Corporate travel is expected to gain momentum as the US economy is gradually moving towards a “soft landing” solution, i.e., no inflation or recession. The advent of technology has steered multiple corporate travel management apps into the market.
According to a study by Ipsos, 74% of business travelers plan to travel for work in the next six months. If your road warrior employees are also ready to hit the road again, this is the best time to optimize your travel process with the help of technological tools.
Fortunately, modern technology can take over these cumbersome tasks with ease. All you need is the best corporate travel management app to streamline the process and leave the manual work behind.
These solutions can simplify booking, itinerary management, and expenses and ensure adherence to company policies. Which, in turn, can help you reduce travel costs by reducing errors and helping you identify cost leakages.
Importance of Corporate Travel Management Apps
Business travel management apps have become indispensable tools for businesses, offering a range of benefits that enhance efficiency, compliance, and cost-effectiveness in managing business travel.
- Streamlined Booking Process : These apps provide a seamless booking experience. They allow employees to quickly find and book and manage flights, hotels, and car rentals from a comprehensive inventory, all within company policy guidelines.
- Cost Savings : Advanced features like flight re-shopping and unused flight credit management help companies save significantly on travel expenses, often trimming up to 30% off overall costs.
- Policy Compliance : With built-in travel policies, these apps ensure compliance. This reduces the risk of unauthorized expenses and simplifies the approval process.
- Travel Expense Management : The apps simplify the management of travel expenses, automating the submission and approval process, and ensuring accurate tracking and reporting.
- Real-Time Travel Insights : Corporate travel management apps offer real-time insights and analytics. It gives companies complete control and visibility over their travel spend and patterns.
- 24/7 Support : The companies of these apps usually provide access to round-the-clock support,. It ensures that any travel-related issues are swiftly resolved, enhancing the overall travel experience.
Adopting the best business travel management app is a strategic move. It not only simplifies the travel process but also contributes to a company’s bottom line and operational efficiency.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Corporate Travel Management App
Selecting the right business travel management app is crucial for streamlining business travel and achieving cost efficiency. Here are key factors to consider:
- User-Friendliness : The app should have an intuitive interface that makes booking and managing travel simple for all users, reducing the learning curve and increasing adoption rates among employees.
- Customer Support : Opt for an app that offers 24/7 customer support to address any travel-related issues promptly. Reliable support ensures that employees can resolve problems quickly, minimizing disruptions.
- Customized Reporting : The ability to generate tailored reports is essential. This feature provides insights into travel spend, compliance, and patterns, helping businesses make informed decisions and optimize their travel programs.
- Transparent Pricing : Ensure the app has a clear and straightforward pricing structure with no hidden fees. Transparent pricing helps in budgeting and managing travel expenses effectively.
- Integration Capabilities : The app should seamlessly integrate with existing HR, finance, and expense management systems, ensuring a smooth flow of data and reducing administrative overhead.
- Policy Compliance : Look for an app that enforces company travel policies automatically, helping to reduce unauthorized expenses and streamline approval processes.
- Mobile Access : A robust mobile app version accessible on both Android and IOS, allows employees to manage their travel plans on the go.
Considering these factors will help you choose the best corporate travel management app that enhances efficiency, ensures compliance, and delivers a positive user experience for your employees.
How to Choose the Right Business Travel Management App?
1. Identify Your Business Needs
- Assess your company’s travel requirements, including the volume of travel, destinations, and typical travel expenses.
- Determine the specific features you need, such as expense management policy compliance, and real-time reporting.
2. Research and Compare Options
- Conduct thorough research on available travel management apps, focusing on those that meet your identified needs.
- Compare features, pricing, and user reviews to shortlist the most suitable options.
3. Review Pricing and Contracts
- Review the pricing structures of the shortlisted apps, ensuring transparency with no hidden fees.
- Consider the overall value for money, balancing cost against features and support.
- Read the contract terms carefully, focusing on any long-term commitments and cancellation policies.
4. Evaluate Support and Training
- Confirm the availability of comprehensive training resources and support during the onboarding process.
- Ensure ongoing support is accessible to address any issues that arise post-implementation.
