Software Comparison

Dext vs Payhawk - Irish expense-management Software Compared

Choosing between Dext and Payhawk is one of the most common decisions Irish businesses face when evaluating expense-management software. This comparison breaks down everything an Irish SME needs to know, from Revenue integration and GDPR data residency to pricing and ease of use.

View Dext View Payhawk

Last verified: 08 Jun 2026 data verified to the older of the two vendor profiles Methodology

Quick Verdict

Dext vs Payhawk - Feature Comparison

Feature	Dext	Payhawk
Core Function	Receipt and invoice capture with OCR, pushing extracted data into your existing accounting platform. No card or payment issuance.	All-in-one spend management: physical and virtual Visa company cards, expense management, invoice processing, and reimbursements.
Accounting Integrations	Xero, Sage 50, Sage Accounting, Sage Business Cloud, QuickBooks, and approximately 30 further platforms.	Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Microsoft Dynamics 365.
SEPA and Irish IBAN Support	No card or bank product. No SEPA or IBAN issuance.	EU IBAN issued. SEPA direct debit supported for card top-ups and reimbursements.
Irish VAT Handling	Automatic detection of Irish VAT rates (23%, 13.5%, 9%, 0%) with line-item OCR, mapped to corresponding VAT codes in the connected accounting platform.	Irish VAT rates auto-detected on receipts including multi-rate scenarios.
GDPR Data Residency	EU and UK hosted. EU side satisfies GDPR residency. UK side relies on the EU-UK adequacy decision.	EU hosted. Satisfies GDPR data residency requirements.
Irish Support	UK-timezone support. No confirmed dedicated Irish support desk.	Ireland-specific onboarding and support materials available. Account management is London-led.
Revenue and PAYE Modernisation Integration	No direct Revenue or ROS integration.	No direct Revenue or ROS integration.

Irish Compliance and Pricing Matrix

A side-by-side data comparison of pricing and Irish regulatory compliance for Dext and Payhawk. Values are derived from each vendor's published data and verified weekly.

Requirement	Dext	Payhawk
Pricing
Starting price	From €31.5/user/month	Contact for pricing
Pricing model	Per user / month	Monthly flat rate
EUR pricing guaranteed	✗	✗
Free trial	✓	✗
Irish Compliance
Revenue (ROS) integration	✗	✗
PAYE Modernisation	✗	✗
Irish bank feeds	✗	✗
Bank compatibility	None listed	None listed
SEPA direct debit	✗	✓
Irish IBAN support	✗	✓
VAT handling	✓	✓
EU data residency (GDPR)	EU only	EU only
Irish support	✗	✓
Revenue-approved	✗	✗
CBI regulated	✗	✗

Irish Compliance Comparison

For Irish businesses, compliance with Revenue, GDPR, and local banking standards is non-negotiable. Here is how Dext and Payhawk compare on the requirements that matter most to Irish SMEs.

Revenue Integration

Neither Dext nor Payhawk offers native Revenue Online Service integration. Irish businesses in expense-management may not need this feature directly, but should ensure their accounting software handles Revenue compliance separately.

Irish Bank Feeds

Neither Dext nor Payhawk offers direct Irish bank feed integrations, which is expected for expense-management software. Your accounting platform should handle bank feeds separately.

GDPR Data Residency

Both Dext and Payhawk store data in EU data centres, providing strong GDPR compliance out of the box. Irish businesses can use either platform without worrying about cross-border data transfers to the US or other non-EU jurisdictions.

SEPA and IBAN Support

Payhawk supports SEPA Direct Debit and Irish IBAN format, making euro payments and bank transfers seamless. Dext does not support SEPA natively, which could mean extra manual steps when processing euro payments or setting up direct debits for Irish customers.

VAT Handling

Both Dext and Payhawk handle Irish VAT, including standard VAT return preparation and submission. Irish businesses can manage their VAT obligations from either platform without needing a separate tool.

Pricing Comparison

All prices below are in euro. Pricing can change - we verify vendor pricing weekly, but always confirm on the vendor's website before purchasing.

