If you’re looking to compare two big players in the game, like Stampli vs. BILL, each solution automates a variety of accounts payable processes and eliminates the need for manual intervention.
Many users looking to compare Stampli and BILL may also find that Tipalti’s AP automation solution is a superior alternative to both.
Here is a quick overview of each solution:
What is Stampli?
Stampli provides AP automation software for companies to manage financial workflows and process payments. The cloud-based accounts payable (AP) platform is designed to streamline and simplify the accounts payable process for companies of any size. The software solution helps companies manage invoices, payments, and supplier relationships more efficiently.
Stampli is an accounting system that offers a range of tools and features to enhance collaboration and improve visibility into financial operations. They’ve recently launched global payment capabilities, adding international ACH and wires to 150+ countries.
Stampli Pricing
Stampli offers bundled pricing that looks at the number of user licenses needed and invoices processed. The system may also charge a monthly connector fee depending on your ERP integration. For an exact quote, contact sales.
Main Features
Stampli offers a variety of accounts payable automation features, including:
- Self-service vendor portal with payment status
- Invoice management with automated invoice approvals
- Reporting tools that offer insights into the AP process
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
- Stampli Card for employee expenses and corporate spend
Stampli Integrations
Stampli offers a variety of integrations with accounting software, ERP systems, and other business tools. Common integrations include:
Accounting
- QuickBooks
- NetSuite
- Xero
- Sage Intacct
- Microsoft Dynamics
ERP Platforms
- SAP
- Oracle
- Microsoft Dynamics ERP
- Epicor
- Acumatica
Workflow Tools
- Slack
- Trello
- Microsoft Teams
Stampli also offers custom integrations through API.
Pros of Stampli
Streamlined Invoice Processing
Stampli streamlines and automates invoice workflows, reducing human intervention and the chance of errors or duplicates.
Vendor Portal
Self-service vendor portal to submit invoices and check payment statuses.
Improved Efficiency
Automation of repetitive manual tasks can lead to faster invoice processing times and improved efficiency within AP.
Compliance and Control
Fully configurable and auditable payment workflow with a detailed trail of invoice-related activities.
Customizable Approval Workflows
Users can create customized approval workflows that match specific requirements and business processes.
Cons of Stampli
Lengthy ACH Payments
ACH payments can take 3 to 5 business days after processing which is too long for some business processes.
Slow-learning ML
AI and machine learning are not always as intuitive as customers would like.
International Payments
International payments are difficult and typically require a third-party integration.
What is BILL?
Formerly BILL.com, BILL provides an end-to-end cloud-based software solution for small and mid-sized businesses. Customers report saving 50% of their time on accounts payable and 36 business days annually.
The platform automates financial controls with artificial intelligence, helps to drive connections with suppliers, and works to better manage cash inflows and outflows.
BILL provides ease of use for managing vendors and entering bills. It is simple for a business owner to approve bills, add comments, and enter purchase orders.
The BILL solution enables a business to save time on bookkeeping and data entry, while processing payments and sending invoices. The system is user-friendly and easy to set up. Vendors pay with ACH, and BILL syncs with a variety of accounting software tools.
BILL Pricing
BILL pricing for accounts payable features is broken into two plans that are priced by user.
- Essential – $45/month
- ACH, check, credit card, and international wire transfer
- Standard approval policies
- Invoice data capture
- Team – $55/month
- Everything in the Essential plan
- Custom user roles
- Sync with: QuickBooks Pro, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Premier, and Xero
Main Features
BILL offers efficient cash management, recurring billing, and approval workflows. Additional features include
- ACH payment processing
- Mobile payments
- Debit/Credit card processing
- Electronic signature
- Online payment processing
BILL Integrations
BILL integrates with third-party apps to streamline the payable process. Some of the main platforms include:
- Sage Intacct
- QuickBooks
- Xero
- Microsoft Dynamics
- NetSuite
Pros of BILL
Greater Control
A business can create custom workflows and assign team roles and permissions.
