Blog
  /  
BILL
  /  
BILL data: SMBs are traveling more, and spending same price per trip

BILL data: SMBs are traveling more, and spending same price per trip

The BILL Team
Header image
Table of contents
Get more from BILL
Subscribe to finance insights and thought leadership content delivered straight to your inbox.
By continuing, you agree to BILL's Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
BILL
How construction companies can automate expense reports
Download now >

April 28, 2026

Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are constantly navigating changing business climates, but that hasn’t stopped them from traveling. SMBs are spending more on travel–but not because each trip is costing more. 

New BILL Spend & Expense data shows the average annual travel spend per business rose 48% in 2025, while average cost per travel transaction (i.e. how much it costs to take a trip) has remained nearly unchanged over a three year period.

Businesses don’t appear to be paying more every time they book travel. They are simply traveling more. 

More travel activity is driving the increase in spend

SMBs are busy on the road. BILL’s data shows the average annual travel spend per business increased from $40.9K in 2022 to $60.7K in 2025. 

At the same time, the average cost per travel transaction has stayed roughly the same from $184.70 in 2022 to $183.26 in 2025. Travel may be taking up a larger share of business budgets for some SMBs.

Bar chart displaying the total SMB average annual spend compared to cost per travel transaction from 2022 to 2025.

Businesses spending on travel averaged roughly 331 travel transactions in 2025, up from about 222 travel transactions in 2022–an increase of about 49% during this period. This suggests SMBs are booking travel more frequently than they were three years ago. 

Bar chart displaying total SMB travel transactions from 2022 to 2025.

Overall, SMB travel spend on BILL Spend & Expense reached $2.43B in 2025, up 148% from 2022. 

Whether traveling to expand into new markets, connect with clients, or attend team offsites, businesses are booking more trips and maintaining a steady cost per travel transaction year over year.

What this could mean for business travel

Despite uncertainty in the last few years, business travel has remained a priority. Research by Deloitte suggests smaller companies may be showing more resilience than larger businesses in business travel, with live events and training among the key drivers of travel growth. If this trend continues, travel could increasingly become a strategic investment rather than a line item for SMBs. 

At the same time, U.S. businesses could be missing out on more than $2.4 trillion in potential new sales revenue by underinvesting in business travel, according to the Global Business Travel Association. For SMBs and their finance teams, this creates an opportunity to treat corporate travel as a lever for growth and a larger, more intentional part of their overall spend. 

With this expectation comes demand for better solutions and opportunities to plan, pay for, and manage travel spend alongside other SMB business expenses.

Methodology

This analysis is based on aggregated BILL Spend & Expense platform data to examine businesses on their business travel spend between 2022 and 2025, drawn from approximately 50,000 U.S. businesses who purchased business travel on the platform. 

This data is pulled based on BILL’s travel merchant category, which may include flights, hotels, rental cars, ground transport, travel agencies, tour operators, and gas. 

Author
The BILL Team
At BILL, we supercharge the businesses that drive our economy with innovative financial tools that help them make big moves. Our vision-driven team makes a real impact on growing businesses. We operate with purpose and curiosity—because that’s what drives innovation.
Author
The BILL Team
At BILL, we supercharge the businesses that drive our economy with innovative financial tools that help them make big moves. Our vision-driven team makes a real impact on growing businesses. We operate with purpose and curiosity—because that’s what drives innovation.
Get more from BILL
Subscribe to finance insights and thought leadership content delivered straight to your inbox.
By continuing, you agree to BILL's Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
BILL
How construction companies can automate expense reports
Download now >

Frequently asked questions

BILL

Continue learning with BILL

Dashboard mockup
Dashboard mockup

Ready to bring AI to your finance team?

Take a demo with BILL to see how our integrated platform can provide your business with seamless AP, AR, and spend and expense management.

Request a Demo
The information provided on this page does not, and is not intended to constitute legal or financial advice and is for general informational purposes only. The content is provided "as-is"; no representations are made that the content is error free.

