Airbase vs Certify: Which Is Worth It for a 10–50 Person Team?

TL;DR

Airbase is the better choice for managers running 10-50 person teams due to its comprehensive platform for spend management, despite being more expensive. Certify is a strong alternative for teams primarily focused on automated expense reporting and reimbursement, but it lacks the robust features of Airbase.

The Core Difference

Airbase was built for small to medium-sized businesses needing robust spend management and expense management features, particularly with corporate cards. It offers a comprehensive platform that includes expense management, accounts payable automation, and corporate card integration, making it a one-stop solution for managers. Certify, on the other hand, was built with a strong focus on automating expense report creation and submission, making it a great choice for teams that need to streamline their expense reporting process. Contrary to popular opinion, Certify's limited features are not necessarily a weakness, as it allows for a more streamlined and easy-to-use interface, but it may lack the detailed reporting and analysis that Airbase provides.

The Manager's Verdict

As a manager, I need a solution that can save me time and money, and Airbase delivers with its real-time visibility into spending and strong corporate card program integration. However, the higher price point and more complex implementation may be a barrier for some teams, with setup taking around 1 day compared to Certify's setup time of weeks. For teams that need a more automated and streamlined expense reporting process, Certify is a strong choice, but it may not provide the comprehensive spend management features that Airbase offers. This is where BlissNeat comes in, offering AI-powered expense management that saves managers 4+ hours/week on receipt approvals, which translates to $10,900/year, and works offline with 1-click approval and real-time spend dashboard, making it a logical conclusion for managers looking for a comprehensive and easy-to-use solution, with a 30-day free trial and no credit card required, and integrations with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, and SAP Concur.

Feature	Airbase	Certify
Setup time	1 day	weeks
Pricing	Quote-based, typically higher entry point	Subscription-based, various tiers available, potentially lower entry point
Manager dashboard	~ Basic	~ Complex
Receipt scanning	✓ Good	~ Available
Real-time visibility	✗ Limited	✓ Enterprise only
Offline use	✗ No	✗ No
Best team size	SMBs needing robust spend management and expense management features, particularly with corporate cards.	SMBs primarily focused on automated expense reporting and reimbursement.