Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

ApprovalMax

approvalmax.com

Free trial WebiOSAndroidAPI
Visit approvalmax.com
Spec score 8.8 #2 of 25 in Invoice OCR Software

What it is

ApprovalMax automates accounts payable and receivable approvals and gives businesses controls for financial processes. Its accounts payable workflow covers capture, verification, approval, and payment, with multi-step workflows and configurable approval rules. Xero plans list unlimited workflows and approvals. Accounting integrations include Xero, QuickBooks Online, and Oracle NetSuite, with two-way data sync listed; Airwallex, Dext, and Slack are also supported. From Slack, users can approve, reject, or comment on documents. Plans range from unlimited workflows, users, and approval steps with a full audit trail to options adding bill-to-PO matching, budget checks, supplier onboarding, journal approvals, custom workflows, API access, and AI capture. iPhone and Android apps support submitting and approving requests, and web and API access are listed. ApprovalMax says it is ISO 27001 certified and offers single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and automatic logout after 15 minutes of inactivity. Customer data is processed in Microsoft Azure data centres in Ireland, with backups in the Netherlands. It is a paid service with no free plan, a 14-day trial, and pricing on request.

Spec sheet

What it does
ApprovalMax is a cloud approval and financial-control platform for bills, purchase orders, invoices, expenses and other finance documents.Read 15 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Purpose
ApprovalMax automates accounts payable and receivable approvals and gives businesses control over financial processes.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Free plan
NoRead 19 Sep 2026 · landing.approvalmax.com
Mobile apps
ApprovalMax offers iPhone and Android apps for submitting and approving requests; its help page says the mobile app is not supported on tablets.Read 8 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Security
ApprovalMax states it is ISO 27001 certified and provides single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and automatic logout after 15 minutes of inactivity.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Support
The Xero pricing page lists customer support 24/5 and describes a knowledge base, how-to videos, and guides.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Headquarters
ApprovalMax Limited lists its registered office in London, United Kingdom.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Founded
LinkedIn lists ApprovalMax as founded in 2016.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Accounting integrations
Official integrations include Xero, QuickBooks Online and Oracle NetSuite.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
API plan availability
Public API access is listed as a Premium-plan feature.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Approval workflows
YesRead 19 Sep 2026 · landing.approvalmax.com
ApprovalMax Capture
Capture extracts supplier, amount and line-item information from uploaded bills, purchase orders, credit notes and sales invoices.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
ApprovalMax Pay
ApprovalMax Pay supports payment of approved bills, including multi-currency wallets and automated reconciliation features.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Approvals
ApprovalMax supports multi-step approval workflows and approval rules, with unlimited workflows and approvals listed on its Xero plans.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Audit trail
Approved documents carry records showing who approved, what they saw and when, with the record attached to the accounting transaction.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Bill-to-PO matching
Bills can be matched against approved purchase orders and checked for budget impact before approval.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Browser requirements
Supported browsers are the latest two Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera versions, plus Safari 11 or later, with JavaScript enabled.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Budget controls
Approvers can see live budget impact and organisations can set thresholds for departments, cost centres or projects.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Company headquarters
LinkedIn lists the primary headquarters at 86–90 Paul Street, London, England, with another location in Belgrade, Serbia.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company size
LinkedIn lists ApprovalMax as a privately held company with 51–200 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Data storage
ApprovalMax says customer data is processed in Microsoft Azure data centres in Ireland, with backups in the Netherlands.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Documentation
The Help Centre lists hundreds of articles, including 678 account-management articles, 426 Xero articles, 219 QuickBooks articles and 145 NetSuite articles.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Intended customers
ApprovalMax says its platform serves businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers across industries including construction, hospitality, nonprofits, and healthcare.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Legal name and investor
Crunchbase identifies the legal name as ApprovalMax Limited and lists Yttrium as its funder.Read 15 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Licence
Terms grant a limited, non-exclusive subscription licence, prohibit reverse engineering and state that ApprovalMax retains ownership of the software and intellectual property.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Limit: mobile friction
Google Play reviewers complained that mobile-browser approval was replaced by a required app download and additional security setup.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Limit: partner dashboard
A Capterra reviewer said the partner dashboard is weak for practices managing clients and subscriptions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Limit: pricing changes
Trustpilot reviewers reported large increases after the 2026 move to usage-based pricing, including claims of roughly 60% or doubled costs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Limit: search and matching
Capterra reviewers reported a clunky search function and said bill-to-PO matching requires a higher plan.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Mobile web limitation
ApprovalMax does not support viewing the web application in a mobile browser; users are directed to install the mobile app, except for limited email-link actions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Multi-level workflows
Workflows can contain unlimited sequential or parallel approval steps with rules based on amount, vendor or department.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Notable news
ApprovalMax announced on February 5, 2025 that it had appeared on Xero’s 2024 Top App lists for popularity and advisor recommendations in Australia and the United Kingdom.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Other integrations
The integration catalogue lists Dext for OCR, Airwallex for payments and Slack for notifications and approvals.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Plan limits
ApprovalMax Capture and ApprovalMax Pay are add-ons, and the pricing FAQ says unused monthly document and payment allowances do not carry over.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Praise: audit visibility
Xero App Store reviewers describe ApprovalMax as improving transparency through audit trails and simplifying payment authorisation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.xero.com
Praise: usability and automation
Capterra and GetApp reviewers repeatedly praise straightforward setup, intuitive workflows, automation, reduced paper processing and strong Xero integration.Read 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Public API
The Public API provides programmatic data access and management through OAuth 2.0, with API Explorer, Postman guidance, webhooks and a Power BI connector.Read 15 Oct 2026 · developer.approvalmax.com
Purchase orders
Users can create or import purchase orders, route them for sign-off and send approved POs back to the accounting system.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Rating on Apple App Store
4.9 out of 5 from 35 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on Capterra
4.7 out of 5 from 30 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2
4.6 out of 5 from 100 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp
4.7 out of 5 from 30 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Google Play
3.8 out of 5 from 240 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on Trustpilot
2.5 out of 5 from 8 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Rating on TrustRadius
9.9 out of 10 from 11 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Rating on Xero App Store
4.8 out of 5 from 592 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · apps.xero.com
Security certification
ApprovalMax states that it is ISO 27001:2022 certified, GDPR compliant and conducts annual third-party penetration testing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Segregation of duties
The system separates requesters from approvers so users cannot approve their own requests.Read 15 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Self-hosting
TrustRadius describes the deployment type as SaaS and lists no self-hosted deployment option.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Supported workflows
Supported workflows cover Xero bills, purchase orders, credit notes, batch payments, quotes, sales invoices and journals; QuickBooks bills, purchase orders, expenses, sales invoices, vendors and journals; NetSuite purchase orders, vendor bills, expenses, payments, receipts, sales orders, invoices, journals and vendors.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Workflow
The product describes its accounts payable process as capture, verify, approve, and pay.Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com

