Will Ramp's "affordable" AP automation actually cost you more?
Hidden costs of insufficient automation: Why less expensive software leads to massively expensive workarounds
Ramp’s low entry price comes with a hidden cost: your team’s productivity. Built as an add-on to their corporate card business, Ramp’s basic AP functionality forces you to adapt your processes to their rigid, one-size-fits-all system. You’re left with manual workarounds, limited customization, and fragmented workflows that drain efficiency.
Stampli vs. Ramp
G2 Satisfaction Scores →
99
Stampli
80
Ramp
Ease of Use
95%
94%
Quality of Support
97%
92%
Ease of Set Up
94%
93%
Ease of Admin
95%
95%
Ease of Doing
Business With
97%
96%
The G2 scores in this chart are from the AP Automation category
officially released in December 2024.
Sophisticated businesses chose Stampli
Ramp's pricing model: Cut-rate prices for entry-level capabilities
You're paying for their card business, not AP expertise
Ramp built their business on corporate cards and bolted on basic AP later. It’s cheaper because it does less – and because they’re counting on making money from your card spend, not from delivering real AP value.
Hidden costs of "simple" automation
Ramp’s “simple” approach means your team handles manual workarounds, fixes data conflicts, and manages disconnected communication outside the system. These hidden operational costs add up quickly, making your “affordable” solution surprisingly expensive.
Lower cost software, higher cost workarounds
Ramp’s low pricing comes with rigid workflows that can’t adapt to your business processes. You end up paying through operational inefficiencies as your team works around system limitations instead of gaining true automation benefits.
Forced process changes create additional costs
When you pay for AP automation, you expect efficiency gains. Instead, Ramp requires you to rebuild your processes around their constraints. You’re paying to make your workflows less efficient, not more streamlined.
Are you considering Ramp?
Make sure you ask these focused questions during your evaluation:
How much time does it take for manual invoice coding due to Ramp's limited field customization?
Ramp’s invoice page customization is limited to adding basic Checkbox or List/Record fields from your ERP, which aren’t searchable and lack advanced functionality. Fields are stacked vertically requiring extensive scrolling, and there’s no saved search capability. Your team spends more time navigating and manually coding each invoice.
Stampli’s adjustable invoice page integrates ERP fields and custom fields tailored to your workflows. All fields are searchable with efficient table layout, plus advanced saved search functionality for quick access.
What's the cost when approvers can't make simple changes due to Ramp's rigid workflow restrictions?
Ramp offers no ability to update fields during approval – approvers must reject and restart the entire approval process for any changes. This rigid system creates delays and frustration, especially for urgent invoices requiring minor adjustments.
Stampli’s approvers can request field updates, edit invoice fields, ask questions, add other approvers, and request preliminary approval – all within the workflow, and all without restarts.
How much reconciliation time is wasted due to Ramp's basic ERP integration conflicts?
Ramp’s basic integrations lack depth, with limited audit trails and manual vendor defaults requiring constant setup and updates. Daily sync limitations mean you’re often working with outdated PO and vendor information, creating data conflicts.
Stampli offers live PO data sync and real-time 2-way sync for all information, including vendor details and receiving data, eliminating reconciliation costs.
What's the hidden cost of managing communication outside the system due to Ramp's fragmented interface?
Ramp segregates communication into separate tabs with basic audit trail capabilities scattered across multiple sections. Access is limited to paid licenses, making it difficult to involve stakeholders. No vendor communication capabilities mean ongoing email management.
Stampli centralizes all invoice-related communications, documentation, and workflows in one location with comprehensive audit trails. Anyone in the company can be added as a free user, plus robust vendor communication portals.
How much manual work is required for PO matching when Ramp's basic automation falls short?
Ramp offers only basic matching based on identical item descriptions and numbers, with daily sync limitations and no tools to address mismatches. Complex scenarios like combined GL/Items POs or dropship scenarios aren’t supported.
Stampli’s AI PO Matching handles complex scenarios including partial matches, supports all PO types, and provides intuitive interfaces to address mismatches with real-time visibility.
What's the true cost per invoice when accounting for all manual processes caused by Ramp's limitations?
When you add up manual coding time, approval delays, data reconciliation, communication management, and PO matching workarounds, Ramp’s “affordable” solution often costs more per invoice than comprehensive automation platforms.
Stampli’s comprehensive automation eliminates most manual work, delivering lower total cost per invoice through advanced AI, flexible workflows, and integrated communication.
What do smart CFOs and Controllers say about Stampli?
Don’t incur the costs of basic AP automation
Get enterprise-grade AP automation that actually adapts to your business.
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