How to Build Your Own Brex
Replace Brex with a custom build. Financial operations platform for high-growth companies
Build Difficulty: 4/5
A few focused days to build a solid replacement
Estimated Timeline
Based on 42 features at Few Days difficulty, expect about 3-5 days with AI-assisted development.
Recommended Tech Stack
Full-stack React framework with API routes and server components
PostgreSQL database, auth, and real-time subscriptions
Utility-first styling for rapid UI development
Key Features to Replicate
Top features across 8 categories. See all 42 features
Accounting(12 features)
Streamlined accounts payable with invoice matching, approval workflows, and payment scheduling.
Customizable multi-level approval chains for expenses and purchases with conditional routing.
Set and monitor department-level budgets with real-time tracking and variance alerts.
Automatic collection of emailed receipts from vendors and merchants.
Automated expense tracking and reimbursement with receipt scanning and categorization.
+7 more in this category
Payments(7 features)
Domestic ACH transfers with scheduling, batch processing, and automated reconciliation.
Pay bills and invoices directly from the Brex platform with scheduling options.
Virtual and physical credit cards with real-time spend controls and transaction limits.
Spend management and reporting across multiple currencies with real-time exchange rates.
Single platform for paying all vendors via cards, ACH, or checks with reconciliation.
+2 more in this category
Tools(6 features)
RESTful API for custom integrations and data extraction.
Export spending data to CSV, Excel, or PDF with custom date ranges and filters.
Real-time alerts for card transactions, policy violations, and approval requests.
Pre-built expense categories and submission templates for common scenarios.
Native iOS and Android apps for card management, expense reporting, and approvals.
+1 more in this category
Compliance(5 features)
Complete activity logs with timestamps and user details for compliance and investigations.
SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliance with detailed security reports.
AI-powered detection and prevention of duplicate invoices and expense submissions.
Automated policy compliance checking with instant blocking of non-compliant transactions.
Automatic 1099 document generation and delivery from payment and expense data.
Analytics(4 features)
Build custom reports with drag-and-drop interface and scheduled delivery.
Detailed transaction and settlement reporting with customizable export formats.
AI-driven insights into spending patterns, trends, and opportunities for cost savings.
Real-time visibility into corporate spending across all payment methods and departments.
Security(4 features)
AI-powered real-time fraud monitoring and prevention with automated alerts and blocking.
SAML 2.0 SSO integration with Okta, Azure AD, and other identity providers.
Multi-factor authentication via SMS, TOTP, or security keys.
Role-based permissions, approval hierarchies, and spend policies with real-time enforcement.
Expense Management(2 features)
Automatic mileage logging with GPS tracking and reimbursement calculation.
Integrated travel booking with automatic expense capture and policy compliance.
Insurance(1 features)
Travel insurance, purchase protection, and other cardholder benefits and protections.
Cost Calculator
Keep Paying Brex
Build It Yourself
Total Cost Comparison
DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 42 features at easy complexity.