Payhawk alternatives: where to go, and how to exit the contract cleanly
Six destinations, one for each reason to leave, and an eight-step exit plan.
The short answer: Pleo if you run a small UK or European team and want a public per-user price, Ramp if your company is US-registered and you want free core software, Brex if you're a US company spending across borders, Spendesk if you have a finance team and layered approvals, Airwallex if Payhawk's low FX fees were the reason you stayed, Navan if travel is most of your spend. Before you choose, check your order form: Payhawk renews on its own, and leaving early means paying the rest of the term. We compared the six destinations in this guide and checked their pricing pages for 2026.
Our ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link ever changes a score.
Why teams leave Payhawk, and why the exit needs planning
Payhawk does a lot well: Visa cards, bill pay, travel and multiple entities in one place, with FX at 0.3% over the interbank rate on major currencies. People rarely leave over the product. They leave over the contract, over the price that shows up once they outgrow the entry programme, and over a platform built for groups bigger than most SMBs. Six reasons, all checked in 2026.
One public price, with walls around it
The Growth programme costs £149 a month for 24 months. It's only for UK or EEA companies with fewer than 20 employees and a single entity. You get 10 cards, 10 seats (8 employees, 2 admins or accountants), and 15 invoices plus 15 reimbursements a month. No procurement, no budget tracking, no multi-entity. Add a second company or a 21st hire and you're out.
Past Growth, everything is a quote
Outside Growth, Payhawk publishes no numbers. Each module (cards and expenses, accounts payable, procurement, travel) and each add-on (extra entities, advanced ERP sync, budgets) is quoted. So you can't know what growth will cost you. The ranges floating around comparison sites don't come from Payhawk, so don't budget on them.
A contract that renews itself
Payhawk usually signs annual or multi-year deals, and its terms say the agreement renews automatically. You can terminate any time with one month's notice by email, but you then owe the remaining duration of the current subscription period. On review sites, some customers describe a contract extended by two years that they thought they could leave, or a renewal with an increase they didn't see coming.
Price changes mid-term
The terms let Payhawk change its fees with notice, effective one month later. One customer reports a 22% increase in the middle of their contract, another automatic renewals at +9%. These are single accounts, but the mechanism is in writing. Read every fee-change email the day it lands.
Support that feels less human
Payhawk still scores well with buyers who leave detailed reviews. But in 2026, long-time customers say account managers were removed and support is now AI-first. On mobile, some Android users find the cards section slow to load and approvals hard to track. If your team lives on their phones, both points matter.
Built for groups, heavy for small teams
Payhawk sells on multi-entity, deep ERP integrations and compliance. For a group with three subsidiaries on NetSuite, that's the point. For a 15-person company that wants cards and expense reports, you pay for a platform you use a third of. It also isn't open to micro-enterprises or small charities in the UK.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right Payhawk alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Usually only one line applies. Each card links to the full profile below.
£8 to £18 per user per month, price list online.
Your company is registered in the USRampCore plan at $0, Plus at $15 per user per month plus a platform fee.
You're a US company spending in many countriesBrexEssentials at $0, Premium at $12 per user per month.
You have a finance team and layered approvalsSpendeskUnlimited users, procurement and multi-entity modules, quote-based.
Low FX fees kept you on PayhawkAirwallexMulti-currency accounts and cards, Explore from £0.
Most of your spend is travelNavanTravel and expenses together, 5 users free.
Payhawk alternatives, tool by tool
For each tool: why move to it, who it's for, its catch, how to switch from Payhawk, and what it costs. Prices are the ones each vendor lists in 2026, in pounds for UK pricing and dollars for US pricing. Scores match the rest of Hack'celeration Labs, so each tool has the same value everywhere.
Pleo: a price you can read before the sales call
Clear pricingWhy move to Pleo. It's the opposite of a quote: the price list is public. Start is £8 per user per month, billed monthly, with one admin. Build is £14 and Optimise £18, billed annually, with a 3-user minimum. A 10-person team on Build pays about £140 a month, close to Payhawk Growth, but with no headcount cap and no 24-month term.
Who it's for. UK and European teams of 3 to 50 people who want cards, receipt capture and reimbursements without negotiating.
