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How to Take Control of your Employee’s Fuel Reimbursements

Leen Shami

October 13, 2022

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Many companies require in-person meetings, site visits, or attending events. Whatever the business-related travel may be, fuel reimbursement comes into the picture.

What is Fuel Reimbursement?

In a nutshell, fuel reimbursement is when an employer reimburses you for the cost of fuel used for business purposes.

While other countries may consider this a travel expense or a mileage reimbursement, the UAE considers this a 'fuel reimbursement.'

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Why Did Reimbursing Travel Expenses Grow?

In a post-pandemic world, where many companies are going back to the norm of office work, it is common for travel reimbursement costs to increase.

The mileage reimbursement rate has risen with regular office hours, more in-person meetings, and less remote work. But that's not the only reason.

Due to the surge in fuel costs globally, it's no surprise that consumers are becoming more aware of their travel expenses.

The UAE alone has seen a significant spike of 74% in fuel prices and petrol prices over the last 7 months, indicating that reimbursing travel expenses grew.

Subsequently, UAE companies have seen a 38% increase in fuel reimbursements and travel reimbursement requests from their employees. Inflation alongside a post-pandemic world, fuel reimbursement expenses have become the most requested reimbursement category in the UAE.

A study by Bayzat has shown that fuel is among the most requested reimbursements category for UAE employees, with an increase of 18% in the average amount per reimbursement since January.

This indicates that companies and employees have spent more time managing and filing fuel reimbursement expenses. 

Unsurprisingly, the cost of average travel reimbursements has increased with the significant spike in fuel prices and petrol prices these past few months.

With Pluto's corporate cards, companies can wave goodbye to everyday fuel reimbursement expenses' pain points by issuing their employees fuel cards to keep track of their fuel expenses and travel reimbursement costs.

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Why Use Pluto Fuel Cards For Fuel Reimbursement?

There are many advantages to using Pluto fuel cards for business travel expenses:

Create unlimited fuel cards

Create and distribute as many virtual or physical fuel cards as needed for your employees, so you won't have to worry about travel expenses, mileage reimbursement requests, or having to reimburse employees.

Create fuel cards
Create Fuel Cards on Pluto's Platform

Set limits on fuel cards

Create fuel cards for employees with daily, weekly, or monthly spending limits to keep track of employees' fuel expenses.

Set Custom Limits on Fuel Cards

Track fuel expenses in real-time

Expense tracking in real-time
Real-time Transactional Data

It's essential to keep track of what is being spent and where. With Pluto, you can:

  • Get notified as soon as a fuel expense is made so you know who spends what, where, and when.
  • Keep track of average travel reimbursements' costs, travel expenses, and employee expenditure data to avoid going over budget on fuel expenses.

No more end-of-month expense reports on fuel!

Digitized receipt reconciliation

Whether your employees are using personal vehicles or company vehicles, they can simply make a transaction with their personal card, snap a picture of the receipt and upload it to the Pluto dashboard for fuel reimbursement.

Alternatively, UAE companies can issue their employees virtual or physical cards, and the receipt can be attached to the business expense by dragging and dropping it onto the Pluto dashboard.

No more searching through piles of paper receipts! 

Fill up your tank anywhere

Once you issue your UAE employees a virtual or physical fuel card, they can use it at any gas station in the UAE for business travel expenses.

While requested reimbursements for fuel expenses grew over five-fold over the past couple of years, there is a solution to make CFOs' and finance teams' lives easier; Pluto Card.

With Pluto, finance teams have an all-in-one integrated platform for fuel reimbursements, budget & spend control for business travel expenses, and fuel receipt reconciliation.

Fuel Reimbursement vs. Mileage Reimbursement

When looking for information about fuel reimbursement, another term that you may stumble on frequently is mileage reimbursement. While they are similar and sometimes interchangeable, they are not the same.

What is Mileage Reimbursement?

Mileage reimbursement refers to the practice of reimbursing employees for business-related travel expenses.

While it accounts for fuel, it also considers lease, vehicle depreciation, and other car-related expenses. This type of reimbursement is usually given per mile driven.

