Software Comparison
Pleo vs SAP Concur - Irish expense-management Software Compared
Choosing between Pleo 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.
Quick Verdict
Pleo wins outright for Irish SMEs in the 1 to 50 employee range, offering a free Starter tier for up to 3 users and a flat Essential plan from EUR 45 per month, with company cards, SEPA settlement via an EU IBAN, and open banking reconciliation against AIB and Bank of Ireland accounts through Tink.
- SAP Concur is an enterprise travel and expense platform sized for organisations with a dedicated finance function and an existing SAP ERP ecosystem; its quote-only, implementation-heavy model makes it impractical for any Irish business under 50 employees.
- On Irish compliance, Pleo auto-detects Ireland's multi-rate VAT (23%, 13.5%, and 9%) at receipt capture, and stored receipt images satisfy Revenue's 6-year digital retention requirement under eBrief 09/15; SAP Concur meets the same retention requirement but SEPA settlement is handled by a downstream ERP rather than by Concur itself, meaning it offers no direct SEPA or Irish IBAN functionality out of the box.
- Neither product offers native Revenue or PAYE Modernisation integration, so payroll and ROS submissions remain outside both platforms.
- For an Irish SME piloting spend control for the first time, Pleo's free entry point and Irish-ready card infrastructure make it the clear starting point; SAP Concur only becomes relevant once a business has outgrown SME tooling entirely and is operating inside a SAP ecosystem.
Pleo vs SAP Concur - Feature Comparison
| Feature | Pleo | SAP Concur |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Yes - free Starter plan available with no time limit for up to 3 users | No free trial available |
| SEPA and Irish IBAN | EU IBAN issued; SEPA Direct Debit supported for settlement | No SEPA or Irish IBAN within Concur; settlement is handled by a connected ERP |
| Irish Bank Reconciliation | Open banking connection via Tink to AIB and Bank of Ireland for spend reconciliation | No direct bank feed or open banking integration; reconciliation is ERP-dependent |
| Irish VAT Handling | Auto-detects Irish VAT rates (23%, 13.5%, 9%) on receipt capture | VAT categorisation on expenses supports Irish multi-rate VAT scenarios |
| Revenue Compliance - Digital Receipts | Receipt images stored in Pleo meet Revenue 6-year digital retention requirement (eBrief 09/15) | Receipt images stored in Concur meet Revenue 6-year digital retention requirement (eBrief 09/15) |
| Revenue and PAYE Modernisation Integration | No native Revenue or PAYE Modernisation integration | No native Revenue or PAYE Modernisation integration |
| GDPR Data Residency | EU data residency confirmed | EU data centre option available but not the default; must be specified contractually |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | Free tier available | 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 Pleo and SAP Concur compare on the requirements that matter most to Irish SMEs.
Revenue Integration
Neither Pleo 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 Pleo 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
Pleo 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, Pleo offers greater peace of mind on data sovereignty.
SEPA and IBAN Support
Pleo 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 Pleo 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.
Pleo
Free
- Pricing model: Flat rate
- Free trial: Yes
- EUR pricing guaranteed: No - may fluctuate with exchange rates
SAP Concur
Contact
- Pricing model: Flat rate
- Free trial: No
- EUR pricing guaranteed: No - may fluctuate with exchange rates
Pleo 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 Pleo
Pleo 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: free starter tier for up to 3 users
Who Should Choose SAP Concur
SAP Concur is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:
- ✓ 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
- ✓ Those who value: eu data centre option available for gdpr-sensitive deployments
Our Verdict
Pleo wins outright for Irish SMEs in the 1 to 50 employee range, offering a free Starter tier for up to 3 users and a flat Essential plan from EUR 45 per month, with company cards, SEPA settlement via an EU IBAN, and open banking reconciliation against AIB and Bank of Ireland accounts through Tink. SAP Concur is an enterprise travel and expense platform sized for organisations with a dedicated finance function and an existing SAP ERP ecosystem; its quote-only, implementation-heavy model makes it impractical for any Irish business under 50 employees. On Irish compliance, Pleo auto-detects Ireland's multi-rate VAT (23%, 13.5%, and 9%) at receipt capture, and stored receipt images satisfy Revenue's 6-year digital retention requirement under eBrief 09/15; SAP Concur meets the same retention requirement but SEPA settlement is handled by a downstream ERP rather than by Concur itself, meaning it offers no direct SEPA or Irish IBAN functionality out of the box.
Neither product offers native Revenue or PAYE Modernisation integration, so payroll and ROS submissions remain outside both platforms. For an Irish SME piloting spend control for the first time, Pleo's free entry point and Irish-ready card infrastructure make it the clear starting point; SAP Concur only becomes relevant once a business has outgrown SME tooling entirely and is operating inside a SAP ecosystem.
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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