Key Takeaways
1. UPI Wallets Dominate India's Market: CashBook leads with universal acceptance at 613 million daily UPI transaction points, outperforming corporate cards limited at small vendors.
2. Seven Solutions Compared: Detailed analysis of CashBook, Zoho Expense, Happay, Volopay, OmniCard, HDFC Bank Petty Cash Card, and Zaggle covering features, pricing, and implementation.
3. Cost Models Differ Significantly: From CashBook's 1.5% pay-as-you-go to enterprise platforms requiring custom quotes, with hidden fees dramatically impacting total ownership costs.
4. Deployment Speed Matters: UPI platforms enable same-day activation versus 2+ weeks for card-based systems—critical for rapid digitization.
5. Market Favors Digital-First: With 67% of MSMEs digitally equipped and 68% of merchant volumes via UPI, the future belongs to UPI-native solutions.
Managing petty cash efficiently is crucial for businesses of all sizes in India. Traditional cash boxes and paper records are prone to leakages, errors, and fraud, whereas modern software solutions offer real-time tracking, digital payments, and strict controls. In 2025, several platforms stand out for helping Indian companies control small day-to-day expenses. Among these, CashBook with its UPI-based wallets emerges as the top choice, thanks to its seamless digital approach and deep integration with Indian payment systems.
Q1. What are the leading petty cash management software for Indian businesses?
The leading petty cash management softwares for Indian businesses in 2025 are:
1. CashBook - UPI Wallets for Business Expenses
2. Zoho Expense
3. Happay
4. Volopay
5. Omnicard
6. HDFC Bank Petty Cash Card
7. Zaggle(Zoyer)
Detailed Comparison:
1. CashBook – UPI Wallets for Business Expenses
What it Does:
CashBook is a petty cash management solution built around UPI-based digital wallets for businesses. Instead of physical cash or reimbursement claims, companies using CashBook issue UPI wallets to employees for business expenses. Employees can pay any merchant or vendor on the UPI network directly from the wallet, while managers get instant visibility and control over those spends. This effectively creates a cashless, real-time petty cash system tailored for the Indian payments landscape.
Key Features:
Universal UPI acceptance: Employees can pay any UPI QR code or UPI ID, enabling cashless payments even to small vendors or suppliers. This is ideal for on-ground expenses in India where UPI is everywhere.
Live spend controls: Managers can remotely adjust limits or block/unblock wallets on the fly, and funds can be pulled back if needed.
Real-time tracking and alerts: Finance teams get real-time visibility of spends by employee, project, and location via the dashboard.
Receipt capture & integration: Employees can upload photos of bills or use UPI reference IDs; expenses sync with accounting systems like Tally and Zoho Books in one click.
Secure & compliant: CashBook is NPCI-certified for UPI and works with RBI-regulated banks, with bank-grade encryption. Controls like OTP and device verification secure the app.
Pricing:
CashBook operates on a pay-as-you-go postpaid billing model, charging 1.5% of monthly wallet spending with a guaranteed minimum of ₹99 per wallet per month. Businesses load money into wallets whenever needed and make instant UPI payments to vendors, QR codes, and individuals, with total spends calculated at month-end.
Implementation & Onboarding:
CashBook is a service requiring minimal setup: company signup with KYC verification, employee wallet creation through dashboard, mobile app installation for staff with one-time phone verification, corporate account funding, and optional Tally/Zoho integration support.
The platform requires minimal training due to familiar UPI interface and typically activates employee wallets within an hour.
The streamlined process leverages existing UPI familiarity, making rollout effortless even for field staff, while comprehensive customer support ensures smooth integration with existing accounting systems for businesses ready to digitize their expense management workflows.
Pros: CashBook offers a number of compelling benefits:
Eliminates Physical Cash: Completely removes cash handling and reduces cash leakage by 30% with full digital accounting.
Real-Time Visibility & Control: Finance teams see every expense instantly and control disbursements centrally for tighter budget adherence.
Saves Administrative Time: Automated reconciliation with instant accounting sync helps companies close books 10× faster.
Secure & Compliant: Bank-level security with NPCI compliance, spend limits, and complete audit trail for every transaction.
Cons:
Issues with login using mobile number that is no longer in use; lack of email login option
Only supports UPI payments, not credit cards or international transactions
Requires stable internet connectivity
Cannot spend more than wallet balance
Use Cases: CashBook is designed for businesses in India that deal with a lot of petty cash or field expenses. Common use cases include:
Logistics & Transportation Companies - Fleet operators and bus services provide controlled wallets to route managers and drivers for fuel, tolls, and on-road expenses with 30% waste reduction through tracked spending per kilometer.
