Airbase vs BILL (bill.com) vs Stampli: P2P automation solutions compared

Choosing the ideal P2P automation solution can be a challenge.

You may already know that financial automation software can make invoice processing more efficient by eliminating manual tasks. However, how do you choose from the many providers in the marketplace, all of whom promise cost savings, streamlined workflows, and faster processing?

The leading financial automation providers have a people-first philosophy. They make complex AP processes simple and intuitive for employees and provide timely, actionable data and insights to help leaders make informed decisions. These solutions stand out from the rest by excelling at five criteria:

• Ease of use: How easy it is for employees to learn and use the solution.
• Collaboration and communications: The solution makes working together easier for employees and vendors.
• Invoice approval confidence: The solution validates invoices to ensure they are accurate and error-free before sending them for approval.
• Product performance: the solution delivers consistent, measurable results. 
• ERP integration: The solution supports native ERP functionality without needing to reconfigure your ERP.

We’re here to help you make your decision. This article compares solutions from Airbase, BILL, and Stampli – three leading accounting automation providers. We’ll compare their capabilities, performance, and customer reviews so you can choose the one that meets your needs. 

Customer satisfaction

The G2 Satisfaction Score for AP Automation measures customer satisfaction with AP automation solutions based on user reviews. It evaluates how well solution providers satisfy users’ needs. The score measures customer satisfaction in four categories:

• Implementation: How easily can you implement the solution?
• Usability: How easy is the solution to use?
• Relationship: How well does the solution provider build customer relationships?
• Results: How well does the solution deliver results?

By comparing each AP automation provider’s Satisfaction Scores, you can quickly identify the product that provides the best customer experience based on feedback from actual AP automation users.

Let’s dig into the scores for Airbase, BILL, and Stampli.

Implementation Index

The Implementation Index comprises three scores: Ease of Setup, User Adoption, and Time to Go Live.

Stampli scored significantly higher in Ease of Setup and User Adoption of the three competitors, indicating it is the easiest solution to implement. Stampli also scored higher than the AP automation industry average for Time to Go Live – reinforcing its industry-leading reputation for fast deployment, implementation, and user adoption.

Usability Index 

Stampli is also a leader in the Usability Index, scoring higher than Airbase and BILL for Ease of Admin and higher than the industry average for Ease of Use, another indication of Stampli’s popularity among AP teams.

Relationship Index 

Stampli scored highest in Ease of Doing Business and Quality of Support and higher than the industry average for Likelihood to Recommend, indicating that Stampli is a leader in building strong customer relationships.

Results Index 

Stampli scored above the industry average for estimated return on investment and how well it meets customer requirements, reflecting that Stampli’s AP automation consistently delivers results for customers.

Stampli: The only P2P platform that connects every dot

If you need a comprehensive procure-to-pay solution that connects every dot from purchase request to payment reconciliation, Stampli is the perfect choice. Unlike competitors that offer fragmented AP or procurement tools, Stampli provides the only platform purpose-built to unify your entire P2P workflow without disrupting your existing processes.

The complete P2P solution your business actually needs

Stampli transforms the traditional approach to procurement and AP by eliminating the “obscurement” — those costly blind spots created when procurement and payment processes operate in silos. With Stampli’s comprehensive P2P platform, finance teams gain complete visibility and control over every stage of the spending lifecycle, from initial employee requests through final payment and reconciliation.

Stampli P2P key features

Stampli provides finance teams with complete control over every stage of the invoice lifecycle. It simplifies touchless invoice processing, GL coding, verification, approval routing, and payment processing to enhance cash flow management and transform Accounts Payable into a strategic driver.

For complete expense control, Stampli offers Stampli Direct Pay, an integrated payment automation solution that consolidates multiple payment methods (ACH, check, wire transfer, and virtual card) on a single platform.

But that’s not all:

Unified procurement and AP workflows

Stampli seamlessly connects purchase requests with invoice processing, ensuring every approved purchase flows directly into your AP workflow. Employees can submit requests through an intuitive self-service portal using natural language, while Billy the Bot™ (Stampli’s AI assistant with 9+ years of learning) transforms those requests into structured purchase orders or alternative outcomes based on your business needs.