Who it's not for. A group with several companies and complex purchasing flows: you'd hit the limits Payhawk used to cover.
The catch. Cost grows with every user, and card FX runs from 2% on Start to 1.49% on Optimise, well above Payhawk's 0.3% on major currencies.
How to switch. Open Pleo during your Payhawk notice period, order physical cards, and run both for a month. Export your Payhawk history as CSV with receipts first: Pleo doesn't import old expenses. Our switch from Pleo guide covers its own contract, so you know what you're signing.
- Score
- 4.3 / 5
- Price
- Start £8, Build £14, Optimise £18 per user/month
- Best for
- small teams, clear pricing
- Catch
- 1.49% to 2% card FX
Ramp: free core software for US companies
US companiesWhy move to Ramp. If your company is US-registered, Ramp's core plan costs $0: cards, expense management, receipt matching and accounting sync. Ramp Plus adds procurement and deeper controls at $15 per user per month plus a platform fee based on team size, with 20% off on annual billing.
Who it's for. US startups and mid-size companies that want to stop paying for spend software altogether.
Who it's not for. A European group: Ramp is designed for US-registered companies. It launched in the UK in 2026, but check your eligibility before planning around it.
The catch. The platform fee on Plus isn't published, so Plus is part quote. And the free plan works because Ramp earns on card spend.
How to switch. Connect your accounting system first so categories and vendors line up, then move recurring subscriptions to Ramp cards. Our switch from Ramp guide shows the other side of the deal.
- Score
- 4.4 / 5
- Price
- Free $0, Plus $15 per user/month + platform fee
- Best for
- US-registered companies
- Catch
- Plus platform fee not published
Brex: for US companies spending across borders
Global spendWhy move to Brex. Brex Essentials costs $0 and Premium $12 per user per month. It pairs corporate cards with expense management, for US companies whose teams and vendors sit in several countries.
Who it's for. US companies with teams or vendors abroad.
Who it's not for. A company headquartered in Europe: local card issuance and unlimited global entities sit on the custom-priced Enterprise plan.
The catch. The best global features sit on Enterprise, which is quote-based.
How to switch. Start with one team on Brex cards, compare a month-end close against Payhawk's export, then move the rest before your Payhawk term ends.
- Score
- 4.1 / 5
- Price
- Essentials $0, Premium $12 per user/month
- Best for
- US companies going global
- Catch
- local cards and unlimited entities on Enterprise
Spendesk: for finance teams that approve everything
Finance teamsWhy move to Spendesk. It's Payhawk's closest European rival, with one big difference: unlimited users. The base plan includes physical and virtual cards with no monthly card fee, receipt OCR, reimbursements, budgets and accounting connections. Procurement, bill pay and multi-entity come as add-ons.
Who it's for. European companies of 50 to 1,000 people with a finance team that wants fine-grained approvals.
Who it's not for. Anyone leaving Payhawk to escape quotes: Spendesk publishes no price either.
The catch. Pricing mixes a fixed fee with per-transaction fees, both quoted, and its terms ask for two months' notice. You trade one commitment for a similar one.
How to switch. Give your real volume (card transactions, invoices, reimbursements a month) when you ask for a quote. Align the start date with the end of your Payhawk notice. Our switch from Spendesk guide covers its contract.
- Score
- 4.2 / 5
- Price
- quote-based, unlimited users
- Best for
- European mid-size companies
- Catch
- no public price
Airwallex: when your spend crosses currencies
Multi-currencyWhy move to Airwallex. Payhawk's 0.3% FX is one of its real strengths. If that's what kept you, Airwallex is the logical move: multi-currency accounts, cards and global payouts. In the UK, Explore is £0 (free once you hold £10,000) or £19 a month, and Grow is £49, excluding VAT.
Who it's for. E-commerce brands, agencies and SaaS companies paying suppliers or collecting revenue in several currencies.
Who it's not for. A team that mostly needs layered approvals and rich expense reports.
The catch. Spend control is lighter than Payhawk or Spendesk: it's a payments platform first.
How to switch. Open the account, get the business verified, then move your foreign-currency suppliers first, since they cost the most in FX.
