Circulus vs Esker Accounts Payable Automation

Circulus automates accounts payable and bill processing for enterprises and small-to-medium businesses. Its cloud platform routes invoices through multi-step, rules-based approvals, codes line items, supports role-based access and handles multiple entities. Purchase orders can be matched on a touchless two-, three- or four-way basis. Invoice capture uses OCR, email and uploads; other intake routes include web forms, feeds, EDI/XML, FTP, PO box services and a web scan interface. Circulus says its extraction handles semi-structured and handwritten data with 99%+ accuracy from day one. Users can track activity through audit trails, search, dashboards, reporting and internal communication tools. Payments include checks, ACH and virtual cards, with supplier onboarding and payment notifications for ACH and virtual cards. Android and iOS apps support invoice access, review and approval. Named integrations include QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Sage 100 Contractor and Oracle R-12. The Circulus AP Automation plan is $481 a month; additional users cost $36/month on limited-access plans, with per-payment fees of ACH $0.49, check $1.69 and virtual card free. An SMB trial runs 30 days; full SMB bill-payment features require an active QuickBooks account.

Esker Accounts Payable Automation handles invoice processing for large companies and complex finance organizations, from receipt through posting to an ERP. AI and machine learning extract and structure invoice data; invoices without detected exceptions can proceed without manual intervention. Business rules compare invoice details with purchase orders and goods receipts, and configured workflows route invoices to approvers based on rules such as entity, amount or cost centre. The supplier portal gives suppliers visibility into invoice and payment status and supports communication and issue resolution. The cloud platform supports AP processes across ERP environments, multiple entities, and dashboards with KPIs and insights. Esker lists pre-built integrations for SAP, Microsoft, Oracle and Sage, along with REST APIs and file exchange. Esker Anywhere lets users review, approve, hold or return invoices on Apple and Android devices. Invoice and workflow history is archived for traceability. The product is paid, with pricing available on request; there is no free plan or trial.