Tipalti and Airbase are two popular tools for teams that need accounts payable (AP) automation and procurement solutions.
But comparing key features can be confusing. And not doing enough research can lead to wasted budget, poor adoption, or more manual workarounds.
In this article, we’ll compare Tipalti vs. Airbase. We’ll review their features, pricing, and user reviews to help you choose the right fit for your business.
If you find both platforms too complex or unrelated to your team’s requirements, you can also compare them with a third and better alternative, ProcureDesk.
Tipalti Overview
Tipalti is an AI-driven finance automation suite that centralizes accounts payable, global payments, procurement, and expense management.
The platform is designed for mid-sized companies in affiliate & influencer networks, business services, e-commerce & retail, education, financial services, and healthcare.
Read more: Tipalti vs AvidXchange
Tipalti Key Features
Here are the key features of Tipalti:
- AP automation: Streamlines accounts payable with OCR (optical character recognition) invoice capture, supplier self-service onboarding, automated approval workflows, and faster reconciliation.
- Mass payments: Simplifies global payouts in 200+ countries and 120+ currencies with built-in tax compliance, fraud prevention, currency management, and flexible API support.
- Unified intake-to-procure workflows: Automates and streamlines the full procurement lifecycle, from purchase requests to purchase orders.
- Advanced purchase order (PO) approval routing: Allows customized approval flows with rules-based routing for POs to cut down delays and speed up decision-making.
- Custom intake forms: Supports tailored procurement forms for employees, improving request accuracy and user adoption.
- Self-service supplier onboarding: Suppliers can register via a supplier portal, allowing faster onboarding and better vendor control.
- Automated PO management: Automatically generates purchase orders once requests are approved, reducing manual errors and data entry.
- Real-time spend analytics: Offers dashboards to monitor procurement spend dynamically, filter trends, and drive cost-saving insights.
- Three-way PO matching: Supports validation of purchase orders against goods or services received and invoices.
- Expense management: Handles employee expenses and reimbursements with simplified review, approval, reconciliation, and faster reimbursement processes.
- Connected suite & integrations: Unifies AP, procurement, payments, and expenses with deep ERP, accounting, and API integrations for streamlined operations.
- Controls & compliance: Provides enterprise-grade security with audit logs, role-based access, encryption, disaster recovery, and automated tax and regulatory compliance.
- AI & global scale: Leverages AI-driven workflows and global visibility to support multi-entity, multi-currency operations for businesses expanding internationally.
Tipalti Pricing
Tipalti offers three pricing plans: Select, Advanced, and Elevate, starting from $99 per month.
Tipalti Reviews
We reviewed Tipalti user experiences from G2 and Capterra. Here’s what users like about Tipalti:
- A user says, “What I like best about Tipalti is how effortlessly it handles complex payment workflows, especially for global payouts and royalties…”
- Another user expresses, “Tipalti seriously changed the game for us. What used to be a mess of emails and spreadsheets is now smooth and super easy. Vendor setup, invoice approvals, and payments all happen in one place…”
Here’s what users don’t like about Tipalti:
- A user complains, “…the interface can feel a bit unintuitive at times, especially when trying to navigate detailed reports or make specific customizations…”
- Another user says, “…If you’re on NetSuite, you cannot trust that the product will work for you consistently…”
Tipalti Rating
Airbase Overview
Airbase, acquired by Paylocity, is an all-in-one spend management software for mid-market to enterprise-level companies dealing with complexity in purchasing and accounting workflows. It unifies HR, finance, and IT teams with customized solutions.
Airbase Key Features
Here are the key features of Airbase:
- All-in-one spend management: Combines expense approvals, bill payments, corporate cards, reporting, and accounting automation in one platform.
- AP automation: Uses OCR and AI to capture invoices, automate approvals, match POs, and sync with ERP systems.
- Guided procurement workflows: Streamlines procurement by collecting required documents, routing approvals, and ensuring compliance across departments.
- PO lifecycle management: Automates purchase orders from request to approval, matching, and payment.
- Vendor onboarding: Vendors can self-register with contact, banking, and tax details via a secure portal.
- Global payments: Supports payments in 145+ currencies across 200+ countries using ACH, checks, cards, and wires.