Flexible request outcomes for real business needs

Unlike rigid procurement systems that force one-size-fits-all workflows, Stampli allows any purchase request to result in multiple outcomes: ERP purchase orders, internal Stampli POs, service tickets for internal teams, or instant virtual card issuance through Stampli Card. 

Real-time budget control and visibility

Stampli provides budget tracking and enforcement at the point of request. Approvers see budget impact before approving purchases, with automatic alerts for over-budget requests.

AI-powered intelligence across P2P

Billy the Bot™ extends its proven AP automation capabilities into procurement, learning your purchasing patterns to recommend preferred vendors, auto-suggest GL coding, and streamline approval routing. 

This intelligence, built on processing over $90 billion in annual spend, delivers up to 97% accuracy in PO matching and significantly reduces manual tasks across the entire P2P cycle.

Seamless ERP integration without disruption

Stampli’s unique approach preserves your existing ERP setup while adding powerful P2P automation on top. With pre-built integrations to 70+ ERP systems including NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics, and SAP, Stampli syncs purchase orders, invoices, and payments in real-time without requiring ERP modifications. 

Customers on TrustRadius agree. One review mentions that, “the system is incredibly intuitive, easy to deploy, use, and integrate with Sage Intacct.”

Advanced vendor management

Streamline vendor onboarding with configurable workflows that collect required documents (W-9s, insurance certificates, banking details) and route for approval. The vendor portal reduces AP inquiries by allowing suppliers to check payment status and update information directly, while automated compliance checks prevent payments to vendors missing required documentation.

Integrated payment solutions

Stampli Direct Pay consolidates multiple payment methods (ACH, wire, check, virtual card) on a single platform, supporting international payments in 150+ countries. Unlike competitors that force specific payment methods for revenue, Stampli maintains payment flexibility – it’s your business, your choice.

Corporate cards built for P2P

Stampli Card integrates corporate card spending directly into your P2P workflow. Virtual and physical cards can be issued instantly as purchase request outcomes, with pre-coded GL assignments and spending controls. Card transactions flow through the same approval workflows as invoices, providing unprecedented visibility and control over card spend.

Collaborative communication hub

Every purchase request, PO, and invoice includes integrated discussion threads where AP staff, approvers, and vendors can communicate directly within the platform. This eliminates scattered email chains and creates a searchable knowledge base tied to each transaction. 

Lightning-fast deployment

Stampli can be deployed in days, not months. As a G2 Grid Leader and #1 for Highest User Satisfaction, Stampli consistently delivers rapid time-to-value with minimal disruption.

Stampli centralizes all P2P tasks, documents, and communications in one user-friendly interface for complete visibility and control. The platform’s persona-centric design means each user sees only what they need – approvers get simple one-click approval screens while AP teams access comprehensive workflow management tools. This approach drives near-100% user adoption, eliminating the bypass behaviors that plague complex procurement systems.

With proven success processing billions in spend, Stampli offers the comprehensive P2P capabilities of enterprise solutions with the agility and ease-of-use that mid-market organizations demand.

Plus, Stampli will never contact your vendors to pressure them into accepting a specific payment method.

Pricing

Stampli offers simple monthly or annual pricing with unlimited users, vendors, and training.

Seamless integration with your ERP

Stampli’s unique approach to ERP integration sets it apart from competitors. Unlike its rivals, Stampli develops integrations in-house, providing comprehensive support for native functionality. This approach gives Stampli the flexibility to cater to a diverse range of businesses across various industries, including those with complex multi-entity corporate structures and those operating in dynamic sectors such as construction. Stampli can be deployed within days, eliminating the need to hire developers, modify existing processes, or reconfigure the ERP system. It also seamlessly supports customers transitioning from one ERP system to another without any disruption to their service. It integrates with ERP in three ways:

1. Prebuilt integration: Fast and easy no-code integration via an application programming interface (API) that’s great for cloud applications. 
2. File integration: Uses customized file templates (created by Stampli) to import and export files easily with any on-premise or cloud ERP or accounting system.
3. Process integration: Support for existing processes requiring manual data entry or other specialized workflows.

Best-in-class customer support

Stampli consistently receives top scores for customer satisfaction in industry reports like the G2 Grid® for AP Automation software. The company has been recognized for customer service, corporate citizenship, and excellence, receiving accolades such as: 

• No. 2 in the G2 list of Best Accounting and Finance Products for 2023.
• Recognized By Forbes As One Of America’s Best Startup Employers Of 2023
• Best Accounts Payable Automation Solution, 2022 Fintech Awards.

