Spend management tools help improve how businesses handle their finances. The best ones streamline procurement, automate expense tracking, and provide real-time insights into company spending.
They help you strategize budgets, negotiate better deals with suppliers, and eliminate manual data entry. Ramp is a popular option that offers features like automated receipt matching, custom spending limits, and integration with accounting software.
It helps businesses cut costs by identifying redundant subscriptions and suggesting cheaper alternatives.
However, some of Ramp’s features might not be suitable for all organizations. That is where it is necessary to look for alternatives and competitors.
With the suitable Ramp alternatives, you will find the perfect fit for your IT, finance, and procurement teams. The right option ensures you maximize savings, boost efficiency, and gain better control over your SaaS expenditures.
TL;DR
- Spend management tools enhance financial handling by automating expense tracking and providing insights into company spending, with Ramp being a popular choice for its features like automated receipt matching and vendor insights.
- However, Ramp has limitations such as slow feature updates and basic SaaS management tools, prompting the need to explore alternatives.
- The top seven Ramp alternatives include CloudEagle, Xero, Brex, Mercury, Relay, Spendesk, and Order.co, each offering unique features for managing expenses and optimizing costs.
- CloudEagle stands out for its comprehensive SaaS management capabilities, AI-driven insights, and rapid onboarding process, which can result in significant cost savings.
- Businesses looking for improved SaaS spend management should evaluate these alternatives to find the best fit for their financial and procurement needs.
Ramp - Feature and Challenges
Ramp is a spend management platform that helps businesses control their finances. It combines the issuing of corporate cards, expense tracking, and vendor payments into one user-friendly system.
With Ramp, you can streamline your accounting processes and keep a close eye on company spending.
Key Features
- Smart expense management: Ramp automates expense tracking, linking directly to your corporate cards. You can set spending limits and policies to ensure that employees stay within budget.
- Streamlined procurement: The platform simplifies purchasing from start to finish. You can create custom request forms, automate approvals, and issue virtual cards or purchase orders instantly.
- Comprehensive vendor insights: Ramp gathers all your vendor data in one place. You can quickly analyze spending patterns and find cost-saving opportunities.
- Flexible approvals: Set up custom approval flows for different expense types and amounts. This feature allows you to do quick reviews of out-of-policy spending.
- Robust security: Ramp prioritizes your data safety with features like single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and data encryption.
Challenges
- Slow feature updates: Ramp sometimes lags in adding new user-requested features.
- Inconsistent sorting: Some screens don't allow sorting on all columns, which can be frustrating when analyzing data.
- Split payment tracking: If you pay a vendor through both credit card and bill pay, you need to check two different areas to see all transactions.
- Limited SaaS visibility: Ramp offers fewer tools for managing software subscriptions compared to some alternatives.
- Browser issues: Some users report problems when using Ramp with Google Chrome.
- Basic SaaS features: There are fewer software-as-a-service management tools compared to some alternatives.
Despite these challenges, Ramp remains a solid choice for many businesses. It excels in core spend management tasks and offers a user-friendly interface.
However, if you need advanced SaaS spend management, you should explore the below options.
Top 7 Ramp Alternatives and Competitors
Below are the best alternatives to Ramp:
1. CloudEagle
CloudEagle is a SaaS management and cost optimization platform that offers a comprehensive solution to manage, govern, and renew all your SaaS applications from a single, user-friendly interface.
With CloudEagle, you can streamline your software management processes and potentially save 10-30% on your SaaS spend.
With over 500 industry-leading integrations, it provides complete visibility into all your applications, licenses, spending, and vendors. This extensive coverage gives you a clear picture of your entire SaaS portfolio.
Additionally, CloudEagle offers no-code, Slack-enabled workflows that simplify critical IT and security tasks such as employee onboarding/offboarding, access reviews, license harvesting, and renewals.
One of CloudEagle's standout features is its ability to deliver immediate results. With an industry-leading 30-minute onboarding process, you can see governance improvements and cost savings from day one.
The platform has already processed over $2 billion in transactions and delivered more than $150 million in savings for its customers.
CloudEagle helps you make data-driven decisions about your SaaS portfolio. You can negotiate better deals with vendors and optimize your tech stack by leveraging detailed usage insights and benchmarking data.
This approach ensures that you're managing your SaaS applications effectively and maximizing the value of your investments.
Key Features
Duplicate app detection: CloudEagle identifies duplicate, redundant, and unused applications across your organization. It tracks detailed usage data so you can make informed optimization decisions.
This feature helps you consolidate licenses, eliminate unnecessary subscriptions, and potentially negotiate better pricing from vendors. You'll streamline your SaaS portfolio and maximize the value of your software investments.
A good case study is how CloudEagle helped transform a security startup's M&A process, tackling tech stack complexities and cost analysis challenges.
By integrating connectors and providing a unified dashboard, it slashed diligence time from weeks to days. CloudEagle identified duplicate apps and unused licenses, leading to substantial cost savings and improved efficiency across IT and Finance teams.\
License usage optimizer: CloudEagle offers end-to-end license management capabilities. It automatically deprovisions users from licenses with low usage and harvests these licenses for new users.
