Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Stampli vs Zoho Expense

Stampli logo

Stampli

Accounting

AI-powered accounts payable automation

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Expense logo

Zoho Expense

Accounting

Expense reporting and travel management at three dollars per user per month

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho Expense has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Stampli no transparent pricing published; quote-based model required; Zoho Expense aI receipt scans are metered per user per month rather than unlimited, so heavy claimants exhaust the allowance and either scan manually or push the organisation to a higher tier.
  • They diverge on capability: Stampli covers AI invoice processing, Zoho Expense covers Receipt OCR.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Stampli and Zoho Expense actually diverge.

Attributes where Stampli and Zoho Expense differ
AttributeStampliZoho Expense
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
Founded2014Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Stampli

  • AI invoice processing
  • Vendor management
  • Payment processing
  • Audit trails
  • NetSuite
  • Sage Intacct
  • QuickBooks
  • Microsoft Dynamics

Only in Zoho Expense

  • Receipt OCR
  • Corporate card reconciliation
  • Per diem and mileage
  • Travel requests and booking
  • Policy engine
  • Multi currency and multi entity
  • Accounting integration

Both cover

  • Approval workflows

What people use each for

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

Stampli

  • Accounts payable automationnot Zoho Expense
  • Invoice processing and capturenot Zoho Expense
  • Vendor managementnot Zoho Expense
  • Expense management and procurementnot Zoho Expense

Zoho Expense

  • A mid market company replacing spreadsheet expense claims without a five figure annual software budgetnot Stampli
  • An existing Zoho One customer extending the suite so expense data lands in Zoho Books without integration worknot Stampli
  • A business with staff travelling across several currencies that needs automatic exchange rate handling on claimsnot Stampli
  • A services firm rebilling project expenses to clients and needing them coded to projects at the point of claimnot Stampli

Where each one falls short

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

Stampli

  • No transparent pricing published; quote-based model required
  • Specific pricing for individual modules or add-ons not available on pricing page
  • Cost varies based on invoice volume, complexity, and customization needs

Zoho Expense

  • AI receipt scans are metered per user per month rather than unlimited, so heavy claimants exhaust the allowance and either scan manually or push the organisation to a higher tier.
  • Zoho Expense does not issue cards, so policy enforcement is retrospective and out of policy spend is caught after the money has left rather than declined at the terminal.
  • Additional users who create expenses are billed at the monthly rate rather than the annual rate, which makes a large population of occasional claimants more expensive than the headline three dollars implies.
  • Support quality is the recurring complaint across Zoho products, and at three dollars a seat there is no commercial room for the account management that mid market finance teams expect at renewal or during an audit.
  • Deep configuration such as complex approval matrices and custom fields is workable but fiddly, and there is no meaningful professional services organisation to hand implementation to.

Pricing, plan by plan

Stampli

$29/month
  • Essential$undefined/month
    • Invoice processing
    • Basic approvals
    • Email notifications
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • AI-powered coding
    • Advanced workflows
    • ERP integrations
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

Zoho Expense

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 users
    • Receipt capture with limited AI scans
    • Basic expense reports
  • Standard$3/month
    • Billed annually, minimum 3 users
    • Corporate card reconciliation
    • Approval workflows
  • Premium$5/month
    • Billed annually
    • Travel requests and self booking
    • Advanced approvals and policy rules

Which should you pick?

Choose Stampli if

  • You need ai invoice processing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want vendor management.
Stampli review

Choose Zoho Expense if

  • You need receipt ocr.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want corporate card reconciliation.
Zoho Expense review

Questions people ask

Is Stampli or Zoho Expense better?
Neither clearly leads. Stampli starts at $29/month and Zoho Expense at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Stampli or Zoho Expense?
Zoho Expense has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Stampli and Free for Zoho Expense.
Does Stampli or Zoho Expense run on more platforms?
Stampli runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zoho Expense runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Zoho Expense for free?
Yes. Zoho Expense has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Stampli starts at $29/month.
What is Stampli best used for?
Stampli is most often used for accounts payable automation, invoice processing and capture, vendor management, expense management and procurement. Of those, accounts payable automation and invoice processing and capture are not what Zoho Expense is typically brought in for.
What can Stampli do that Zoho Expense cannot?
Stampli covers AI invoice processing, Vendor management, Payment processing, Audit trails. Zoho Expense covers Receipt OCR, Corporate card reconciliation, Per diem and mileage, Travel requests and booking. Both handle Approval workflows.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stampli: What does Stampli cost?

Stampli does not publish fixed pricing. The company uses a custom quote-based model. Visitors are directed to 'Request a Quote' and meet with an AP expert to discuss pricing based on their specific invoice volume and requirements.

Source
Zoho Expense: Is the free plan usable in production?

Only for three users. Beyond that you move to Standard, which has a three user minimum anyway.

Stampli: What is included in Stampli's standard offering?

Stampli's core accounts payable solution includes unlimited invoice capture, entities/locations, vendors, and PO matching; automated processing via Stampli Cognitive AI; 12 pre-built reports; interactive dashboards; a dedicated Customer Success Manager; and support with under 90-second response time.

Source
Zoho Expense: Does Zoho Expense issue corporate cards?

No. It reconciles card feeds but does not issue cards, so you need a card programme elsewhere if you want spend blocked before it happens.

Stampli: How long does it take to implement Stampli?

Stampli uses a 'fulfillment-first' implementation approach and deploys in weeks versus competitors requiring months or longer.

Source
Zoho Expense: What is the real cost for a hundred users?

Around three thousand six hundred dollars a year on Standard annual billing, plus higher monthly rates for any additional occasional claimants beyond your licensed count.

Stampli: What add-on modules are available with Stampli?

Optional modules include Procurement, Direct Pay functionality, credit card programs, advanced vendor management, and expense management. Pricing for add-ons requires requesting a custom quote.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Stampli

More on Zoho Expense

Keep looking

Other head to heads