Numerous case studies from happy customers and independent user reviews recognize Stampli for excellence in areas such as:

• Easy to use, intuitive interface
• Fast implementation and onboarding
• Good AI/OCR for extracting paper invoice data
• Integration with accounting software like NetSuite and QuickBooks
• Streamlined workflow automation 
• Audit trail providing transparency
• Reporting capabilities
• Live setup assistance and 24/7 customer support from AP and ERP experts
• Cash management

Simplified, centralized AP automation

Stampli’s AI assistant, Billy the Bot™, learns your AP processes and reduces tedious manual tasks to assist across the entire invoice lifecycle, including invoice capture, coding, matching, approvals, and fraud detection. Stampli centralizes all communications, documents, and tasks on top of the invoice for more control over AP processes. Customers can also use Stampli’s iOS or Android mobile app to upload invoices and documents.

Stampli centralizes AP tasks, documents, and communications on top of the invoice for complete visibility and control – no more wild goose chases for lost documents. Stampli also offers integrated services that add advanced functionality to its core AP automation solution, corporate card solutions (Stampli Card), domestic and international payment solutions (Stampli Direct Pay), and employee expense tracking (Stampli Expenses). 

Airbase

Airbase is a spend management platform that offers credit cards, employee expense management tools, and payment processing services. It combines modules for guided procurement, corporate cards, expense management, and accounts payable in three service tiers: 

• Standard (up to 200 employees): Basic functionality with limited access to special features.
• Premium (up to 500 employees): Enhanced functionality without enterprise-level features.
• Enterprise (up to 5,000 employees): Full functionality and all features.

Pricing

Airbase offers three service packages. Certain features and modules are only available at higher-priced tiers, and pricing for each tier is customized according to customers’ needs.

Airbase customer-reported positives

Customer reviews say Airbase has many strengths, including the following:

Comprehensive AP and spend management

According to user reviews, Airbase customers like its all-in-one expense management features. They say that Airbase’s all-in-one approach to spend management helps them manage their spending. As one marketing strategist reports on TrustRadius, Airbase provides a “one-tool-fits-all approach to our expense tracking and management, particularly as it relates to corporate cards and travel.” They go on to say that by giving them visibility and control over spending, Airbase helps them save time and money. 

Another Trustradius review compared Airbase to other spend management platforms, saying it is “better at bills than Bill.com, and better at expense reports than Expensify.”

However, some Airbase customers complained about its capabilities. Several G2 reviewers criticized its reporting capabilities. One said Airbase could use “more options for in depth analysis of overall spend by category,” and another reported that Airbase’s lack of reporting options impacted their ability to reconcile accounts in NetSuite.  Other users reported Airbase’s AP features were limited, with one user reporting they had difficulty “performing routine AP functions on the platform.

In contrast, Stampli drives efficiency across all accounts payable processes. One CFO praises Stampli’s “Outstanding product and service.” They continue to say, “The system is very easy to use to process payments, both for accounting and payees. The integration of corporate card management and charge recording makes it even better! And the support is first-rate. The functionality of multiple approval processes while maintaining internal controls consistent with company policy is exceptional as well.”

User-friendly interface and support

Airbase customers say the platform has an intuitive, user-friendly interface. One reviewer comments on the platform’s simplicity, saying, “We really like the simplicity of Airbase. It’s very user-friendly, and we like that our employees only have to use one system for all spend-related tasks.” 

However, despite praising its simplicity, the same user complained about usability shortfalls: “I…hate that there are so many things that need to go through support rather than being able to handle on our end like unapplying payments.”

Stampli leads the industry for ease of use and customer support. For example, one customer describes Stampli’s interface as “a modern and full-screen UI with lots of thought to user experience and ease of navigation.” Among the elements that set Stampli apart are: “Great internal communication system to reach out to all parties involved on an invoice, good approval workflow that’s easy to build and review, intuitive searches, granular user accesses, allows for custom fields, quick and friendly chat help for questions or issues…and a fantastic onboarding experience.”

Negative Airbase reviews

Here are some of the things Airbase customers didn’t like about the platform.