Field Sales & Service Teams - Sales agents and service technicians use wallets for miscellaneous expenses like client lunches and small parts, giving managers real-time visibility into field spending without reimbursement forms.
Multi-Branch Retail & Franchise Operations - Store managers handle petty expenses through wallets instead of keeping physical cash, with headquarters monitoring all branches through one dashboard for consistency and fraud prevention
Real Customer Feedback:
"Cashbook transformed how we handle small and urgent cash expenses across 9 locations, what once took days now happens in minutes”
Aditya Gupta
Executive Director - The Raigad Group
"We see CashBook not just as an expense management tool, but as an operational enabler that supports our vision of scaling efficiently while maintaining financial discipline."
Akash Hirpara
CEO, Heaven Green Energy Pvt. Ltd.
2. Zoho Expense
What it Does:
Zoho Expense is an expense management software that enables businesses to digitally track and manage all expenses, including petty cash. Part of the larger Zoho suite, it provides an online system (web and mobile) where employees can record expenditures and finance teams can monitor and approve them. For petty cash, Zoho Expense lets you set up a petty cash account and log small cash transactions in a structured way. Essentially, it moves the traditional petty cash logbook into the cloud – with added automation like receipt scanning and policy enforcement.
Key Features:
Designate petty cash accounts to record withdrawals and expenditures with digitized receipt attachments.
Mobile app auto-extracts date, amount, and merchant details from receipt photos, reducing manual data entry.
Multi-level approvals with spending policies and automatic violation flagging for policy compliance.
Monitor expenses by category, project, or employee with real-time petty cash usage insights.
Native integration with Zoho Books and connectivity to QuickBooks, Xero, and SAP systems.
Pricing:
Zoho Expense offers affordable, flexible pricing with a Free Plan for up to 3 users, making it ideal for very small businesses managing petty cash at zero cost.
Paid plans include Standard at $4/user/month and Premium at $7/user/month (billed annually), equivalent to roughly ₹330-₹580 per user monthly in INR.
Implementation and Onboarding:
Zoho Expense setup involves online signup, organization configuration (currency, expense categories, approval flows), user invitations, and optional petty cash account creation for withdrawals tracking.
Pros:
Clean interface with 4.6/5 ease-of-use rating and intuitive mobile app makes receipt scanning and expense submission simple on-the-go.
Supports 5-person startups to 5,000+ employee enterprises with customizable categories, approval workflows, and multi-location deployment.
Seamless integration with Zoho suite plus external systems like QuickBooks and Xero provides comprehensive workflow automation.
Receipt auto-scan, automated approvals, and policy compliance reduce processing time from hours to minutes while ensuring 95% accuracy.
Cons:
Complex configuration for custom policies creates steep learning curve during setup, though daily use becomes simple once configured.
Mobile app occasionally lags on lower-end devices and web interface can be slow when loading multiple receipts or during peak usage.
Minority of users experience syncing troubles with bank feeds or external systems, plus delegate notifications lack intuitive design.
Standalone use lacks full potential compared to dedicated expense platforms with deeper ERP integrations for complex enterprise systems.
Use Cases
General Corporate Expense Management - Any company with employee reimbursements or corporate cards can streamline expense reports and log petty cash expenses systematically.
Accounting/Consulting Firms - Professionals track minor client expenses like travel and meals, keeping receipts organized for billing and reimbursements without year-end shoebox chaos.
SMEs Transitioning from Spreadsheets - Small businesses move from Excel/paper systems to mobile expense submission, like Hector Beverages eliminating tedious spreadsheets.
3. Happay
What it does:
Happay is an all-in-one travel, expense, and payments management platform that digitizes corporate spending. It provides solutions for employee T&E (Travel & Entertainment expenses), expense reimbursements, corporate prepaid cards, and importantly a Branch Petty Cash management module. With Happay, organizations can replace manual petty cash logs with a digital system: each branch or project can get a Happay prepaid card or wallet, and all petty expenses made using those cards are tracked centrally.
