Here Are Our Top 7 Esker Alternatives for Invoice Automation

Quick Summary

This guide breaks down the top 7 Esker alternatives for invoice and receivables automation: Lunos, Tipalti, Coupa, Stampli, Sage Intacct, Yooz, and Billtrust. We compare what each platform does best, who it’s ideal for, and where it falls short, so you can choose the right fit for your finance team.

Our top three picks:

Looking for the Best Esker Alternative for Your Team?  

Esker is a familiar name in AP and AR automation, but it isn’t always the best fit for every business. If you’re looking for deeper automation, clearer payment workflows, and more flexibility, there are several tools that may serve you better.

In this Lunos article, we break down the top seven Esker alternatives and how each can help finance teams process invoices and collect payments more efficiently. 

Why Listen to Us? 

At Lunos, we’ve worked with many finance teams to manage high invoice volume, long payment cycles, and growing pressure for faster collections. Our work gives us a clear view of what actually slows teams down and which tools make a real difference. This guide reflects that experience, helping you choose an Esker alternative that supports your workflow, customers, and growth.

What is Esker?

Esker is an automation software that helps companies manage invoices, payments, and other finance tasks in one place. It takes some of the grunt work out of manual data entry and gives teams a clearer view of both accounts payable and accounts receivable.

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Many businesses use Esker to speed up approvals, track payment status, and reduce errors. It supports both AP and AR teams, which is why it is often compared with modern invoice automation tools.

Key Features

• Automated invoice capture: Extracts data from incoming invoices to cut manual entry and speed up processing.
• Smart approval routing: Sends invoices to the right people following the rules you set.
• Digital payment processing: Handles electronic payments and updates status in real time.
• Customer billing automation: Delivers invoices, tracks delivery status, and logs customer interactions.
• Financial dashboards: Shows trends in AP and AR activity to help teams make quick decisions.

Limitations of Esker

• Complex setup: Initial configuration can take time and may require outside support.
• Higher cost for small teams: Light-volume teams might find it pricey
• Steeper learning curve: New users may need extra training to navigate workflows and settings.
• Limited flexibility: Custom changes sometimes require technical help instead of quick adjustments.
• Slower support response: Some users report delays when seeking assistance or troubleshooting.

8 Top Esker Alternatives For Businesses

Here’s a quick comparison of the alternatives.

1. Lunos 

First up is our solution, Lunos. 

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Lunos is a modern invoice and collections automation platform built for finance teams that want faster payments and clearer control over their cash flow. It handles invoicing, reminders, payment tracking, and customer communication in one place, reducing the workload on AR teams and cutting payment delays.

Our tool is designed for growing businesses that need a simple tool to manage rising invoice volume without adding more manual work. What sets Lunos apart is its two-way intelligence and human-like communication, which adapts to each customer’s behavior and helps teams collect cash faster. 

Key Features 

• AI-driven receivables agent: Acts as a 24/7 AR teammate that sends reminders, answers customer messages, reconciles payments, and handles follow-ups.
• Smart two-way customer communication: Adjusts messages, tone, and timing to get faster responses and smoother payments.
• Finance tool integrations: Syncs invoices, payments, and customer data with QuickBooks, NetSuite, and other ERPs.
• Payment timing predictions: Forecasts when customers are likely to pay so teams can prioritize outreach and plan cash flow.
• Unified AR dashboard: Shows all invoices, statuses, and communication history in one place for easy tracking.
• Flexible deployment options: Lets teams get started quickly with either self-serve setup or white glove onboarding.

Pricing

• Starter: Free. Suggest Mode is free for the first $100k each month, and you pay 0.3 percent on collected revenue.
• Pro: $200 per month + 0.3% collections fee. Adds Slack support, extra configuration options, and more control for growing teams.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for larger organisations. Includes multi-entity support, tailored AI behavior, volume discounts, and advanced onboarding.

Pros

• Human-like messaging for improved customer response rates
• Highlights which invoices need attention so teams can focus wisely
• Keeps customer conversations and payment history in one place
• Handles replies smartly to avoid missed commitments 
• Frees finance staff for higher-value work

Cons

• Enterprise plan requires contacting sales for a quote

2. Tipalti  

Tipalti is a global accounts payable automation platform that handles invoice processing, supplier payments, tax compliance, and payout scheduling. It suits companies working with many vendors or international suppliers. The tool’s strength lies in supporting multiple currencies and tax-reporting features for global operations.

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Key Features 

• Invoice capture, validation & routing: Captures invoice data, checks for errors or duplicates, and routes for smooth approval. 
• Supplier onboarding: Gathers vendor info, tax forms, and banking details through a self-service portal. 
• Global mass payments: Sends payouts in multiple currencies via ACH, wire, PayPal, or local bank transfers. 
• Tax compliance management: Validates W‑9/W‑8 forms and generates required reports.
• Payment reconciliation & reporting: Matches payments with invoices and provides clear, exportable reports for audits and tracking.

Pricing

• Select: $99 per month. Includes invoice capture, supplier onboarding, tax-form collection, payment processing, ERP integrations, and unlimited users.
• Advanced: $199 per month. Adds PO matching, flexible approval flows, multi-entity support (domestic), global tax validation, and expanded currency/payment options.
• Elevate: Custom pricing. Includes global multi-entity support, advanced payment controls, API access, fraud-risk tools, FX features, and priority support. 

Pros

• Strong global payment support across 120+ currencies, reducing currency headaches
• Reduces manual vendor setup with a clear onboarding portal
• Automatically manages tax forms for fewer compliance issues

Cons

• Higher cost for small businesses with low invoice volume
• Limited AR tools since the platform focuses heavily on AP

3. Coupa  

Coupa is a spend management platform for mid-sized to large companies that want tighter control over invoices, purchasing, and supplier payments. It gives finance teams visibility across procurement and billing without juggling multiple tools. 

