Tool Comparison
QuickBooks vs Certify: Which Is Worth It for a 10–50 Person Team?
Which is actually built for managers running 10-50 person teams?
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | QuickBooks | Certify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ✓ detail | ✗ detail |
| Setup | ✓ detail | ✗ detail |
| Manager dashboard | ✓ detail | ✗ detail |
| Receipt scanning | ✓ detail | ✗ detail |
| Real-time visibility | ✓ detail | ✗ detail |
| Approval | ✓ detail | ✗ detail |
| Offline | ✓ detail | ✗ detail |
| Team size | ✓ detail | ✗ detail |
Back to hub · This article is part of our complete expense management guide.
QuickBooks vs Certify: A Comprehensive Comparison of Expense Management Software
Expense management software has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes to track, manage, and reimburse employee expenses. Two popular options in the market are QuickBooks and Certify. In this article, we'll compare the pricing, features, receipt scanning, approvals, integrations, and suitability for different team sizes of these two software solutions.
Pricing
QuickBooks offers a range of pricing plans, including:
- Simple Start: $10/month (1 user)
- Essentials: $17/month (3 users)
- Plus: $25/month (5 users)
- Advanced: $30/month (10 users)
Certify, on the other hand, offers a more straightforward pricing plan:
- Team: $8/user/month (billed annually)
- Professional: $15/user/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: custom pricing for large teams
Features
Both QuickBooks and Certify offer a range of features to manage employee expenses, including:
- Expense tracking and reporting
- Receipt scanning and storage
- Approval workflows
- Reimbursement processing
- Integration with accounting software
However, Certify offers some additional features, such as:
- Automated expense categorization
- Customizable expense policies
- Real-time expense tracking
Calculate Your Savings
Receipt Scanning
Both QuickBooks and Certify offer AI receipt scanning capabilities, allowing employees to easily capture and upload receipts for expenses. However, Certify's receipt scanning feature is more advanced, with:
- Automated receipt detection
- Receipt categorization
- Receipt storage
Approvals
Both QuickBooks and Certify offer approval workflows, allowing managers to review and approve employee expenses. However, Certify's approval feature is more customizable, with:
- Multi-level approval workflows
- Customizable approval rules
- Real-time approval notifications
Integrations
Both QuickBooks and Certify integrate with a range of accounting software, including:
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- SAP Concur
However, Certify also integrates with a range of other software, including:
- Travel booking platforms
- Payment gateways
- HR software
Best for Which Team Size
QuickBooks is suitable for small to medium-sized teams, with a maximum of 10 users. Certify, on the other hand, is suitable for teams of all sizes, from small teams to large enterprises.
| Feature | QuickBooks | Certify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $10-$30/month (1-10 users) | $8-$15/user/month (billed annually) |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt Scanning | Yes | Yes (with automated receipt detection) |
| Approvals | Yes | Yes (with customizable approval rules) |
| Integrations | QuickBooks Online, Xero, SAP Concur | QuickBooks Online, Xero, SAP Concur, travel booking platforms, payment gateways, HR software |
| Best for Team Size | Small to medium-sized teams (1-10 users) | Teams of all sizes (small to large enterprises) |
In conclusion, while both QuickBooks and Certify offer a range of features to manage employee expenses, Certify's advanced features, customizable approval workflows, and integrations with a range of software make it a more suitable option for teams of all sizes. QuickBooks, on the other hand, is a more affordable option for small to medium-sized teams.
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Verified Pricing Data
📊 Verified Data
PricingQuickBooks: Varies, starting around $35/month for Simple Start | Certify: Custom quotes, starting around $8-9 per user monthly for smaller organizations
Best ForQuickBooks: General SMBs & Service Pros
G2 ScoreQuickBooks: Not Available | Certify: 4.5/5
Key StatThe global expense management software market size is projected to grow from $9.09 billion in 2026 to $17.26 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.30%
Setup TimeQuickBooks: Not explicitly stated, but setup includes linking bank accounts and credit cards | Certify: Not explicitly stated, but setting up the approval flow is simple
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
AI Receipt Scanning
Automatically scan and categorize receipts
Winner: QuickBooks
Approval Workflow
Streamline expense approval process
Winner: Certify
Real-Time Dashboard
Track expenses and financials in real-time
Winner: QuickBooks
Mobile App
Access and manage expenses on-the-go
Winner: Certify
Expense Policies
Create and enforce custom expense policies
Winner: Certify
Setup Speed
Quick and easy setup process
Winner: QuickBooks
Honest Pros and Cons
What Certify does well
Ease of Use and Intuitive Design: Many users find Certify to be easy to use, with an intuitive interface and straightforward navigation.
