Airbase review for 2026: what the spend management platform does, its 2024 acquisition by Paylocity, key features, and how it compares to Ramp and Brex.
Airbase is a spend management platform founded in May 2017 by Thejo Kote, who previously built and sold the connected-car startup Automatic to SiriusXM. Airbase combines accounts payable automation, corporate cards, employee expense management, and guided procurement into a single system built for mid-market companies.
After bootstrapping the company and later raising a Series A from First Round Capital and a Series B led by Menlo Ventures, Airbase was acquired by HR and payroll company Paylocity in a deal that closed October 1, 2024 for roughly 325 million dollars. It now operates as Airbase by Paylocity.
Airbase's platform centers on accounts payable automation and bill pay, software-enabled corporate cards with configurable spend controls, and guided procurement with purchase-order workflows, all governed by approval policies that can be customized by department and spend category.
It also includes employee expense management and reimbursements, real-time budgeting and spend dashboards, and deep integrations with ERP systems such as NetSuite. Since the Paylocity acquisition, Airbase capabilities are increasingly bundled with Paylocity's payroll and HCM platform under the Paylocity for Finance branding, giving customers combined visibility into payroll and non-payroll spend.
Airbase does not publish self-serve pricing tiers. Historically, its revenue model combined SaaS subscription fees (an estimated 70 to 80 percent or more of revenue) with corporate card interchange revenue, differentiating it from competitors that leaned more heavily on free, interchange-funded products.
Prospective customers must request a demo and receive a custom quote based on company size, transaction volume, and which modules (AP, cards, procurement, expenses) they need, a structure that has continued following the Paylocity acquisition.
Yes, it operates as Airbase by Paylocity following Paylocity's acquisition of the company, which closed October 1, 2024.
Thejo Kote founded Airbase in May 2017 after previously co-founding and selling the connected-car startup Automatic to SiriusXM.
Pricing is custom and quote-based; Airbase does not publish self-serve pricing tiers.
Airbase targets mid-market companies with a software-subscription-first model and guided procurement, while Ramp and Brex have historically emphasized free, self-serve access monetized largely through card interchange.
Paylocity acquired Airbase for approximately 325 million dollars, with the deal completing on October 1, 2024.
Yes, Airbase has a dedicated integration with NetSuite and other ERP systems.
It is the combined branding under which Airbase's spend management capabilities are integrated into Paylocity's payroll and HCM platform.