Updated Oct 23, 2026 · 48 tools · 9 categories
AI tools that run the back office
Bill pay, spend, purchasing, bookkeeping and payroll for teams of 5 to 100, and the bookkeepers who help them. Plain-English verdicts and the price each vendor publishes.
Best tools by job
- Best bill pay software for small businessesTop pick: Melio
- Best tools to approve and process supplier invoicesTop pick: BILL
- Best free back-office tools for small businessesTop pick: Ramp
- Best company cards with spending controlsTop pick: Ramp
- Best receipt and bill capture appsTop pick: Dext
- Best expense report software for small teamsTop pick: Expensify
- Best purchase order software for small businessesTop pick: Precoro
- Best AI bookkeeping toolsTop pick: Digits
- Best accounting software for small businessesTop pick: QuickBooks Online
- Best AI add-ons for QuickBooks OnlineTop pick: Booke AI
- Best AI add-ons for XeroTop pick: Hubdoc
- Best payroll software for small businessesTop pick: Gusto
- Best online business bank accounts with bill payTop pick: Mercury
- Best practice management software for bookkeepersTop pick: Karbon
- Best automation tools for bookkeeping firmsTop pick: Booke AI
Launches and price changes
Dated from the original source, with a link to it.
- LaunchThis week
Tipalti launches AP Agent and an MCP connection
An AI agent that runs invoice capture, coding, approvals, payments and reconciliation as one workflow, with teams choosing which steps it handles alone. New MCP access lets AI tools such as Claude Enterprise read live Tipalti invoice, vendor and payment data.
- LaunchThis week
Gusto connects payroll to Claude and ChatGPT
At its Fall Showcase, Gusto let owners connect Gusto to Claude, ChatGPT and other AI tools to ask payroll questions, prep payroll and build reports, approving every change. Also new: an MCP server and CLI, multi-location payroll, and contractor invoice ingestion that prefills the paysheet.
- LaunchThis week
Expensify adds DualEntry and Campfire sync and smarter duplicate checks
Expenses, reports and card transactions now sync to the AI-native ledgers DualEntry and Campfire. Duplicate receipt alerts compare more line-item detail, approvers can route reports by submitter, and admins can download receipts as one zip file.
- LaunchThis week
Mercury launches Mercury Payroll
W-2 and 1099 payroll, benefits, 401(k) and payroll compliance in all 50 states, run from a Mercury account. Free for eligible customers through 2026, then $100/month plus $50 per person paid.
Browse by category
Bill pay & accounts payable
7 toolsPay vendors by ACH, check or card, route bills for approval, and let AI read invoices for you.
BILL, Melio, Plooto, Tipalti, Routable, Stampli, AvidXchange
Company cards with built-in limits, approvals and receipt matching, so spending is controlled before it happens.
Expenses & receipt capture
6 toolsSnap or forward receipts and bills, let AI pull out the details, and get expense reports approved fast.
Purchasing & purchase orders
4 toolsPurchase requests, approvals, purchase orders and invoice matching for teams that buy a lot.
Accounting software
5 toolsThe books themselves: invoices, bills, bank feeds, reports, with AI that categorizes transactions.
AI bookkeeping
5 toolsAI that categorizes, reconciles and closes your books, on its own or with a human reviewer.
Payroll
5 toolsRun payroll, file payroll taxes and handle year-end forms for a small team.
Business banking
5 toolsOnline business checking with built-in bill pay, cards and bookkeeping helpers.
For bookkeepers
7 toolsPractice management for outside bookkeepers and accounting firms: workflows, client portals, document requests and billing.
Karbon, TaxDome, Financial Cents, Canopy, Double, Jetpack Workflow, Liscio
For software makers
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