- Spend analytics: Provides real-time dashboards and insights into spend patterns for better financial decisions.
- Expense management with AI: Automates expense reporting with AI/ML, scanning receipts, and allowing reimbursements in multiple countries and currencies.
- ERP & GL integrations: Syncs spend and transaction data directly with general ledger systems for accurate bookkeeping.
- Mobile access: Manage expenses, capture receipts, and approve requests on the go with the Airbase mobile app.
Airbase Pricing
Airbase has custom pricing plans, depending on your department, business size, and feature needs.
Airbase Reviews
Here’s what users like about Airbase:
- A user says, “I like how easy it is to process and schedule payment for invoices. It autofills most of the invoice info, slashing data entry time.”
- Another user shares, “Airbase is super easy to use, and the best features are those that make it easy and transparent to see what’s happening with my request….”
Here’s what users don’t like about Airbase:
- A user complains, “...it should have a bit more design to its functionality. While it’s easy to track and submit. There are others that rely on visuals to help them know where everything is.
- Another user says, “Mobile application is not up to the mark. Relatively, it’s a bit costly for small organizations.”
Airbase Rating
Tipalti vs. Airbase: A Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Here’s a complete side-by-side feature comparison between Tipalti and Airbase:
Both Provide Global Payment Support, Tipalti Has More Payment Options
Tipalti supports payments to over 200 countries in 120+ currencies across 50+ methods, with built-in tax compliance and fraud prevention. Airbase allows global bill payments in 145+ currencies.
Tipalti Automates Invoice Processing With AI, Airbase Simplifies AP With OCR
Tipalti uses AI-powered invoice scanning, header and line-level capture, and two- to three-way PO matching with email-based approvals. Airbase offers OCR invoice capture, automated approvals, and three-way matching, giving finance teams a straightforward way to manage AP.
Tipalti Centralizes Intake-to-Procure Workflows, Airbase Adds Guided Procurement
Tipalti provides centralized requisition management, custom forms, advanced PO approvals, and spend analytics across procurement.
Airbase extends its spend platform with guided procurement, helping collect contracts, tax forms, and compliance documents while routing requests across finance, legal, and IT.
Tipalti Delivers Advanced Supplier Validation, Airbase Offers Standard Onboarding
Tipalti provides a self-service portal with over 26,000 built-in validation rules, OFAC/SDN screening, and fee-splitting options for suppliers.
Airbase also provides a supplier portal and vendor self-registration, though its compliance checks are lighter and completed within a few days.
Tipalti Offers Contract Management Module, Airbase Only Captures Contracts at Intake
Tipalti offers a central repository for contract storage, lifecycle tracking, and procurement management with status workflows and notifications.
Airbase allows contract collection via guided procurement workflows and vendor portal uploads. But it lacks a complete contract management system.
Tipalti Provides a Full Vendor Catalog, Airbase Doesn’t Offer Catalog Capabilities
Tipalti includes a built-in supplier catalog where vendors can manage their details, payment preferences, and compliance information. Airbase doesn’t provide catalog functionality.
Airbase Includes Built-In Corporate Cards, Tipalti Integrates Cards and Handles Global Reimbursements
Airbase’s platform includes virtual and physical corporate cards tightly integrated with approvals and reporting. Tipalti supports corporate card integrations and offers expense management with global reimbursements.
Tipalti Excels at Multi-Entity Support, Airbase’s Is Limited to NetSuite
Tipalti allows multiple entities to operate in one system, offering centralized control and visibility. Airbase’s multi-entity functionality depends largely on NetSuite and lacks its own standalone multi-entity framework.
Airbase Offers Dedicated Spend Analytics, Tipalti Highlights Real-Time Views Across Entities
Airbase provides a product tour for Spend Analytics to explore dashboards and insights. Tipalti emphasizes real-time visibility into cash flow and reconciliation across entities, geographies, currencies, and methods.
Tipalti App Simplifies Global Expense Submission, Airbase App Offers Procure-to-Pay Visibility
Tipalti allows expense creation, receipt capture, and policy-compliant approvals, all powered by its global payout infrastructure. Airbase offers expense approvals, card tracking, and spend visibility within its broader procure-to-pay workflow.
