Software Comparison

Payhawk vs SAP Concur - Irish expense-management Software Compared

Choosing between Payhawk and SAP Concur 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.

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View SAP Concur

Last verified: 15 Apr 2026 data verified to the older of the two vendor profiles Methodology

Quick Verdict

Payhawk issues EU IBANs and supports SEPA settlement for card top-ups and reimbursements, which maps cleanly onto Irish banking infrastructure, while SAP Concur handles settlement through a connected ERP rather than natively.
SAP Concur is better suited to larger Irish businesses already operating within a SAP ecosystem, where its Dublin office provides local account management and the depth of its travel and expense features justifies the implementation cost.
Neither vendor offers native Revenue or ROS integration, neither supports direct bank feeds for AIB, Bank of Ireland, or Permanent TSB, and neither provides a free trial, so both require a sales engagement before evaluation.
Both platforms capture and categorise Irish multi-rate VAT on receipts and store receipt images in a manner that meets Revenue's 6-year digital retention requirement under eBrief 09/15.
For an Irish SME under 50 employees, Payhawk's accessible entry pricing, card-first workflow, and EU hosting make it the more proportionate and practical choice.

Payhawk vs SAP Concur - Feature Comparison

Feature	Payhawk	SAP Concur
Best-fit Business Size	21 to 50 employees and above. Accessible for growing Irish SMEs.	51 employees and above. Implementation complexity excludes most Irish SMEs.
SEPA Settlement	Supported natively for card top-ups and reimbursements.	Not a Concur feature. Settlement handled by the connected ERP on the customer side.
Irish IBAN Support	EU IBAN issued directly by Payhawk for card accounts.	No IBAN issued. Banking flows through the customer's own ERP and bank.
Irish Bank Feeds (AIB, BOI, PTSB)	No native feed for AIB, Bank of Ireland, or Permanent TSB. Reconciliation via SEPA top-up.	No native feed for AIB, Bank of Ireland, or Permanent TSB. No direct bank integration within the platform.
Irish Support	No dedicated Irish or Dublin support desk. Account management is London-led.	SAP Dublin office provides local account management for Irish enterprise customers.
GDPR Data Residency	EU-hosted by default. Meets GDPR data residency requirements without contractual negotiation.	EU data centre available but not the default. EU-only residency must be specified in the contract.
Revenue and VAT Compliance	Irish multi-rate VAT auto-detected on receipts. Receipt images meet Revenue 6-year retention requirement. No Revenue or ROS integration.	Irish multi-rate VAT categorised on expenses. Receipt images meet Revenue 6-year retention requirement. No Revenue or ROS integration.
Pricing
Starting Price	Contact for pricing	Contact for pricing
Free Trial	✗	✗
Irish Compliance
Revenue Integration	✗	✗
PAYE Modernisation	✗	✗
Irish Bank Feeds	✗	✗
GDPR Data Residency	EU	Both
SEPA Direct Debit	✓	✗
Irish IBAN Support	✓	✗
VAT Handling	✓	✓

Irish Compliance Comparison

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

Revenue Integration

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

GDPR Data Residency

Payhawk stores data exclusively in EU data centres, giving Irish businesses straightforward GDPR compliance. SAP Concur uses eu and us data centres (configuration required), which means you may need to specifically request or configure EU data residency. For businesses handling sensitive Irish customer data, Payhawk offers greater peace of mind on data sovereignty.

SEPA and IBAN Support

Payhawk supports SEPA Direct Debit and Irish IBAN format, making euro payments and bank transfers seamless. SAP Concur 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 Payhawk and SAP Concur 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 monthly, but always confirm on the vendor's website before purchasing.

Payhawk

Contact

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

View Payhawk pricing →

SAP Concur

Contact

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

View SAP Concur 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 Payhawk

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

✓ GDPR-conscious businesses wanting guaranteed EU data residency
✓ Growing businesses with 21-50 employees that need a platform which scales
✓ Those who value: eu iban and sepa settlement compatible with irish business bank accounts

Who Should Choose SAP Concur

SAP Concur 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: enterprise t&e platform with broad erp integration
✓ Those who value: sap dublin office provides local account management for irish enterprise customers

Our Verdict

Neither vendor offers native Revenue or ROS integration, neither supports direct bank feeds for AIB, Bank of Ireland, or Permanent TSB, and neither provides a free trial, so both require a sales engagement before evaluation. Both platforms capture and categorise Irish multi-rate VAT on receipts and store receipt images in a manner that meets Revenue's 6-year digital retention requirement under eBrief 09/15. For an Irish SME under 50 employees, Payhawk's accessible entry pricing, card-first workflow, and EU hosting make it the more proportionate and practical choice.

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 Payhawk or SAP Concur better for Irish SMEs?

Payhawk is the stronger choice for Irish SMEs in the 21 to 50 employee range that need a modern spend management platform with company cards, SEPA settlement, and EU data residency without enterprise-level implementation overhead. Payhawk issues EU IBANs and supports SEPA settlement for card top-ups and reimbursements, which maps cleanly onto Irish banking infrastructure, while SAP Concur handles settlement through a connected ERP rather than natively. SAP Concur is better suited to larger Irish businesses already operating within a SAP ecosystem, where its Dublin office provides local account management and the depth of its travel and expense features justifies the implementation cost. Neither vendor offers native Revenue or ROS integration, neither supports direct bank feeds for AIB, Bank of Ireland, or Permanent TSB, and neither provides a free trial, so both require a sales engagement before evaluation. Both platforms capture and categorise Irish multi-rate VAT on receipts and store receipt images in a manner that meets Revenue's 6-year digital retention requirement under eBrief 09/15. For an Irish SME under 50 employees, Payhawk's accessible entry pricing, card-first workflow, and EU hosting make it the more proportionate and practical choice.

Which is cheaper, Payhawk or SAP Concur?

Payhawk starts at Contact for pricing, while SAP Concur starts at Contact for pricing. Both are similarly priced at entry level, so the best value depends on which features matter most to your business.

Does Payhawk or SAP Concur have better Irish bank feeds?

Payhawk supports None. SAP Concur supports None. Both offer similar Irish bank compatibility.

Which has better GDPR compliance, Payhawk or SAP Concur?

Payhawk stores data in EU data centres (GDPR-friendly). SAP Concur stores data in EU and US data centres (configuration required). Payhawk offers stronger GDPR assurance with EU-only data storage.

Can I switch from Payhawk to SAP Concur?

Yes, migrating between Payhawk and SAP Concur 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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