Comparison · Light vs Expensify
Light vs Expensify
Expensify handles expense reports, receipt scanning, corporate cards, travel booking and reimbursements, then exports the results into the accounting system you already run. Light is the agentic ERP that is the ledger, with expenses, corporate cards, AP, AR, global vendor payments and consolidation in the same system. Switching does not mean reissuing cards: keep your Expensify cards and bring their transactions into Light.
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Light and Expensify, compared
| Feature | Light | Expensify |
|---|---|---|
| General ledger and accounting system of recordExpensify: exports expenses, card spend and bills into QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct and other accounting systems | Yes | No |
| Receipt capture, expense reports and approvalsExpensify: Expensify's core strength, with SmartScan and multi-level approvals | Yes | Yes |
| Corporate and virtual cardsExpensify: Expensify Card for businesses in the US, the UK and selected EU countries | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-entity accounting and consolidationExpensify: one workspace per entity, each mapped to an entity in the connected accounting system, where consolidation runs | Yes | No |
| Financial statements (P&L, balance sheet)Expensify: spend reporting; statements come from the connected accounting system | Yes | No |
| Vendor payments on local rails in 80+ countriesExpensify: bill pay in USD to US vendors; employee reimbursements reach 190+ countries | Yes | Partial |
| Contract billing and deferred revenueExpensify: sends simple customer invoices and collects payment; revenue accounting stays in the connected ledger | Yes | Partial |
4 week implementation
KPMG global partnership
Remove 4+ tools
700+ apps
The world's most demanding finance teams run on Light.
Work inside the accounting system
Expensify approves expenses and card spend, then exports them into QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite or Sage Intacct. Light's agents code, match and post inside its own ledger, under your finance team's controls.
- 01
Run every entity on one ledger
Expensify runs a workspace per entity. Light holds every entity on the same ledger, with continuous consolidation and intercompany elimination.
- 02
Go beyond expenses
Light includes customer invoicing, corporate cards, procurement and supplier payments on local rails in more than 80 countries. The work stays with the accounts.
When to choose Light
- 01
Your finance team runs the books
You work directly in the ledger and see current figures any day, not after the next export.
- 02
Agents do the routine work
They code, match and post inside the controls you set, with every action logged.
- 03
One ledger for every entity
Add a company, a country or a currency without adding another system.
Trusted by the world's
fastest growing companies
See how finance teams run lean and global on Light.
Read customer stories-
“We evaluated several vendors. Light won because it covers our full finance stack, revenue, AR, AP, expenses, and consolidation, without stitching together a patchwork of point solutions.”
Tanja, Director of FinanceOmnea -
“Even though we’re three entities, it’s like I’m running a finance department for one entity.”
Thobias, Finance ManagerAlva Labs -
“I really like that Light’s AI already gives me suggestions, GL accounts, cost centers, tax codes. I don’t have to start from scratch.”
Cédric, Finance ManagerOper Credits -
“Nine times out of ten the AI matches everything and posts it to the right account. One click and you’re done.”
Jeppe, CFOKeyShot
Built for the daily work
Bills through to payment
Capture invoices, route approvals and pay vendors from the same system.
Room to grow
One ledger built to handle billions of transactions across your business.
Trace every number
Open a report and drill straight into the transactions behind it.
Spending, under control
Expenses, vendors and cards connected to your ledger.
Expenses
Collect receipts, approve expenses and track spend as it happens.
Vendors
Keep supplier details, bills and approvals together. Apply your purchasing rules as work moves through.
Cards
Issue cards for employees and vendors. Pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Send receipts through Slack, Teams or email.
Frequently asked questions
Is Expensify a general ledger?
No. It manages expenses, cards and travel and exports them into the accounting software you already use.
Do we have to replace our Expensify cards?
No. Add your Expensify cards to Light as an external card account and bring the transactions in by CSV upload or a continuous push through the Light API. From there the transactions are handled like Light card spend: cardholders are asked for receipts, AI matches and codes each transaction, and it posts to the ledger. Your cards and your plan stay with Expensify. If you later move to Light cards, the card transaction and the ledger entry become one record.
Does Light replace QuickBooks, Xero or NetSuite?
Light becomes the accounting system. It is a different choice from adding an expense tool to a ledger you keep.
When does Expensify fit?
When you want to keep your accounting software and need expense reports, cards and travel handled on top of it.
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