Plans and prices

Advanced Price not published monthly or annually; annual billing discounted Small 100 approved documents/month · Medium 300/month · Large 500/month · Standard features · Bill-to-PO matching · manual-journal approvals · budget checking Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Advanced (QuickBooks Online) Price not published Paid yearly; price shown per month per organisation; numeric price not displayed in the opened page Unlimited users · Unlimited requests · Unlimited approvals · Volume discounts available Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Advanced (Xero) Price not published Paid yearly; price shown per month per organisation, excluding tax; numeric price not displayed in the opened page Unlimited users · Unlimited requests · Unlimited approvals · Volume discounts available Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
NetSuite plan Priced on request Contact ApprovalMax for pricing; volume discounts available API integration · Custom workflows · Premium support · Two-way sync · Sales order review and approval Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Premium Price not published monthly or annually; annual billing discounted Small 100 approved documents/month · Medium 300/month · Large 500/month · Advanced features · batch-payment processing · standalone workflows · Public API · premium support Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Premium (QuickBooks Online) Price not published Paid yearly; price shown per month per organisation; numeric price not displayed in the opened page Unlimited users · Unlimited requests · Unlimited approvals · Volume discounts available Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Premium (Xero) Price not published Paid yearly; price shown per month per organisation, excluding tax; numeric price not displayed in the opened page Unlimited users · Unlimited requests · Unlimited approvals · Volume discounts available Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Standard Price not published monthly or annually; annual billing discounted Small 100 approved documents/month · Medium 300/month · Large 500/month · core workflows · Capture and Pay included Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.approvalmax.com
Standard (QuickBooks Online) Price not published Paid yearly; price shown per month per organisation; numeric price not displayed in the opened page Unlimited users · Unlimited requests · Unlimited approvals · Volume discounts available Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com
Standard (Xero) Price not published Paid yearly; price shown per month per organisation, excluding tax; numeric price not displayed in the opened page Unlimited users · Unlimited requests · Unlimited approvals · Volume discounts available Read 8 Oct 2026 · approvalmax.com

Every ApprovalMax plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Integrates with Xero, QuickBooks Online, and NetSuite
  • Slack users can approve, reject, or comment
  • Unlimited workflows and approvals listed on Xero plans
  • iPhone and Android apps for requests and approvals
  • Offers single sign-on and two-factor authentication

Limits

  • No free plan
  • Pricing is available on request
  • Mobile app is not supported on tablets
  • Unused monthly allowances do not carry over

Who it suits

ApprovalMax suits businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers that need multi-step financial approvals and accounting integrations. Its stated customer industries include construction, hospitality, nonprofits, and healthcare.

ApprovalMax in depth

Read the full write-up

ApprovalMax is a financial-approval platform for businesses, accountants and bookkeepers that need formal control over accounts payable and receivable. It is best suited to organisations already using Xero, QuickBooks Online or Oracle NetSuite and managing several approval paths rather than occasional one-off sign-offs.

