Center
Center (Center ID Corp.) is a card-first corporate credit card and real-time expense management platform serving SMEs and mid-sized businesses, integrating card issuance with policy enforcement and automated reconciliation. Wholly-owned subsidiary of American Express since 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBellevue, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Center does
Center (legally Center ID Corp.) is a card-first corporate credit card and real-time expense management platform headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, serving small and medium-sized enterprises and, following its 2025 acquisition, mid-sized businesses through American Express. Its core technology combines corporate card issuance with real-time spend visibility, point-of-sale policy enforcement, automated expense categorization, and reconciliation. The CenterCard is issued by Comdata Inc. under a MasterCard license, with Dwolla providing ACH-based reimbursement infrastructure; the platform includes iOS and Android mobile applications, a web dashboard, and an API with SDK and sandbox for third-party integrations.
The company's revenue model is primarily interchange-based on card transactions, with its spend management software provided at no direct charge to customers (subject to 30-day advance notice if fees are introduced). Distribution combines product-led self-service onboarding via website and mobile app with enterprise field sales for SME and mid-sized business accounts. In March 2025, American Express announced the acquisition of Center for approximately $600 million (estimated $25M revenue run rate, ~24x multiple), with the deal closing in Q2 2025; all 160 employees joined Amex, and Center operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Center's technology now powers Amex's new spend management and corporate card platform for mid-sized businesses, including AI-powered features and a ChatGPT Business statement credit launching through 2026. The company maintains SOC 1/AICPA SOC compliance and has been recognized by G2 (Regional Leader, Regional Usability 2025) and Capterra (Best Value, Ease of Use 2025).
Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Center
- Legal name
- Center ID Corp.
- Website
- https://getcenter.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Center (Center ID Corp.) is a card-first corporate credit card and real-time expense management platform serving SMEs and mid-sized businesses, integrating card issuance with policy enforcement and automated reconciliation. Wholly-owned subsidiary of American Express since 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Corporate Spend Management
- NAICS
- Credit Card Issuing (522210), Travel Agencies (561510)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Cards & Spend Controls (FSAGAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate Cards & Expense Solutions (T&E, purchasing, fleet) (FSABAIAG), Cards & Issuing Management (Debit/Prepaid/Credit, Program Management) (FSAGAAAE), Travel Payments & Virtual Cards for Corporate Travel (THALAMAJ), Virtual / Digital-First Credit Cards (FSAKABAK)
Keywords
Where Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bellevue
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Corporate Card Interchange & Transaction Fees: Center earns interchange revenue on corporate card transactions processed through its platform. The Cardholder Agreement with Comdata references MasterCard interchange as a revenue component, and the company subsidizes free spend management services through card transaction economics.
- Spend Management Platform Services: The company currently provides CenterCard Spend Management Services at no direct charge ('We currently provide the CenterCard Spend Management Services at no charge'). Revenue is generated indirectly through card interchange and potential future service fees. Third-party services, integrations, and implementation services may carry separate fees.
- Platform Licensing to American Express: Following acquisition by American Express in 2025, Center's technology is integrated into Amex's new spend management and corporate card platform for mid-sized businesses, with Center operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Core Platform |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Center provides a card-first corporate spend management platform that pairs a Mastercard-branded corporate credit card (issued by Comdata) with real-time expense management software for small and medium-sized enterprises. The platform delivers real-time spending visibility, automated policy enforcement at the point of sale, expense reporting, receipt management, ACH-based reimbursement, and integration with accounting systems via web, mobile, and API channels. Following its 2025 acquisition by American Express, the technology also underpins Amex's new spend management platform for mid-sized businesses.
Product overview
Center provides a card-first spend management platform consisting of the CenterCard Corporate Credit Card (a Mastercard issued by Comdata), the CenterCard Spend Management Platform for expense visibility and policy enforcement, and companion mobile/web applications. The platform integrates travel and expense features for automated expense reporting, receipt management, and reimbursement workflows. Center also offers an API for third-party integrations. The technology was acquired by American Express in March 2025 and is being integrated into Amex's commercial product offerings for mid-sized businesses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CenterCard: CenterCard is the company's corporate credit card product, issued by Comdata, Inc. pursuant to a license from Mastercard Inc. It is a card-first spend management platform that connects credit card usage to company payment systems.
Products and services
- CenterCard Spend Management Platform An integrated corporate card and expense management platform for small and medium-sized enterprises that combines credit card services with spend visibility, policy enforcement, and automated expense reporting.
- CenterCard Corporate Credit Card A Mastercard-branded corporate credit card issued by Comdata Inc. that connects to the Center spend management system, allowing real-time spending visibility, policy controls, and automated expense tracking.
- CenterCard Mobile and Web Applications Mobile and web applications that provide cardholders and administrators access to view transactions, submit expenses, manage spending policies, lock cards, and access customer support.
- Travel and Expense Features Integrated travel and expense management capabilities that automate expense reporting, receipt tracking, and reimbursement workflows for corporate travelers.