List of Top 5 Corporate Travel Management Apps in US
Let’s explore the best apps for corporate travel that promise to simplify your travel experience and make your journeys smoother than ever.
1. itilite
itilite is consistently voted the best in T&E performance on platforms like G2 by users across 300+ global companies. The tech-forward best corporate travel management app simplifies bookings, enhances policy compliance, offers advanced analytics, helps manage events, and takes care of expenses seamlessly.
With the world’s first virtual travel consultant– Mastermind, pre-embedded in the itilite system, you can optimize travel savings. The AI-powered travel consultant conducts industry benchmarking of the travel expenditure and suggests ways to help optimize your company’s travel spending to enable more than 30% savings.
Top features of itilite:
- Integrated travel and expense solution
- Rewards for employees who book cost-conscious travel
- Granular policy configuration enabling up to 98% travel policy compliance
- 7-star rated free travel support within 10 seconds through call, chat, and email
- Corporate cards offering 1.5% Cashback (highest in the industry)
- Events Travel: end-to-end solution to easily manage group itineraries
Pricing
- Travel: $10 per trip ($7 with pre-paid wallet)
- Expense: $9 per active user (if paid annually then $6 per active user)
- Travel and Expense: $10 per trip and $9 per active user
2. Navan (Formerly TripActions)
Navan, previously known as TripActions, is a comprehensive solution for travel, corporate card services, and expense management. The solution of a corporate travel management app offers travel booking, expense tracking, receipt capture, policy enforcement, and reporting features. However, travel support is one significant area where Navan falls short compared to more modern platforms.
Navan’s Top Features:
- Integrated travel and expense management
- Built-in policy and approval workflows
- Reporting
- Events and meetings assistance
- Travel rewards
Pricing
Navan provides tailored pricing according to the specific needs of each business. The pricing model depends on the number of users and is billed on a per-user, per-month basis.
Reasons Why Navan Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- Transparent and Cost-Effective Pricing : itilite charges a straightforward fee of $10 per trip without any annual subscription fees or hidden costs. In contrast, Navan’s pricing is significantly higher at approximately $25 per trip, coupled with an annual fee exceeding $5000 and potential hidden charges.
- Dedicated Account Management : itilite, the best business travel management app, offers a dedicated account manager for every customer at no additional cost, ensuring personalized support and service. Navan, on the other hand, charges extra for account management services, which are only available based on the level of spending.
- Better Cashback Offers : itilite provides up to 1.5% cashback on travel spending, offering greater savings for businesses. Navan’s cashback offer is comparatively lower, providing up to 1% cashback.
Suggested Read:
Why Choose itilite over Navan?
3. TravelPerk
Founded in 2015, TravelPerk is a travel management company that streamlines corporate trip planning by making it easier to book flights, hotels, and rental cars. It encompasses various features such as instant reporting, travel policy customization, and expenditure control. Though technologically sound, the TravePerk is not the best for cost savings. There are other highly tech-forward options available at much more affordable pricing.
TravelPerk’s Top Feature
- Extensive booking choices
- Centralized control of travel schedules
- Implementation and adherence to policies
- Integration with expenses
- Round-the-clock traveler assistance
Pricing:
- Premium plan: $99/ M+3%/ booking
- Pro plan: $299/ M+3%/ booking
- Enterprise plan: Custom
Reasons Why TravelPerk Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- Cost-Effective Negotiated Rates and Automatic Flight Rebooking : itilite offers negotiated rates and automatic flight rebooking at no additional cost, while TravelPerk includes these benefits only in their most expensive plan, priced at $300 per month plus 3% per booking.
- Higher Cashback Rewards : itilite provides up to 2.5% cashback on bookings with corporate cards. This offers greater financial incentives compared to TravelPerk, which does not offer similar cashback rewards.
- Free Customizable Travel Reports : itilite offers customizable travel reports for free, enabling businesses to tailor their reporting needs without extra costs. In contrast, TravelPerk requires customers to subscribe to their highest-priced plan at $300 per month plus 3% per booking to access custom reports.