In some countries, mileage reimbursement refers to accounting rules and categories that help standardize expenses.

What is Fuel Reimbursement?

Fuel reimbursement, on the other hand, only covers the cost of fuel used for business travel. It doesn't take into consideration any other car-related expenses. This type of reimbursement is usually given based on receipts.

The difference between fuel reimbursement and mileage reimbursement is that mileage reimbursement takes into account all car-related expenses, while fuel reimbursement only covers the fuel cost.

How Does Fuel Reimbursement Work?

If you use your car for business purposes, you can be reimbursed for the fuel costs incurred. The reimbursement is usually calculated based on the number of kilometers traveled or miles driven.

However, to qualify for fuel reimbursement, you will need to keep accurate records of your travel expenses. This includes maintaining a logbook of your travels and keeping receipts for all fuel purchases.

To ensure that employees are reimbursed correctly, they need a receipt and an accurate logbook. Fuel and travel expenses can be included as costs, but you must show all travel logs if necessary.

What Counts as Business-Related Fuel Reimbursements?

Here are some examples of obvious and less obvious fuel expenses that you can get reimbursed for when you are an employee:

  • Traveling for a client meeting;
  • Driving to pick up anything on behalf of the company;
  • Driving to the airport to pick up a client or a colleague;
  • Going to another city for a business-related event;

Anything done to advance the business, big or small, is business related.

Is Commuting to Work a Business-Related Expense?

While some big corporations may reimburse you for commuting to and from work, typically, commuting is not considered a business expense.

What to Track For Fuel Reimbursement?

Keeping a gas log is one of the best ways to ensure employees are correctly reimbursed while companies have a clear overview of their travel expenses.

Last but not least, when you put fuel reimbursements into your profit and loss statement to apply them as costs (which you should), you must have a detailed log of travels - in case the tax authority wants a record.

Here is the main employee expenditure data that you should store in your fuel reimbursement logbook:

  • Date of each journey
  • Start time and end time of driving.
  • Purpose of the trip.
  • Kilometers driven.

If a company provides employees with company cars, this is all. But, if you're filing for fuel reimbursement while traveling with your personal vehicle, you will have to provide the following:

  • Brand of the car and the year it was made.
  • Average fuel consumption as per the car documentation.
  • Engine size or engine capacity.
  • Copy of car technical documentation.

Does an Employer Have to Pay For Fuel?

Most companies reimburse fuel expenses for employees who need to travel for business, but there might be some limitations. For example, a company may ask you to use its corporate Careem account for business travel.

Typically, if you incur the cost of fuel, your company will reimburse you as it is a cost tightly associated with the business.

Is Fuel Reimbursement Tax Deductible?

A massive shift for UAE companies will be the introduction of corporate taxes in 2023. With a corporate tax rate of 9%, UAE companies must keep track of all their spending. Fuel reimbursements fall under that category, as they can help reduce the amount of taxable income that a company has.

If you have a fuel reimbursement policy in place, it will help ensure that all of your employees are mindful of their spending on fuel and that they only claim back what they have spent.

Pluto allows UAE companies to issue unlimited fuel cards while centralizing the expense in one dashboard, so you can see in real-time how much is being spent and the number of tax-deductible costs your employees are making.

Find out how much your business can save with Pluto

Discover your savings with Pluto's Cost Saving Calculator and take control of your expenses. Unlock cost-efficiency now!

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Learn how Pluto is helping Keyper        to eliminate petty cash spending and optimize spend management

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At Pluto Card, our mission is to assist businesses of all scales make well-informed choices. To uphold our standards, we follow editorial guidelines to guarantee that our content consistently aligns with our high-quality benchmarks.

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5
All
Spend Management
March 30, 2023

Vlad Falin

How IT & Procurement Teams Should Evaluate Spend Management Products

In today's fast-paced business world, managing expenses can be a daunting task for IT and procurement teams.

To help you out, we compiled a list of features and functionalities that you should consider when picking your spend management platform.

Spoiler alert, Pluto has them all.

PCI DSS Level 1 Provider

One of the essential features that should be given high importance is the product's PCI DSS Level 1 compliance.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of guidelines and security requirements designed to safeguard payment card data. 