Tipalti Supports a Wide Range of ERP Integrations; Airbase Focuses on Core Systems
Tipalti connects with ERPs, accounting tools, HR, SSO (single sign-on), marketing platforms, and custom APIs. Airbase integrates with core systems, like NetSuite, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, and Xero, and adds business tools like Asana, Jira, and DocuSign.
Tipalti vs. Airbase: Feature Comparison Summary
| Feature | Tipalti | Airbase |
| Global Payments | Supports 200+ countries, 120+ currencies, 50+ methods, with tax compliance and fraud prevention | Supports 200+ countries and 145+ currencies for global bill payments |
| Invoice Processing / AP | AI-powered invoice scanning, 2-way and 3-way PO matching | OCR invoice capture, 3-way match (NetSuite focus) |
| Procurement | Centralized intake, custom forms, advanced PO approvals, and spend analytics | Guided procurement collects contracts, tax forms, and routes to stakeholders |
| Supplier Onboarding | Self-service portal with 26,000+ validation rules, OFAC/SDN screening, and fee-splitting options | Supplier portal with self-registration; lighter compliance checks |
| Contract Management | Full contract repository with lifecycle tracking, workflows, notifications, and e-signature support | Captures contracts during procurement; lacks a full CLM system |
| Vendor Catalog | Built-in supplier catalog for vendor details, payment preferences, and compliance | No vendor catalog functionality |
| Corporate Cards & Expenses | Integrates cards and supports global reimbursements in 200+ countries, 120 currencies | Built-in virtual & physical corporate cards with approvals and reporting |
| Multi-Entity Support | Supports multiple entities in one system with reconciliation, branding, and reporting | Limited mainly to NetSuite multi-entity setups |
| Analytics & Reporting | Real-time views into cash flow and reconciliation across entities, currencies, and geographies | Dedicated Spend Analytics dashboards with insights and reporting tools |
| Mobile App | Expense creation, receipt capture, approvals, and global reimbursements | Approvals, card tracking, and spend visibility across procure-to-pay flows |
| Integrations | Wide ERP coverage (NetSuite, Sage, Dynamics, QuickBooks, Xero, SAP, Oracle, Workday, etc.), HR, SSO, APIs | Core ERPs (NetSuite, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, Xero) + Asana, Jira, DocuSign |
ProcureDesk: A Spend Management Alternative to Tipalti vs. Airbase
ProcureDesk is a spend management software designed for small to mid-sized businesses that need to manage 50+ purchase orders or 100+ invoices per month. Our software offers flexible and scalable procurement solutions to streamline approvals, purchase orders, and invoices.
It serves industries like green/climate tech, education, biotech and life sciences, non-profit, construction, professional services, and manufacturing.
ProcureDesk allows you to set custom workflows, automate invoicing, track budgets in real-time, and sync all your data into your existing systems.
Here’s how ProcureDesk features streamline your finance and procurement workflows.
Custom Multi-Level Workflows for Streamlined Approvals
If you’re managing 50+ orders through manual procurement, you’re likely to face approval delays across departments.
ProcureDesk offers custom multi-level approval workflows that route requests automatically. You can set approval layers based on spend thresholds, departments, or vendor risk. When an employee creates a request or a vendor sends an invoice, ProcureDesk routes them to the right approvers without manual intervention.
ProcureDesk helps you speed up invoice approvals with:
- Auto-approval limits: Automatically approve invoices or POs below a set amount to save time on low-value purchases.
- Smart conditional routing: Use logic like cost center, requester role, or item type to direct requests accurately.
- Department-level reviews: Route marketing, IT, or finance invoices to the right stakeholders for specialized oversight.
- Dynamic triggers: Flag high-value or high-risk purchases for extra checks to meet purchasing compliance without slowing down everyday spend.
For example, a biotech firm used ProcureDesk to replace spreadsheets with streamlined purchasing and accounting processes. Our software integrated with their QuickBooks, shifted requisition approvals from the COO to department heads, and allowed employees to track orders in real-time.
Purchase Order Management for Centralized Processes
Many companies start by tracking purchase requests and approvals in spreadsheets. But as order volumes grow, this leads to approval delays, budget overruns, and data silos.