Key Features:
Corporate-controlled cards for employees and branch managers with preloaded balances
Specialized system for managing petty cash across multiple locations digitally
Live expense visibility with automated policy enforcement and violation blocking
Auto-scans receipts, captures SMS expenses, generates reports automatically
Pricing Model:
Annual/monthly fees based on users, cards, and modules selected
No public price list - requires demo and quote for specific needs
Typically more expensive than basic solutions, targets mid-to-large enterprises
Significant efficiency gains and fraud reduction can offset higher costs
May include implementation costs and card issuance charges
Implementation Process:
Usually starts with one department or branch before full rollout
Extensive setup for workflows, policies, integrations, user roles
Physical Visa cards take weeks, virtual cards available instantly
Define expense categories, limits, approval workflows for each branch
On-site training, documentation, change management assistance
Pros:
Covers travel, expenses, petty cash, vendor payments in one platform
Specialized features for branch imprest systems and cash management
V-Guard reduced policy violations from 48% to <1%
Reimbursement cycles cut from 40 days to 5 days
Cons:
Requires significant configuration time and technical expertise
Too expensive and feature-heavy for small businesses and startups
OTP required for each login, occasional system glitches reported
May lack flexibility for highly customized internal systems
Some users report slow customer support response times
Use Cases:
Retail chains, manufacturing plants, bank branches needing centralized control
Sales teams, field technicians with frequent small expenses
Organizations requiring transparency and fund misuse prevention
Companies handling hundreds of daily expense reports
4. Volopay
What it Does:
Volopay is a modern spend management platform that combines business bank accounts, corporate cards, and expense tracking into one solution. For petty cash management, Volopay offers a digital alternative: companies can issue prepaid corporate cards (physical and virtual) to employees or departments for small expenses, and every transaction on these cards is tracked and synced to the Volopay expense system in real time
Key Features:
Visa cards with spending limits, merchant restrictions, and one-time virtual cards for specific purchases.
Instant transaction recording with merchant details and receipt matching in live dashboard
Mobile app receipt photos with auto-matching to card transactions and mandatory documentation
Manager approvals for expenses above limits with category-based budget tracking
Pricing:
Custom/Enterprise-focused pricing with subscription fees and interchange earnings on card transactions
No free tier but offers trials and cashback for new clients, potentially expensive for small businesses
Investment-level platform worthwhile for companies utilizing full card+software ecosystem
Implementation:
Account setup and KYC with company documents and PAN verification similar to corporate banking
Funding the account via NEFT/IMPS for prepaid wallet system used for card spends
Card issuance and training with intuitive mobile app and customer success team support
Pros:
Unified Spend Platform: Consolidates corporate cards, petty cash, and vendor payments in one system for total visibility
Real-Time Controls: Instant card freezing and live spend monitoring prevents fraud and overspending
Ease of Use: User-friendly interface with 9.1/10 digital receipt management rating and responsive support
UPI and Multi-Currency: Local UPI payments and multi-country operations for regional expansion
Cons:
High Cost for Small Scale: Expensive for businesses with minimal expense volume or under 5 employees
Support and Maturity: Occasional slower support and missing features due to rapid scaling
Prepaid Model Limitation: No standard credit line offering, operates on prepaid top-up system
Enterprise Scaling: Less specialized for very large corporations with complex ERP requirements
Use Cases:
Venture-Funded Startups: Team leads get cards for project expenses instead of cash advances
IT/Services SMEs: Project-specific virtual cards for client billing and cost accounting
Cross-Border Companies: Multi-currency unified expense system for subsidiaries
Office Petty Cash Replacement: Digital cards replace physical cash boxes with real-time monitoring
5. OmniCard
What it does:
OmniCard is a rising Indian fintech platform that bills itself as a “Fintech OS for business spend”, offering solutions for expense management, petty cash, corporate incentives, travel expenses, etc., all in one system. At its core, OmniCard provides prepaid corporate cards (both physical and virtual) and a software dashboard that enables companies to allocate budgets, enable UPI payments, instantly issue cards, and monitor all expenses in real time.
Key Features:
Assign team budgets and issue virtual cards in one click; physical cards ordered as needed.
