Brex vs Payhawk (2026): Pricing, Features & Verdict

Why choose Brex

• Has a free plan (Payhawk does not)
• Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 4/10)
• Higher Analytics score (6/10 vs 5/10)
• Better fit for startups (9/10 vs 5/10)

Why choose Payhawk

• Higher Compliance score (8/10 vs 7/10)
• Higher Integration score (9/10 vs 8/10)

Brex

Pros

• The Essentials tier is free and includes cards, bill pay, reimbursements, travel booking, API access and accounting integrations.
• Card limits are underwritten on cash balance and revenue rather than a founder's personal guarantee, which helps startups without a credit history.
• Direct ERP syncs cover NetSuite, QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage Intacct, Business Central and newer AI-native ERPs such as Rillet and Campfire, and a two-way Accounting API launched in January 2026.
• Brex holds SOC 1 Type II and SOC 2 Type II attestations, is PCI-DSS compliant and supports SAML or OIDC single sign-on.
• Brex releases updates often. The September 2026 release alone added more than 30 features, including passkeys, p-card policy rules and access to Brex data from ChatGPT, Claude and Slack.
• Pricing is published at 12 USD per user per month for Premium, and G2 reviewers rate the product highly, at about 4.8 out of 5.

Cons

• Brex has a history of abrupt account closures and eligibility changes, and it left the small-business market in 2022.
• Credit limits move with the company's cash balance, which some reviewers find unpredictable.
• Card purchases that need currency conversion carry an FX markup of up to 3 percent, built into the exchange rate.
• It is not a general ledger. Bookkeeping and financial statements still need a separate ERP or accounting system.
• Some support and setup experiences are poor, including a clunky HRIS integration setup reported on Gartner Peer Insights.
• The Capital One acquisition could slow feature shipping during integration, according to industry commentary.

Payhawk

Pros

• Unlimited employee seats, card transactions and document processing in every module, so costs do not scale per employee.
• Very broad native integration list, covering NetSuite, Sage Intacct, SAP, Dynamics, Xero, QuickBooks, DATEV and 30+ HR systems, plus a partner API and MCP connector.
• Strong for multi-entity European groups, with regulated card issuing entities in the EEA, UK and US and balances in six currencies.
• AP module includes 2- and 3-way PO matching, segregation-of-duties controls, and e-invoicing support for Peppol, KSeF, SDI and Finvoice.
• Reviewers often say employees find receipt capture and expense submission in the mobile app quick and easy.

Cons

• Trustpilot (2.8/5) and some G2 reviews describe mid-contract price increases, automatic renewals and difficult cancellations.
• Several reviewers report slow or AI-first support, with replies taking days or weeks.
• Annual pricing, unit fees for admin seats and cards, and add-on prices are not published, so you have to get a quote.
• Initial setup of workflows, custom fields and integrations is described as complex, and some reviewers note sync errors with Xero and with foreign currency refunds.
• It is not a general ledger or payroll system, so it needs a separate ERP or accounting package.