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Your collections process probably looks like this: automated emails go out, customers reply with questions or disputes, and suddenly you're back to manual work because the software can't handle anything beyond scheduled reminders. That's where hybrid AR solutions come in, combining AI automation with actual AR specialists who manage replies, upload invoices to portals, and chase down payments through multiple channels. The catch is that not all hybrid solutions are actually hybrid. We've compared the options to show you which ones provide real human oversight and which ones just give you better software to manage yourself.
TLDR:
- Hybrid AR solutions pair AI automation with human specialists to handle collections nuance
- Invoice Butler manages the entire process including portal uploads and multi-channel outreach
- Most alternatives provide software tools but require you to manage replies and edge cases
- Human oversight matters for disputed invoices and relationship-sensitive situations
- Invoice Butler acts as your outsourced AR team at a fraction of hiring costs
What Are Hybrid AR Solutions with AI and Human Expertise?
Hybrid AR solutions combine AI automation with human AR specialists to handle the full collections process. Think of it this way: the AI takes care of repetitive tasks like sending payment reminders, tracking invoice status, and routing communications, while real people step in for the judgment calls that software can't handle.
This matters because B2B collections is not about blasting reminder emails. You're dealing with customer relationships, disputed invoices, complex payment portals, and situations where a wrong move could cost you a client. Pure automation might send a generic reminder at the right time, but it can't read between the lines when a customer replies with "we need to discuss this invoice" or decide whether to escalate to a CFO.
On the flip side, purely manual collections means your team spends hours on tasks a computer could handle in seconds. Hybrid AR solutions split the difference: AI handles the volume and consistency, while human expertise handles the nuance and exceptions. The result is faster payments without burning bridges or burning out your finance team.
Human-in-the-loop collections work because they adapt to what each situation needs. An automated system might follow up on an overdue invoice every week like clockwork, but a hybrid solution knows when to pause (customer just replied saying payment is in process), when to escalate (invoice is 90 days past due with no response), and how to navigate tricky situations (client disputes a line item). That context-aware decision-making is what separates these solutions from basic automation tools.
How We Ranked Hybrid AR Solutions
We evaluated each solution based on five criteria, all drawn from publicly available information like company websites, product documentation, and user reviews.
First, we looked at human oversight: does the service include actual AR specialists who review cases, or is it purely software that your team has to manage? Second, we assessed collections coverage: can it handle multiple channels (email, phone, portal submissions), or is it limited to automated emails? Third, integration capabilities: how easily does it connect to your accounting system, and does it work with the tools you already use?
Fourth, we evaluated how well each solution handles complex B2B scenarios like disputed invoices, multi-contact accounts, and customer-specific payment processes. Finally, we considered the balance between automation and personalization: does it give you hands-off collections that actually work, or do you still need to micromanage the system?
These criteria matter because your needs will vary. If you want collections completely off your plate, you need a solution with strong human expertise and broad coverage. If you prefer to control the process yourself with AI assistance, a more configurable tool might fit better.
Best Overall Hybrid AR Solution: Invoice Butler
Invoice Butler delivers AR collections as a managed service, combining AI automation with dedicated AR specialists who take over your entire collections process instead of just adding another tool to your stack. The team chases payments, manages portals, and handles all the messy back-and-forth so finance teams can stay focused on strategy and growth.
What they offer
- AI-driven, brand-safe follow-ups that personalize messaging while preserving your company’s tone and relationships.
- Complete supplier portal management, including logging in to platforms like Coupa, Ariba, and Tipalti to upload invoices and track approvals.
- Multichannel outreach across email, phone, SMS, Slack, and LinkedIn to reach the right stakeholders and keep payments moving.
- Smart escalation and contact discovery using your CRM data (like Salesforce or HubSpot) when initial points of contact go dark.
Good for: Best suited for B2B teams that want to get rid of AR busywork entirely, especially startups and mid-market companies that juggle supplier portals, complex approval chains, and multi-channel outreach just to get paid.
Limitation: Optimized for B2B AR and works best for teams with enough invoice volume and existing systems (like QuickBooks or NetSuite) to benefit from a fully managed, integrated workflow.
Bottom line: They don’t just make AR collections easier to manage they take it off your plate entirely, combining AI and human specialists to run end-to-end collections at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house AR staff.
Levers
What they offer
Levers provides a fully AI-driven AR automation tool that requires customers to train and manage the AI agent directly. The solution automates invoicing and includes an AI reply agent designed to handle customer responses without human oversight.
- Automated invoice follow-ups via email
- AI agent that responds to customer inquiries
- Integration with major accounting systems
- Workflow automation for AR processes
Good for: Companies with clean customer data and internal resources to train and supervise AI agents, particularly those comfortable with fully autonomous AI handling customer communications.
Limitations: Levers requires ongoing effort from your team to train and monitor the AI agent, does not support supplier portal uploads or multi-channel escalation via phone or SMS, and lacks integrations with sales tools like Salesforce or HubSpot for automatic contact discovery when emails bounce.
Bottom line: Levers offers a fully autonomous AI approach to AR collections, but you stay responsible for training the agent, handling edge cases, and managing gaps in channel coverage and contact data.
Versapay
Versapay positions itself as an AR automation and payments tool for larger organizations that want to centralize collections, customer collaboration, and payment processing in a single system. It’s designed to sit on top of enterprise ERPs and route both communication and cash through Versapay’s own portal.