Works everywhere in India - street vendors (UPI) to large stores (cards)
Live transaction monitoring with instant alerts to managers
Automatic alerts for unusual spending patterns and cost optimization suggestions
Syncs with accounting systems and HR tools for automated workflows
Pricing:
Enterprise SaaS Model: Likely monthly/annual subscription based on users or cards
Card Fees: Possible charges for physical card issuance beyond free allocation
Interchange Revenue: Earns small percentage from merchant transactions
Competitive Positioning: Priced comparably to Happay/Zaggle but emphasizes value over cost
Custom Enterprise Quotes: Tiered pricing from startups to large enterprises
Implementation:
Quick KYC Setup: Standard documentation and verification process
Team Configuration: OmniCard assists with org structure, roles, and approval workflows
Instant Virtual Cards: Immediate card details in app; physical cards arrive in 1-2 weeks
Easy User Adoption: Mobile app requires minimal training across all staff levels
Scalable Rollout: Proven deployment across retail networks and high-growth companies
Pros:
Complete Spend Ecosystem: Manages all expense types under unified controls and reporting
Universal Indian Acceptance: UPI + card coverage ensures no transaction is missed
Proactive AI Management: Predictive insights prevent budget overruns
Bank-Independent: Works with any corporate bank account via NEFT/IMPS transfers
Cons:
Newer Market Player: Less brand recognition than established competitors (since 2021)
Integration Gaps: May lack pre-built connectors for some niche accounting software
Volume Constraints: Potential limitations for extremely high-transaction enterprises
Occasional Delays: Minor transaction processing lags during network issues
India-Focused: Limited support for international operations and multi-currency needs
Use Cases:
Rapid Scaling: Quick card deployment for new hires and office expansions
Multi-Industry: Retail, insurance, digital marketplaces, and traditional businesses
Reimbursement Replacement: Eliminate employee out-of-pocket expenses
6. HDFC Bank Petty Cash Card
What it does:
HDFC's MoneyPlus prepaid card system replacing physical cash disbursement. Load funds, issue cards, and track expenses through web-based platform. Portal powered by Happay for enhanced fintech functionality within bank framework
Key Features
Digital card management with online loading and instant fund transfers
Live transaction visibility with spend limits and merchant restrictions
Balance checks, transaction history, and card pause/play features via portal
Doubles as employee benefits card for meal allowances and tax savings
Pricing
Joining Fee: ₹600 + GST per card (one-time)
Annual Fee: ₹600 + GST per card
Replacement Fee: ₹135 + GST for lost/damaged cards
ATM Charges: Free at HDFC ATMs, ₹21 + GST at others
Balance Inquiry: ₹10 + GST at ATMs
No Portal Fees: Included with corporate banking relationship
Implementation
Must be existing HDFC Bank corporate client
Faster onboarding for existing customers
Application through dedicated banking contact
Corporate account setup linked to main bank account
Flexible card distribution options
Portal usage guidance and pilot testing support
Pros
Trusted financial institution with RBI compliance and security
Instant fund transfers within HDFC's banking ecosystem
Core features without complexity - load, spend, track, control
Open-loop card works at any merchant, online, or ATM
Excel reports and bank statements for compliance
Cons
Limited to existing HDFC corporate customers only.
Lacks advanced expense management tools like receipt OCR.
No built-in expense categorization or receipt attachment.
Fixed bank features with minimal portal customization.
System downtime affects entire petty cash operations.
No international usage or multi-currency support.
Use Cases
Natural extension for existing corporate relationships
Retail chains, pharma distributors, manufacturing sites
Employee travel and project expenses via preloaded cards
7. Zaggle (Zoyer)
What it does:
Zaggle is a prominent Indian fintech company offering spend management solutions for businesses. Under its platform “Zoyer,” Zaggle provides products for expense management, employee benefits, rewards, and corporate payments. For petty cash management, Zaggle offers prepaid corporate cards combined with a software suite (recently branded as “Brome” for branch expense management that allows companies to distribute petty cash via cards and monitor spends centrally.
Key Features:
Issues Rupay/Visa prepaid cards for employees with allocated budgets (e.g., ₹20k per branch monthly)
Centralized control for organizations with multiple locations
Live dashboard showing balances, spending patterns, and low balance alerts
System auto-matches expenses with receipts and tracks remaining balances
Pricing Model:
Base expense management platform offered at no cost
Makes money through interchange fees on card transactions
Minimal upfront costs, especially beneficial for SMEs
Card issuance fees, premium module subscriptions
Implementation Process:
Business registration with company PAN and incorporation documents
Virtual cards available immediately, physical cards delivered in 2 weeks
Configure company hierarchy, branches, departments, and user roles
User-friendly interface requires minimal training for employees
Account managers for larger clients, helpdesk for ongoing assistance
Pros:
Eliminates need for physical cash handling while maintaining control
Combines expense management with rewards, meal cards, gift cards
Easy to add new branches and outlets to the system
Clients report substantial decrease in fraudulent expenses
Cons:
Users report slow response times from support team
Some merchants may not accept prepaid cards or RuPay network
May lack advanced features compared to some competitors
OTP requirements can be cumbersome (though now includes biometric options)
May not meet complex needs of very large enterprises
Use Cases:
Multi-location businesses like BigBasket, Subway, KFC franchises
Companies with employees making frequent travel and client expenses
Startups scaling to 50-100+ employees across multiple offices
Organizations combining expense management with rewards
Institutions requiring transparent fund management and audit trails
Q2. What Key Factors Should Indian Businesses Consider When Choosing the Right Petty Cash Management Solution?