The standard was developed by major credit card companies, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and JCB, to ensure that all companies that handle payment card data maintain a secure environment. PCI DSS compliance helps to prevent fraud and data breaches, protecting both the company and its customers.

PCI DSS Level 1 is the highest level of certification a company can achieve for PCI compliance. 

It requires companies to undergo a rigorous independent audit to ensure compliance with all 12 of the PCI DSS requirements, including network security, access control, and vulnerability management. 

Achieving PCI DSS Level 1 certification demonstrates that a company has a comprehensive and effective security program in place to protect payment card data.

When evaluating corporate spend management products, IT and procurement teams should look for products that have achieved PCI DSS Level 1 compliance to ensure that the product meets the highest security standards. 

This will help to ensure that the company's payment card data is adequately protected and that the company is meeting its compliance obligations. By prioritizing PCI DSS Level 1 compliance, IT and procurement teams can help to safeguard their company's reputation and financial well-being.

Being PCI DSS Level 1 compliant is essential for any organization that handles corporate card information, as it provides a high level of security and assurance that the organization is taking all necessary measures to protect its customers’ data.

Pluto Card is proud to be PCI DSS Level 1 compliant. This means that our customers can trust that we have taken all necessary measures to secure their data and protect it from unauthorized access. 

We also partner with vendors who are held to the highest security standards, such as PCI or SOC2 compliance.

Passwordless Login

Passwordless login is a secure and convenient way for users to access their accounts without the need for a password. It is an effective way to protect against unwanted access to your account, as passwords can be easily compromised or stolen. By tying your Pluto access with a company email account provided by your organization ensures that when your employees lose access to their company email address they also lose access to Pluto. 

At Pluto Card, we understand the importance of passwordless login, and we offer this feature to our customers. With our passwordless login feature, our customers can access their accounts quickly and securely, without the need for a password.

Activity Log And Audit Trails

Activity logs and audit trails are crucial for ensuring strict auditing everywhere. An activity log records all user activity within an application or system, while an audit trail provides a record of all changes made to data within the system.

Pluto Card offers a 7-year audit log, which means that our customers can track critical changes made to their data over a seven-year period.

Data Access

Employees that are using our platform have only as much access as they need, and we have infrastructure redundancy built into Pluto, which means that all compute and data is  run in multiple geographies. 

Business continuity is paramount at Pluto - to this end, we ensure data redundancy with redundant backups in multiple geographies as well.

In addition, at Pluto, your application data is always encrypted in transit, and at rest. 

Continuous Security Scans

Pluto also provides a continuous security scan, which tackles multiple dimensions, including code or dependency  vulnerabilities, infrastructure, and public endpoint scans. 

Our customers can be assured that we take security very seriously and are always on the lookout for any potential security threats. 

In the event of a security incident, we have an immediate incident response plan in place and will notify impacted customers without undue delay of any unauthorized disclosure of customer data.

24x7 Customer Support and Dedicated Account Manager

In addition to these security features, Pluto Card also provides 24x7 customer support.

We understand that our customers need support around the clock, and we are always available to help with any questions or issues that may arise.

Data Infrastructure, Redundancy and E2E Encryption

We also provide infrastructure and data redundancy, which means that our customers’ data is highly available and secure, even in the event of a system failure or outage. 

Data is always encrypted in transit, which means that it is always protected during transmission between servers or devices.

Finally, another crucial feature that IT and procurement teams should consider when evaluating corporate spend management products is data residency and retention policies. 

Pluto Card offers an audit trail for changes to customer data, so we can track who did what. 

Additionally, we have a data residency promise of 7 years, which means that we retain customer data for that period of time. 

This can be important for compliance with regulatory requirements, such as tax or financial reporting.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when evaluating corporate spend management products for your enterprise, it’s essential to consider the security features that the product offers. 

PCI DSS Level 1 Compliance, passwordless login, activity logs and audit trails, and data residency and retention policies are all critical features that can help ensure the security and integrity of your organization’s financial data. 