ProcureDesk’s purchase order workflow software replaces these spreadsheets with a structured, automated workflow designed to handle 50+ orders with ease.
You can create rules that route purchase requests to the right managers or departments. Small purchases can be auto-approved, while larger requests get routed to finance or department heads.
Teams can work with ready-to-use PO templates for recurring orders or customize new ones with vendor details, item descriptions, quantities, and pricing.
Once a purchase order is created, ProcureDesk provides real-time visibility through a central dashboard. You can see when a PO is approved, whether the vendor has acknowledged it, and how the order is progressing through shipping and delivery.
This step-by-step visibility helps prevent delays and makes it easier to hold teams accountable and maintain accurate records.
Vendor Catalogs to Streamline Purchasing
Airbase lacks vendor catalog support, while Tipalti only provides a Supplier Hub for managing vendor info and validation. Without catalog functionality, teams need to manually visit e-commerce sites to enter order details and pricing.
ProcureDesk offers 200+ vendor catalog integrations, including Amazon, BDI, CDW, Office Depot, and Staples. Employees can shop directly from pre-approved catalogs with instant access to live product listings, accurate pricing, and real-time availability, all from within the ProcureDesk interface.
As an Airbase alternative, ProcureDesk lets you select preferred suppliers and restrict catalogs so employees only purchase from approved sources.
This reduces maverick spend, enforces compliance with internal policies, and removes the need for manual pricing checks or vendor follow-ups.
Budget Management for Cost Control
Without real-time budget tracking, you lack cost control, exceed credit card usage, and can’t track your spending data accurately.
ProcureDesk enforces real-time budgetary controls and spend visibility in your purchasing process. You can customize by departments, projects, or cost centers, with spending limits and approval thresholds.
When employees submit a purchase request, ProcureDesk automatically checks it against the assigned budget and approval rules for spend control.
If the request exceeds the limit, it’s flagged or routed to the appropriate manager for review. Low-value requests can be auto-approved, keeping the process fast without sacrificing control.
For example, an amusement park used ProcureDesk to improve its cash flow visibility and cost control, especially during peak season. They were able to set custom approval workflows for budget checks and see real-time spend before the invoices arrived.
Supplier Management for Performance Tracking
Managing suppliers without a centralized system makes it hard to track product quality, delivery timelines, and service-level agreement (SLA) compliance.
As a Tipalti alternative, ProcureDesk simplifies supplier management with built-in performance tracking features. Procurement teams can set and monitor key supplier KPIs, such as on-time delivery rates, order accuracy, product quality, and responsiveness.
ProcureDesk also speeds up vendor onboarding with vendor portals that sync directly with your procurement system. Vendors use these portals to submit required information, which the system automatically captures and organizes.
ProcureDesk stores each supplier profile in a centralized database, including contact details, performance metrics, and contract information. This gives procurement teams quick and reliable access to supplier data while maintaining a complete history in one place.
Through the same portal, vendors can confirm order status with a single click. When a purchase order is created, the system automatically sends it to the vendor without manual intervention. Once shipped, vendors can directly request an invoice. ProcureDesk matches the invoice with receipts and purchase orders to confirm the delivery before payment.
Contract Management for Timely Renewals
Airbase only allows teams to attach finalized contracts to spend records, without centralized storage, renewal tracking, or automation.
ProcureDesk offers a contract management module built with your procurement and AP workflows. From purchase orders to invoice reconciliation, every step aligns with contractual commitments for compliance and accountability across the supplier lifecycle.
It centralizes all your supplier contracts in one secure repository, making it easy for procurement teams to find, manage, and control every agreement.
The platform automates renewal tracking so you never get locked into unwanted auto-renewals. With proactive alerts and reminders, your team gains the time and leverage needed to renegotiate terms and avoid surprise costs.
For example, a construction company can use ProcureDesk to centralize contracts with concrete and steel suppliers. Renewal alerts notify the team before agreements expire, allowing them to renegotiate better rates and avoid costly auto-renewals.
This visibility helps the company control material costs and keep large projects within budget.
