Comparison · Light vs Payhawk
Light vs Payhawk
Payhawk is a capable spend platform for groups, with real multi-entity spend controls and bidirectional ERP sync. What it does not do is replace the ERP: the ledger, the statutory consolidation and the ERP bill all stay in place. Light is the agentic ERP that IS your system of record: spend, AP/AR, and multi-entity accounting in one platform. Switching does not mean reissuing cards: keep your Payhawk cards and bring their transactions into Light.
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Light and Payhawk, compared
| Feature | Light | Payhawk |
|---|---|---|
| General ledger and accounting system of recordPayhawk: syncs into NetSuite, Dynamics 365 Business Central, Sage Intacct, Xero, QuickBooks and DATEV | Yes | No |
| Multi-entity accounting and consolidationPayhawk: multi-entity spend management is a genuine strength; statutory consolidation still runs in your ERP | Yes | No |
| Financial statements (P&L, balance sheet)Payhawk: produced from your connected accounting system, not Payhawk | Yes | No |
| Corporate and virtual cards + spend managementPayhawk: Payhawk's core strength | Yes | Yes |
| Accounts payable / bill payPayhawk: a core part of the platform | Yes | Yes |
| Accounts receivable / invoicingPayhawk: invoice handling is focused on payables rather than receivables | Yes | No |
| One system for both spend and the ledgerPayhawk: spend platform plus your ERP | Yes | No |
4 week implementation
KPMG global partnership
Remove 4+ tools
700+ apps
The world's most demanding finance teams run on Light.
Keep the ERP decision in view
Payhawk offers multi-entity spend controls and two-way ERP connections. Light provides those finance workflows together with the accounting ledger.
- 01
Consolidate the accounts too
Group spend dashboards show what teams spend. Light also handles intercompany eliminations, currency translation and consolidated financial reporting.
- 02
Follow one transaction trail
In Light, card purchases, receipts, approvals and postings stay together. Your team can drill from group reports to the underlying entry.
When to choose Light
- 01
The ledger is included
Light is the system of record: spend, AP, AR and the general ledger in one platform, so there is no separate ERP to choose.
- 02
Group reporting is always current
Every entity rolls up in real time, with drill-down to the source document and no exports.
- 03
The close happens in one place
The card transaction, the receipt and the ledger entry sit in one system, so there is nothing to match across systems.
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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
Does Payhawk already support multiple entities?
Yes, for spend. Group accounting and consolidation run in the connected ERP.
Do we have to replace our Payhawk cards?
No. Add your Payhawk 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 Payhawk. If you later move to Light cards, the card transaction and the ledger entry become one record.
Can Light replace both systems?
Light includes cards, expenses, AP, AR, the ledger and consolidation.
When does Payhawk fit?
When you want group spend controls while keeping your existing ERP.
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