Pluto Card offers all of these features, along with 24x7 customer support and infrastructure and data redundancy, making it an excellent choice for organizations looking for a secure and reliable corporate spend management solution.

For more information  visit Pluto and book a demo.

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All
Guides
December 1, 2023

Mohammed Ridwan

What is Account Reconciliation? Basics for UAE-Based Companies

Last day of the fiscal year, and you are closing the books. One of the employees writes a check for 50000 AED to a vendor. The internal records show a payment of 50000 AED, but your balance will not match your bank statement due to the time difference in check clearing. 

Account reconciliation addresses these differences and mismatches of records. It helps you identify any gaps in your accounting statement to make adjustments and ensure accuracy. 

In this post, we will discuss account reconciliation and how you can ensure compliance with proper reporting.

What is Account Reconciliation?

Account reconciliation involves comparing your internal financial statements to external and third-party sources, such as bank statements, to ensure the accuracy of financial records.  

What is account reconciliation

The frequency of account reconciliation will depend upon your company's internal policies and industry practices. Generally, companies conduct account reconciliations every month or quarter. 

You can also automate this process and reconcile accounts in real time. The software integrates with your accounting systems and ERPs and facilitates record-keeping. Employees directly upload receipts on the software, and all the transactions are visible on a centralized platform for real-time tracking. Then, the tool automatically categorizes the expenses into different general ledger (GL) accounts and tax codes, making reconciliation simple. 

Why Invest in Account Reconciliation?

Account reconciliation is a standard accounting process. While it seems reasonable to continue using traditional manual systems for record-keeping and reconciling, having a unified accounting platform enables you to close books 10X faster. 

Importance of account reconciliation

Imagine a single tool to manage reimbursement, petty cash, corporate cards, and end-to-end procurement. You eliminate the chances of errors and fraud with more visibility over your money. As a result, you get accurate financial statements, creating a transparent environment for stakeholders. 

How is Account Reconciliation Done?

Account reconciliation involves comparing GL account balances to supporting external sources and records. Here is a complete breakdown of the process: 

1. Identify Accounts for Reconciliation

Identify the accounts that need reconciliation. This depends on the nature of the business, industry regulations, and the company's internal processes. Common accounts include:

  • Bank accounts
  • Accounts payables and receivables
  • VAT
  • Inventory
  • Intercompany transactions
  • Revenue
  • Expenses

2. Gather Relevant Documents

Collect supporting documents for the identified accounts, such as bank statements, invoices, receipts, and other relevant financial records.

3. Verify Opening Balances

Compare the opening balances in the company's records with the corresponding balances in external statements or supporting documentation. This ensures that the starting point for reconciliation is accurate.

4. Adjust Differences

Identify discrepancies and make adjustments as needed. Based on the types of accounts chosen, you are likely to have the following discrepancies:

  1. Bank: Outstanding checks, deposits in transit, or bank fees
  2. Accounts payable and receivable: For accounts payable, mismatch between the company's records and vendor invoices. On the accounts receivable side, payments not being accurately reflected in the company's records.
  3. Value Added Tax (VAT): Errors in calculating input and output VAT, misclassification of transactions, or discrepancies between recorded and actual tax amounts
  4. Inventory: Errors in recording stock levels, theft, obsolescence, or misclassification of inventory items
  5. Intercompany: Errors in eliminating intercompany transactions, misallocating expenses, or differences in intercompany balances
  6. Revenue: Unrecorded sales, errors in invoicing, or misapplication of revenue recognition principles
  7. Expenses: Unrecorded expenses, duplicate payments, or errors in expense categorization

5. Review and Finalize

Review the reconciled accounts for accuracy and completeness. Obtain necessary approvals from management or relevant stakeholders before making adjustments and finalizing financial decisions.

Finalize the reconciliation process and document the adjustments made. Retain all relevant records for auditing purposes and future reference.

Top 5 Account Reconciliation Errors

Here are the top 5 most common errors that lead to discrepancies in account reconciliation: 

1. Omission

Omission includes missing certain transactions from the accounting records due to oversight. For instance, forgetting to record a payment received results in understating cash and accounts receivable.

