- An overview of Tipalti and BILL
- Tipalti vs. BILL: Feature comparison by tier
- Tipalti vs. BILL: Pricing and customer experience
- How to choose between Tipalti and BILL
- A different alternative: Ramp’s accounts payable solution
- Choosing AP automation that grows with your business
Tipalti and BILL are two widely recognized names in accounts payable automation. Both offer solutions designed to simplify payment workflows and reduce manual effort. Still, finance teams often find themselves weighing these options against other tools—looking for a better fit based on their specific needs, systems, and internal processes.
Let’s compare how each platform approaches AP automation and where key differences may influence your decision.
An overview of Tipalti and BILL
Before comparing features, pricing, or integrations, it’s helpful to understand the role each platform plays—and the types of businesses they’re built to support.
What is Tipalti?
Tipalti is a cloud-based accounts payable platform founded in 2010, designed for mid-sized to enterprise companies. Its core capabilities include invoice processing, purchase order (PO) matching, global payment execution, and tax compliance automation. Tipalti also integrates with a range of ERP and accounting systems, making it a fit for businesses managing finance across multiple entities or regions.
What is BILL?
BILL (formerly Bill.com) is a cloud-based financial operations platform launched in 2006. It primarily serves small to mid-sized businesses and supports automation across both accounts payable and accounts receivable.
On the AP side, BILL offers invoice capture, approval workflows, payment scheduling, and multiple payment options, including ACH, checks, and virtual cards. It integrates with accounting tools like QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage Intacct to help teams reduce manual tasks and gain visibility into cash flow.
Tipalti vs. BILL: Feature comparison by tier
While both platforms aim to reduce manual AP work, their feature sets differ in key areas. Here’s where those differences show up per pricing plan—so you can quickly see what each platform provides and where they may fall short based on your team’s needs.
Tier level | Tipalti | BILL |
|---|---|---|
First tier | • Supplier portal for self onboarding • W9/W8 collection and TIN validation • AI Smart Scan invoice processing • Bill approval rules builder • Domestic multi-entity infrastructure • Integrations with ERPs • Option to add Card and Expenses | • Enter and manage bills from a centralized inbox • Automate approval workflows • Pay by ACH, virtual card, credit card, and get paid by ACH and credit card • Connect with vendors via the BILL network • Standard approval policies • Payable insights • 6 standard user roles • Send, track, and create custom invoices • Automate payment reminders • Set auto-charge and auto-pay • QuickBooks Online, Pro, Premiere and Xero via manual CSV import/export • API access |
Second tier | Includes all first tier features, plus: • Custom user roles • QuickBooks Online, Pro, Premiere and Xero via *automatic 2-way sync • Cash flow forecasting for QBO users | |
Third tier | Includes all features from the previous tiers, plus: • Featured, customizable, and integrated Procurement solution • Supplier review and communication • Customized and advanced approval rules for purchase requests • Budget management • Integrations with Slack | Includes all features from the previous tiers, plus: • Custom approval policies • Discounts for approver-only users • Single sign-on • Multi-entity, multi-location accounting capabilities |
Fourth tier | N/A | Includes all features from the previous tier, plus: • QuickBooks Enterprise, Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Microsoft Dynamics via *automatic 2-way sync • Dual control • Premium phone support |
When comparing each platform, it’s important to be considerate of any real-time product releases or updates. The above list does not include Tipalti Mass Payments or BILL Spend & Expense in order to compare AP-specific features easily.
Tipalti vs. BILL: Pricing and customer experience
Pricing and platform experience can vary depending on your company’s size, structure, and AP needs. Here’s how Tipalti and BILL compare on pricing, along with what users on G2, a software review platform, say about their experience with each software.
Why do customers choose Tipalti?
Some G2 reviewers say Tipalti helps teams manage high-volume payables more efficiently, especially when operating across multiple countries or entities. Some users also highlight its tax reporting support, noting that Tipalti simplifies annual 1099 and 1042 filings by making relevant data easier to access.
Why do customers choose Bill?
Based on G2 feedback, customers chose BILL for its ease of use, especially for teams without dedicated accounting expertise. Reviewers note that the platform’s AP and AR automation reduces manual work and improves cash flow visibility. Users also mention responsive customer support as added benefits for day-to-day operations.
How much does Tipalti cost?
Tipalti starts at a platform fee of $99 per month. This includes features like AI-driven invoice processing, VAT ID collection and validation, and ERP integrations. Pricing increases with added complexity—such as multi-entity support, global currencies, or international tax handling—which are priced based on business requirements.