- CenterCard Spend Management API APIs and SDKs enabling developers to build programs that integrate with Center's spend management services, allowing third-party software access to transaction data and expense management functionality.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% time savings for finance teams on expense-related tasks
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Center
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Comdata Inc.coreComdata Inc. is the issuing bank partner for CenterCard MasterCard Corporate Cards, providing the underlying card issuance infrastructure under a MasterCard license. Comdata acts as an agent or representative of Regions Bank, the Issuing Bank. Center operates as an integration partner providing account management services on top of Comdata's card infrastructure.
- MasterCard Inc.coreCenterCard corporate credit cards are issued under a MasterCard license, enabling Center to offer MasterCard-branded corporate cards through its spend management platform. The cards are powered by MasterCard's payment network.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ramp: Ramp is a closely comparable direct peer offering a corporate card paired with automated spend management, bill pay, and procurement software aimed at US SMBs and mid-market companies. It is the category leader by capital raised and competes head-to-head with Center on card-linked expense automation for the same SME finance buyer.
- Brex: Brex is a direct competitor combining corporate cards with spend management, bill pay, and travel booking, targeting startups through mid-market companies. Like Center, it pairs an issued card with software-driven policy controls, and competes in the same SME and mid-market segments.
- Airbase: Airbase is a direct competitor providing corporate cards, bill pay, and expense management aimed at mid-market companies. Its card-plus-software stack and policy enforcement at point of sale overlap closely with Center's value proposition.
- BILL (Divvy): BILL acquired Divvy, a direct competitor that offered corporate cards paired with spend management for SMBs and mid-market companies. The Divvy product competes with Center on card-linked expense automation and budget enforcement for the same finance team buyer.
Regional players
- Spendesk: Spendesk is a European-headquartered direct peer offering prepaid corporate cards with integrated spend management and expense automation for SMBs and mid-market companies. It is comparable in product architecture but competes primarily in EMEA rather than Center's US-only footprint.
- Pleo: Pleo is a European direct peer offering company cards with automated expense management for SMBs. It targets the same SME finance buyer with a card-first model, but operates primarily across Europe rather than competing directly in Center's US territory.
Broad incumbents
- SAP Concur: SAP Concur is the broad incumbent in corporate travel and expense management, offering an enterprise-grade T&E platform with global reach. It overlaps with Center's T&E capabilities and is the legacy vendor that Steve Singh (now on Center's board) co-founded, providing context for Center's competitive positioning.
- Emburse: Emburse is a broad incumbent offering expense, travel, and AP automation solutions spanning corporate cards, expense reporting, and invoice management. It targets mid-market and enterprise customers and competes with Center across multiple expense management workflows.
Others
- Stripe Issuing: Stripe Issuing is an adjacent enabling platform that lets businesses create and issue their own virtual and physical cards. It is comparable to Center as a card-issuance infrastructure layer, though Stripe Issuing does not bundle expense management software in the same integrated way Center does.
- Brex (Embedded / Marqeta Issuing): Marqeta is an enabling card-issuing platform that powers many modern fintech card programs. It is comparable to Center as a card infrastructure provider and a possible alternative stack to Center's Comdata/MasterCard arrangement for corporate card issuance.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Center social profiles
Digital presenceCenter compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Center
What does Center do?
Center provides a card-first corporate spend management platform that pairs a Mastercard-branded corporate credit card (issued by Comdata) with real-time expense management software for small and medium-sized enterprises. The platform delivers real-time spending visibility, automated policy enforcement at the point of sale, expense reporting, receipt management, ACH-based reimbursement, and integration with accounting systems via web, mobile, and API channels. Following its 2025 acquisition by American Express, the technology also underpins Amex's new spend management platform for mid-sized businesses.
Is Center a public or private company?
Center is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Center founded?
Center was founded in 2018. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Center based?
Center is headquartered in Bellevue, United States, in the North America region.
How does Center make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Corporate Card Interchange & Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are spend Management Platform Services and platform Licensing to American Express.
Who are Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ramp, Brex, Airbase and BILL (Divvy). Regional players are Spendesk and Pleo. Broad incumbents are SAP Concur and Emburse. Others are Stripe Issuing and Brex (Embedded / Marqeta Issuing).
Does Center have an API?
Yes. Center offers APIs and Software Development Kits (SDKs) for developers to build programs that enable software to access the CenterCard Spend Management Services. The API Terms of Use govern access to Application Program Interfaces, SDKs, application data, and other materials. Use of the Services via API requires a signed credit application and acceptance of the CenterCard Spend Management Services Terms and Conditions. There are currently no fees associated with the License; however, Center reserves the right to charge fees in the future upon sixty (60) days prior written notice. The API supports integrations for the Purpose of enabling third-party software programs to access spend management functionality. Developer documentation is at getcenter.com/legal.
What industry is Center in?
Center's product category is Corporate Spend Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGAJAF, Corporate Cards & Spend Controls, with a secondary code of FSABAIAG, Corporate Cards & Expense Solutions (T&E, purchasing, fleet). Its NAICS code is 522210 and its SIC code is 6159.