Solution: Review transaction documentation, bank statements, and other supporting records to identify and record any omitted transactions.

2. Duplication

Duplication involves recording the same transaction more than once, leading to an overstatement of figures. For instance, recording a sales invoice twice causes excessive revenue figures.

Solution: Review transactions and eliminate any duplicate entries.

3. Timing Difference

Timing differences refer to situations where a transaction is recorded in the books at a different time than when it clears the bank or is recognized for accounting purposes. For instance, writing a check at the end of the month that doesn't clear the bank until the beginning of the following month.

Solution: Regularly compare bank statements with the company's records, adjusting for timing differences.

4. Fraud

Fraudulent activities involve intentionally manipulating financial records to deceive stakeholders and make personal gains. For instance, employees falsify expense receipts to inflate reimbursement claims.

Solution: Implement strong internal controls, conduct regular audits, and promote a culture of ethical behavior.

5. Misclassification

Misclassification occurs when transactions are recorded in the wrong accounts. For instance, adding a purchase of office supplies to the wrong expense account or labeling an incorrect GL code.

Solution: Review transactions to ensure proper coding and provide training to prevent misclassification errors.

Risk of Overlooking Account Reconciliation 

While account reconciliation seems a redundant task of matching accounts’ balances, small defaults can lead to operational, financial, and legal challenges.

You can face hefty fines or penalties imposed by regulatory authorities. You may also encounter disruptions due to legal investigations, audits, or even suspension of business activities. Moreover, failure to adhere to regulations can harm a company's reputation. 

In some cases, it leads to the revocation of licenses or permits, jeopardizing the company's ability to operate within the UAE. 

Here are some challenges you face when you do not pay due attention to account reconciliation: 

1. Manual Errors

The chances of errors are high if you rely on manual processes for account reconciliation. It can distort financial records, impacting decision-making and financial analysis.

Example: An employee records a sales transaction twice, leading to an inaccurate representation of the company's revenue.

2. Fraud

Detecting fraud becomes difficult when you lack real-time visibility or the accounts are not being cross-verified. As a result, fraudulent activities go undetected, causing financial losses and damaging trust.

Example: An employee manipulates expense reports to divert company funds for personal use.

3. Overdrafts

You lose sight of the funds available, leading to bounced checks or potential bank charges. This harms the company's financial stability and relationships with vendors.

Example: The employee wrote a check with insufficient funds, resulting in a bounced check and delayed vendor payment.

4. Inaccurate Reporting

You increase the chances of discrepancies in financial reports, providing stakeholders with misleading information. This undermines the confidence in the company's financial health and performance.

Example: An employee overlooking the balance between revenue and expenses leads to inaccurate profitability figures in financial statements.

5. Tax Issues

You can encounter inaccurate tax calculations or omissions, leading to tax filing errors. This leads to penalties, fines, and increased scrutiny from tax authorities.

Example: An employee's oversight of business expenses, like travel and meals, results in underreported deductions, leading to tax filing inaccuracies.

6. Affect Credit Score

You increase the chances of missed payments or errors that negatively impact the company's credit score. This further affects the ability to secure loans or favorable credit terms.

Example: An employee's oversight in paying a critical supplier invoice on time leads to late fees, strains supplier relations, and affects the company's credit score.

7. Audit Challenges

With incomplete or inaccurate reconciliations, you risk challenges during audits, demanding additional time and resources. This results in increased audit costs and potential legal implications.

Example: An employee fails to reconcile monthly bank statements, leading to missing documentation. The subsequent need for extensive audit adjustments increases audit costs and poses legal risks.

Automate For Ease 

Managing 1000s of expenses and individually categorizing and coding them is a big headache for finance teams. Leaving this to your accounting software will further require oversight during audit season, adding to the workload. Moreover, these software don’t help with record-keeping or real-time visibility, causing you to spend more on account reconciliation. 

Pluto makes this easier by bringing it all to a centralized platform. By shifting to the Pluto ecosystem, you close books 10x faster and simplify spend management. It is as simple as integrating your accounting software and ERPs and getting visibility over your money from Day one. 