Software Comparison

BILL Spend & Expense
Best for AI expense automation
4.5 on G2
Features
Pros & cons
Rationale
  • Smart corporate cards with real-time tracking, flexible limits, and instant visibility into every transaction across your team [1]
  • Unlimited free virtual cards with unique numbers for each vendor or subscription—freeze, delete, or set custom limits instantly to prevent overcharges and reduce fraud risk [5]
  • AI-powered auto-categorization and receipt matching that connects card transactions and expenses into a single reconciliation workflow [1]
  • Customizable budgets with spend controls based on merchant, amount, receipt requirements, and configurable approval workflows [3]
  • Auto-freeze on cards with incomplete transactions, ensuring receipts and documentation are captured before additional spend is approved [1]
  • Up to 7x points on restaurants, 5x on hotels, 2x on recurring software, and 1.5x on all other purchases (rates shown are for weekly or daily billing cycle; rates vary by billing frequency) [2]
  • Two-way sync with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, and Microsoft Dynamics; additional integrations with Acumatica, Slack, and HRIS platforms [1]

Pros

  • $0/user/month with all features included—no paid tier to unlock [4]
  • Merchant controls and auto-freeze cards at no extra cost [1]
  • Credit lines that don't fluctuate daily based on bank balance [4]
  • All ERP integrations (NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero) included free [1]

Cons

  • 12-month holding period before rewards can be redeemed [2]
  • Category reward multipliers cap at $5,000/month per category [2]
  • Less established in global, enterprise-scale expense programs with multi-country regulatory requirements

BILL Spend & Expense pairs corporate cards with AI-powered expense management and budget controls in a single platform at no cost—teams aren't paying per user or upgrading to unlock features that competitors gate behind paid tiers.

Merchant-level spend controls and auto-freeze on incomplete transactions give admins granular oversight without manual policing, and two-way ERP integrations are included free where Ramp and Brex charge for NetSuite and Sage Intacct access. The main trade-off is an initial 12-month rewards holding period before accumulated points can be redeemed. [1][2][3][4]

Commonly compared to: Ramp and Brex (for card-first expense management), and SAP Concur (for enterprise expense programs).

Pricing
$0/user/month with no annual fee
Integrations
Two-way sync with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, and Microsoft
Ideal company size
SMB to mid-market
SAP Concur
Best for large enterprises
4 on G2
Features
Pros & cons
Rationale
  • AI-powered receipt capture via ExpenseIt on the SAP Concur mobile app, with smart matching that combines credit card charges and e-receipts into expense reports automatically [7]
  • Configurable approval workflows with built-in audit rules that flag policy exceptions, plus optional Intelligent Audit and Verify add-ons for automated compliance checks [6][7]
  • Modular product suite: Concur Expense, Concur Travel, and Concur Invoice are separate products that can be purchased individually or together, so organizations can start with expense management and add capabilities over time [6]
  • Bank card feed integrations that import corporate card transactions directly into expense reports for automatic reconciliation [6]
  • Joule, SAP's AI assistant, for expense report review, spend analysis, and cost estimation [6]
  • Budget tracking and monitoring tools that give finance teams visibility into spend against departmental or project-level budgets [6]
  • Support for global operations with multi-currency expense reporting and country-specific tax and regulatory compliance tools [6]
  • Pro: 300+ pre-built integrations including native SAP ERP sync [7][8]
  • Pro: Global coverage with multi-currency and regulatory compliance tools [6]
  • Pro: Modular—add travel or invoice management without switching platforms [6]
  • Pro: AI-powered receipt capture and smart matching via ExpenseIt [7]
  • Con: Quote-based pricing; no published rates on the website [6]
  • Con: No corporate card offering; relies on bank card feed integrations [6]
  • Con: Implementation can be complex for smaller organizations [6]
  • Con: Live support requires purchasing the User Support Desk service [6]

SAP Concur is the incumbent in expense management software, with the largest partner ecosystem and broadest global footprint on this list. Its modular approach gives large organizations flexibility to start with expense management and layer on travel or invoice capabilities independently.

The trade-off is complexity—pricing is opaque, there's no corporate card offering, and smaller teams may find the platform more than they need. Organizations already in the SAP ecosystem will get the most value from native S/4HANA integration. [6][7][8]

Commonly compared to: BILL (for SMB expense management), and Coupa (for enterprise spend management).