Invoice Processing With Automated PO Matching
When you manage 100+ invoices by email, portal, or paper, teams waste hours in keying data, chasing approvers, and manual reconciling.
ProcureDesk automates invoice processing based on your preset workflow rules. The system uses OCR technology from email or vendor portals to automatically extract invoice header and line-level details.
Then, it validates them using two methods:
- 2-way matching: Compares invoice details directly against the purchase order.
- 3-way matching: Validates invoice, purchase order, and goods receipt together for greater accuracy.
ProcureDesk’s invoice workflow software uses vendor, PO number, and amount to connect invoices to the right purchase orders. It applies tolerance thresholds for price and quantity, and flags issues such as duplicates, partial receipts, or extra fees.
If an invoice doesn’t match, it routes them for review to the right approvers based on your workflows.
Each action is logged for compliance, and approved invoices sync directly into your ERP or accounting systems for payments. Once paid, the system automatically syncs back paid invoices, so AP teams can track real-time payment status. This reduces manual work and speeds up the entire process.
For example, an aviation company used ProcureDesk to gain accounting visibility into purchasing across three locations. The system provided automated 3-way matching and QuickBooks integration, which helped them cut invoice processing time by 30% and reduce month-end reporting delays.
With ProcureDesk, Finance teams only review true invoice exceptions, vendors are paid on time, and leadership gains confidence in real-time spend visibility.
Spend Analytics for Cost Reduction
Many finance teams operate with delayed or incomplete data. By the time monthly reports are generated, budgets are already blown, and there’s no visibility into who spent what, or why.
ProcureDesk offers real-time spend analytics, delivered through live dashboards and detailed reports.
Every purchase request, PO, and invoice is tracked in a single system. ProcureDesk automatically classifies spend by department, vendor, or category and updates dashboards instantly.
This allows finance teams to enforce budgets, forecast future department-wise spend, and adopt cost-reduction procurement strategies.
Bill Payments for Employee Spending Control
Managing vendor payments with disconnected tools slows down your procurement process and risks rogue spending.
ProcureDesk supports multiple bill payment methods, including ACH transfers, physical checks, and virtual cards. These are initiated directly in ProcureDesk, with no separate portals or manual file uploads.
The system automatically matches purchase orders to invoices and routes them through multi-level approvals. Once approved, your finance team can either schedule or release payments immediately.
Everything syncs automatically back into your accounting system, so your team can access accurate and up-to-date data.
ProcureDesk also helps you control employee spending with virtual cards. Each card is tied to an approved purchase request, so every transaction starts with built-in controls. This keeps budgets aligned and reduces the risk of open-ended spending.
Finance teams see every transaction in real time, while employees get a fast, compliant way to pay.
Real-Time Dashboard for Visibility & Control
Without a centralized dashboard, tracking procurement activity becomes reactive and prone to errors. Spreadsheets make it harder to trust the numbers, and delays in data updates lead to budget overruns and approval delays.
ProcureDesk gives you a real-time procurement dashboard that displays purchase orders, invoices, and budgets when you log in.
Each user gets a personalized view of what matters to their role. For example, a CFO might see high-level spend trends and budget forecasts. A procurement manager can track supplier performance, cycle times, and cost-saving opportunities.
The system also generates scheduled expense reports, daily, weekly, or monthly, so everyone has a clear view of KPIs. This up-to-date data helps you spot spending patterns early, forecast budgets with confidence, and avoid unnecessary delays.
Mobile App for Quick Procurement
Field teams often lose time waiting for office approvals or chasing paperwork after hours.
ProcureDesk supports mobile procurement software capabilities via its native mobile app to keep workflows moving and organized.
Employees can create and submit purchase requests on the spot and upload receipts instantly using their phone’s camera. This reduces paper-based processes and prevents documents from getting lost.
Managers receive real-time notifications whenever new requests or approvals are needed. They can review and approve transactions with a few taps. This speeds up the entire purchase cycle, and field teams have the materials they need without delay.
Our mobile app also provides clear visibility into budgets and order status. Team members track spending in real time without logging into a desktop system, which helps prevent overspending and keeps projects on schedule.