Streamline your financial management with our all-in-one platform, integrating accounts payable software for comprehensive control. Manage categorization, reimbursements, corporate cards, and all aspects of accounts payable seamlessly from a unified dashboard.

The best part is that you can bulk export and import logs and even lock the transactions to avoid changes once approved. Further, with view-only access to external bookkeepers, you ensure transparency and security with no chaos during audit season. 

Reconciliation in Accounting Made Simple

Meeting compliance standards should not be an afterthought during the audit season. 

You must adopt the right processes, standards, and tools to get complete control over your accounts. This will ensure accurate records and build trust amongst stakeholders. Moreover, the teams will have a proper systems to reconcile without rushing at the end time. 

With automation, you make the process easier and more efficient. Pluto assists you with a centralized platform to automate your accounts payables and simplify account reconciliation without having to juggle multiple accounting software

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All
Corporate Cards
October 10, 2022

Leen Shami

Corporate vs. Business Credit Card: What is the Difference?

Corporate credit card vs. a business credit card. You might have heard both terms used interchangeably, but what's the difference?

Primarily, corporate cards are issued to large businesses with many employees, while business credit cards are designed for smaller businesses. Corporate cards generally have higher spending limits and may offer more perks than business cards due to their volume.

This post will cover the main differences so you can decide which card is best for your business.

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What is a Business Credit Card?

A business credit card is a commercial payment solution for companies and businesses. Similar to a personal credit card, business credit cards are used when business-related purchases are made on credit provided by one of the credit card companies.

Banks in the UAE and MENA offer various business credit cards for small, medium, and large companies. 

Business credit cards usually offer higher credit limits than personal credit cards and may come with exclusive privileges, such as free travel insurance, concierge services, and air miles.

In the case of small businesses, a personal credit score will play an important role in credit limit approval.

What is a Corporate Credit Card?

A corporate credit card is issued to company employees to help with business expenses. The company will be liable for any debts incurred on the card.

It is important to note that corporate cards are not personal credit cards and should only be used for business purposes.

Financial institutions expect you to spend more with a corporate card than a business card, as the companies that require those cards are usually bigger. Therefore, the company must have a good credit score to qualify. This can come with various perks, such as lower interest rates, extended grace periods, and, most importantly - higher spending limits.

At the same time, there can be some drawbacks, such as:

  • Long approval periods due to the nature of the financial product.
  • Limited online features for your cards and company spend management. 

What is a Pluto Card?

Pluto is MENA's corporate card that helps finance teams take control of their company's expenses while saving their business time & money. While Pluto can't give you a line of credit, you will be able to instantly issue as many business and corporate cards as you need while getting a complete overview of your business's spend management on one dashboard.

Pluto Virtual & Physical Corporate Cards

Virtual credit cards

Virtual cards are corporate credit card numbers used for online business-related purchases and contactless payments.

Although there is no physical card, virtual credit cards are great as they are flexible, convenient, and controllable.

With virtual credit cards, you can:

  • Issue unlimited virtual credit cards/employee cards;
  • Create a virtual credit card within seconds;
  • Set employee spending limits to avoid going over budget;
  • Generate a one-time use purchase card that deactivates as soon as it is used;
  • Set purchases to be made with specific vendors so the card can't be used for other purchases;

Chances are that if you need a virtual credit card at your existing bank, it might take quite some time, and the reporting and limit setting options might not be very user-friendly.

While Pluto cannot provide you with credit cards, we can issue as many virtual cards as you need with just a few clicks:

Physical credit cards

Physical corporate credit cards serve the same purpose as virtual and business credit cards, making payments. Unlike virtual cards, physical corporate credit cards can be used in person to make purchases.

While both virtual and physical credit cards are comparable, the main differences are:

  • Physical corporate credit cards may take up to 3 business days to be delivered.
  • Virtual cards cannot be used physically.
  • Virtual cards are safer for the user, as they cannot be lost or stolen.

Benefits and perks

The benefits and perks differ for business and corporate credit cards and Pluto cards.

Business & corporate credit cards:

  • Receive Business reward points for purchases made that can be redeemed for future purchases.

