Coast vs Navan
Coast and Navan solve different business headaches. Coast is a smart fuel and expense card for fleets. Navan is a travel and expense platform for frequent flyers.
Best for: Fleet managers and operations leaders in construction, landscaping, and field services, Small to mid-sized businesses seeking to consolidate fuel and corporate card programs
Best for: Companies with frequent business travelers, Finance teams seeking to automate expense reporting
Smart fuel card, real control.
We found Coast to be a strong, unified solution for fleet-based businesses tired of juggling separate fuel and expense cards. It delivers powerful controls and real-time tracking that can genuinely cut down on admin and prevent fraud. Overall, it's a compelling choice for teams ready to consolidate their spending into one efficient platform.
Pros
- All-in-one card for fuel, field, and office expenses simplifies tracking.
- Strong custom controls and telematics integrations help prevent fuel fraud.
- Real-time spending visibility and alerts for immediate oversight.
- Competitive fuel rebates and discounts at 30,000+ stations.
Cons
- $4 monthly fee per active user can become significant for large teams.
- 2.5% fee on foreign transactions limits international use.
- Customer support responsiveness is inconsistent according to some users.
- Requires integrations with telematics/accounting software for maximum value.
A solid travel hub, with some expense hiccups.
We find Navan is a capable all-in-one platform for corporate travel and expenses, especially for small to mid-sized companies. Overall, its strong booking interface and helpful support are weighed down by inconsistent expense processing and a lack of public pricing clarity.
Pros
- Free plan available for companies up to 300 employees.
- Unified platform for both travel booking and expense reporting.
- Generally praised for a straightforward and easy-to-use interface.
- Customer support is noted as responsive and helpful in resolving issues.
Cons
- Expense reimbursements can be slow or contain processing errors.
- Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales; no transparent public rates.
- Initial setup and platform rollout may be complex for some organizations.
- May not be ideal for teams needing niche, deep accounting integrations without confirmation.
AboutCoast
Coast is an all-in-one fuel card, corporate card, and expense management platform built for businesses with fleets. It's designed to replace multiple card programs and manual processes, giving companies like landscaping, construction, and field service teams a single tool to control and track all their spending. The platform provides powerful fraud prevention, integrates with existing telematics and accounting software, and aims to help businesses save significantly on fuel and admin time.
AboutNavan
Navan is a comprehensive platform for managing business travel and expenses. It’s designed for companies of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. The platform serves various industries, including technology, healthcare, and retail. 💡 It aims to be a single solution for booking trips and handling the related costs.
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Core Platform
Coast is a unified card for fleets. Navan is a travel booking and expense hub.
Coast provides a single Visa card for fuel, maintenance, and office supplies. It consolidates all fleet-related spending into one platform. Navan offers a platform to book flights and hotels. It then connects those bookings directly to expense reports. The key difference is physical spending vs. travel planning. Coast controls cards in the field; Navan manages the entire trip lifecycle. A field tech uses Coast to buy gas and parts. An office manager uses Navan to book a sales team flight and hotel.
Fraud Prevention
Coast locks cards by default. Navan enforces policies during booking.
Coast cards are locked until needed. You can block transactions by vehicle, time, or merchant. Telematics integration denies transactions if the vehicle isn't at a pump. Navan builds company travel policies into its booking engine. It shows compliant options first to prevent overspending. Coast stops unauthorized purchases proactively. Navan guides employees toward compliant choices. Coast prevents a driver from filling a personal vehicle. Navan ensures a traveler books an approved hotel.
Pricing Structure
Coast charges per active user. Navan is free for small companies.
Coast costs $4 per user who makes a transaction each month. There are no other core platform fees. Navan's Business plan is free for companies with up to 300 employees. Larger companies get a custom quote. The models are fundamentally different. Coast is a clear, usage-based fee. Navan is a freemium model. A 50-person fleet pays Coast $200/month minimum. A 200-person office uses Navan for free.
Integration Ecosystem
Coast plugs into telematics and accounting. Navan connects to HRIS systems.
Coast integrates with Samsara, Geotab, QuickBooks, and NetSuite. This automates data flow for fleets and finance. Navan offers 30+ HRIS integrations on its free plan. Deeper accounting links may require the Enterprise plan. Coast's integrations are deep for its niche. Navan's are broad for general business. A construction company syncs Coast with Fleetio. A tech startup syncs Navan with Gusto.
Mobile Experience
Both offer apps, but for different tasks.
Coast's app lets drivers unlock cards for transactions and view spending. It's a tool for field use. Navan's app is for booking and managing travel. It provides a mobile-first travel experience. Coast's app is about control at the point of sale. Navan's app is about planning and itineraries. A driver uses Coast's app to unlock the card at a gas station. A sales rep uses Navan's app to check into a hotel.
Customer Support
Coast promises first-call resolution. Navan offers 24/7 and dedicated managers.