ProcureDesk Integrations
Users complain that Tipalti’s NetSuite integration is unreliable, with frequent sync errors, poor error handling, and long delays in support escalation. These issues create extra work for finance teams and slow down reporting cycles.
ProcureDesk integrates with NetSuite by syncing master data, purchase orders, invoices, and payments in real-time. Teams avoid manual entry and reconciliation errors. Automatic two- and three-way matching provides accurate, audit-ready records, while ProcureDesk keeps NetSuite workflows consistent and dependable.
Our platform also supports integrations with:
ProcureDesk Pros and Cons
Pros
- Has a user-friendly interface with onboarding support
- Offers custom multi-level approval workflows
- Streamlines purchase order management
- Provides real-time spend visibility
- Supports 200+ vendor catalogs
- Allows supplier management
- Offers self-service vendor portals
- Provides contract management
- Automates invoice processing
- Supports OCR and 3-way matching
- Offers spend analytics
- Provides real-time reporting dashboards
- Supports virtual card and physical bill payments
- Integrates with ERP and accounting systems
- Offers a native mobile app
- Provides 24/7 customer support
Cons
- Advanced features have a learning curve, but the customer service team provides onboarding support
- No offline features
ProcureDesk Pricing
ProcureDesk offers three pricing plans, based on your business size and feature needs.
| Plan | Pricing | Features | Best For |
| Purchasing Automation | $598/month | 10 users included, onboarding support, and custom approval workflows | Companies that want to automate purchasing and approval processes |
| Purchasing & AP Automation | $1020/month | All Purchasing Automation features, invoice approval workflows, 3-way invoice matching, and OCR for invoices | Companies that want to save time by automating invoice matching with orders |
| Enterprise | Custom | All Purchasing Automation features, a dedicated account manager, vendor portals, and single sign-on (SSO) | Large companies that need advanced features and white-glove service |
ProcureDesk Reviews
Here’s what users like about ProcureDesk:
- A user says, “ProcureDesk gives finance eyes and ears over the procurement process. Implementation is simple and the ease of integration between ERP and ProcureDesk…”
- Another user says, “The speed at which I am able to process invoices is unprecedented. Not only can it link to my inbox to draft invoices, but I can edit multiple lines of account coding at once…”
Here’s what users don’t like about ProcureDesk:
- A user says, “There are lots of little quirks in the system, but as you work with the team, they make it easier to understand…”
- Another user says, “Occasional lag/system glitches and learning curve for new users.”
ProcureDesk Rating
Comparison Table: ProcureDesk vs. Tipalti vs. Airbase
| Platform | Best for | Key features | Pricing | Overall rating |
| ProcureDesk | Small to mid-sized businesses earning $10M – $100M+ in annual revenue | Multi-level approval workflows, purchase order management, 200+ vendor catalogs, contract management, AP automation, and real-time spend analytics | Starts at $598/month for full purchasing automation | 4.8/5⭐ |
| Tipalti | Mid-sized companies with complex AP and global payment needs | AP automation, global mass payments in 200+ countries, supplier self-service onboarding, three-way PO matching, and spend analytics | Starts at $99/month for the basic plan | 4.5/5⭐ |
| Airbase | Mid-market to enterprise companies seeking all-in-one spend management | AP automation with OCR, corporate cards, guided procurement workflows, global payments in 145+ currencies, and reporting dashboards | Custom pricing | 4.7/5⭐ |
Tipalti vs. Airbase: Which Platform is Best for You?
Choosing between Tipalti and Airbase depends on your business size, feature needs, number of users, and budget.
Choose Tipalti if your priority is global AP automation and mass payments with built-in tax compliance and supplier onboarding.
Airbase is best suited for teams needing a spend management platform to manage AP, procurement, expenses, and corporate cards.
Bottom Line
ProcureDesk is the best spend management software for SMBs that earn $10 – $100M+ in annual revenue. It offers flexible procurement workflows, vendor catalogs, supplier management, and real-time spend control.
Our software connects with your existing system to streamline your procurement and AP workflows. This makes it easier for your team to manage purchase orders, invoices, and approvals from a single platform.
Book a demo to learn how ProcureDesk streamlines purchasing workflows with real-time visibility and control for growing teams.