Pluto cards:

Pluto Corporate Card Perks

Why are Business Credit Cards and Corporate Credit Cards Different?

Now you know the main difference between business and corporate cards, but let's investigate some of them in more detail.

Expense management tools

Business credit cards are frequently limited to your online banking platform. In the case of corporate credit cards, you may get something slightly better - an enterprise solution.

But from what we have seen, the speed of card issuing or limit changes is usually lacking.

Pluto doesn't give you a credit line, but here is a list of things that Pluto's expense management platform does:

  • Unlimited corporate cards (within seconds);
  • Set spending limits on corporate cards to avoid going over budget or being overcharged;
  • Issue one-time purchase cards that deactivate after being used;
  • Real-time transactional data - know what (and where) is being spent in real-time;
  • Ability to oversee company financials and receive instantaneous expense reports;
  • Automated accounting; 
  • Sync transactional data to major accounting platforms;
  • Simple and quick reimbursements;
  • Digitized receipt reconciliation;
  • Close books in hours, not days.

Corporate and business card fees

The fees that you might have to pay on corporate and business cards fall into two main categories:

Annual fees

For business and corporate credit cards, annual fees may differ depending on the bank or credit card issuer you choose to move forward with. Typically, the UAE's yearly fees range from 0-800 AED, with 'free for life' being the most popular.

If there are any fees, you can typically waive them by spending a certain amount per year.

Pluto cards do not have any annual fees and are entirely free; however, if you're a large corporation that wants unlimited users, custom ERP integrations, or a dedicated account manager, there will be a monthly subscription fee.

FX fees

Business and corporate credit cards tend to incur FX fees, making it expensive for a company owner, a small business, or a large business to do any transactions outside their domestic currency.

FX fees can be high, and credit card issuers are usually not transparent with the fees that come with them. Typically, fees come in the form of an FX spread and are hidden inside your payment, meaning you might be paying 2-6% for a transaction in a different currency.

Just imagine how much of your spending is in a different currency and take an optimistic 4% fee from that amount. Now multiply it by five years.

Pluto does not charge FX fees, making it the perfect choice for companies or businesses that frequently transact in foreign currencies.

Application & Approval Process

You must wait around two weeks for a business credit card approval. After the approval process, it may take up to 10 business days to receive your business credit card.

With a corporate credit card, the time may vary, but the chances are that you will need to wait more than 5 business days before you get approved.

From our experience, when you need an expense card - you need it on the spot!

Pluto has adopted a KYB & KYC (know your business and client) process that allows us to onboard customers in minutes. After you set up your account, you can start issuing virtual cards and continue your work without halts or limitations.

Corporate vs. Business Credit Cards Pros and Cons

While a corporate credit card and a business credit card may be comparable in some aspects, there are some differences between the two financial products.

Business credit card pros

  • Available for most businesses in their standard banking products;
  • Standard application process with low business requirements;

Business credit card cons

  • Usually limited in numbers, one card is internally shared amongst many employees. That creates bottlenecks in spending and raises various security risks;
  • Non-existent (or very limited) spend management platforms to monitor your reporting;
  • No virtual cards;
  • High FX fees;

Corporate credit card pros

  • Higher spending limits;
  • Possibility to issue several cards;
  • Safe & secure, as information is not being shared;

Corporate credit card cons

  • Longer approval process;
  • High FX fees;

While the pros and cons for both types of cards may vary, the final decision will be based on the size of your business.

Why Pick Pluto Card for Business and Corporate Users?

As mentioned, Pluto won't give you a line of credit; instead, Pluto provides you with an all-in-one expense management solution. 

Pluto's spend management platform

  • All your business expenses are at your reach on Pluto's dashboard;
  • Control over all issued cards and their limits;
  • Creation of unlimited virtual cards;
  • Real-time expense reporting;
Pluto's Dashboard

Approval workflow on Pluto

Once you have access to Pluto's expense management dashboard, you'll also be able to set up approval flows and automation.

