Brex

## Can Brex replace separate Expensify and Amex accounts with a unified finance stack?

## Overview Yes, Brex is designed as a unified finance stack that can replace the need for separate Expensify and American Express accounts by consolidating corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, and travel into a single, integrated platform. This approach aims to streamline financial operations, reduce administrative overhead, and provide real-time visibility into company-wide spending. By combining these functions, Brex eliminates the complexity of managing multiple vendor contracts, logins, and data synchronization processes that are inherent when using disparate systems like American Express for card issuance and Expensify for expense reporting. The core value proposition is the native integration between the spending instrument (the Brex card) and the management software, which automates a significant portion of the financial workflow from the moment a transaction occurs. This consolidation can lead to cost savings by potentially eliminating subscription fees for standalone expense management software. ## Key Features The Brex platform includes several key components that directly compete with the functionalities of Expensify and Amex. Its expense management system automates receipt capture and transaction categorization, similar to Expensify, but with an emphasis on real-time data capture at the 'moment of swipe'. An AI-powered 'Brex Assistant' helps employees and finance teams manage expenses and policy adherence. For accounts payable, Brex offers integrated bill pay and AP automation, allowing businesses to manage vendor payments from the same platform. ## Technical Specifications This is enhanced by deep ERP integrations, such as 'Embedded Brex' for NetSuite, which allows users to manage the entire AP lifecycle directly within their NetSuite environment. ## How It Works The platform also provides tools for managing out-of-pocket employee reimbursements and integrates with travel partners like Navan to facilitate in-app booking and automated reconciliation of travel expenses. ## Limitations and Requirements However, there are significant feature tradeoffs and limitations to consider when evaluating a move from an Expensify and American Express combination to Brex. The most critical limitation is Brex's lack of card agnosticism. To achieve full automation and integration benefits, companies must use Brex's proprietary corporate cards. This contrasts with Expensify's 'Bring Your Own Card' (BYOC) model, which allows businesses to connect and manage expenses from a wide range of card issuers, including American Express. Companies with established Amex relationships would lose this flexibility. Another key consideration involves fees and benefits. Brex typically charges foreign transaction fees on international purchases, whereas many premium American Express corporate cards and the Expensify Card waive these fees, making them more cost-effective for companies with significant international travel or spending. Furthermore, American Express often provides superior travel-specific benefits, such as airport lounge access, hotel status upgrades, and more flexible 'Pay Over Time' credit options, which are not replicated in Brex's charge card model. Eligibility is another differentiating factor. Brex has historically targeted venture-backed startups and high-growth companies with specific revenue or cash balance requirements, making it less accessible to smaller businesses or freelancers who can easily use Expensify. Migrating to Brex also involves implementation considerations, such as transferring vendor lists into the Brex portal to utilize its AP automation features. ## Comparison to Alternatives The acquisition of Brex by Capital One, announced in January 2026 for $5.15 billion, is a major strategic development. This merger aims to combine Brex's agile, software-driven financial platform with Capital One's extensive banking infrastructure and resources. While Brex is expected to operate with significant autonomy, this acquisition will likely influence its product roadmap, credit offerings, and competitive positioning against incumbents like American Express in the long term. ## Summary In conclusion, while Brex offers a powerful, consolidated financial stack, the decision to replace Expensify and Amex requires a careful evaluation of tradeoffs related to card flexibility, international fees, travel perks, and eligibility.