A G2‑informed roundup compares seven purchasing and spend‑management tools — from SAP Ariba and S/4HANA for enterprise consolidation to nimble card‑centric platforms like Airbase and Teampay — and explains trade‑offs, integration needs and practical steps for pilots in 2025.
If your finance or procurement operation still runs on spreadsheets and email chains, the growing tide of vendor invoices, late approvals and budget overruns will be familiar. Organisations that want faster approvals, cleaner audit trails and tighter control over spend increasingly turn to specialist purchasing and spend-management platforms. Drawing on a recent G2 roundup of purchasing software and dozens of user reviews, the vendors below represent the range of approaches you should consider in 2025 — from full ERP-led procure‑to‑pay suites to nimble, card-first spend controls.
How this shortlist was created
According to the original report and G2 user feedback, the list was compiled by comparing verified peer reviews, product capability, integration readiness and customer satisfaction. Scores quoted below come from those G2 listings and user reviews in mid‑2025. The aim here is to keep the original evaluation’s focus — finding tools that automate purchase orders, enforce approvals and deliver financial visibility — while adding context on who wins where and the trade‑offs to expect.
SAP Ariba — best for end‑to‑end enterprise procurement
Why consider it: SAP Ariba is the most complete solution here for organisations that need sourcing, contract lifecycle management, PO processing and supplier collaboration under one roof. G2 reviewers value its ability to centralise complex workflows and to integrate tightly with SAP ERP landscapes, making it a natural fit for large, matrixed enterprises that already run SAP.
What it delivers: A full procure‑to‑pay flow, supplier portals, contract automation and advanced spend analytics; strong capability for supplier collaboration and compliance. G2 customer satisfaction for Ariba is high and most users report material improvements in supplier visibility once it is configured.
Watch‑outs: Implementation and configuration are non‑trivial and can be costly for smaller teams. Several reviewers note a steep learning curve and occasional usability friction that only eases with experience. As one G2 reviewer put it on the product page: “SAP Ariba offers a comprehensive suite of tools that streamline the entire procurement process…” — Devyanish K., G2 review.
Who should shortlist it: Global enterprises with existing SAP estates or organisations that need deep sourcing and contract functionality and are prepared to invest in implementation.
Procurify — best for mid‑market usability and real‑time budget control
Why consider it: Procurify targets mid‑market teams that want rapid adoption and clear spend visibility without the overhead of a heavyweight ERP. Its clean UI, quick onboarding and mobile app are recurring positives in G2 feedback.
What it delivers: Intuitive requisitioning, PO automation, budget controls and audit trails that reduce rogue purchases and speed approvals. It’s designed to be accessible to non‑finance users while still enforcing controls.
Watch‑outs: Advanced reporting and very complex, milestone‑based workflows can be limitations; a few users report search and mobile edge‑cases. As one user summary put it: “I like that it is simple to add info for reimbursement as well as update orders.” — Michelle K., G2 review.
Who should shortlist it: Growing organisations that need immediate governance and mobile‑friendly purchasing without long implementations.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud — best when you want ERP‑level consolidation
Why consider it: S/4HANA Cloud is an enterprise cloud ERP that embeds procurement, AP/AR automation and analytics in a single platform. G2 reviewers highlight powerful real‑time insights and deep integrations that reduce data friction across finance, supply chain and procurement.
What it delivers: Native ERP transactions, embedded analytics, robust API connectivity and scalability for complex operations. The product’s market presence is very strong for large organisations.
Watch‑outs: Customer satisfaction scores are mixed relative to the other tools here; implementation complexity, cost and the learning curve are recurrent cautions. Expect a multi‑phase programme to capture the full value.
Who should shortlist it: Organisations seeking one integrated ERP with procurement as a core module, and those prepared to resource a substantial implementation.
Emburse Expense Professional — best for receipts and expense compliance
Why consider it: If employee expense capture and policy enforcement are central to your problem, Emburse (formerly Certify) is highly rated for mobile receipt capture, OCR accuracy and streamlined reporting.
What it delivers: Fast receipt capture from mobile, flexible upload options, policy enforcement and reporting that eases reconciliation and audits. G2 reviewers praise time savings and mobile usability.