With Pluto's approval workflow, you can:

  • Get visibility and control over your expenses;
  • Streamline how you manage your spending;
  • Automatically direct approvals to the right employees;
  • Create approval flows within departments;
Pluto Card Approval Workflow

Real-time expense reports

With Pluto cards, you'll gain real-time transactional data on company spending while being able to set strict budget limits.

This will also help you make informed decisions about allocating resources and improving your P&L.

Additionally, you can also set up notifications to be sent to your accounting or finance team whenever a transaction is made. This way, they'll always be in the loop and can take appropriate action if needed.

Which Card is Best for My Business?

The final pick of the card will depend on several factors related to your business.

Industry

The needs of companies based on their industries may differ. Consulting businesses need a flexible card solution with no FX fees, as their employees travel frequently. Digital agencies need multiple virtual cards to onboard new projects and pay for ad networks daily.

Consider the needs relevant to your industry and decide from there. While Pluto is an excellent pick for all industries (as we have a very versatile product), here are some of the use cases that illustrate the needs and how Pluto solves them:

Size

Annual revenue, the number of employees, and spending volume will also come into play when making your decision.

If it is just you or a couple of employees, you may not need many cards (or you might take advantage of Pluto's virtual cards).

On the other hand, if you have a sales team that needs to pay for lunches with prospects every second day, one card in the business owner's name will be problematic! 

Control

How much control do you need over your spending? Classic credit cards (be it business or corporate) usually have just a few features that are extensions of your online banking.

In some cases, that might be enough. If there is one card and one person using it - setting limits and monitoring the spending is not an issue.

Pluto comes into play when you have several holders and many cards, as you can set custom limits on cards. Real-time reports of spending suddenly become very important to increase and decrease limits on the go.

Pluto Corporate Card Budget Control

Key Takeaways

  • Business credit card is the best fit for small business owners; they offer a standardized solution.
  • Corporate credit cards are for bigger companies, allowing higher spending and slightly better control.
  • Pluto cards (used for all business sizes) can provide unlimited virtual cards and give you access to an all-in-one expense management platform.

FAQ

Does a corporate credit card affect my credit score?

A corporate card is a company's liability and does not affect your credit score, and you will not see them on your personal credit report. Pluto cards do not affect your credit score in any way (as they do not provide loans or credit facilities).

What is the difference between a business and a corporate credit card?

The main difference between small business credit cards is the size of the company that uses them, followed by credit limits and available control features. Pluto provides cards to corporations and businesses through the all-in-one spend management platform.

What is meant by a corporate credit card?

A corporate credit card refers to a card provided by the company to the employee for various business-related expenses.

Is a corporate card the same as a credit card?

Credit cards primarily draw from an approved loan balance, while corporate card programs are just an extension to a dedicated corporate account. But the terms are used interchangeably nowadays.

What is the difference between corporate and domestic credit cards?

A domestic card may refer to a debit card or a card issued by your local bank for your local use. Corporate cards are accepted internationally, at the ATM, or online.

Can a corporate card be used for personal use?

No. By default, corporate cards have to be used for business expenses, which are reported into accounting, but most importantly, it is the company's money on that card. The only exception will be if your company allows it.

What is the advantage of a corporate credit card?

Usually, it comes down to higher spending limiting. Compared to small business credit cards, corporate credit card debt does not usually require a personal guarantee, as the company guarantees it.

In the case of Pluto's corporate card, we can also add - unlimited virtual cards, real-time team-wide spend control, instantaneous reporting, and no FX fees!

Does a corporate credit card affect my credit score?

No. If the corporate credit card has a credit facility attached to it (it usually does), it is a company liability, not a personal liability. You are given access to a portion of their credit facility that does not fall into the personal loans group, and you do not need to provide personal guarantees.

Can my company require me to put business travel on my own credit card?

No, the company cannot force you to put business expenses on your credit card, but it is sometimes easier for everyone. So, if you agree with that, and the company agrees to reimburse you - it is not a problem. 

If you are looking for a better solution, let the Pluto team know, and we will provide you with an easy corporate card platform for your whole team.

Do corporate credit cards require a credit check?

A corporate credit card (in its classical meaning) is attached to a loan facility. To approve this loan facility, banks must do a company credit check.