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Accounting · head to head

Navan vs Spendbase

Navan logo

Navan

Accounting

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spendbase logo

Spendbase

Accounting

SaaS and cloud spend management that charges a share of the savings it finds rather than a licence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Navan enterprise pricing requires quote request; no transparency on true per-user or per-transaction costs; Spendbase charging a share of savings gives the vendor an interest in defining savings generously, and the customer cannot verify a counterfactual price it never saw.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Navan and Spendbase actually diverge.

Attributes where Navan and Spendbase differ
AttributeNavanSpendbase
Pricing modelfreemiumFree card tier, plus a share of savings on the managed plan
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Navan

Nothing recorded that Spendbase does not also cover.

Only in Spendbase

  • Subscription visibility
  • Discount marketplace
  • Virtual cards
  • Cashback
  • Renewal management
  • Savings-share billing

What people use each for

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

Navan

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

Spendbase

  • A startup with no procurement function that wants renewal dates and subscription owners in one placenot Navan
  • A company with heavy Azure or cloud spend that can use pre-negotiated credit allocationsnot Navan
  • Issuing virtual cards per subscription so a forgotten trial cannot renew silentlynot Navan
  • A finance lead who wants software cost reduction without hiring anyone to do itnot Navan

Where each one falls short

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

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

Spendbase

  • Charging a share of savings gives the vendor an interest in defining savings generously, and the customer cannot verify a counterfactual price it never saw.
  • The savings share is reported at around 25 percent but is not published on the pricing page, so the actual commercial terms only appear in a contract.
  • Spendbase is both a banking provider and your software negotiator, so a company using both concentrates operating cash and vendor relationships in one small, young company.
  • Banking is delivered through partners rather than held directly, meaning deposit protection and service continuity depend on those partners rather than on Spendbase.
  • It is scoped for startups and small companies, so organisations needing approval workflows, purchase orders or ERP integration will find it thin against a real procurement platform.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Spendbase

Free
  • Digital bankingFree
    • No monthly fee per user
    • Up to 100 virtual cards
    • EUR and GBP account details
  • Spend management$undefined/year
    • Everything in the free tier
    • Reported share of roughly 25 percent of savings achieved
    • 200 percent return guarantee against a deposit

Which should you pick?

Choose Navan if

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

Choose Spendbase if

  • You need subscription visibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want discount marketplace.
Spendbase review

Questions people ask

Is Navan or Spendbase better?
Neither clearly leads. Navan starts at Free and Spendbase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Navan or Spendbase?
Navan starts at Free and Spendbase at Free.
Does Navan or Spendbase run on more platforms?
Navan runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Spendbase runs on Web.
Can I use Navan for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Navan best used for?
Navan is most often used for mid-market and enterprise companies automating travel and expense workflows, organisations seeking to reduce travel costs through policy enforcement and ai-driven discounts, teams utilising corporate card programmes for spend tracking without receipt capture overhead, global enterprises requiring multi-currency support and erp integration. Of those, mid-market and enterprise companies automating travel and expense workflows and organisations seeking to reduce travel costs through policy enforcement and ai-driven discounts are not what Spendbase is typically brought in for.
What can Navan do that Spendbase cannot?
Spendbase covers Subscription visibility, Discount marketplace, Virtual cards, Cashback.

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
Spendbase: Is Spendbase free?

The card and banking tier is genuinely free with no per-user fee. The spend management service is paid from a share of the savings it finds, reported at around 25 percent.

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
Spendbase: How is a saving calculated?

The methodology is not published. Agree the baseline, the measurement period and what counts as a saving in writing before signing.

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
Spendbase: Does Spendbase hold my money?

Banking is provided through regulated partners including Moorwand in the UK and EEA and Sutton Bank in the US, with Mastercard issuing the cards.

Spendbase: Is it suitable for an enterprise?

No. There are no purchase orders, approval hierarchies or ERP integration; it is built for startups.

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