Pricing
Quote-based
Integrations
QuickBooks, Xero, Sage,TSheets, Gusto, & most business credit cards.
Ideal Company Size
Mid-market to enterprise
Ramp
Best for a broad spend platform
4.8 on G2
Features
Pros & cons
Rationale
  • Corporate cards with customizable spend controls by merchant, category, employee, or department, plus unlimited virtual and physical cards [9][10]
  • AI-powered receipt matching, transaction coding, and memo suggestions that auto-populate as soon as a card is swiped [9]
  • Policy agent that reviews every expense against company policy, auto-approves compliant transactions, and escalates only exceptions with full audit trail [9]
  • Expense submission via SMS, Slack, or Microsoft Teams in addition to web and mobile app [9]
  • Reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses paid to employees' bank accounts in 1–2 business days [9]
  • Real-time spend reporting with custom dashboards, natural-language queries, and proactive overspend alerts [9]
  • Broader spend platform that includes AP automation, procurement, vendor management, and treasury alongside expense management [9]

Pros

  • Free plan includes corporate cards, expenses, and bill pay [11]
  • AI policy agent reviews 100% of expenses automatically [9]
  • Submit expenses via SMS, Slack, or Teams—no app required [9]
  • Broader spend platform covers AP, procurement, and vendor management [9]

Cons

  • Budget tracking requires Ramp Plus at $15/user/month [11]
  • NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Dynamics integrations require a paid plan [11]
  • HRIS syncs and auto-lock cards require a paid plan [11]
  • Credit limits fluctuate daily based on connected bank balance [12]

Ramp's strength is breadth—it's not just an expense tool but a full spend management platform that includes AP automation, procurement, and vendor management alongside expenses. The AI policy agent is a differentiator, reviewing every transaction against company rules rather than relying on manual manager approvals.

The trade-off is that several features mid-market teams rely on—budget tracking, ERP integrations beyond QuickBooks and Xero, and HRIS syncs—require upgrading to Ramp Plus at $15/user/month plus a platform fee. [9][11]

Commonly compared to: Brex and BILL (for corporate cards and expense management), and SAP Concur (for enterprise expense programs).

Pricing
$0/user/month
Integrations
QuickBooks, NetSuite, Xero, Sage Intacct, Slack, & 100+ accounting tools.
Ideal Company Size
Startups to mid-market
Brex
Best for global teams
4.8 on G2
Features
Pros & cons
Rationale
  • Corporate cards with customizable spend limits by role, department, or category, plus auto-approve for in-policy expenses and auto-decline for out-of-policy spend [13][14]
  • AI-powered expense reviews that auto-approve compliant transactions and surface only exceptions for human review, with clear visibility into why a transaction is flagged [13]
  • Auto-generated receipts and memos with OCR that matches receipts in any language or currency, plus automatic GL coding by department, project, and entity [13]
  • Live Budgets that let department heads set top-level budgets, provision spend to individuals or teams, and track usage in real time with anomaly detection [13]
  • Global reimbursements in 70+ countries in employees' local currency, with subsidiaries able to issue reimbursements from local bank accounts [13]
  • Expense submission and approval via Slack and WhatsApp, with in-app commenting on individual transactions [13]
  • Broader financial platform that includes bill pay, business banking with up to 3.68% yield, and treasury alongside expense management [14]

Pros

  • Free plan includes corporate cards, expenses, bill pay, and travel [15]
  • AI expense reviews with 99% average policy compliance rate [14]
  • Global reimbursements in 70+ countries in local currency [13]
  • Live Budgets with real-time tracking and anomaly detection [13]

Cons

  • Live Budgets require Premium at $12/user/month [15]
  • HRIS syncs and customizable ERP integrations require a paid plan [15]
  • Credit limits fluctuate daily based on connected bank balance [16]
  • Multiple expense policies and dynamic review chains require Premium [15]

Brex positions itself as a full financial stack for startups—cards, expenses, banking, and treasury in one platform. The AI expense reviews and 99% average compliance rate (per Brex's internal metrics) are notable, and the global reimbursement coverage across 70+ countries is broader than most competitors on this list.

Like Ramp, Brex gates budget management and HRIS integrations behind a paid tier, and credit limits fluctuate daily based on your bank balance. Teams that need predictable spending power or are past the startup stage may find the pricing structure adds up. [13][14][15]

Commonly compared to: Ramp and BILL (for corporate cards and expense management), and SAP Concur (for enterprise expense programs).