Chronic technical glitches

Many customers reported technical glitches with Airbase. According to one reviewer, Airbase suffers from a “Clunky userface.” They go on to list a litany of complaints, saying, “Reporting is not great. Multiple subsidiares and currencies difficult to use. Initial setup took awhile to finally get integrations to work as they should. Support team generally cant answer any questions.”

Chronic glitches can turn a positive user experience into a negative one. Stampli ensures a glitch-free user experience through proactive customer support and continuous development. This makes Stampli “An AP game changer,” according to one TrustRadius reviewer. They say Stampli “listens to their customers, continually upgrades the product, and has impeccable customer support — probably one of the best I’ve encountered in my 30 years’ experience as a vendor and customer.” 

Corporate credit card policies

Although users generally liked Airbase’s corporate credit cards, many complained of negative experiences. One reviewer cited a “Lack of details typically found on a credit card statement or online banking when using a physical or virtual card” and “Unclear dispute transaction options and lack of protections provided from traditional credit cards” among their complaints. Other users disliked Airbase’s requirement to pre-fund cards, with one reviewer saying, ”The use of pre-funded debit cards versus credit cards is something to consider if your organization has cash flow concerns.”

Corporate credit cards should be a positive tool that helps you manage cash flow and reduce fraud. Stampli Card provides accurate and detailed oversight of transactions and has no pre-funding requirements. According to one Stampli customer, Stampli Card has given them “much better tracking to ensure we have receipts and proper approvals. As far as using the credit card itself, it’s very easy and convenient to upload receipts and then route them to the correct person to approve.”

BILL 

BILL (formerly Bill.com)  is an accounting automation platform for freelancers and small and medium-sized businesses. It aims to simplify financial processes for business owners by providing a simple way to automate core accounting functions, allowing them to channel their resources to operations, sales, and marketing.

BILL key features

BILL offers a basic service tier (Essentials), with the option to upgrade to Team, Corporate, and Enterprise service tiers with different feature sets. 

Bill Essentials

Choice of accounts payable or accounts receivable services.

• Basic AP automation — invoice data capture and coding, vendor details, document management, and payment processing.
• Manual CSV integration with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Premier, and Xero.
• Standard user roles.

Pricing

BILL pricing is per month, based on what tier you purchase. BILL also charges per-transaction fees for payments made on its platform.

BILL customer-reported positives

Scalability

Customers liked that BILL’s services scaled as their business grew and their needs changed. It provides access to advanced features provides access to advanced features like customized approval workflows, permissions, and user roles at higher tiers. As one BILL customer reported, this flexibility can be helpful for growing small businesses: “Bill.com has helped me streamline our payments thru one service – making accounts receivable easier for both customers and the businesses.”  

Despite BILL’s scalability, some businesses report that glitches with the platform limit its usefulness. The platform “[f]requently goes out of sync,” according to one reviewer, who also complained that BILL’s “receivable control [was] not as integrated as payables.”

Your accounting needs grow more complex as your business grows. To handle this complexity, you need a reliable platform. One rapidly growing customer describes how Stampli has supported their business growth: “Stampli has allowed our manual AP process to be automated…which is significant considering the incredible growth we are seeing in our company — It has allowed for greater control and insight into company expenditures as well as reporting features that have been useful for our CFO and CEO.”

Payment processing capabilities

Customers say that BILL’s range of electronic payment methods, including wire transfers, ACH, and virtual cards, make it easier for them to pay vendors. One customer praises BILL’s ability to handle recurring payments, saying that “[o]ne of the most useful tools is the automated ACH transactions that can be used for monthly service agreements with customers.”

However, other customers complain about BILL’s payment policies. For instance, one customer complained about BILL delaying vendor payments, saying, “If you pay a bill today, BILL will take your money tomorrow (next business day), then HOLD the money for several business days (earning interest itself), then finally credit your vendor’s bank account.” They also complained about BILL’s optional “virtual cards” for paying vendors, calling them BILL’s “worst feature.” They claimed BILL created virtual cards for vendors that had no relationship with BILL, which created “big problems” when the customer tried to pay their vendor with the card and the vendor refused payment. They summed up their experience with BILL as “buyer beware.”

Although BILL provides flexible payment options, many of these services come with transaction fees or require subscriptions to higher-priced service tiers. Stampli offers cost-effective and flexible supplier payments that won’t cost you extra or tie you in knots. 

