Travel Expense Savings Calculator
See how much you could save by switching to automated travel expense management. Based on G2 data showing companies using manual systems lose 18% more on travel expenses.
Your Current Travel Setup
Your Estimated Savings
Total annual travel budget:
Time spent processing expenses:
Potential savings from reduced waste:
Estimated time saved annually:
Recommended Platform
Based on your team size and requirements
Managing business travel expenses used to mean stacks of receipts, hours of manual data entry, and finance teams drowning in spreadsheets. In 2025, that’s not just inefficient-it’s outdated. Companies that still rely on paper receipts and Excel templates are losing money, wasting time, and risking compliance issues. The good news? Modern travel expense management tools have changed everything. They don’t just track spending-they predict it, control it, and even save you money before the trip even happens.
What Travel Expense Management Really Means Today
Travel expense management isn’t just about getting reimbursed after a flight. It’s the entire system that connects booking, spending, policy enforcement, and accounting into one smooth flow. It starts the moment someone books a flight and ends when the money hits their bank account. And it’s not just for big corporations anymore. Even small teams are using these tools to cut costs and avoid audit headaches.
Platforms like Navan is a modern travel and expense platform that uses AI to enforce policies at the point of booking and automatically reconcile expenses. Also known as TripActions, it was rebranded in 2023 and now serves over 1,200 enterprise clients with real-time spending controls. and SAP Concur is a cloud-based expense and travel management system that integrates deeply with ERP platforms like SAP, Oracle, and Workday. First launched in 1993 and acquired by SAP in 2014, it remains the most widely used platform among large enterprises. don’t just collect receipts-they analyze patterns, flag policy violations before they happen, and even suggest cheaper flight options based on past behavior.
Here’s how it works in practice: An employee books a flight through the company’s portal. The system checks their travel policy-no first-class unless approved, only economy on domestic routes. If they try to upgrade, the system blocks it or sends a request to their manager. After the trip, the system automatically matches the credit card transaction (if using a corporate card) with the itinerary and pulls in the digital receipt. No manual entry. No lost receipts. No chasing people for proof.
Why Manual Expense Tracking Still Costs You Money
Let’s say you have a team of 50 employees who travel twice a month. Each person spends 2 hours a month filling out expense reports. That’s 100 hours a month. Over a year? 1,200 hours. That’s the equivalent of 3 full-time employees just processing paperwork.
And that’s just the labor cost. According to G2’s 2025 data, companies using manual systems lose an average of 18% more on travel than those using automated platforms. Why? Because without real-time policy enforcement, employees book expensive flights, skip cheaper hotels, or forget to claim reimbursements altogether. And when receipts go missing, finance teams have to delay reimbursements-which hurts morale and can even trigger IRS compliance issues.
One manufacturing company in Ohio switched from paper receipts to SAP Concur is a cloud-based expense and travel management system that integrates deeply with ERP platforms like SAP, Oracle, and Workday. First launched in 1993 and acquired by SAP in 2014, it remains the most widely used platform among large enterprises. in early 2025. Within three months, their month-end close time dropped from 7 days to 4. Their travel spend decreased by 16% because employees stopped booking non-compliant flights without realizing it. The system didn’t just track-they enforced.
Top Platforms in 2025: Who Does What Best
Not all expense tools are built the same. Your choice depends on your company size, budget, and how much integration you need.
| Platform | Best For | Key Feature | Price (Per User/Month) | AI Capabilities | International Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navan is a modern travel and expense platform that uses AI to enforce policies at the point of booking and automatically reconcile expenses. Also known as TripActions, it was rebranded in 2023 and now serves over 1,200 enterprise clients with real-time spending controls. | Enterprises with complex policies | PolicyAI predicts and blocks policy violations before booking | $12 + 1.5% booking fee | High-predicts 92% of budget overruns | 150+ currencies |
| SAP Concur is a cloud-based expense and travel management system that integrates deeply with ERP platforms like SAP, Oracle, and Workday. First launched in 1993 and acquired by SAP in 2014, it remains the most widely used platform among large enterprises. | Large companies using SAP or Oracle | Deep ERP integration reduces month-end close by 3 days | $8-$25 (tiered) | Moderate-uses SAP AI for forecasting | 120+ currencies |
| Brex is a corporate card and expense platform that combines spending limits, real-time analytics, and automated reporting. Launched in 2017, it targets mid-market companies with a card-first approach and no per-user fees. | Mid-market (50-1,000 employees) | Integrated card eliminates reimbursement delays | 0.5% cashback, no per-user fee | Low-focused on spend analytics | 35 currencies |
| Zoho Expense is a simple, affordable expense tracking tool designed for small businesses and startups. Part of the Zoho ecosystem, it offers a freemium model with strong mobile scanning. | Small businesses under 50 employees | Free plan + intuitive mobile receipt scanning | Free-$7 | Basic-no predictive features | 25 currencies |
| Ramp is a spend management platform that combines corporate cards, expense tracking, and AI-powered savings insights. Known for granular analytics that uncover hidden cost savings. | Companies focused on cost optimization | Identifies 15-20% potential savings in travel categories | 0.5% cashback, no per-user fee | High-customizable savings alerts | 40+ currencies |
Navan leads in AI and global reach, making it ideal for multinational teams. SAP Concur wins for companies already using SAP or Oracle-its integration is unmatched. Brex and Ramp are great if you want to cut out the reimbursement step entirely by giving employees corporate cards with built-in controls. Zoho Expense is the go-to for small teams that need something simple and cheap.