1. Payment Infrastructure Compatibility
Choose UPI-native solutions like CashBook that leverage India's universal UPI network, ensuring acceptance at 613 million daily transaction points including street vendors, small suppliers, and local merchants. Corporate card systems face acceptance limitations at smaller vendors where UPI QR codes are everywhere, creating coverage gaps in your expense management.
2. Implementation Speed and User Experience
UPI-based platforms enable instant wallet activation and leverage existing employee familiarity with UPI payments, requiring minimal training. Traditional card-based solutions require 2+ weeks for physical card issuance, complex policy setup, and extensive user training particularly challenging for field staff and non-tech-savvy employees.
3. Transparent Cost Structure
UPI wallet solutions offer pay-as-you-go pricing (like CashBook's 1.5% transaction fee) with no hidden costs, card issuance fees, or annual maintenance charges. Corporate card platforms typically involve subscription fees, card charges, and complex pricing tiers that become expensive for growing businesses with fluctuating expense volumes.
4. Real-Time Control and Integration
Prioritize solutions offering instant transaction visibility, automated accounting sync with Indian systems (Tally, Zoho Books), and GST compliance features. UPI-native platforms provide superior real-time control with immediate fund blocking, spending limits, and automated reconciliation compared to card-based systems that rely on batch processing and delayed reporting.
Q3. How Are Market Dynamics Shaping the Future of Petty Cash Management in India?
Several transformative market dynamics are fundamentally reshaping India's petty cash management landscape in 2025:
Digital Payment Infrastructure Maturation
The most significant dynamic is UPI's unprecedented scale, with 613 million daily transactions and over 5 million merchant acceptance points. This infrastructure maturation has created a universal digital payment network that encompasses everything from street vendors to large retailers, eliminating the traditional barriers to cashless expense management.
SME Digital Transformation Acceleration
67% of Indian MSMEs are now digitally equipped, with 60% actively planning to digitize business processes by 2025. This rapid digital adoption among small and medium enterprises, historically the most cash-dependent segment signals a permanent shift in operational preferences toward digital-first solutions.
Micro-Enterprise Payment Behavior Shift
A critical dynamic is that small and micro enterprises now contribute 68% of UPI merchant transaction volumes. This demonstrates that even traditionally cash-preferred businesses have embraced digital payments, creating an environment where UPI-based expense solutions can reach virtually any vendor or supplier.
Q4. Which Petty Cash Management Solution Will Dominate India's Market in 2025 and Beyond?
The clear winner in India's rapidly evolving petty cash management landscape will be UPI-native solutions, with CashBook leading this transformation. Here's why UPI-based platforms will dominate over traditional corporate card systems:
Universal Merchant Acceptance: With 613 million daily UPI transactions and 68% of merchant transaction volumes coming from small enterprises, UPI-based solutions like CashBook can reach virtually every vendor in India—from street food stalls to enterprise suppliers. Corporate card systems face significant acceptance limitations at smaller merchants who prefer UPI QR codes.
Infrastructure Alignment: Unlike international markets relying on corporate cards, India has leapfrogged directly to UPI-enabled transactions. This creates a structural advantage for platforms built on India's existing digital payment backbone rather than attempting to retrofit foreign card-based models.
Adoption Speed: Since 67% of Indian MSMEs are already digitally equipped, UPI wallets leverage existing employee familiarity with UPI payments, requiring minimal training and enabling instant deployment. Traditional card solutions require weeks for physical issuance and extensive policy configuration.
Cost Efficiency: UPI-based platforms offer transparent pay-as-you-go pricing without hidden card fees, annual charges, or complex subscription tiers that burden growing businesses.
CashBook's NPCI-certified UPI wallet system represents the future of expense management in India, combining universal acceptance, instant implementation, and superior cost-effectiveness compared to legacy corporate card solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why prefer UPI-native over corporate cards in India?
UPI has near-universal acceptance (street vendors to retailers), enabling true cashless petty spends.
What selection factors matter most?
UPI acceptance, fast rollout, transparent costs, real-time control, Indian accounting/GST integrations.
What market shifts back UPI wallets?
Massive UPI scale, MSME digitization, and small-merchant adoption make wallets universally usable.
What results can businesses expect?
Lower cash leakage, faster closes, tighter budgets, and audit-ready records across locations.
