Navan vs Brex: Corporate Card & Expense Management Comparison

Compare Navan and Brex for corporate cards, expense management, and travel booking. See pricing, features, and which platform fits your business needs.

Updated 2026-10 · 2026

Navan

All-in-one travel and expense management platform

Free for expense management, travel booking fees applyper booking

Strengths

+Integrated travel booking with corporate cards and expense management
+Strong travel inventory with negotiated rates
+Automated expense reporting and receipt matching

Weaknesses

-Travel booking fees can add up (typically 3-5% per booking)
-More complex setup for companies not needing travel features
-Smaller card rewards compared to pure card platforms

Best for

Companies with frequent business travel needs who want unified travel booking and expense management in one platform

Brex

Corporate cards and spend management for startups and enterprises

Free for Essentials plan, Premium starts at $12/user/monthper user per month

Strengths

+No personal guarantee required for corporate cards
+Higher credit limits based on cash balance
+Strong rewards program (up to 7x points on select categories)

Weaknesses

-Primarily targets startups and tech companies
-No built-in travel booking platform
-Premium features require paid plans

Best for

Startups and tech companies seeking corporate cards with high limits, strong rewards, and comprehensive spend management without travel booking

Feature Comparison

Feature	Navan	Brex
Corporate Cards	Physical and virtual cards with standard limits	Physical and virtual cards with high limits based on cash balance
Travel Booking	Built-in travel booking platform with negotiated rates	No native travel booking (integrates with third-party)
Expense Management	Automated expense reports with receipt matching	Automated expense tracking with real-time categorization
Rewards Program	1-2% cashback on purchases	Up to 7x points on select categories, 1x on everything else
Credit Requirements	Standard business credit check	No personal guarantee, credit based on cash balance
Bill Pay	Basic bill payment features	Advanced bill pay with vendor management and approvals
Accounting Integrations	QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct	QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Ramp
Mobile App	iOS and Android with travel management features	iOS and Android with expense tracking and card controls
Policy Enforcement	Real-time travel and expense policy controls	Spending limits and category restrictions per card
Pricing Model	Free expense management + travel booking fees	Free Essentials plan, paid Premium plans available
Receipt Capture	Automatic receipt matching via email and mobile	SMS and email receipt capture with OCR
Multi-Currency Support	Yes, with competitive FX rates for travel	Yes, with transparent FX fees

The Verdict

Choose Navan if business travel is a significant part of your operations and you want unified booking, cards, and expense management in one platform. Choose Brex if you're a startup or tech company prioritizing high credit limits, strong rewards, and comprehensive spend management without needing integrated travel booking.

How to switch from Navan to Brex

1Export all historical data from Navan: go to Expenses > Reports and use the bulk export tool to download transactions, expense reports, and receipts as CSV files, and pull card statements as PDF/CSV from the Cards section.
2Sign up for a Brex account and complete the underwriting process, which uses your company's cash balance (not a personal credit check) to set card limits.
3Import your historical expense data and vendor list into Brex using its CSV import tool, and reconcile against your accounting system (QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, or Sage Intacct) to confirm balances match.
4Recreate spending policies and approval workflows in Brex's dashboard, since Navan's travel-specific policy rules don't transfer and need to be rebuilt as card-level spending limits and category restrictions.
5If your team still needs travel booking, set up a standalone travel tool (e.g., TravelPerk) or Navan's travel-only product, and connect its receipts to Brex via email/SMS capture.
6Issue new Brex physical and virtual cards to employees, set a cutover date to deactivate Navan cards, and notify the team to submit any pending Navan expense reports before the account is closed.

Navan vs Brex: common questions

How do I export my transaction and expense data from Navan before switching to Brex?+

In Navan, go to the Expenses or Reports module and use the bulk export option to download transaction history, receipts, and expense reports as CSV files. You can also pull card statements separately from the Cards section as PDF or CSV. Keep at least 12 months of history exported, since Navan may restrict access to historical data after you close the account.

What features do I lose if I move from Navan to Brex?+

You lose Navan's built-in travel booking platform, negotiated travel rates, and integrated trip management — Brex has no native travel booking, so you'd need a separate tool like TravelPerk or Navan's travel-only product if you keep it. You also lose Navan's travel-specific policy enforcement (e.g., flight class rules, hotel caps), which doesn't map directly to Brex's card spending controls.

Is Brex's free Essentials plan enough for a small team of 10-20 people?+

Yes, for most small teams Essentials covers corporate cards, expense tracking, and basic bill pay without a monthly fee. You'll likely need to upgrade to a paid Premium tier ($12/user/month) only if you need advanced approval workflows, custom reporting, or deeper ERP integrations like NetSuite automation.

Does Brex integrate with the same accounting and expense tools as Navan?+

Both support QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct, so your core accounting sync should carry over with minimal remapping. Brex also adds a native integration with Ramp-adjacent workflows and has a broader app marketplace for HR and procurement tools that Navan doesn't offer directly.

Will switching from Navan to Brex actually save money over a year?+

If your team books frequent business travel, you'll stop paying Navan's 3-5% per-booking travel fees, but you'll need a separate travel tool, which has its own cost. For teams with low travel volume, Brex's free Essentials plan plus stronger card rewards (up to 7x points) often works out cheaper than Navan's combined card-plus-travel-fee model.