How AI Is Changing the Game
AI isn’t just a buzzword here-it’s saving companies real money. Navan is a modern travel and expense platform that uses AI to enforce policies at the point of booking and automatically reconcile expenses. Also known as TripActions, it was rebranded in 2023 and now serves over 1,200 enterprise clients with real-time spending controls.’s PolicyAI analyzes over 10 years of travel data to learn what policies are actually followed-and which ones are ignored. It then adjusts exceptions automatically. For example, if a team frequently books last-minute flights because of emergencies, the system might allow a higher budget for those routes without requiring manager approval.
SAP Concur is a cloud-based expense and travel management system that integrates deeply with ERP platforms like SAP, Oracle, and Workday. First launched in 1993 and acquired by SAP in 2014, it remains the most widely used platform among large enterprises.’s Concur Intelligence forecasts quarterly travel spend with 89% accuracy. That means finance teams can plan budgets better, avoid surprises, and even negotiate better rates with airlines because they know exactly how much they’ll spend.
But AI isn’t perfect. A June 2025 analysis by CFO.com found that in 8-10% of cases, overly rigid AI rules caused employees to book more expensive flights because cheaper options were blocked without context. The key? Set rules that allow flexibility. Don’t just automate enforcement-automate judgment.
Implementation: What to Expect When You Switch
Switching platforms isn’t just about installing software. It’s about changing how people work. The biggest failure point? Poor policy setup. According to Gartner, 41% of failed implementations happen because companies don’t define clear travel rules before going live.
Here’s what a successful rollout looks like:
- Define your travel policy with input from finance, HR, and frequent travelers. What’s allowed? What’s not? Are there exceptions for emergencies?
- Choose a platform that matches your size and needs. Don’t pick SAP Concur if you’re a 20-person startup.
- Integrate with your accounting system. If you use QuickBooks, Xero, or NetSuite, make sure the platform connects natively.
- Train your team. Zoho Expense users need just 2-3 hours. SAP Concur users need 20+ hours of training.
- Launch with a pilot group. Test it with 5-10 employees before going company-wide.
Implementation time varies. Rippling Travel is a streamlined travel and expense solution designed for SMBs that integrates directly with HR systems for instant setup. It achieves average 72-hour implementation through HRIS integration as stated in their October 2025 case studies. can be live in under three days. Navan takes 4-6 weeks for enterprise setups. But the payoff? Finance teams save 5-8 hours a week. That’s 200+ hours a year per person.
Compliance, Security, and Future Trends
Security is non-negotiable. All top platforms use SOC 2 Type II compliance, AES-256 encryption, and multi-factor authentication. Brex added biometric login for mobile apps in October 2025. If you operate in Europe, GDPR compliance is mandatory. In the U.S., IRS rules require detailed receipts for deductions-platforms like Zoho Expense is a simple, affordable expense tracking tool designed for small businesses and startups. Part of the Zoho ecosystem, it offers a freemium model with strong mobile scanning. auto-tag digital receipts to meet these standards.
Future trends are clear: AI will automate 90% of expense reports by 2026, according to IDC. Carbon footprint tracking is now standard in 32% of enterprise deployments. And the biggest shift? Expense platforms are becoming financial control centers. Instead of just tracking spend, they’re now issuing cards, approving payments, and even managing vendor invoices.
By 2027, Gartner predicts 60% of new implementations will include embedded payment processing. That means your travel tool won’t just report expenses-it’ll pay them.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?
If your team still prints receipts, emails spreadsheets, or spends hours reconciling credit card statements-yes, it’s worth it. The average company saves 15-20% on travel spend within the first year. They cut reimbursement time from 14 days to 3. They reduce audit risks and boost employee satisfaction.