Coast provides 100% US-based support aiming to solve issues on the first call. There's no public SLA. Navan includes 24/7 travel support on its free plan. Enterprise customers get a dedicated Customer Success Manager. Coast focuses on reactive support quality. Navan provides proactive, scalable support tiers. A fleet manager calls Coast about a declined card. A finance director works with a Navan success manager.
Reporting & Analytics
Coast gives real-time spending dashboards. Navan offers customizable financial reports.
Coast shows every transaction as it happens. You can spot mileage issues or overspending patterns instantly. Navan provides customizable reports on travel and expenses. The focus is on financial reconciliation. Coast's reporting is operational and real-time. Navan's reporting is financial and analytical. Coast alerts a manager to a vehicle's bad mileage. Navan generates a quarterly report on travel spend by department.
Coast costs $4 per active user per month with 1 plan: Coast Fleet & Fuel Card at $4 per active user per month.
Take a look at how our simple, usage-based model works for your team.
Coast Fleet & Fuel Card
Price: $4 per active user per month Best For: Growing fleets needing fuel and expense management Other Features: 3–9¢ fuel rebates per gallon, 1% cashback on non-gas purchases, customizable card controls, Visa acceptance everywhere, real-time expense visibility
- 3–9¢ per gallon rebates at 30,000+ partners
- 1% cash back on all non-gas station purchases
- Customizable card controls by vehicle and driver
- Real-time visibility into expenses
- Accounting and telematics integrations
Navan costs between $0 and a custom quote with 2 plans: Navan Business at Free and Navan Enterprise at a custom price.
Here is a breakdown of the available plans and their core features for your team.
Navan Business
Price: Free Best For: Companies up to 300 employees Other Features: Global travel inventory, unlimited policy workflows, 24/7 support, Navan Rewards, 30+ HRIS integrations
- Global travel inventory and exclusive rates
- Unlimited policy and approval workflows
- Self-serve changes and 24/7 support
- Navan Rewards program
- Customizable reports
- Full suite of Navan Travel & Expense
- Unlimited travelers and expensing users
- Global program coverage
- Designated Account Executive
- Dedicated Customer Success Manager
Pricing Notes
- Coast's $4/user fee only applies to users with at least one transaction. Inactive users are free.
- Navan's free plan is a major differentiator for smaller companies under the 300-employee limit.
- Coast charges a 2.5% fee on all international transactions.
- Enterprise pricing for Navan is opaque; you must contact sales for a quote.
- Neither platform offers a free trial for their paid tiers.
Pricing Head-to-Head
User Reviews
We couldn't access detailed reviews from Capterra due to a security block. From Trustpilot, users praise Coast's easy setup and the real-time visibility it provides over fleet spending.
Many highlight the fuel rebates and the simplicity of having one card for all expenses. However, some note that customer support can be slow to resolve issues and that the $4 per user monthly fee adds up for larger teams.
Signing up was incredibly fast. The card gives me real-time notifications for every purchase, which is perfect for managing my crew's spending. The fuel rebates are a nice bonus that adds up.
Trustpilot reviews for Navan paint a mixed picture. 👍 Many users praise the platform's ease of use, highlighting how simple it is to book travel and manage expenses.
The responsive customer support is frequently noted as a major plus, helping resolve issues quickly. 👎 However, a recurring theme involves delays in expense reimbursements and occasional errors in processing payments.
Booking travel has never been easier. The platform is intuitive, and I love earning rewards for my business trips. It's a huge time-saver.
Our Verdict
Coast and Navan aren't direct competitors. They solve different problems for different teams. Coast's superpower is unified control over physical spending. It locks cards, uses GPS, and prevents fraud before it happens. This is pure gold for fleet managers. Navan's superpower is simplifying corporate travel. It handles bookings, policies, and reimbursements in one place. This is a lifesaver for frequent travelers and finance teams. The deciding factor is your pain point. If unauthorized fuel purchases keep you up at night, pick Coast. If reconciling travel receipts is your nightmare, pick Navan. For fleet-based businesses, Coast is the clear choice. For companies focused on managing employee travel, Navan is the better fit. They're both excellent at their jobs—just different jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for small teams: Coast or Navan?
Navan is better for small teams under 300 employees due to its free plan. Coast's $4/user fee applies to any size team.
Does Coast have travel booking like Navan?
No. Coast is solely for issuing and controlling payment cards. Navan handles the entire travel booking process.
Is Navan worth the extra cost over Coast?
For companies under 300 employees, Navan is free. For others, cost depends on your need. Travel management vs. fleet expense control.
Can I use Coast for non-fuel purchases?
Yes. You can use the Coast card anywhere Visa is accepted. You can set controls to restrict categories.
Does Navan integrate with accounting software?
The free plan has limited accounting links. The Enterprise plan offers the full expense suite, likely with more integrations.
Which has better fraud protection?
Coast offers superior fraud prevention with GPS-based card locks and a $25,000 guarantee. Navan's protection is policy-based.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.