Suggested Read:
Why Choose itilite over TravelPerk
4. TravelBank
TravelBank offers a travel management solution tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises, encompassing booking travel and accommodations and expense reporting. . It also allows employees to capture receipts using their corporate travel management app in mobile devices conveniently. However, despite its mobile-oriented and digital-first approach, TravelBank falls inadequate compared to its contemporaries regarding user experience.
TravelBank’s Top Features
- Overseeing travel and expenditures.
- Automatic policy adherence.
- Rewarding travelers for cost-conscious decisions.
- Seamless integration with financial and accounting systems.
- Round-the-clock traveler assistance
Pricing
- Travel: $25 User/Month
- Expense: $10 User/Month
- T&E: Custom
Reasons Why TravelBank Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- Superior In-House Support : itilite delivers exceptional customer service with expert assistance provided directly by their dedicated team, ensuring clients receive the highest level of support.
- Extensive Travel Inventory : itilite offers a broader selection of travel options, resulting in more competitive rates and better choices for travelers.
- Efficient Management of Unused Flight Tickets : itilite excels in handling and rebooking unused flight tickets, helping clients optimize their travel budgets and maximize the value of their travel expenditures.
5. Amex GBT Egencia
Egencia is the recently acquired travel arm of the global company American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT). The platform blends technology, data-driven knowledge, and travel services to enable businesses and their staff to maximize their travel experiences within policy and budget constraints.
However, Egencia is not a comprehensive corporate travel management app in travel management solution. But to manage all travel-related expenses, you need external integration. Hence, if you are looking for travel management software to take care of end-to-end processes, there are better solutions available.
Amex GBT Egencia’s Top Features
- Extensive booking choices
- Compliance with travel policies
- Assistance with risk management and duty of care
- Round-the-clock traveler support
Pricing
Amex GBT provides custom pricing tailored to each business’s specific needs, with a pricing model that charges per user per month based on the number of users.
Reasons Why Egencia Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- Transparent and Affordable Pricing : itilite is a great solution for SMEs as it offers a flat rate of $10 per trip, compared to Egencia’s $25-$40 support booking charges.
- Wide Functionality : Egencia uses third party integrations to function booking tasks. itilite provides a seamless booking solution with rule-based approval process.
Choose itilite for Stress-free Travel Booking and Expense Management
Now that you know about the market’s best business travel management app, it’s time to pick the best for your company. But how can you determine which one will be the right fit?
The business travel industry is addressing the issue of how contemporary corporate travel solutions need to adapt. The term “all-in-one” can be deceptive and is frequently employed when various companies piece together solutions.
A significant distinction exists between a business travel management app that includes expense integration and one designed to function as a cohesive, comprehensive solution. Here’s what you can do to identify the one for you: start by asking targeted questions, such as:
- Does the solution help me manage several policy schemas, budgets, and relationships?
- Is cleaning and consolidating data from multiple systems automated?
- Can my employees submit and track expenses quickly?
- Is the solution provider charging a clean and reasonable trip cost upfront, or is it “death by a thousand cuts” with multiple hidden costs?
- Will my employees get the support anytime they need it?
itilite is a modern corporate travel management platform that stands ahead of all others in terms of inventory, policy and approval flows, expense management, and support.
To learn more, book a free demo with our experts today.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Corporate travel management apps come in various types, such as booking platforms, itinerary management tools, and expense management solutions. Booking platforms facilitate the reservation of flights, accommodations, and transportation. Itinerary management tools organize travel plans and provide easy access to trip details. Expense management solutions track and manage travel-related expenses, ensuring compliance with company policies and regulations.
Business travel apps streamline expenses by automating the expense reporting process. They allow travelers to capture receipts digitally and submit expense reports on the go. They integrate with corporate credit cards and accounting systems, simplifying reconciliation and ensuring accuracy. Additionally, these apps enforce company travel policies, flagging non-compliant expenses and reducing the need for manual oversight.
Yes, Business travel management apps enhance the traveler experience. They provide easy access to travel itineraries, real-time updates, and expense tracking features. All these features contribute to smoother journeys and reduced stress for employees.
