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Software · head to head

Avalara vs Brex

Avalara logo

Avalara

Software

Tax compliance done right

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Brex logo

Brex

Software

The financial stack for growing businesses

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Avalara plans start at $699 per state per year, so multi-state sellers multiply that figure rather than paying one subscription; Brex the free Essentials tier is limited to two legal entities
  • They diverge on capability: Avalara covers Tax calculation, Brex covers Corporate cards.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Avalara and Brex actually diverge.

Attributes where Avalara and Brex differ
AttributeAvalaraBrex
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20042017

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), free tier (No), 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 Avalara

  • Tax calculation
  • Returns filing
  • Exemption management
  • Document management
  • Real-time rates
  • Shopify
  • Magento
  • GDPR

Only in Brex

  • Corporate cards
  • Business accounts
  • Expense management
  • Bill pay
  • Travel
  • Xero
  • PCI DSS
  • FDIC insured

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • NetSuite
  • SOC 2
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Avalara

  • Real-time sales tax calculation at checkoutnot Brex
  • Multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determinationnot Brex
  • VAT, lodging, communications and excise tax calculationnot Brex
  • Feeding tax results into an ERP or ecommerce platform through the APInot Brex

Brex

  • Corporate cards with spend controls for startupsnot Avalara
  • Expense management and reimbursementsnot Avalara
  • Travel booking inside the spend platformnot Avalara
  • Bill pay and accounting system syncnot Avalara
  • Multi-entity spend management on the paid tiersnot Avalara

Where each one falls short

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

Avalara

  • Plans start at $699 per state per year, so multi-state sellers multiply that figure rather than paying one subscription
  • Billed by transaction, where one API call is one transaction, so cost tracks invoice volume
  • The free option is limited to the Streamlined Sales Tax programme, in up to 25 states and only for qualifying businesses

Brex

  • The free Essentials tier is limited to two legal entities
  • Premium is $12 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount using the card
  • Enterprise and Smart Card pricing is not published
  • Eligibility criteria are not stated anywhere on the pricing page, which matters for a product that extends credit

Pricing, plan by plan

Avalara

$29/month
  • AvaTax$50/month
    • Tax calculation
    • Exemption certificates
    • Returns filing

Brex

$29/month
  • EssentialsFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense management
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$12/month
    • Advanced controls
    • Custom approvals
    • Travel booking

Which should you pick?

Choose Avalara if

  • You need tax calculation.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want returns filing.
Avalara review

Choose Brex if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want business accounts.
Brex review

Questions people ask

Is Avalara or Brex better?
Neither clearly leads. Avalara starts at $29/month and Brex at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Avalara or Brex?
Avalara starts at $29/month and Brex at $29/month.
Does Avalara or Brex run on more platforms?
Avalara runs on Web, Api. Brex runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Avalara best used for?
Avalara is most often used for real-time sales tax calculation at checkout, multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination, vat, lodging, communications and excise tax calculation, feeding tax results into an erp or ecommerce platform through the api. Of those, real-time sales tax calculation at checkout and multi-state and multi-jurisdiction tax determination are not what Brex is typically brought in for.
What can Avalara do that Brex cannot?
Avalara covers Tax calculation, Returns filing, Exemption management, Document management. Brex covers Corporate cards, Business accounts, Expense management, Bill pay. Both handle QuickBooks, NetSuite, SOC 2, Web support.
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