Brex vs WEX (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Brex grades higher than WEX: 3.6 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Brex grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Brex
Corporate cards, expenses, bill pay and travel for growing companies
Free plan · from $12/mo
Which one is for you
Pick Brex if
- Fits if you're a startup that wants cards and expenses with no software bill
- Works for developers who want an API on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need several expense policies or approval chains without paying $12 a user
- Pricey if your team buys a lot in foreign currencies, with an FX markup of up to 3% on card purchases
- Not for you if you only want some users on Premium, since everyone must be on the same plan
- Tight if you run more than two entities, as Essentials stops there and the rest needs Premium
- Watch out: the pricing page doesn't say whether Premium's $12 is billed monthly or yearly
Pick WEX if
- Fits if you run a vehicle fleet and want fuel cards with rebates
- Works for companies that pay suppliers by virtual card and want to earn rebates
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want an expense-reporting app, as WEX isn't one
- Skip it if you want a price list: everything is quoted by sales
- Watch out: the highest fuel rebate needs a location in the WEX savings network
- Watch out: payables rebate income varies with how many suppliers accept virtual cards
How we grade them
| 3.6GPABrexExcellent | 1.6GPAWEXWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and substantial. A ten-person company pays $0 a month on Essentials, and Brex charges no fee of its own for ACH, check or wire bill payments. Premium is $12 a user, and the pricing page doesn't say if that's monthly or yearly billing. | CNo prices published: products are quoted through a proposal request or a sales contact. |
| Free plan and trial | AEssentials is free with unlimited global cards, AI spending rules, up to two entities, bill pay, reimbursements, travel booking, accounting sync and the API. No user cap is listed. | FNo free plan or trial is listed, and products are quoted through a proposal request or sales contact. |
| Features | BThe whole job: cards, expense policies, reimbursements, bill pay by ACH, check or wire, travel, a business account and accounting sync. Multiple policies and approval chains wait for Premium, but the core work is all there. | CFuel cards, fleet tools, accounts payable automation, supplier enablement and benefits administration. The three product lines are unrelated and none is a standalone expense app. |
| Ease of use | A4.84 from 8,836 App Store ratings, the top band. The AI rules check spending against your policy for you, so there's less chasing to do. | CNo store rating on record. Setup depends on the product line, and supplier acceptance matters for the payables side. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Dynamics 365, Workday, Rippling and Slack, and an API on every plan. No desktop app is listed. | CWeb only, with no integrations named on the pages we read. |
| Best for | free global cards and expenses for startups | fuel cards, supplier payments and benefits for businesses |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Brex and WEX. How we grade
Where they differ
- Brex also covers reports.
In commonWebExpense trackingBill payCompany cards
At a glance
| Brex | WEX | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $12 per user / month, billing term not stated | Not published |
| Free plan | Essentials: unlimited global cards, one local card program, AI spending rules, up to two entities, bill pay, reimbursements, travel booking, accounting integrations and API access. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Brex LLC | WEX |
| Price read from | brex.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Brex
- Card purchases that need a currency conversion carry an FX markup of up to 3%; Brex charges no fee of its own for ACH, checks or wires.
- Brex LLC is owned by Capital One, N.A.; checking is provided by Column N.A., and the cards are issued by Emigrant Bank, Fifth Third Bank or Sutton Bank.
- Essentials allows up to two entities; multiple expense policies, approval chains and custom ERP or HR integrations need Premium.
- All users on an account must be on the same plan, and the pricing page does not say whether Premium is billed monthly or yearly.
WEX
- No prices are published; products are quoted through a proposal request or sales contact.
- Fuel-card rebates depend on where drivers fuel, and the highest rate requires a location in the WEX savings network.
- The AP product depends on suppliers accepting virtual cards, so rebate income varies with supplier acceptance.
- It is a payments and benefits company with several unrelated product lines, not a standalone expense-reporting app.
Key features
Brex
- Corporate cards
- Unlimited cards accepted in 210+ countries and territories, with local-currency cards and billing in 50+ countries on higher plans.
- Expense policies
- AI-powered rules check spending; Premium adds category rules, role-based exceptions, auto-approval and audit detection.
- Bill pay
- Automated bill pay by ACH, check, domestic wire or international wire in local currency or US dollars, with no Brex fee per payment.
- Travel booking
- Book business travel inside Brex, free on Essentials, with group travel and advanced travel rules on Premium.
- Business account
- Checking provided by Column N.A., plus Treasury and Vault cash management run by Brex Treasury LLC.
- Accounting and API
- Transactions sync to QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct and Dynamics 365, and an API is included on every plan.
WEX
- Fuel cards and fleet tools
- The site lists more than 50 fuel cards, plus fleet tracking, EV charging support, roadside services and fuel-spend analytics and reporting.
- Accounts payable automation
- Supplier invoices are paid by one-time virtual cards, with automated reconciliation, custom spend limits and real-time monitoring of each payment.
- Supplier enablement
- WEX staff work with a buyer's suppliers to enroll them for virtual card acceptance, which is how the buyer earns rebates on payables.
- Fuel rebates
- The homepage says one fuel card earns 3 to 15 cents per gallon inside its savings network and 1 to 3 cents outside it, subject to conditions.
- Employee benefits administration
- A separate line covers HSA, FSA, HRA, commuter benefits, COBRA and ACA compliance administration.
Plans
Brex
Essentials$0
For startups: global cards, AI custom rules, up to two entities (one global), bill pay, reimbursements, free travel booking and real-time reports.
Premium$12
per user / month, billing term not stated
Adds multiple expense policies, review and approval chains, AI audit checks, US and international entities, ERP and HR integrations, VAT documents and live budgets.
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited entities, local card issuing, collections and reimbursements in other countries, an admin center and a named account manager.
WEX
Pricing could not be confirmed. See wexinc.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Brex or WEX?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Brex starts at $12 per user / month, billing term not stated, and WEX has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Brex or WEX?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Brex has a free plan. WEX does not.
Which platforms do Brex and WEX run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Brex lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.