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Key Features 

• Invoice management: Captures, validates, and routes invoices through approval workflows.
• Procurement control: Guides purchases to approved suppliers and enforces company rules.
• Spend visibility: Shows real-time spending patterns across teams, categories, and suppliers.
• Supplier management: Stores vendor profiles, compliance documents, and communication history in one place.
• Contract tracking: Monitors terms, renewal dates, and obligations to keep teams aligned. 

Pricing

Coupa’s pricing is fully custom. It depends on company size, modules, invoice volume, and integrations.

Pros

• Gives a clear view of all purchasing and invoice activity in one place
• Centralizes supplier information, reducing back-and-forth and errors
• Supports complex procurement workflows without extra tools

Cons

• Pricing rises quickly as more modules are added
• Supplier onboarding may require extra effort for global vendors

4. Stampli  

Stampli is an invoice management tool built around faster approvals and clear communication. The platform lets teams route invoices, track comments, and manage vendor questions in one place. Stampli works well for finance teams that want quick adoption and a focused AP solution without extra system complexity.

Key Features 

• Invoice collaboration: Centralizes comments, questions, and vendor communication on each invoice so teams stay aligned.
• Smart approval routing: Sends invoices to the right approvers based on workflow rules.
• AI-guided coding: Suggests GL codes, categories, and amounts to reduce manual entry.
• Vendor chat: Lets teams handle vendor questions directly inside the invoice view. 
• Duplicate detection: Flags repeated or suspicious invoices before they reach approval.

Pricing

Stampli’s pricing is fully custom. It varies based on invoice volume, team size, and any integrations a business needs.

Pros

• Centralized communication speeds approvals and reduces email clutter
• Clear audit trail of approvals and communications for compliance and records
• Smooth ERP integrations that keep data consistent across systems

Cons

• Focused on AP only, lacks AR features for full invoice-to-cash cycle
• Smaller vendors may need manual follow-up if data is unclear or missing

5. Sage Intacct   

Sage Intacct is a cloud finance platform built for growing businesses that need strong AP, AR, and invoicing capabilities. It’s ideal for teams that want deeper financial insights and reporting without juggling multiple tools. 

Key Features 

• AP automation: Captures invoices, applies coding rules, and routes them for approval, reducing manual processing.
• Multi-entity management: Handles financials across different locations or subsidiaries.
• Advanced reporting: Builds real-time financial reports and dashboards that help teams monitor performance and trends.
• Order to cash tools: Manages billing, revenue recognition, and customer invoices in one connected system.
• General ledger automation: Keeps financial data accurate and consistent across modules.

Pricing

Sage Intacct is custom, depending on business size, modules selected, and any integrations required.

Pros

• Robust financial reporting and dashboards for deeper insight into performance
• Multi-entity support that works for businesses with multiple offices or subsidiaries
• Built-in order to cash and billing modules for end-to-end finance operations

Cons

• Requires training for teams to use advanced financial features effectively
• High cost relative to basic AP/AR tools, especially if many modules are used

6. Yooz    

Yooz is an AP automation platform that handles invoice capture, approvals, and digital payments. It works well for mid-sized companies that want a simpler way to manage high invoice volume. Yooz’s key advantage is fast invoice processing supported by strong OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and document capture tools.

Key Features 

• Invoice data capture: Uses OCR to scan invoices, pull key fields, and prepare them for review without heavy manual entry.
• Approval workflows: Routes invoices to the right approvers and tracks each step.
• Digital payments: Lets teams pay vendors directly through secure electronic payment methods.
• Document matching: Compares invoices with POs and receipts to flag mismatches.
• Vendor management: Stores supplier details, documents, and communication history in one place.

Pricing

Yooz’s pricing is based on invoice volume, not users. Costs rise with higher monthly volumes, with lower entry-level plans for smaller teams. 

Pros

• Fast invoice processing with strong OCR accuracy
• Clear approval workflows that help teams track invoice status
• Easy to deploy and scale as invoice volume grows

Cons

• Reporting features are basic compared to larger platforms
• OCR accuracy can drop with unusual invoice formats

7. Billtrust    

Billtrust is an accounts receivable platform focused on getting invoices out faster and helping teams collect payments with less manual work. It’s a fit for businesses with steady or high invoice volume. Its standout strength is automated invoice delivery paired with strong payment and cash-application tools.

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Key Features 

• Invoice delivery automation: Sends invoices through email, portals, or mail and tracks whether customers received and opened them.
• Customer payment tools: Offers online payment options, payment portals, and automated reminders to help customers pay faster.
• Cash application automation: Matches incoming payments to open invoices using bank data, remittance details, and machine learning.
• Collections management: Organizes follow-ups, tracks promises to pay, and helps teams prioritize overdue accounts.
• Customer portals: Gives customers self-service access to invoices, statements, and payment options.

Pricing

Billtrust’s pricing is fully custom. It varies based on invoice volume, AR modules selected, and any required integrations.

Pros

• Helps invoices reach customers faster through automated delivery
• Supports quicker payments with online portals and reminders
• Reduces manual reconciliation with automated cash application

Cons

• Focuses on AR only, lacks AP or procurement capabilities
• Less flexible for highly custom billing workflows

Collect Payments Faster With Lunos

If Esker isn’t giving your team the speed or clarity you need, Lunos offers a smarter approach. Its two-way intelligence and human-like messaging keep invoices on track and payments predictable.

With automated reminders, smart customer interactions, and clear invoice tracking, your team can focus on important work instead of chasing late payments.

Ready to speed up your cash flow? Get started with Lunos for free.