This helps prevent unnecessary SaaS spend due to unused licenses and enhances your return on investment.
AI-powered vendor insights: The platform has an AI-powered recommendation engine that provides in-depth vendor research and insights.
You can easily compare features, reviews, and costs among various SaaS solutions, empowering you to make informed purchase decisions.
Spend visibility: CloudEagle provides clear visibility into all your spending data, breaking it down by employee and department. You'll see exactly where your money goes, identifying trends and potential areas for savings.
This view helps you make the best possible decisions about resource allocation and pinpoint any excessive or unnecessary spending quickly.
Budgeting tool: CloudEagle's budgeting feature empowers you to take control of your SaaS expenses. Set and track budgets at the company, department, or team level.
The platform provides real-time updates on spending against budgets, sends alerts for potential overruns, and offers forecasting tools to help you plan for future expenses. This approach ensures you stay within budget while meeting your needs.
Smart renewal management: CloudEagle's renewal workflow alerts you 90 days before a vendor contract is set to auto-renew.
This advanced notice gives you ample time to decide whether to continue using the tool, discontinue it, or renegotiate terms.
Expert negotiation support: The platform provides access to experienced negotiators who continually monitor market trends and inform you about pricing benchmarks.
You can either lead negotiations based on their advice or allow them to negotiate on your behalf, saving time for your team and enhancing productivity.
Shadow IT guardian: Configure alerts to automatically notify you when a new unsanctioned application is detected in your system.
This feature helps you prevent shadow IT in its early stages, save on spend, and ensure compliance with the latest regulations.
Slack integration: CloudEagle's integration with Slack streamlines many processes. Employees can request access to apps directly through Slack, eliminating the need for separate portals.
It also creates dedicated Slack channels for renewals and sends timely notifications about app usage, approval statuses, and savings opportunities.
No-code procurement workflows: CloudEagle offers no-code procurement workflows that help reduce bottlenecks and increase transparency. These customizable workflows streamline the procurement process, saving time and improving efficiency.
Pros
- User-friendly interface: CloudEagle boasts an intuitive, easy-to-navigate platform that doesn't require extensive training to use effectively.
- Comprehensive SaaS visibility: The platform provides complete visibility into your SaaS spend and usage, giving you a clear picture of your software stack.
- Cost-effective: By identifying areas of waste and optimizing your SaaS portfolio, CloudEagle often pays for itself through the savings it generates.
- Pre-negotiated vendor discounts: The platform offers access to pre-negotiated discounts with various vendors, potentially leading to immediate cost savings.
- Rapid implementation: With a 30-minute onboarding process, you can start seeing benefits and savings almost immediately after adopting CloudEagle.
- Customizable workflows: The no-code procurement workflows allow you to tailor the platform to your specific needs and processes.
Pricing
- Starter - $2000/month.
- Growth - $3000/month.
- Enterprise - $4000/month.
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2. Xero
Xero is a cloud-based accounting platform tailored for small businesses. With over 3.95 million subscribers worldwide, it offers real-time financial insights anytime, anywhere.
Xero connects with more than 1,000 third-party apps and 300+ financial partners, creating a robust ecosystem for managing your business finances.
Key Features
Instant financial reports: Generate balance sheets and financial statements at the click of a button. In some regions, Xero even pre-populates tax returns, saving you time and effort.
Smart data entry: Xero eliminates manual data entry by automatically pulling sales and expense records from various sources, including banks and point-of-sale systems.
Streamlined billing: Send invoices online and offer multiple payment options to your customers. Xero also sends automatic reminders for unpaid invoices, improving your cash flow.
App integration hub: Connect Xero with hundreds of business apps to customize your experience, from inventory management to customer relationships.
Pros
- User-friendly interface with an efficient rule-making process.
- Seamless integration with popular inventory management software.
- Easy synchronization of data across your organization.
- Streamlined workflows through third-party app connections.
- Simple and effective payroll management.
Pricing
- Early - $4.50/month.
- Growing - $12.60/month.
- Established - $23.40/month.
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3. Brex
Brex is a unified spend platform that simplifies control over all types of business expenses. It combines corporate cards, expense management, reimbursements, travel, bill pay, and business accounts into one system.
Many companies, including DoorDash and SeatGeek, choose Brex for its customizable workflows that handle complex spending while ensuring compliance.
Key Features
Policy-driven spending: Embed your company's policies into every transaction, using AI to enforce controls across cards, reimbursements, and invoices.
AI-powered expense reviews: Brex's AI assists in reviewing expenses, saving you time and ensuring thorough checks.
Automated expense reporting: Speed up bookkeeping with automatic document collection and AI-assisted employee support.
Real-time budget tracking: Set and monitor departmental budgets in real-time, with AI flagging unusual activity.
Actionable Insights: Generate customizable, AI-powered reports across all spending categories to improve decision-making and ROI.
