Top 20 Accounts Payable (AP) Trends and Statistics in 2026

If you’re curious about the state of accounts payable in 2026 with all the emerging technologies, we’re here to help.

With growing pressure to optimize cash flow, improve supplier relationships, and adapt to digital transformation, AP teams are adopting new technologies and evolving fast.

We’ve gathered the top 20 trends and statistics shaping the future of AP in 2026 for you to check out!

Top 20 Accounts Payable (AP) Trends and Statistics in 2026

1. The global AP automation software market is expected to grow strongly. For instance, one estimate puts the market at approximately USD 6.98 billion in 2025 and USD 7.95 billion in 2026, reflecting a 13.9% CAGR increase.

2. Research shows that only 7 % of AP processes currently use AI, but 40 % of businesses plan to adopt AI‑driven AP in 2026.

3. A study highlighted that 75 % of suppliers prefer electronic invoicing over paper.

4. Many believe that automation in accounts payable is able to reduce processing costs by up to 80%.

5. Research highlights the importance of AP integration with ERP, procurement, and treasury systems, saying that it is increasing in 2026.

6. There is an increasing adoption of supplier portals in 2026: self‑service for invoice submission, payment tracking, dispute resolution, according to research.

7. A study shows that in 2026, cloud‑based solutions are expected to be responsible for around 60% of the market share in AP automation; cloud is the fastest‑growing deployment model.

8. Research has shown that businesses that automate AP reduce invoice processing time by 50%.

9. An eco‑friendly initiative is being prioritized in 2026, including digital invoices, less paper usage, and reducing carbon footprint in AP.

10. A study conducted showed that 60% of CFOs report that automating AP improves cash‑flow management.

11. Research shows that more than 80% of countries are implementing or planning structured e‑invoicing mandates, especially in Europe and Asia‑Pacific.

12. A study shows that mobile payments and multi‑option vendor payment flows are becoming trendy in 2026.

13. Several articles are saying that AP isn’t just invoice‐to‐pay anymore; it’s part of a larger “procure‑to‑pay” ecosystem. As one article points out, the next frontier is linking AP with procurement analytics.

14. Despite the rapid shift towards automation, reports show that 45% of finance professionals are still unsure about how to incorporate AI into their processes.

15. In 2026, research expects that instead of issuing an invoice after a service or shipment, the supplier is paid based on established agreement and acknowledgement of delivery, the invoice step is removed or simplified.

16. As companies become more global (or source globally), AP is expected to handle payments in multiple currencies in 2026.

17. A study predicts that in 2026, AP teams will increasingly analyze vendor/invoice data to identify under-utilized discounts, renegotiation opportunities, duplicate invoices, vendor performance issues, and spend leakage.

18. Research shows that the average cost of processing an invoice manually is $15.

19. About 39% of invoices contain errors. In 2026, the goal is to avoid and decrease these errors.

20. 60% of respondents process more than 1,000 invoices per month, and around 23% process over 10,000 invoices monthly.

These trends and statistics show that the landscape is moving quickly and efficiently. The future of AP is digital, strategic, and deeply integrated into the broader financial ecosystem, and the time to act is now.