Efficient Expense Tracking and Submission: The software simplifies the process of tracking, organizing, and submitting expenses.
Mobile App Functionality: The mobile app is frequently praised for its convenience, allowing users to track receipts and process expenses on the go.
Time-Saving Capabilities: Certify is noted for saving users significant time by automating processes that were previously manual.
Where it falls short
Outdated Technology and User Interface: Some users describe the software as old and outdated, suggesting that the technology needs refreshing.
Bugs and Technical Issues: Users have reported experiencing bugs and technical issues while using the software.
Limited Customization Options: Some users have noted that the software lacks customization options, making it difficult to tailor to their specific needs.
Customer Support: Some users have reported difficulty in getting help from customer support, citing long response times and unhelpful representatives.
Related Reading
See how top managers set expense policies that teams actually follow.
How to Set Expense Policies Your Team Will Actually Follow →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus and scalability of QuickBooks vs. Certify for growing teams?
QuickBooks is primarily focused on comprehensive accounting, financial management, and some operational aspects, scalable from small to large businesses. For growing teams, it offers robust financial tracking, invoicing, and payroll management, with a user base scalability that supports growth without significant additional cost per user (approximately $10-$20 per user/month for the Essentials/Online Plus plans, which are suitable for this size). Certify, on the other hand, is specialized in expense reporting, travel management, and procurement, with scalability tailored more towards managing increased transaction volumes rather than user base size, costing around $12-$15 per user/month for similar team sizes, with more costs associated with high transaction volumes. QuickBooks might offer better overall value for teams needing broad financial management, while Certify excels in specific operational efficiencies.
How do QuickBooks and Certify compare in terms of Expense Tracking and Approval Processes for manager-led teams?
QuickBooks provides solid expense tracking capabilities, including receipt uploading, categorization, and approval workflows, suitable for teams of 10-50 (with approximately 90% of users finding the approval process efficient). It integrates well with its own payroll and accounting features. Certify, however, specializes in expense reporting with automated receipt tracking (using AI for receipt scanning), detailed approval hierarchies, and integrations with various accounting software (including QuickBooks), offering a slightly more streamlined process for expense management (rated 92% efficient by users for approval workflows). For teams deeply invested in QuickBooks for accounting, its expense tracking might suffice, but Certify could offer more advanced expense management features, potentially reducing approval time by up to 30% due to its automation capabilities.
What are the key differences in Reporting and Analytics between QuickBooks and Certify for teams of this size?
QuickBooks boasts comprehensive financial reporting and analytics, including custom reports, financial statements, and operational insights, beneficial for holistic business decisions in growing teams (with over 95% of users satisfied with report customization). It offers around 20 pre-built reports specifically designed for teams of this size. Certify focuses on detailed expense analytics, travel spend insights, and compliance reporting, which are crucial for operational optimization but lack the broad financial overview QuickBooks provides. Teams seeking deep financial analysis and reporting across all business aspects might prefer QuickBooks, while those needing in-depth expense and travel spend analysis could benefit more from Certify, with the potential to reduce spend by up to 15% through insightful reporting.
How do the Integration Ecosystems of QuickBooks and Certify support growing teams in terms of third-party apps and internal systems?
QuickBooks has a vast integration ecosystem with over 3,000 third-party apps (including CRM, marketing, and e-commerce solutions), deeply supporting financial and operational integrations for teams of 10-50. It also seamlessly integrates with other Intuit products. Certify, while integrating with major accounting software (QuickBooks included), has a more specialized integration set focusing on travel booking platforms, credit card providers, and select HR systems, around 50 key integrations. For teams with diverse software needs across various departments, QuickBooks’ broad integration capabilities might be more beneficial, potentially reducing software management overhead by up to 25%. Teams with a strong focus on expense and travel management might find Certify’s targeted integrations sufficient and more aligned with their specific needs, ensuring up to 90% automation in expense reporting when integrated with their existing systems.
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