Watch‑outs: Autofill isn’t flawless and some ERP integrations require careful setup; a minority of users report occasional mismatches that need manual correction. “Support provided by the vendor at implementation was excellent,” one reviewer noted. — Alex S., G2 review.
Who should shortlist it: Travel‑heavy teams or any organisation where employee expenses — rather than vendor POs — dominate spend.
Airbase — best for unified payments and card management
Why consider it: Airbase combines AP, corporate cards, bill payments and expense reporting in a single product so teams can manage approvals and reconciliation in one place. G2 feedback emphasises ease of use and the value of virtual cards and bank/card integrations.
What it delivers: Virtual and physical cards, automated approvals, invoice workflows and accounting integrations that speed month‑end close. Real‑time reporting and role‑based permissions are strengths.
Watch‑outs: Initial setup and some automatic categorisation features can require manual tuning; recurring payment handling is less mature than other capabilities. Users appreciate the UX but note a short onboarding period. Several reports mention the need to check auto‑categorisation and mapping on first months of use.
Who should shortlist it: Finance teams that want to collapse cards, bills and invoices into one spend platform and accelerate reconciliation.
Teampay — best for card‑first, decentralised purchasing
Why consider it: Teampay is built around virtual cards and fast approvals, with integrations into Slack and Teams for a frictionless user experience. G2 reviewers frequently praise rapid support and the speed at which cards can be provisioned.
What it delivers: One‑time and multi‑use virtual cards, pre‑approval workflows, real‑time audit trails and Slack/Teams integrations that let end users request and reconcile purchases from the tools they already use.
Watch‑outs: Card‑first models can struggle with split charges and some reimbursement workflows; some users want clearer visibility into where approvals are stuck. “I love how quickly I can get credit cards for my event… I am a really happy customer.” — David D., G2 review.
Who should shortlist it: Fast‑moving, decentralised teams that favour card payments and want to minimise out‑of‑pocket spending for employees.
Common trade‑offs and selection guidance
– Integration versus speed: ERP‑centric solutions (SAP Ariba, S/4HANA) give extensive connectivity and consolidation but cost more to implement and operate. Lighter products (Procurify, Teampay, Airbase) deliver faster wins but may require additional tools for advanced sourcing or contract management.
– Payments capability: If you need cards or bank integrations as a first priority, favour Airbase or Teampay. If vendor‑side invoicing and sourcing are the priorities, Ariba or S/4HANA make more sense.
– User adoption: Systems with strong mobile UX and guided purchasing (Procurify, Emburse) reduce rogue spend by making compliant behaviour the easiest path.
– Implementation effort: Expect enterprise platforms to require project governance, change management and partner support. Mid‑market tools can often be piloted more quickly but still need clear ownership of catalogues, approval trees and coding rules.
– Total cost of ownership: Ask vendors for all fees — licences, transaction costs, card fees, implementation and support — and build a 3‑year TCO comparison rather than judging on unit price alone.
Practical next steps for procurement and finance leaders
1. Define the primary problem: Are you fixing late approvals, small‑ticket rogue spend, long vendor payment cycles, or poor PO/invoice matching? Prioritise tools that address your top pain.
2. Map integrations: List critical systems (ERP, accounting package, e‑commerce marketplaces) and require native connectors where possible. Vendors that rely solely on CSVs or middleware increase operational friction.
3. Run a short proof of concept: Pilot with a single department or vendor class for 6–12 weeks to validate workflow logic, integration mapping and user adoption.
4. Measure outcomes: Track approval times, PO‑to‑invoice match rates, number of rogue purchases and time saved on month‑end close. Those KPIs will justify broader rollout.
5. Plan change management: Communicate new workflows, offer hands‑on training, and nominate finance and procurement champions to shepherd adoption.
Conclusion
There is no single “best” purchasing tool for every organisation. The smartest choice depends on whether you need ERP consolidation, card‑driven control, lightweight requisitioning, or mobile receipt capture. According to the G2 comparisons and user reviews that informed the original list, SAP Ariba and SAP S/4HANA Cloud are best for enterprise consolidation and sourcing depth; Procurify, Airbase and Teampay excel for mid‑market speed, visibility and card/payments capabilities; and Emburse is the specialist choice for expense and receipt automation. Start with the business problem you most urgently need to solve, pilot a short‑list of two platforms and measure the operational improvements before committing across the organisation.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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