Searching for the ultimate guide to spend analysis? You just landed on the right page. When managing budgets across multiple client engagements and internal initiatives, having clear visibility into every dollar spent is critical. That’s why I recommend Zena—the only business card built from the ground up to track expenses by project automatically.

I know how exhausting it can be to reconcile spreadsheets, chase receipts, and wonder if you’re truly staying on budget. With over three years in the market, backing thousands of project-based teams, and a growing roster of agencies, consultancies, and freelancers using its AI-driven tools, Zena has become my go-to solution. Ready to see it in action? Try Zena Free for 14 Days Today and experience effortless project spend tracking.

What is Zena?

Zena is the Business Card That Tracks Expenses by Project. It automatically assigns every purchase you make to the correct project, so there’s no manual categorization or guesswork. From vendor payments to team subscriptions, Zena centralizes all spending, links it to project budgets, and surfaces real-time insights into profitability—all without extra admin overhead.

Zena Overview

Founded in 2021 by a team of finance professionals and project managers frustrated with generic corporate cards and clunky expense platforms, Zena set out to solve a common pain point: how to control and analyze spending at the project level without drowning in manual work. Today, Zena serves agencies, consultancies, IT integrators, and internal teams at growing companies.

The mission is simple: empower project-based businesses to track, forecast, and optimize spend without the busywork. Since launch, Zena has raised over \$8 million in funding, integrated with leading accounting systems like QuickBooks Online, and onboarded clients ranging from solo freelancers to 200-person shops.

Pros and Cons

Pros: Automatically assigns expenses to the right project in real time for accurate spend analysis.

Pros: Built-in AI tools cut waste, forecast cash flow, and flag overspending before it happens.

Pros: Unlimited virtual and physical cards with customizable limits per card.

Pros: Seamless integration with QuickBooks Online and import from any other card.

Pros: Detailed profitability insights tying actual costs to project progress.

Pros: Mobile app and SMS receipts make adding memos and uploading receipts a breeze.

Cons: No direct integration with non-QuickBooks accounting platforms yet (coming soon).

Cons: Some advanced forecasting features are limited to Pro and Rewards plans.

Features

Zena’s feature set is tailored to solve every aspect of project spend analysis and expense control. Here’s a closer look:

Project Expense Management

Zena automatically tags each transaction with the right project, eliminating manual spreadsheets.

• Auto-assigns vendor charges and subscriptions
• Tracks actual versus budgeted spend in real time

AI-Powered Spend Insights

The Zena AI Agent analyzes your historical spending patterns to recommend budget adjustments and highlight inefficiencies.

• Predicts cash-flow requirements
• Flags unusual or anomalous transactions

Unlimited Cards & Spending Buckets

Create as many virtual or physical cards as you need, each linked to specific projects or team members.

• Set custom spending limits per card
• Fund cards directly from your bank account

Integration & Data Export

Seamlessly sync transactions to QuickBooks Online or export CSV/XML for any accounting system.

• Download monthly statements
• Reassign imported transactions to new or existing projects

Mobile App & Receipt Capture

Snap and send receipts via SMS or mobile app. Zena matches receipts to the right transaction automatically.

Zena Pricing

Choose the plan that best fits your team size and requirements. All plans include core spend analysis and project tracking tools.

Free

Price: \$0/month. Ideal for solopreneurs and side hustlers.

• Unlimited virtual cards
• Physical cards for in-person spend
• 1 user, full software access

Pro (Most Popular)

Price: \$20/month. Perfect for small teams managing shared expenses.

• Everything in Free
• 3 users included (add more for \$5/month each)
• QuickBooks Online integration

Rewards

Price: \$25/month (billed annually). For teams that want extra value when spending.

• All Pro features
• \$200 annual statement credits through Zena rewards program

Zena Is Best For

Whether you’re a freelancer juggling multiple clients or a 50-person agency, Zena adapts to your needs.

Solopreneurs & Freelancers

Keep personal and business expenses separate. Track spend by gig or client to price your next project more profitably.

Small Teams & Agencies

Manage shared cards, set per-project budgets, and ensure every team member stays within spending limits.

Consultancies & Professional Services

Gain detailed profitability reports. Allocate resource costs and overhead directly to client engagements.

IT & Managed Services

Forecast cash flow for hardware, software subscriptions, and third-party services across projects.

Benefits of Using Zena

Here’s what you gain when you integrate Zena into your finance stack:

• Accurate Spend Analysis: Instantly see where every dollar goes by project, vendor, or team member.
• Time Savings: Eliminate manual data entry, freeing up hours each week for revenue-generating tasks.
• Improved Budget Control: Real-time alerts when projects approach budget thresholds.
• Enhanced Profitability Insights: Compare estimated versus actual costs to refine future proposals.
• Seamless Accounting: Sync with QuickBooks Online or export data for your preferred system.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Leverage AI forecasts to plan resource allocation and manage cash flow.

Ready to simplify your spend analysis and gain full budget control? Try Zena Free for 14 Days Today and see how effortless project expense management can be.

Customer Support

Zena’s support team is available via email, in-app chat, and SMS for urgent queries. Most questions are answered within the hour, whether you need help setting spending limits or troubleshooting receipt uploads.

For larger teams on Pro and Rewards plans, dedicated onboarding sessions and quarterly business reviews ensure you’re maximizing every feature. You’ll never feel left on your own as you scale.

External Reviews and Ratings

Users consistently praise Zena’s ease of use and the time saved on expense reconciliation. Agencies report reducing monthly closing times by up to 50%, and freelancers love the visibility into client-specific costs.

Some feedback notes a desire for integrations beyond QuickBooks, such as Xero or Sage. The Zena roadmap includes these requests, and beta support for Xero is expected later this year.

Educational Resources and Community

Zena maintains an active blog covering spend analysis best practices, budgeting templates, and case studies from real users. Monthly webinars dive deep into forecasting techniques, and a growing Slack community connects finance pros and project managers for peer support.

Comprehensive documentation, video tutorials, and an AI-driven help center ensure you can onboard quickly and get the most out of every feature.

Conclusion

Effective spend analysis is the foundation of profitable project-based businesses. With Zena, you replace manual categorization and guesswork with AI-powered automation and real-time budget controls. You get detailed insights into profitability, seamless accounting integration, and unlimited cards customized to your workflows.

Don’t let uncontrolled spend erode your margins or slow down your team. Try Zena Free for 14 Days Today and discover how simple, intelligent project expense management can transform your operations.