Dext

€31.5 /mo per user

Pricing model: Per user
Free trial: Yes
EUR pricing guaranteed: No - may fluctuate with exchange rates

View Dext pricing →

Payhawk

Contact for quote

Pricing model: Flat rate
Free trial: No
EUR pricing guaranteed: No - may fluctuate with exchange rates

View Payhawk pricing →

Payhawk does not publish entry-level pricing - request a quote directly. Total cost of ownership depends on users, plan tier, add-ons and features, so always calculate the full annual cost for your team size before committing.

Who Should Choose Dext

Dext is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:

✓ Those who value: wide adoption by irish accountancy practices - your accountant likely already supports dext or autoentry
✓ Those who value: deep, certified integrations with xero, sage (50, accounting, business cloud) and quickbooks - the three platforms most irish smes run on
✓ Those who value: automatic vat-rate detection on irish 23%, 13.5%, 9% and 0% rates with line-item ocr

Who Should Choose Payhawk

Payhawk is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:

✓ Companies that value Irish-based phone and email support
✓ Those who value: eu iban and sepa settlement compatible with irish business bank accounts
✓ Those who value: vat capture handles ireland's multi-rate receipt scenarios

Our Verdict

The Irish-specific differentiator that separates them most clearly is that Payhawk issues EU IBANs and supports SEPA direct debit, mapping cleanly onto Irish banking infrastructure, while Dext has no card or payment capability at all and functions purely as a capture-and-push layer. Both vendors lack native Revenue or ROS integration and neither offers native AIB, Bank of Ireland, or PTSB bank feeds, which are shared limitations Irish buyers should factor into their evaluation. For a small firm of 1 to 20 employees on a tight budget with an existing accountant relationship, Dext at EUR 31.50 per month is the lower-risk, lower-cost starting point; for a scaling business that wants spend controls, approval workflows, and card management in a single EU-hosted platform, Payhawk justifies its higher price point.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific business needs, team size, and priorities. We recommend taking advantage of free trials from both vendors before making your final decision. If you are working with an Irish accountant or payroll bureau, ask which platform they prefer - their familiarity with the software can save you significant time and hassle during setup and ongoing support.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dext or Payhawk better for Irish SMEs?

Dext wins for Irish SMEs already embedded in an accountancy-practice workflow, specifically those using Xero, Sage, or QuickBooks who need to automate receipt capture and AP data entry without changing their card or payment infrastructure. Its decade-long adoption by Irish practices means onboarding is typically straightforward, and its automatic detection of Ireland's 23%, 13.5%, 9%, and 0% VAT rates with line-item OCR is mature and well-tested in the Irish market. Payhawk is the stronger fit for mid-market businesses of 21 to 50 employees that want company cards, SEPA settlement, EU IBAN issuance, and invoice processing consolidated into one platform, particularly where Dynamics 365 or NetSuite is the ERP of record. The Irish-specific differentiator that separates them most clearly is that Payhawk issues EU IBANs and supports SEPA direct debit, mapping cleanly onto Irish banking infrastructure, while Dext has no card or payment capability at all and functions purely as a capture-and-push layer. Both vendors lack native Revenue or ROS integration and neither offers native AIB, Bank of Ireland, or PTSB bank feeds, which are shared limitations Irish buyers should factor into their evaluation. For a small firm of 1 to 20 employees on a tight budget with an existing accountant relationship, Dext at EUR 31.50 per month is the lower-risk, lower-cost starting point; for a scaling business that wants spend controls, approval workflows, and card management in a single EU-hosted platform, Payhawk justifies its higher price point.

Which is cheaper, Dext or Payhawk?

Dext starts at From €31.5/user/month, while Payhawk starts at Contact for pricing. Payhawk is the more affordable option at entry level, though total cost depends on the number of users and features you need.

Does Dext or Payhawk have better Irish bank feeds?

Dext supports None. Payhawk supports None. Both offer similar Irish bank compatibility.

Which has better GDPR compliance, Dext or Payhawk?

Dext stores data in EU data centres (GDPR-friendly). Payhawk stores data in EU data centres (GDPR-friendly). Both offer EU data centre options, though configuration may be required.

Can I switch from Dext to Payhawk?

Yes, migrating between Dext and Payhawk is possible. Most expense-management platforms allow you to export your data in CSV or standard formats. We recommend working with your accountant or IT provider to plan the migration, ideally at the start of a new financial year or payroll period to minimise disruption.

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