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Accounting · head to head

Microsoft Excel vs SAP Concur

Microsoft Excel logo

Microsoft Excel

Accounting

Spreadsheet software for data analysis and visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SAP Concur logo

SAP Concur

Accounting

Enterprise travel booking, expense claims and supplier invoice processing sold as separate modules

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Excel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Excel free tier limited to 5 GB cloud storage and web-only access; SAP Concur implementation is done through SAP or a partner and commonly costs a substantial multiple of the first year subscription, because the value sits entirely in the configured policy, approval hierarchy and ledger mapping rather than in the software as shipped.
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Excel covers Advanced formulas, SAP Concur covers Expense capture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Excel and SAP Concur actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Excel and SAP Concur differ
AttributeMicrosoft ExcelSAP Concur
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Web, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19751993

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

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 Microsoft Excel

  • Advanced formulas
  • Pivot tables
  • Data visualization
  • Charts and graphs
  • Conditional formatting
  • Data analysis tools
  • Macro automation
  • Collaboration features

Only in SAP Concur

  • Expense capture
  • Corporate card feeds
  • Policy engine
  • Approval routing
  • Travel booking
  • Travel agency integration
  • Duty of care
  • Invoice capture

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Excel

  • Financial modelingnot SAP Concur
  • Data analysisnot SAP Concur
  • Budget planningnot SAP Concur
  • Reportingnot SAP Concur
  • Business intelligencenot SAP Concur
  • Statistical analysisnot SAP Concur

SAP Concur

  • A multinational with thousands of travellers where an audit committee has asked for evidence that travel policy is actually enforcednot Microsoft Excel
  • An organisation replacing spreadsheet expense claims and email approvals that cannot survive an external auditnot Microsoft Excel
  • A finance team trying to eliminate duplicate claims by matching corporate card feeds against submitted receiptsnot Microsoft Excel
  • A shared service centre processing high volumes of supplier invoices that needs capture and approval routing before postingnot Microsoft Excel

Where each one falls short

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

Microsoft Excel

  • Free tier limited to 5 GB cloud storage and web-only access
  • Paid plans have per-user costs increasing significantly with more users
  • AI features like Copilot limited or unavailable on lower-tier plans

SAP Concur

  • Implementation is done through SAP or a partner and commonly costs a substantial multiple of the first year subscription, because the value sits entirely in the configured policy, approval hierarchy and ledger mapping rather than in the software as shipped.
  • Pricing is driven by transaction volume, expense reports and invoices processed, rather than by seats, so a business with seasonal travel or a growth year sees the bill move in ways headcount based budgeting does not predict.
  • The configuration that makes it valuable is also what makes it rigid, and organisations frequently find that changing an approval chain or adding a cost centre dimension requires a partner change order rather than an administrator's afternoon.
  • Contracts are typically multi year with limited exit, so an organisation that concludes after twelve months that a lighter expense tool would have been enough is still paying for the heavier one for the remainder of the term.
  • The three modules are licensed separately and the strongest case for the product depends on having travel, expense and card feeds together, so buying expense alone gives you a costly receipt system without the control loop that justifies the price.

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Excel

Free
  • Microsoft Excel (Free)Free
    • Excel for the web
    • Real-time collaboration
    • 5 GB cloud storage
  • Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99/month
    • Desktop Excel app
    • 1 TB cloud storage
    • Single user on up to 5 devices
  • Microsoft 365 Family$12.99/month
    • 1-6 users (AI features for subscription owner)
    • Up to 6 TB cloud storage (1 TB per person)
    • Each user up to 5 devices
  • Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99/month
    • 1-6 users
    • Extensive Copilot feature access
    • Exclusive advanced AI capabilities

SAP Concur

$29/month
  • Professional$8/month
    • Expense reporting
    • Receipt capture
    • Approvals
  • Premium$12/month
    • Travel booking
    • Invoice management
    • Analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Excel if

  • You need advanced formulas.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pivot tables.
Microsoft Excel review

Choose SAP Concur if

  • You need expense capture.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want corporate card feeds.
SAP Concur review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Excel or SAP Concur better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Excel starts at Free and SAP Concur at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Excel or SAP Concur?
Microsoft Excel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Excel and $29/month for SAP Concur.
Does Microsoft Excel or SAP Concur run on more platforms?
Microsoft Excel runs on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android. SAP Concur runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Microsoft Excel for free?
Yes. Microsoft Excel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SAP Concur starts at $29/month.
What is Microsoft Excel best used for?
Microsoft Excel is most often used for financial modeling, data analysis, budget planning, reporting. Of those, financial modeling and data analysis are not what SAP Concur is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Excel do that SAP Concur cannot?
Microsoft Excel covers Advanced formulas, Pivot tables, Data visualization, Charts and graphs. SAP Concur covers Expense capture, Corporate card feeds, Policy engine, Approval routing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Excel: How much does Microsoft Excel cost?

Microsoft Excel is free as a web app with 5 GB storage. Paid options include Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99/month for desktop apps and 1 TB storage, Family at $12.99/month for 1-6 users with 6 TB total storage, and Premium at $19.99/month with extended Copilot access.

Source
SAP Concur: Do we need SAP ERP to use Concur?

No. It integrates with SAP systems particularly well but it is regularly deployed alongside Oracle, NetSuite, Workday and other ledgers. The integration work is a line item in the implementation either way.

Microsoft Excel: Is there a free version of Excel?

Yes, Excel for the web is free and includes sharing, real-time collaboration, and 5 GB cloud storage accessible on web, iOS, and Android without subscription.

Source
SAP Concur: Is it worth it for a company of a hundred people?

Usually not. Below a few hundred travellers the implementation cost and the contract commitment are hard to justify against lighter expense tools. The case turns on policy enforcement and audit, not on receipt scanning.

Microsoft Excel: What is the difference between Microsoft 365 Family and Premium tiers?

Family tier at $12.99/month supports 1-6 users with 6 TB total storage and standard features. Premium tier at $19.99/month allows extensive Copilot feature access and exclusive advanced AI capabilities including image creation and audio generation.

Source
SAP Concur: How is it priced?

Broadly on the volume of expense reports and invoices processed, with the modules licensed separately. Because pricing is quoted rather than published, get the volume assumptions written into the contract and check what happens when you exceed them.

SAP Concur: Can it handle multiple countries and currencies?

Yes, that is one of its stronger areas, including per country tax treatment and VAT reclaim identification. Confirm coverage for your specific countries during the sales process rather than assuming global means every jurisdiction.

SAP Concur: How long does implementation take?

Plan in months, not weeks, for anything beyond a single entity with simple approvals. Multi entity rollouts with travel and invoice modules commonly run across a year in phases.

SAP Concur: What does the audit service actually do?

It has a team review a sample or all of your submitted claims against receipts and policy before approval, which some organisations use in place of internal reviewers. It is priced separately from the expense subscription.

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