase and Zeplin differ
AttributeAirbaseZeplin
Starting price$29/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Desktop, Mobile
Founded20172014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Airbase

  • Corporate cards
  • Bill payments
  • Expense management
  • Procurement
  • Approvals
  • NetSuite
  • Sage Intacct
  • QuickBooks

Only in Zeplin

  • Design specs
  • Asset export
  • Code snippets
  • Design tokens
  • Comments
  • Version control
  • Handoff workflow
  • Accessibility checks

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Airbase

  • Spend managementnot Zeplin
  • Expense reportingnot Zeplin
  • Vendor paymentsnot Zeplin

Zeplin

  • Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot Airbase
  • Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot Airbase
  • Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot Airbase

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Airbase

  • Airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.

Zeplin

  • The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
  • Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
  • Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
  • Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
  • Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
  • Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
  • Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Airbase

$29/month
  • StandardFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense reports
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$10/month
    • Advanced approvals
    • NetSuite sync
    • Procurement
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

Zeplin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 project
    • 1 workspace
    • Basic specs
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Multiple workspaces
    • Advanced specs
  • Professional$49/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Team collaboration
    • Admin controls

Which should you pick?

Choose Airbase if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want bill payments.
Airbase review

Choose Zeplin if

  • You need design specs.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want asset export.
Zeplin review

Questions people ask

Is Airbase or Zeplin better?
Neither clearly leads. Airbase starts at $29/month and Zeplin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airbase or Zeplin?
Zeplin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Airbase and Free for Zeplin.
Does Airbase or Zeplin run on more platforms?
Airbase runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Zeplin for free?
Yes. Zeplin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Airbase starts at $29/month.
What is Airbase best used for?
Airbase is most often used for spend management, expense reporting, vendor payments. Of those, spend management and expense reporting are not what Zeplin is typically brought in for.
What can Airbase do that Zeplin cannot?
Airbase covers Corporate cards, Bill payments, Expense management, Procurement. Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Design tokens. Both handle Slack.
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