“[A] deciding factor for our company in choosing Stampli over a competitor we looked at was that Stampli’s Direct Pay feature (ACH payments to vendors) is free to vendors without being expensive for us, either,” says one G2 reviewer. 

Another customer goes into detail about Stampli’s flexible payment options: “I like that Stampli understands businesses of today. Stampli offers so many flexible options for a business that has mosty remote workers. The fact that they sync with quickbooks and we did not have to switch to a different erp was huge. Having the option to pay invoices 3 ways!! ACH, outside stampli (using credit cards or paying in portals) and checks and even expedited checks.”

Ease of use

Customers like that BILL is easy for small businesses to set up and implement. They also mention its variety of training options and how the platform simplifies complex accounting tasks. One Bill customer put it succinctly, saying, “I am using BILL on a day-to-day basis, and the user interface is so simple.”

However, reviewers from other businesses criticize BILL’s limitations. The platform received a 1 out of 10 rating from users for ease of use on TrustRadius. One vendor who gets paid through BILL expressed their frustrations equally as succinctly, saying, “I feel like I am about to quit before I do an hour of work for this company because I despair of getting paid.”

In contrast, Stampli customers praise “how easy and efficient Stampli has made our A/P process…It has cut back 80% of our processing time and significantly improved our accuracy.”

BILL customer-reported challenges

Here are some of the difficulties BILL customers have identified with the platform.

Unresponsive customer service

Many users across all review sites complain about the poor quality of BILL’s customer support. One frustrated customer said BILL shows “Complete disregard for their users… They will change their software and processes at will, which requires you to re-do your processes so the software continues to work.” Another angry customer said BILL was “the worst payment provider our business has ever worked with.”

Another customer complained about response times that stretch into weeks, saying they were “Very frustrated after 2 hours and 2 diff chat sessions and now have to wait till next week to talk to someone.” And most damning of all, one reviewer said BILL customer support was a “(t)errible experience that has really damaged my business.”

Unlike BILL users, Stampli customers love Stampli’s excellent customer service.“What I love about Stampli is its transformative efficiency in invoice processing,” says one reviewer. “Since integrating, our workflow has soared with faster processing, reduced errors, and enhanced transparency for approvers. Our Customer Success Manager, and the entire Stampli support team, have been outstanding—prompt, collaborative, and attentive, even across time zones. The AI integration aka ‘Billy the Bot’, adds an innovative edge. Stampli isn’t just an AP invoice solution; it’s a game-changer with stellar support.”

Integrating BILL with ERPs can be hard

Numerous BILL customers complain about challenges integrating BILL with ERPs and accounting software. One reviewer complained about “constant issues while integrating large amounts of data through other AP software,” joining the chorus of customers experiencing chronic issues with BILL’s integrations.

The most common complaints are about chronic sync errors with QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct, and NetSuite. In one review titled,  “Horrible Experience,” a frustrated user related how they struggled to integrate BILL with QuickBooks: “We have decided to trial the full suite of services to use Bill.com to manage AR and AP transactions, hoping that the integration with QuickBooks would make it seamless. However it has unfortunately not been the case. Sync issues have messed up our historical client data in QuickBooks.”

In contrast, Stampli customers appreciate Stampli’s trouble-free integrations. “Stampli simply solved our AP problem,” said one CFO. “My experience with their team and product has been exceptional from the introductory sales call through “go live,” adding additional features (Vendor Management, Stampli Pay) and ongoing customer support. The integration with Sage Intacct is flawless, the best of the handful of products that we integrate.

I would enthusiastically recommend Stampli to any business that needs to organize and modernize its AP processes.”

Stampli: The #1 choice for P2P automation

Transform your financial workflows and maximize ROI with Stampli’s scalable and flexible procure-to-pay automation solution. With a proven track record in customer satisfaction and easy implementation that takes days, not months, Stampli is your Financial Automation partner.

The industry leader in AP automation

With Stampli, you’ll immediately see the impact of financial automation on your bottom line. You don’t have to change your AP and procurement workflows. All tasks are centralized in one user-friendly interface, simplifying communication, documentation, and workflows to help companies like Avid Acceptance manage economic volatility through AP automation.

Want to learn more about how Stampli can help your invoice and payment management workflow.

Contact us today for a free demo and see why Stampli is the best choice for AP automation.