Start small. Pick one platform that fits your size. Test it with your most frequent travelers. Watch how much time you save. Then scale.
This isn’t about technology. It’s about control. When you know where your money goes-before it’s spent-you stop guessing. And that’s how smart companies stay profitable.
What’s the difference between expense management and travel management?
Expense management tracks all company spending-meals, office supplies, software subscriptions. Travel management focuses only on business trips: flights, hotels, car rentals, per diems. Modern platforms like Navan and SAP Concur combine both into one system, so you get full visibility into travel-related costs without switching tools.
Can small businesses afford travel expense software?
Yes. Zoho Expense offers a free plan for up to 5 users, and its premium tier starts at $4 per user per month. Even at $7/user, it’s cheaper than the time spent manually processing receipts. For a team of 10, that’s under $70 a month-far less than the cost of one lost receipt or one delayed reimbursement.
Do I need a corporate card to use these tools?
No, but it helps. Platforms like Brex and Ramp are built around corporate cards, so they automate everything from booking to reconciliation. If you use personal cards, you’ll still need to upload receipts. But even without a card, tools like Navan and SAP Concur can still auto-match expenses to bookings and flag policy violations.
How secure are these platforms with my company’s data?
Top platforms use enterprise-grade security: SOC 2 Type II certified, AES-256 encryption, multi-factor authentication, and regular audits. Brex adds biometric login. Navan and SAP Concur store data in AWS and Azure data centers with 99.95% uptime. If your current system uses Excel files emailed around, you’re far less secure.
What happens if an employee breaks the travel policy?
It depends on the platform. In Navan and SAP Concur, the system blocks the booking in real time and notifies the manager. In others, the expense gets flagged during submission and sent for approval. Some companies require reimbursement to be repaid. The goal isn’t punishment-it’s consistency. Automated enforcement means policies are applied fairly, not based on who’s in charge that day.
Can these tools help with sustainability goals?
Yes. Platforms like SAP Concur and Navan now track carbon emissions per trip and suggest lower-impact options-like trains over flights for short distances. Over 32% of enterprise deployments include carbon reporting as standard. This helps companies meet ESG goals and report emissions accurately to stakeholders.
Laura W
December 5, 2025 AT 19:22Okay but let’s be real-Navan’s PolicyAI is basically a boss who never sleeps and always knows when you’re trying to sneak a first-class upgrade. I used to hate expense reports, now I just book flights and forget about it. The system blocked my ‘emergency’ upgrade last month because it saw I’d done the same route 3 times and knew I was just lazy. Honestly? Respect.
Also, the 1.5% booking fee? Totally worth it when you’re saving 20% on travel spend. My finance team now has time to actually do, like, actual finance work instead of playing receipt detective.
Graeme C
December 7, 2025 AT 13:53Let me cut through the corporate fluff: SAP Concur is the only enterprise-grade solution that doesn’t make you feel like you’re negotiating with a sentient Excel spreadsheet. The ERP integration is flawless-no more ‘why is this expense stuck in limbo?’ emails. And yes, the training is a nightmare (20+ hours? Really?), but once it’s live, your month-end close becomes a Sunday stroll.
Meanwhile, Brex and Ramp are just fancy corporate credit cards with analytics. Great for mid-market, useless if your accounting stack isn’t built for automation. And Zoho’s ‘freemium’? Cute. Until you need to process 500 receipts a month and your phone battery dies trying to scan them all. This isn’t a startup tool-it’s a scaling tool. Choose wisely.
Astha Mishra
December 7, 2025 AT 20:32It is fascinating, is it not, how the very tools designed to liberate us from the tedium of manual accounting have, in turn, become the new arbiters of our professional behavior? We no longer question whether a flight is necessary-we query whether the AI will approve it. We no longer negotiate budgets with finance-we negotiate with algorithms trained on past compromises.
And yet, in this automation, there is a quiet irony: the more we delegate judgment to machines, the more we lose the human context that makes policy meaningful. A last-minute flight due to a family emergency is not a policy violation-it is a human moment. When AI blocks it without empathy, we do not become more efficient-we become colder.
Perhaps the true innovation is not in predictive spending or carbon tracking, but in building systems that allow for grace. That the machine knows when to say ‘no’ is useful. But when it learns when to say ‘yes, even though it breaks the rule’-that is wisdom. And wisdom, I fear, is still a human art.
Still, I am grateful. My team now spends less time chasing receipts and more time with their children. That, in itself, is a kind of progress. We must not confuse efficiency with humanity, but perhaps, just perhaps, we can build tools that honor both.