Zoho Expense
Policy rules, multi-step approvals, and mileage tracking at a small-business price.
Best for
Small and mid-size teams that need configurable policy, multi-step approvals, mileage, and per diem at SMB prices.
Not ideal if
Card-first teams that need budgets to decline the swipe, or anyone who needs Zoho Expense to replace the ledger.
Standout
Multi-level approval workflows with per-category policy rules at a price point built for small teams, including a real free tier for three users.
About Zoho Expense
Zoho Expense is Zoho's travel and expense app for companies that need policy rules, not just a receipt inbox. It is not a ledger. Employees snap receipts (Autoscan OCR), connect personal or corporate cards, log mileage, and submit reports. Managers and finance approve through the chains you configure. Out-of-pocket spend can be reimbursed by ACH or bank deposit on paid plans. Approved, coded expenses sync to Zoho Books, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, or Xero. You still close the books in those systems.
It does not replace QuickBooks Online, Xero, or Zoho Books. Ramp and BILL Spend & Expense put hard limits on a vendor card at the swipe. Expensify is receipt and reimbursement first with a lighter policy surface. Navan and Perk sell travel booking as the main product; Zoho's online booking sits on Premium and travel add-ons.
People who stick with it usually need receipt thresholds, category rules, multi-step approvals, mileage, or per diem without paying enterprise T&E prices. There is a free plan for up to three users. Teams that want hard spend limits on a vendor card program will find this manages what people already spent, not what the card will allow at swipe.
What people who used it say
What they tend to like
Policy control per dollar
Receipt thresholds, mileage, and multi-step approvals at SMB prices.
What they hesitate about
Takes longer to configure than simpler receipt apps
QuickBooks and Xero syncs need careful category mapping.
How it hits your books
- Replaces your ledger
- No
- QuickBooks Online
- Yes
- Xero
- Yes
- Multi-entity
- Partial
- Inventory
- No
- Payroll
- No
You capture, code, and approve in Zoho Expense, then sync or export. Oracle, SAP, NetSuite, and Microsoft Dynamics appear as add-ons on the plan comparison.
Send the sync file or a report export. There is no year-end tax package from Zoho Expense itself.
Images
Features
Policy rules and multi-step approvals
Set expense policies (receipt thresholds, category rules, duplicates). Route reports through hierarchical, parallel, or custom approval paths with reminders and delegation.
AI receipt Autoscan
Photograph or forward a receipt. Autoscan reads it in 38+ languages (line-item capture on paid plans). Free and trial: 20 scans per user per month. Standard: 200. Premium: 1,000.
Mileage and per diem
Log mileage by GPS, maps, or odometer. Premium adds automatic mileage capture with live tracking and GSA-compliant automated per diem.
Corporate and personal cards
Connect personal cards on Free. Standard and above add corporate card management and real-time Visa and Mastercard feeds (selected countries), with auto-match and MCC categorization. US orgs can also use the Zoho Prepaid Mastercard.
Accounting sync and reimbursements
Map categories and push approved reports to Zoho Books, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, or Xero. Paid plans add ACH payments and direct bank reimbursements. CSV and report exports are available when you need a file.
Travel requests and online booking (Premium)
Premium adds employee self-booking against global flight and hotel inventory, guest booking, and travel desk tools. Travel is also sold as a per-trip add-on (public US figure $9.99 per trip).
Pricing
Free forever for up to 3 users. Standard starts at $3 per user per month yearly ($4 monthly). Premium is $5 yearly ($6 monthly). UK FAQ lists a 5-user minimum on paid plans; US checkout was not confirmed for that floor.
Free
Small teams starting expense management.
- Expense reports and personal card tracking
- GPS mileage
- Accounting integrations
- Autoscan: 20 receipts per user per month
- 5 GB receipt storage
Standard
Growing businesses that need corporate cards, reimbursements, and more Autoscan.
- Corporate card management and Visa/Mastercard feeds
- Multiple policies and custom roles
- ACH and direct bank reimbursements
- Autoscan: 200 per user per month with line-item capture
Premium
Teams that need online travel booking, automated per diem, and multi-entity expense management.
- Online travel self-booking
- GSA-compliant automated per diem
- Multi-entity/country expense management
- Autoscan: 1,000 per user per month
Custom
Large multi-region programs. Optional Travel, Premium Support, and Jumpstart add-ons.
- Quote-based packaging
- Travel add-on from $9.99/trip US
- Premium Support and Jumpstart onboarding available
Integrations
Platforms
Audience
Pick something else instead of Zoho Expense
Expensify
Pick Expensify instead if you want a lighter receipt and reimbursement surface without deep policy configuration.
Ramp
Pick Ramp instead if you want card-first spend controls that block overspend at the swipe.
BILL Spend & Expense
Pick BILL Spend & Expense instead if you want free budget-enforced cards rather than policy-on-reports.
Navan
Pick Navan instead if travel booking plus expense is the main product, not a Premium add-on.