Pros
- Excellent credit card expense management with easy memo and receipt handling.
- User-friendly mobile app with AI-suggested memos.
- Responsive and helpful support team is available via chat or phone.
- Intuitive and quick receipt scanning with relevant information extraction.
Pricing
- Essentials - $0/user/month.
- Premium - $12/user/month.
- Enterprise - Customized pricing.
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4. Mercury
Mercury offers a seamless virtual corporate card experience tailored for startups. Their IO credit card provides unlimited 1.5% cashback and robust spend management tools.
With low deposit minimums and higher credit limits, Mercury caters specifically to the needs of growing businesses.
Key Features
Startup-friendly qualification: Qualify for IO with just a $25K cash balance minimum, enjoying higher credit limits through startup-focused underwriting.
Instant virtual cards: Start spending immediately with virtual cards for your entire team.
Finance automation: Close books faster using QuickBooks and Xero integrations, while automated transaction categorization eliminates manual data entry.
Real-time reporting: Access multiple views of your financial data in real time, including NetSuite-friendly reports.
Pros
- User-friendly interface for easy navigation and management.
- Quick qualification process designed for startups.
- Seamless integration with popular accounting software.
Pricing
- Mercury Free - $0/month.
- Mercury Plus - $35/month.
- Mercury Pro - $350/month.
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5. Relay
Relay is an online banking and money management platform designed to give you a clear picture of your business finances. It helps you track earnings, spending, and savings effortlessly, making it easier to manage your company's cash flow.
Key Features
Versatile card management: Control spending with up to 50 physical or virtual debit cards, giving you flexibility in managing expenses.
Diverse payment options: Easily handle payments and deposits through ACH transfers, checks, and wire transfers.
Role-based access control: Grant secure, customized access to team members and financial advisors based on their roles.
Pros
- No fees or minimum balances, freeing up your cash flow.
- Personalized customer support is available via email, phone, or chat.
- User-friendly interface for easy navigation and financial management.
- Real-time insights into your business's financial health.
- Seamless integration with your existing financial workflows.
Pricing
- Relay Free - $0/month.
- Relay Pro - $30/month.
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6. Spendesk
Spendesk is a spend management platform that gives you complete visibility into your company's expenses.
This 7-in-1 solution combines corporate cards, invoice payments, expense reimbursements, budgets, approvals, reporting, compliance, and pre-accounting in one user-friendly package.
Key Features
Real-time expense tracking: Instantly monitor your entire AP process, from purchase orders to payments, all in one place.
Detailed reporting: Generate comprehensive reports and integrate them with AP systems for accurate revenue recognition.
Smart spend control: Implement policies and processes to monitor and manage your company's spending effectively.
Streamlined expense management: Simplify expense reports and reimbursements with virtual and physical Visa cards, earning 3% cashback.
Seamless accounting integration: Easily monitor credit card expenses, collect receipts, and facilitate accounting tasks.
Pros
- User-friendly interface for easy adoption across your organization.
- Intuitive mobile app for on-the-go expense management.
- Efficient invoice processing with quick customer support.
- Eliminates manual expense and invoice submission processes.
Pricing
- Customized pricing.
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7. Order. co
Order.co is a spend efficiency platform that helps you save time and money and clarify your business expenses. It streamlines purchasing and payment tasks, offering a single hub for buying, approving, tracking, and paying for all your services.
Key Features
Streamlined purchasing process: Simplify every aspect of buying, from sourcing products to scaling purchases across locations.
Automated payment handling: Save time and close books faster with automated AP workflows and financial offerings.
Spend control dashboard: Boost profitability by controlling purchases, eliminating unapproved spending, and increasing visibility.
Growth-focused insights: Learn to manage efficient spending and improve purchasing workflows to fuel business growth.
Pros
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy to learn and train others.
- Excellent customer support for all your questions and concerns.
- Real-time spend reporting for better decision-making.
Pricing
- Customized pricing.
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Conclusion
Each platform offers unique features to help manage your SaaS spend and optimize costs.
However, CloudEagle stands out as the best alternative due to its comprehensive SaaS management capabilities, AI-powered insights, and proven track record of significant cost savings.
Its user-friendly interface and rapid implementation make it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes.
To experience CloudEagle firsthand and start optimizing your SaaS spend today, book a demo now. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your SaaS management and boost your bottom line.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best cloud strategy for cost optimization?
The best cloud strategy for cost optimization involves right-sizing resources, using reserved instances, and implementing automated scaling. Additionally, regularly monitor usage and eliminate idle resources to maximize efficiency.
2. How can cloud computing reduce cost?
Cloud computing reduces costs by eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure, offering pay-as-you-go pricing, and providing scalability. Moreover, it lowers maintenance and IT staffing expenses.
3. What is SaaS spend management software?
SaaS spend management software helps you track, optimize, and control your software subscriptions. It provides visibility into usage, identifies redundant apps, and assists in negotiating better deals with vendors.