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Basecamp vs Brex

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

All industries

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Brex logo

Brex

Accounting & Finance

The financial stack for growing businesses

From
$29/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Brex the free Essentials tier is limited to two legal entities
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Brex covers Corporate cards.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Brex actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Brex differ
AttributeBasecampBrex
Starting priceFree$29/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryAll industriesAccounting & Finance
Founded20042017

Identical on both: pricing model (freemium), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in Brex

  • Corporate cards
  • Business accounts
  • Expense management
  • Bill pay
  • Travel
  • QuickBooks
  • NetSuite
  • Xero

What people use each for

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

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Brex
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Brex
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Brex
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Brex

Brex

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

Where each one falls short

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

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

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

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

Brex

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.

Choose Brex if

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

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Brex better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Brex at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Brex?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Basecamp and $29/month for Brex.
Does Basecamp or Brex run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Brex runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Yes. Basecamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brex starts at $29/month.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Brex is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Brex cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Brex covers Corporate cards, Business accounts, Expense management, Bill pay.

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