- Score
- 4.0 / 5
- Price
- Explore £0 or £19, Grow £49 a month, excl. VAT
- Best for
- multi-currency payments
- Catch
- lighter spend control
Navan: when most of your spend is travel
TravelWhy move to Navan. Payhawk added travel as a module. Navan started with it: booking, travel policy and expenses in one app. Expense management is free for up to 5 users, then $15 per user per month.
Who it's for. Sales and field teams that book flights and hotels every month.
Who it's not for. A company whose spend is mostly software subscriptions and supplier invoices.
The catch. Past 5 users, the per-user cost adds up quickly.
How to switch. Rebuild your travel policy first (hotel caps, flight class), then invite travellers. Keep Payhawk cards live until every booked trip has been reconciled.
- Score
- 4.2 / 5
- Price
- 5 users free, then $15 per user per month
- Best for
- teams that travel
- Catch
- per-user cost past 5 users
The 6 alternatives side by side
Our default pick: Pleo for a UK or European team under 30 people, Ramp for a US-registered company. For scale, take 10 users: Payhawk Growth is £149 a month, Pleo Build about £140, Ramp's core plan $0, Brex Premium $120. The table gives one row per tool: entry price on the left, who it suits and its catch on the right.
| Entry price | Who it suits, and the catch | |
|---|---|---|
| PayhawkWhere you start | Growth £149 a month for 24 months (under 20 staff, one entity), otherwise quote | Multi-entity groups; auto-renewal, one month's notice |
| PleoClear pricing | Start £8, Build £14, Optimise £18 per user per month | Small teams; 1.49% to 2% card FX |
| RampUS companies | Free $0, Plus $15 per user per month plus platform fee | US-registered companies; Plus fee not published |
| BrexGlobal spend | Essentials $0, Premium $12 per user per month | US companies abroad; local cards and unlimited entities on Enterprise |
| SpendeskFinance teams | Quote-based, fixed plus per-transaction | European mid-size; two months' notice |
| AirwallexMulti-currency | Explore £0 or £19, Grow £49 a month, excl. VAT | FX-heavy businesses; lighter spend control |
| NavanTravel | 5 users free, then $15 per user per month | Teams that travel; cost grows past 5 users |
Entry prices as listed by each vendor, subject to change. Always price on your real number of users and transactions.
Leaving Payhawk in eight steps
Order matters. Each step protects something: your cash, your receipts, your vendor subscriptions, your month-end close.
Find your term end date in the order form
Day 1The framework agreement renews automatically for the period set in your pricing schedule. Find three things: the length of the current term, its end date, and the renewal length. On Growth, the commitment is 24 months.
Why? A late notice doesn't save you a term. It makes you pay for the next one.
- Time
- one hour
- Risk if rushed
- an extra term to pay
Send written notice at least one month ahead
CriticalPayhawk's terms ask for one month's notice sent to support@payhawk.com. Send it earlier than the deadline, keep the receipt, and ask for written confirmation of the end date. Leave before the term ends and the rest of the period is still due, so aim for the end date.
- Notice
- 1 month
- Address
- support@payhawk.com
Keep every fee-change notice
LeveragePayhawk can change fees with notice, effective one month later. A material change to its terms also gives you the right to terminate before it applies. File those emails: they can open an earlier exit than your end date.
- Delay
- 1 month after notice
Export the accounting data with receipts
Before the endIn the Export app, choose CSV with document images to get expenses and receipts together. The emailed download link only lasts 12 hours, so grab it right away. Do one export per financial year and store it outside Payhawk.
EU-based companies can also request their data in a common format: switching takes no more than 30 days, and Payhawk keeps the data for 90 days before erasing it.
- Link
- valid 12 hours
- Retention
- 90 days after the end
List every subscription on a Payhawk card
Most forgottenSoftware, ads, hosting, phone lines: note the vendor, the amount and the next charge date for each card. It's the method Payhawk recommends for moving spend onto its cards, and it works in reverse.
Cancel a card before switching and a service goes dark or an ad campaign stops mid-flight.
- Risk if rushed
- service cut off
Run the new tool in parallel for a month
Safety netOpen the new tool during your notice period and give it your biggest-spending team first. Compare a month-end close on both sides: same categories, same accounts, same VAT. If the export to Xero, QuickBooks or NetSuite needs fixing, you'll see it before you switch off the old one.