Pricing
$0/user/month
Integrations
NetSuite, QuickBooks, Workday,SAP Concur, Slack, & global banking portals.
Ideal Company Size
Startups to mid-market
Expensify
Best for simple reimbursements
4.5 on G2
Features
Pros & cons
Rationale
  • SmartScan receipt capture by photo, email forwarding (receipts@expensify.com), or text message; auto-extracts transaction details and categorizes expenses [17]
  • Bring-your-own-card support: link existing corporate cards from 10,000+ banks globally for automatic reconciliation without switching card providers [17]
  • Expensify Visa Commercial Card with cash back on US purchases; cash back first offsets the Expensify subscription cost, then flows to the company's bank account [17]
  • Concierge AI for automated expense categorization, policy violation flagging, rule enforcement, and error reduction [17]
  • Global reimbursements for employees and independent contractors in their local currency [17]
  • Chat-based collaboration directly on individual expenses to resolve questions in real time rather than through email follow-ups [17]
  • 45+ integrations including QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, Workday, and Gusto [17]

Pros

  • Bring-your-own-card from 10,000+ banks globally [17]
  • Expensify Card cash back can offset the subscription cost [17]
  • SmartScan receipt capture by photo, email, or text message [17]
  • 45+ integrations including major ERPs and payroll systems [17]

Cons

  • No free plan; starts at $5/user/month [18]
  • Pricing structure varies by card spend volume [18]
  • Budget management, advanced approvals, and expense policies require Collect or Control plans [17]
  • No department-level budget management on par with card-first platforms

Expensify's strength is accessibility—it has the lowest barrier to entry for teams that just need to start tracking expenses and submitting receipts. The bring-your-own-card support from 10,000+ banks means companies don't have to switch card providers, and the SmartScan receipt capture (by photo, email, or text) is one of the more flexible input methods on this list.

The trade-off is that several features mid-market teams expect—budget management, advanced approvals, and expense policies—require upgrading to the Collect or Control plans, and spend controls are primarily limited to the Expensify Card rather than extending across all connected cards. [17][18]

Commonly compared to: Zoho Expense (for budget-friendly expense management), and BILL and Ramp (for integrated cards and expenses).

Pricing
From $5/user/month
Integrations
QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, TSheets, Gusto, & most business credit cards.
Ideal Company Size
Small to mid-market
Zoho Expense
Best for budget-conscious teams
4.5 on G2
Features
Pros & cons
Rationale
  • Autoscan receipt capture with OCR that auto-categorizes and itemizes each expense, plus the ability to split or tag expenses across departments, projects, or cost centers [19][20]
  • Automated per diem calculations with pre-defined rules based on country, location, and trip details for regional compliance [20]
  • Corporate card management with real-time feeds that automatically match transactions to uploaded receipts for faster reconciliation [20]
  • Mileage tracking with four input methods across Android, iPhone, and Apple Watch [20]
  • Configurable approval workflows, expense policies, and audit rules with detailed audit trails for compliance [19][20]
  • Custom modules, workflow automation, webhooks, and configurable UI elements for businesses that need tailored expense processes [19]
  • Active-user pricing model: only employees who actually create expenses are charged, so admins and approvers who don't submit reports are free [21]

Pros

  • Free plan available for up to 3 users with core expense tracking [21]
  • Active-user pricing—admins and approvers aren't charged [21]
  • Automated per diem calculations by country and location [20]
  • Deep customization with custom modules and workflow automation [19]

Cons

  • Corporate card feeds and multi-level approvals require Standard plan [21]
  • Deepest value requires the broader Zoho ecosystem (Books, People, CRM) [19]
  • No corporate card offering; relies on connecting existing cards [20]
  • Travel booking, per diem, and live budgets require Premium plan [21]

Zoho Expense offers unusually deep customization at a low price point—custom modules, workflow automation, webhooks, and configurable UI elements that most competitors don't expose. The active-user pricing model is genuinely cost-effective for companies where only a portion of employees submit expenses regularly.

The trade-off is that there's no corporate card offering—you'll need to connect your existing cards—and the platform delivers its deepest value when used alongside other Zoho products like Zoho Books and Zoho People. [19][20][21]

Commonly compared to: Expensify (for budget-friendly expense management), and SAP Concur (for global compliance and customization).

Pricing
Free (3 users); from $4/user/month
Integrations
Zoho Books, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics, & Google Workspace.
Ideal Company Size
Small to mid-market