How do I use one of these cards to make a purchase?

You can add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay and then tap to pay in-store or online. If you get a plan with a physical card and a virtual card, you can use either to make purchases.

No. While you can get a line of credit with one of these plans, you need to pay the full balance owed by the due date on each statement and no interest is charged. Some plans can also be set up as prepaid or debit card accounts. For example, with a Weel plan, you pre-load funds to the account and use them for all the expenses. If you wanted to use credit, you'd need to apply for it.

Is it a bank account?

Some plans are set up with an account number and BSB, such as those from Weel. But you would typically transfer funds from your business account to one of these plans.

All of these plans and cards come with security features similar to what you'd find on a business credit card or an expense management platform. This includes encryption, mobile app screen-locking and zero liability against fraudulent transactions made with any of the cards.

Expense management cards and plans for business

Digital expense management platforms like Weel, Archa, Volopay, ANNA Money and Airwallex offer a range of expense management plans with virtual and physical cards.
These platforms offer access to business credit and also integrate with accounting software like Xero, Quickbooks and MYOB.
This could mean no more manual expense claims from employees, automatic payment of business subscriptions and analytical tools to help set and adjust budgets.

Who can get an expense management plan with cards?

Anyone with an ABN or ACN can apply, with plans for sole traders and very small businesses, right through to corporate entities.

This means you can choose a plan that has the features you want, with pricing that's designed to suit businesses of different sizes.

Common features of these plans

Brand	Spending controls	Line of credit	Accounting features	Plan pricing
Read more	Real-time transaction data No international transaction fees Custom card limits	Credit limit of up to $500,000 Statements need to be paid in full by the due date	Xero, QuickBooks, Netsuite and MYOB integration	Waived for the first month or 20% off on annual billing Starter = $39.99/month Essentials = $99.99/month Scale = $199.99/month
Read more	Real-time transaction data Software subscriptions and supply payments Custom card limits	Default spending limit of USD$50,000 or equivalent	Xero, QuickBooks and Netsuite	From $29 per month (waived if you deposit at least $5,000/month or hold a minimum balance of $10,000)
Read more	Real-time transaction data Receipt capture tools Custom card limits Budgets for different departments/transactions Subscription management Automated bill payments	Monthly payments Option to extend payment terms up to 30 days for a fee	Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks data feed Downloadable CSV data for other accounting software	From $135 per month
Read more	Real-time transaction data Receipt capture tools Custom card limits Automated bill payments/approvals Money transfers	Up to $100,000 Statements need to be paid in full by the due date	Xero, Netsuite or QuickBooks data feed Downloadable CSV data for other accounting software	From $25 per month
Read more	Real-time transaction data Receipt capture tools Custom card limits	Credit limits up to $40,000 30-day repayment terms	Xero data feed Downloadable CSV data for other accounting software	From $250 per month

Pros and cons

Pros

Physical and virtual cards. These plans typically offer unlimited Mastercard or Visa cards.
Spending and budget controls. Set spending limits for different cards. Some plans also let you group cards by department, which means you can set a budget for different teams (for example, one for marketing, one for operations, etc).
Simplifies financial management. Get access to an app or platform that shows all your business spending in real-time and cuts down on expense claim processes.
Accounting integration. You can link your plan to accounting software like Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, or download transaction data for any accounting programs.
Credit or debit facilities. These plans can be set up as a credit facility – similar to charge cards that you need to pay off each time you get a statement – or loaded with your own business funds.

Cons

Plans are hard to compare. Unlike business credit cards or traditional expense management services, these plans all offer slightly different features and tools. So it's hard to compare them side-by-side.
Pricing varies. The cost of a plan can vary based on the number of transactions, how many users you add to the account or the credit limit. This makes it hard to quickly work out the costs.
Some features are still in development. As expense management plans with cards are a relatively new offering in Australia, some of these plans list features that are "coming soon" without a date for when you'll get them.
Set-up times. While you can apply for some plans in a few minutes, others require a hands-on induction process.

How does this compare to using a business credit card and separate expense platform?

Here's a basic snapshot of how each account is different.

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Business credit cards typically offer you a line of credit and additional cards for employees. Some also offer custom spending limits, transaction data and integration with accounting platforms like Xero.

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Expense management platforms like WebExpenses and expensemanager let you manage expense claims and track spending. Common features include receipt-capturing and integration with accounting platforms.

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Expense management plans with cards offer an all-in-one solution, with a combination of features typical of business credit cards and expense management platforms. A key feature is being able to instantly issue new cards for employees or specific expenses. Some plans also give you a choice between paying with your own money or a credit facility.

How to choose one of these plans

To help you find a plan that's suited to your business, here are 4 key questions to ask:

1. What are the most important features?

If you know you need unlimited cards or a credit facility, you can use these details to narrow down the number of plans you look at – especially if some plans list those features as "coming soon".

2. Do you already have business spending accounts and tools?

If you have a business credit card and/or expense manager service, focus on plans that give you similar features so you can switch to just that plan.

3. How do you do your business accounting?

If you use an accounting platform like Xero or MYOB, check which of these plans offers direct data feeds. If your business is smaller and you only use an accountant, you could also check what features would be the most helpful for you and them.

4. How much do you want to spend on a plan?

Most plans have a monthly fee structure with some add-ons and variations that could change the costs. Ideally, the price should be the same or less than what you'd pay if you had both a business credit card and expense management service.

Tip: Save time by talking to them

If you want quick answers to your questions or aren't sure whether a plan actually has the features you need, it's worth contacting Archa, Weel or Volopay to speak to someone about it.

They'll be able to answer your questions and potentially demonstrate features of different plans – similar to what you'd expect if you were looking at a traditional expense management service.

Finder survey: How many Australians of different ages mix personal and business spending on their credit card?

Response	75+ yrs	65-74 yrs	55-64 yrs	45-54 yrs	35-44 yrs	25-34 yrs	18-24 yrs
I don't make business-related purchases	44.78%	39.43%	39.51%	25.56%	28.51%	25.81%	27.37%
No	29.85%	38.29%	35.8%	33.89%	42.57%	40.55%	38.95%
I don't have a credit card	22.39%	14.86%	8.02%	23.33%	7.23%	13.36%	13.68%
Yes	2.99%	7.43%	16.67%	17.22%	21.69%	20.28%	20%

Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1145 Australians, December 2023

Frequently asked questions

No. While you can get a line of credit with one of these plans, you need to pay the full balance owed by the due date on each statement and no interest is charged.
Some plans can also be set up as prepaid or debit card accounts. For example, with a Weel plan, you pre-load funds to the account and use them for all the expenses. If you wanted to use credit, you'd need to apply for it.

Images: Flaticon

Sources

Thank you for your feedback!

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Joelle Grubb as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Amy Bradney-George

Journalist

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Amy is an experienced journalist with over 16 years of experience, contributing to major publications like Money Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, and ABC News Australia. Specialising in personal finance, she frequently appeared in media outlets and on radio. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Drama from Griffith University and earned RG146 certifications in Tier 1 Generic Knowledge and Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products, ensuring her expertise is grounded in current financial regulations. Amy was Finder's Senior Writer for Credit Cards from 2016 to 2024. See full bio

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Amy has written 416 Finder guides across topics including:

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Expense management cards

Expense management cards give businesses an all-in-one account option with expense management tools, virtual or physical cards and custom settings.

Key takeaways