Tight Security
Data is encrypted using TLS (Transport Layer Security). BILL also syncs with top payment tools and accounting platforms.
Audit Trail
All payment-related tasks are logged for quick and easy reference in the event of an audit.
Quick Startup
Get started fast, making payments within hours, not weeks or months.
Increased Efficiency
BILL enables a business to automate busy work so teams can focus more on growth and expansion.
Cons of BILL
Global Payments
International payments can only be made by businesses based in the United States with a U.S. bank account.
High Costs
The prices of BILL plans have doubled over the years as the company hikes its rates.
Tax Compliance
BILL has no built-in tax compliance aside from basic tax form upload
Stampli vs. BILL vs. Tipalti (CHART)
| Stampli | BILL | Tipalti | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Bundles based on users and invoice volume. | $45 or $55 per user per month + transaction fees. | Quote-based. |
| Payment Speed | 3-5 days. | 1-3 days. | 0-2 days. |
| Invoice Processing | Header level only OCR, no managed services. | Header level only OCR and basic managed services. | OCR (header and line level scan and capture), machine learning, managed services. |
| Business Card | Physical or virtual card. | Physical or virtual card. | Tipalti Card, physical or virtual card. |
| Currencies | Varies based on the configuration and setup. | 106 | 120 |
| International Payments | 150 countries via global ACH and wire | Available for US companies to wire to 137 countries. | 196 countries via global ACH, wire, PayPal, prepaid debit |
| Taxes | No tax compliance. | No tax compliance. | Built-in tax and VAT compliance. |
| Multi-Entity | Supports multi-entity roll-up view, but no reconciliation. | No multi-entity, separate instance required for each entity. | Manage multiple entities with different AP processes and workflows, gain consolidated view. |
| Supplier Management | Supplier portal to update payment info, but no validations | Supplier network, no customization. No tax and payment validation rules. | Client-branded portal, preferred payment method, currency, and payment thresholds. |
Tipalti as a Top Alternative
One of the top alternatives to both Stampli and BILL is the Tipalti solution. When aligning Tipalti vs. Stampli or Tipalti vs. BILL, the advantages become quite clear. It’s the only solution to offer procurement, in addition to expense management and a corporate card.
The system is regulated as a money services business and has an MTL (money transfer license) in every state. The company is also regulated as an Electronic Money Institution in both the UK and EU.
Tipalti customers gain significant benefits by using the global payments solution over other, non-regulated providers. The brand partners with blue-chip banks like Citi, JP Morgan Chase, and Wells Fargo and eliminates up to 80% of the accounts payable workload.
Make payments to suppliers in any country, while cutting costs and waste with automated invoice processing. Tipalti supports native functionality for over 70 ERPs and offers additional benefits like:
AP Automation
Although all three solutions offer some form of AP automation, Tipalti takes the cake for automated invoice processing. Tipalti helps a business move from manual to modern efficiency, freeing up your team’s resources, and accelerating business visibility for scale. Some of the top AP automation features include:
- Touchless invoice management
- Global and mass payment processing
- Self-service supplier portal with onboarding
- Tax and regulatory compliance
- Multi-FX capabilities
BILL and Stampli, on the other hand, only offer header-level OCR, with no managed services. Neither system is truly built for high-volume or complex payables. Tipalti offers a depth of AP solutions, from MTLs to advanced FX, multi-language invoice management, and tax capabilities (to name a few).
Global Payments
Tipalti allows a business to confidently manage payouts on a global basis. The solution offers secure, fast, cost-effective mass payments to anywhere in the world using the Tipalti platform and API. A business can offer a best-in-class payment experience from onboarding to year-end reporting, and more.
BILL only offers wire transfers for global payments, which can be highly susceptible to fraud. You also have to be based in the US to make any international payments. Stampli international payments can be difficult and typically require third-party integration.
