Softwr

Software · head to head

Avalara vs Navan

Avalara logo

Avalara

Software

Tax compliance done right

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Navan logo

Navan

Software

AI-powered corporate travel and expense management with integrated corporate card

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Navan has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Navan enterprise pricing requires quote request; no transparency on true per-user or per-transaction costs

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Avalara and Navan actually diverge.

Attributes where Avalara and Navan differ
AttributeAvalaraNavan
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, iOS, Android, API
Founded2004Unknown

Identical on both: 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
  • QuickBooks
  • NetSuite
  • Shopify

Only in Navan

Nothing recorded that Avalara does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Avalara

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

Navan

  • Mid-market and enterprise companies automating travel and expense workflowsnot Avalara
  • Organisations seeking to reduce travel costs through policy enforcement and AI-driven discountsnot Avalara
  • Teams utilising corporate card programmes for spend tracking without receipt capture overheadnot Avalara
  • Global enterprises requiring multi-currency support and ERP integrationnot Avalara
  • Companies where employee autonomy is prioritised; AI assistant enables self-service booking and policy compliancenot 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

Navan

  • Enterprise pricing requires quote request; no transparency on true per-user or per-transaction costs
  • Expense management charges apply beyond 5 users, increasing per-user costs for larger teams
  • Corporate card programmes (Navan Card, Connect) complicate adoption by requiring banking integration
  • AI assistant (Navan Edge) lacks transparency on data handling; unclear whether conversation data is retained for model training
  • Limited EMEA coverage; emerging market travel inventory less comprehensive than global GDS systems

Pricing, plan by plan

Avalara

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

Navan

Free
  • Navan BusinessFree
    • Unlimited flight, hotel, train, rental car bookings
    • Global inventory across 178+ countries
    • 24/7 travel support
  • Navan Business (Expense add-on)$15/month
    • Additional expense management users (beyond 5 free)
    • Receipt scanning and categorisation
    • ERP integration (30+ connectors)
  • Navan EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Dedicated account management
    • Negotiated corporate rates

Which should you pick?

Choose Avalara if

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

Choose Navan if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Navan review

Questions people ask

Is Avalara or Navan better?
Neither clearly leads. Avalara starts at $29/month and Navan at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Avalara or Navan?
Navan has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Avalara and Free for Navan.
Does Avalara or Navan run on more platforms?
Avalara runs on Web, Api. Navan runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Can I use Navan for free?
Yes. Navan has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Avalara starts at $29/month.
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 Navan is typically brought in for.
What can Avalara do that Navan cannot?
Avalara covers Tax calculation, Returns filing, Exemption management, Document management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Navan: Is Navan's travel booking free?

Yes. Navan Business travel bookings are free, supported by supplier commissions. Expense management is free for the first 5 users monthly; additional users cost £15/month each.

Source
Navan: What is Navan Edge?

Navan Edge is an AI travel assistant integrated into chat that handles flight, hotel, and restaurant enquiries, provides recommendations, processes cancellations and rebookings, and escalates to human support 24/7.

Source
Navan: Does Navan integrate with our ERP system?

Yes. Navan provides 30+ pre-built ERP connectors (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, etc.) and REST APIs for real-time spend sync and invoice reconciliation.

Source
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