Overview

ApprovalMax structures financial processing around capture, verification, approval and payment. Its multi-step workflows, approval rules and intake forms can impose consistent routing on invoices, requests and other finance documents. That makes it a strong fit for growing organisations with delegated spending authority, while a small team with simple approvals may find the broader system unnecessary.

Key features

Workflows and approvals are unlimited on the Xero plans, and users can create multiple approval stages and rules. This supports separate paths for departments, suppliers or transaction types without forcing every request through one template.

Accounting connections cover Xero, QuickBooks Online and Oracle NetSuite, with two-way data synchronisation. Airwallex and Dext extend the connected finance stack, while Slack users can approve, reject or comment on documents from within Slack. These integrations reduce hand-offs when the accounting system is already part of the business, but organisations on other finance platforms should verify compatibility before choosing ApprovalMax.

Advanced capabilities include bill-to-purchase-order matching, budget checks before approval, journal-entry approvals, supplier onboarding and automatic approval of recurring transactions. Premium adds custom standalone workflows, public API access, priority phone support and AI capture. ApprovalMax Capture and ApprovalMax Pay are add-ons, and unused monthly document or payment allowances expire rather than rolling forward.

Security controls include ISO 27001 certification, single sign-on, two-factor authentication and automatic logout after 15 minutes of inactivity. Data is processed in Microsoft Azure data centres in Ireland, with backups in the Netherlands. The iPhone and Android apps support submitting and approving requests, although the mobile app is not supported on tablets.

Pricing

ApprovalMax uses paid, custom pricing, with a 14-day trial and no free plan. The general tiers are differentiated by control depth rather than published prices.

Standard: unlimited approval workflows, users and approval steps, iOS and Android apps, and a full audit trail. It is the sensible starting point for organisations that need structured approvals without the specialist controls of higher tiers.

Advanced: adds purchase-order matching, pre-approval budget checks, journal-entry approvals, supplier onboarding and automatic approval of recurring transactions. Choose it when finance governance extends beyond routing documents.

Premium: adds custom standalone workflows, public API access, priority phone support and AI capture. It fits businesses needing bespoke automation or deeper integration.

Xero and QuickBooks Online editions are billed yearly, with prices shown per month per organisation; Xero pricing excludes tax. Standard, Advanced and Premium editions for both systems provide unlimited users, requests and approvals, with volume discounts available. The NetSuite plan has custom pricing and includes API integration, custom workflows, premium support, two-way sync and sales-order review and approval. Because no numeric prices are published, buyers must request a quote to compare tiers and account for add-ons.

Platforms

ApprovalMax runs on web, iOS, Android and an API. Mobile apps cover submitting and approving requests, but not tablet use. Xero, QuickBooks Online and NetSuite integrations are central to the product's platform fit.

Who it's for

ApprovalMax targets businesses, accountants and bookkeepers across construction, hospitality, nonprofits, healthcare and other industries. It suits teams that need auditable, multi-stage financial decisions and already operate one of its supported accounting systems. It is less suitable for buyers who require transparent self-serve pricing, a permanent free tier or tablet-based mobile approvals.

Pros and cons

Pro: Multi-step workflows, rules and unlimited approvals on Xero plans support complex approval structures.

Pro: Two-way accounting sync and Slack actions keep approvals close to existing finance work.

Pro: ISO 27001, single sign-on, two-factor authentication and timed logout provide substantial access controls.

Con: Custom pricing and undisclosed numeric plan rates make budgeting and tier comparison difficult.

Con: Capture and Pay cost extra, and unused monthly allowances do not carry over.

Con: The mobile app does not support tablets.

Alternatives

Choose DocuClipper Invoice Approval instead when a published entry plan matters: Starter is $20 a month billed annually, with 60 pages per month, unlimited users and API access. Nanonets Approval Routing Agent is the better fit for a freemium route, with a free Starter tier for up to three users and API access.

Xtract offers custom packages for businesses wanting integrated per-processing pricing. TREX Grow suits organisations seeking a free web plan with unlimited users and products plus invoicing tools. Cflow is an alternative for workflow software with self-hosted deployment and published monthly tiers. Envoice starts at $10 a month with a 50-document, two-user allowance. Finmatics is worth considering for annual, volume-based bookkeeping pricing. Lightyear is an option when purchase orders, expense management and line-data extraction are priorities.

Verdict

Choose ApprovalMax if your organisation needs controlled, auditable financial approvals tied to Xero, QuickBooks Online or NetSuite, especially when workflows extend beyond simple invoice sign-off. Look elsewhere if transparent pricing, a free plan or tablet support is essential, or if your accounting stack falls outside its core integrations.

Verdict

ApprovalMax covers financial approvals from document intake through payment, with integrations and controls that vary by plan. A 14-day trial is available, but buyers need to request pricing to compare costs.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to ApprovalMaxAll alternatives →