Tipalti is known for its global payment capabilities. They can perform payouts to 196 countries in 120 different currencies using 12 different payment methods. The system also gives a business advanced payment configuration options like setting thresholds and fee-splitting.
Compliance
Stampli and BILL do not offer built-in tax features, validation, or regulatory compliance controls, nor do they collect tax forms. The payer must manage taxe compliance on their own or rely on an outside tax consultant.
Tipalti has built-in tax features that meet IRS requirements (as prescribed by KPMG). The system also screens for OFAC and other sanctions before any payment is processed. Tax capabilities include W-9/W-8 tax form data collection and validation. Tipalti also generates 1099/1042-S tax prep files for EOY reporting and eFiling, and collects and validates local/VAT tax IDs for non-US territories.
Supplier and Vendor Services
Tipalti has a branded supplier portal available 24/7. Vendors are able to update their own contact and banking details, without help. Tipalti has over 26,000 global payment validation rules to automatically verify data in real time. This reduces payment errors and ensures suppliers are always paid on time.
Tipalti pricing includes the white-labeled supplier self-service portal, which enables suppliers to perform tasks like:
- Choose payment method and currency
- View invoice and payment history
- Receive branded notifications
In comparison, Stampli has more limited self-service onboarding and manual tax data collection. The same can be said for BILL. Tipalti has a 98% customer satisfaction rating and empowers suppliers to manage their own details.
Adjacent Solutions
Tipalti also offers a range of adjacent solutions that complement the AP automation toolkit. These include:
Tipalti Card
Gain better control over spending with Tipalti Card, an employee-friendly solution in both physical and virtual formats. Earn cashback on every transaction while managing expenses and spend in one centralized AP location. The solution simplifies the issuance, control, visibility, and reconciliation of card expenditures.
Stampli offers a card solution for expense management as well, but lacks the features for employee reimbursements.
Expense Management
Tipalti offers mobile-ready integrated expenses and global reimbursements. Easily manage all employee spend in a single dashboard, helping a business quickly scale, while reducing risk. Staff can create and submit expense reports using the app, while managers can review and approve expenses quickly.
Simplified Procurement
Gain complete control and visibility over corporate spend, with Tipalti Procurement. Modernize your procurement solutions with a powerful, intuitive solution that reduces maverick spend and compliance risk. The system offers extensive PO management, 2/3-way matching, automated PR creation, and much more.
Tipalti is the only solution here to offer a full procurement suite in addition to accounts payable and expense management automation. Stampli and BILL do not offer procurement solutions.
What Our Customers Are Saying
The user experience is really good, downtime hardly ever happens, we haven’t come across any bugs, and we have really great visibility of exactly where an invoice is sitting in the process, and also where it has been through the invaluable ‘Bill audit’ function. Payments go off smoothly, the support team is responsive and helpful, and the integrations make our lives much easier.
David Lennon | Group Financial Controller, Typeform
Tipalti automatically processes invoices for all of our entities and provides a consistent vendor onboarding program—it’s a lifesaver. We have 12 subsidiaries and 50 locations. Now, we don’t worry about fraud.”
Samantha Chi | Financial Controller, Acuity Eye Group
I don’t think about FX or currencies anymore—we pay bills out of Tipalti and exchange them into any currency. That’s essential for a growing, international business.
Andrew Jenks | Senior Accounting Manager, Lucidworks
Summing it Up
All three of the AP automation systems mentioned here have their own advantages and disadvantages. The first step in choosing a solution that fits is making a list of your top 2-3 accounts payable needs right now.
Do you need invoice management or approval customization? Is procurement getting away from you? What types of audit trails are being created? Answering some of these questions will help to dictate the direction you should be looking in.
If you need a holistic solution that offers a little bit of everything, like AP automation, expense management, procurement, and more, Tipalti is a great option to check out. It helps a business cover all of its global payment needs and ensures compliance in every market. Ready to get started? Click here for a free demo.