- Time
- one month
Move subscriptions, then cancel the cards
D-dayIn each vendor's billing portal, swap the Payhawk card for the new one right after a charge goes through. Once everything has moved, an admin cancels the Payhawk cards from card management.
- Who
- an admin
- Risk if rushed
- declined payments
Withdraw your funds within 10 business days
Last stepWhen the agreement ends, the terms give you 10 business days to withdraw the money left in your Payhawk payment account. After that, Payhawk may charge an inactivity fee. Move the balance to your main account as soon as the last expenses have cleared.
- Deadline
- 10 business days
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes a Payhawk exit go wrong
The same mistakes show up in reviews from customers who left. None is technical. They're dates and oversights, and each costs more than the time it would have taken to avoid it.
Missing the renewal date
The contract rolls into a new term on its own. Notice that lands inside the one-month window costs you the next term. Set a reminder two months before the end date, not one.
Leaving early without doing the math
Early exit is allowed, but the rest of the current term is payable. On a 24-month commitment, leaving in month eight costs the next sixteen. Work out that number before you sign with anyone else.
Letting the export link expire
The download link expires after 12 hours, and platform access ends with the contract. Export during the notice period, not on the last day.
Forgetting the money in the account
The payment account balance has to be withdrawn within 10 business days of the end. After that, inactivity fees can apply.
Comparing an entry offer to a quote
Growth at £149 has limits (20 staff, one entity, 15 invoices a month). A rival quote for 40 people and three companies doesn't compare with it. Compare on your real volume: users, cards, invoices and reimbursements a month.
Choosing without your accountant
The tool your team likes isn't always the one that exports cleanly to your books. Have your accountant sign off the export during the pilot. For more options, see our rankings of expense software for small businesses and business bank accounts, and our switch from Expensify guide.
- End date and renewal length found in the order form
- Notice sent to support@payhawk.com more than one month before the end
- Written confirmation of the end date received
- Fee-change notices filed
- CSV export with receipts downloaded for each financial year
- Data portability request sent if needed (30 days, data kept 90 days)
- List of card-paid subscriptions with next charge dates
- New tool piloted for a month, accounting export signed off
- Subscriptions moved, Payhawk cards cancelled by an admin
- Account balance withdrawn within 10 business days
Payhawk alternatives: frequently asked questions
How much does Payhawk cost?
The only public price is the Growth programme: £149 a month for 24 months, for UK or EEA companies under 20 employees with one entity. Everything else is quoted module by module. Tip: when you graduate from Growth, Payhawk advertises 50% off the first year and 25% off the second on a standard plan, so get that in writing before you compare.
How do I cancel Payhawk?
Email your notice to support@payhawk.com, one month ahead. If you leave before the end of the current subscription period, the rest of that period is still due. The cheapest exit is to aim for your end date and give notice at least a month before.
Is Pleo better than Payhawk for a small team?
Usually, yes: Pleo's price is public (£8 to £18 per user), with no headcount cap or 24-month term. Payhawk keeps the edge on FX (0.3% against 1.49% to 2% at Pleo) and on multi-entity setups.
Payhawk or Ramp?
Ramp if your company is US-registered: its core plan is free. Payhawk if you're a European group with several entities. Ramp launched in the UK in 2026, so a UK company should check eligibility first.
How do I get my data out of Payhawk?
Use the Export app, CSV with document images, before the contract ends. EU-based companies can also request their data in a common format: switching normally takes up to 30 days and Payhawk keeps the data for 90 days. A switching fee is possible, capped at Payhawk's direct costs.
What's the best Payhawk alternative for a group with several companies?
Spendesk with its multi-entity module. It's quote-based, so ask for a price on your exact number of entities and users, and compare it with what Payhawk would quote for the same setup.
Is there a Payhawk alternative for micro-businesses?
Yes. Payhawk Growth excludes UK micro-enterprises and small charities, while Pleo Start works from a single user at £8 a month. Our ranking of expense management software covers more options.
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One tool to leave, one destination, one exit plan. Nothing else.