How much does BILL cost?
BILL offers tiered pricing based on user roles and business size. The Essentials plan starts at $45 per user per month, Team at $55, and Corporate at $79. Enterprise plans are available with custom pricing for larger or more complex needs.
Keep in mind that pricing for Tipalti and BILL may shift over time due to discounts or updates.
How to choose between Tipalti and BILL
When comparing AP automation tools, it’s important to weigh platform strengths against your business’s size, industry, and workflow needs.
Criteria | Tipalti | BILL |
|---|---|---|
G2 rating | 4.5 | 4.4 |
Business size | Mid-market and enterprise businesses | Small to mid-sized businesses |
Industry type | Marketing, accounting, SaaS | Accounting, nonprofit, financial services |
Overall pros | Built for global payables Includes comprehensive supplier tools Provides tax management tools | Simple setup and ease of use Provides both automated AP/AR features Pricing options suited for smaller teams |
Overall cons | Steeper learning curve Limited flexibility at entry level Limited customization options | Fewer advanced features Limited scalability for complex AP Limited ERP integrations for larger enterprises |
After comparing Tipalti and BILL, it’s clear that each platform has its place—depending on your team’s size, global needs, and operational complexity. But if you're looking for an alternative that balances usability, control, and cost efficiency, Ramp could offer a better fit for modern finance teams.
A different alternative: Ramp’s accounts payable solution
While Tipalti and BILL offer distinct advantages for specific business types, Ramp provides an alternative for finance teams looking to consolidate AP automation with broader spend control. And when it comes to evaluating AP solutions, cost plays a key role—especially for teams just getting started or scaling up.
Here’s how all three compare based on features listed in each publicly available starter plan:
Criteria | Ramp | BILL | Tipalti |
|---|---|---|---|
G2 rating | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.5 |
Cost per starting tier | Free | $45 user/month | $99/month |
Features per starting tier | • Invoice capture with AI-powered OCR • Pay bills by check, ACH, card, and wire • Advanced exports • Vendor onboarding and tax management • Create bills using CSV uploads • Mobile bill approvals • Approval rules, routing, and workflows • Automatic receipt collection, generation, and matching • Accounting integrations to QuickBooks Online, Xero • HRIS integrations • Pay global vendors in USD or local currency • Real-time spend reporting • Automatic vendor tracking • Price intelligence • 1099 reporting • And many more features across corporate cards, travel, expense management, vendor tracking, and reporting—all included in the same free plan | • Enter and manage bills from a centralized inbox • Automate approval workflows • Pay by ACH, virtual card, credit card, and get paid by ACH and credit card • Connect with vendors via the BILL network • Standard approval policies • Payable insights • 6 standard user roles • Send, track, and create custom invoices • Automate payment reminders • Set auto-charge and auto-pay • QuickBooks Online, Pro, Premiere and Xero via manual CSV import/export • API access | • Supplier portal for self onboarding • W9/W8 collection and TIN validation • AI Smart Scan invoice processing • Bill approval rules builder • Domestic multi-entity infrastructure • Integrations with ERPs • Option to add Card and Expenses |
Ramp combines accounts payable, expense management, corporate card capabilities, and more in a single platform. That means fewer systems to manage and more visibility across payments, approvals, and company spend.
Ramp is designed to:
- Automate at scale: Ramp’s AP automation is powered by AI that recognizes invoice line items with 99% accuracy. Bills can be imported, automatically routed for approval, and scheduled for payment via ACH, check, card, or international wire.
- Be easy to use: Ramp is often recognized for its clean interface and intuitive workflows. Finance teams can manage AP, approve payments, and reconcile transactions quickly—without long onboarding cycles.
- Work with all business sizes: Ramp supports businesses at various stages of growth, from small businesses to larger finance teams with complex AP needs. Its ability to scale without added complexity makes it a flexible choice for companies that want to avoid outgrowing their systems.
Ramp’s standard tier is also free, making it a cost-effective plan for smaller teams. And for businesses that need additional functionality, Ramp Plus starts at only $15 per user per month.
Choosing AP automation that grows with your business
Tipalti and BILL approach AP automation with different strengths. Tipalti offers capabilities suited for more complex, multi-entity operations, while BILL focuses on simplifying AP for smaller teams. Each serves a specific segment of the market—and both come with trade-offs depending on your business needs.
But if you’re looking for a more modern transition to AP automation—one that combines usability, control, and cost efficiency—Ramp provides an approach that supports both small companies and large enterprises.
Get started. See how Ramp simplifies AP for teams of any size—without the complexity.
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