What they offer
- Automated dunning and reminder workflows
- Customer collaboration portal for dispute resolution
- Integrated payment processing with multiple payment methods
- AI-powered cash application for payment reconciliation
- Integration with NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and other enterprise ERPs
Good for: Mid-sized to large enterprises (typically $100M+ revenue) that want to implement a new payment portal and processor as part of their AR automation, and have the internal resources to manage collections operations.
Limitations: Requires customers to move onto Versapay’s own payment portal and processing stack, with limited support for tools popular with smaller companies like QuickBooks Online or Stripe, and no human AR specialists to manage replies or supplier portal uploads.
Bottom line: Versapay delivers automation for enterprises willing to standardize on its portal and payments infrastructure, while service-based options like Invoice Butler keep your existing billing stack and add human specialists to handle the actual collections work for you.
Tabs
Tabs is designed as a billing and revenue tool that turns complex contracts into accurate invoices and compliant revenue schedules. It sits upstream of collections, focusing on making sure the right amounts go out at the right time for modern B2B SaaS pricing models.
What they offer
- AI-powered contract ingestion and billing automation
- Automated invoice generation from Salesforce or HubSpot deals
- Basic dunning and payment reminder emails
- Revenue recognition automation for ASC 606 compliance
Good for: B2B SaaS companies that need to automate complex billing schedules and revenue recognition, particularly those with usage-based or hybrid pricing models that require contract-based invoicing.
Limitations: Tabs focuses on getting invoices and revenue schedules right, not on executing deep collections workflows, and its follow-up tools are limited to simple automated emails without human follow-up or portal management.
Bottom line: Tabs excels at generating accurate, compliant invoices from complex contracts, while a service like Invoice Butler is better when your core challenge is actually getting those invoices paid, including portal submissions and multi-channel follow-up beyond email.
Fazeshift
Fazeshift is an early-stage AI agent for AR automation that uses workflows and state-based escalations. Founded in 2023, the company provides end-to-end AR process automation using AI to handle invoicing, cash application, and collections.
What they offer
- AI-powered workflow automation for AR processes
- Automated invoice creation and delivery via email
- Payment matching and reconciliation
- Integration with QuickBooks, NetSuite, Stripe, and major CRMs
Good for: Companies seeking to build and customize AR workflows with AI-driven automation, particularly those with technical teams comfortable configuring state-based systems and managing exceptions internally.
Limitations: Fazeshift does not include human AR specialists to handle situations or customer replies, offers email-only communication without phone or SMS follow-up, and does not support supplier portal uploads for platforms like Coupa, Ariba, or Tipalti.
Bottom line: Fazeshift streamlines AR workflows for teams that prefer to run collections in-house, while we handle the full last-mile execution from portal submissions to reply management and multi-channel outreach so your team doesn’t have to.
LedgerUp
LedgerUp uses an AI assistant called Ari to automate contract-to-cash workflows for B2B SaaS companies. The service focuses on translating complex contract terms into accurate invoices.
What they offer
- AI-powered contract ingestion from DocuSign and CRM systems
- Automated invoice generation for usage-based and subscription billing
- Real-time revenue dashboards and forecasting
- Integration with Salesforce, HubSpot, Stripe, QuickBooks, and NetSuite
Good for: B2B SaaS companies with complex usage-based billing models that need to automate the translation of contract terms into accurate invoices, particularly those using milestone payments or hybrid pricing.
Limitations: LedgerUp focuses on billing accuracy and does not include human AR specialists for replies or disputed invoices, and only supports basic email reminders without multi-channel follow-up.
Bottom line: LedgerUp makes sure invoices are generated correctly from complex contracts, while we focus on getting those invoices paid through human-led collections and hands-on portal management.
Feature Comparison Table of Hybrid AR Solutions
The differences come down to execution. Most solutions handle the software side of AR automation, sending emails and syncing with your accounting system. We're the only one that adds human specialists to manage replies, upload invoices to portals, and chase payments through multiple channels when email doesn't work.
If you need collections truly off your plate, that human layer makes all the difference. If you prefer managing the process yourself with software support, the other options give you that control.
Why Invoice Butler Is the Best Hybrid AR Solution
The other solutions on this list give you better software. We give you better results.
When you implement Invoice Butler, your AR work doesn't become easier to manage it disappears. No training your team on new tools, no supervising AI agents, no logging into portals yourself when the automation hits a wall. We handle the entire collections workflow while you focus on running your business.
Our hybrid approach delivers measurable cash flow improvements, with clients typically reducing Days Sales Outstanding by up to 25%. That happens because we combine speed (AI follows up consistently without forgetting) with judgment (humans know when to escalate, when to pause, and how to navigate complex situations).
The math is simple: hiring an AR specialist costs $50,000-$70,000 annually plus benefits, training, and management overhead. We deliver the same work at a fraction of that cost, often paying for ourselves within the first billing cycle through recovered receivables.
If your goal is to implement better AR software, the other options work. If your goal is to stop thinking about collections entirely while getting paid faster, that's what we're here for.
Final Thoughts on Selecting Your Hybrid AR Solution
Most AR specialists cost $50,000+ annually, while most software still leaves the hard work to you. We split the difference by combining AI automation with human expertise that handles everything from supplier portals to customer disputes. Your collections can run on autopilot with real people managing the edge cases that matter. If you want AR off your plate entirely, we can make that happen.
FAQs
How do I choose between a hybrid AR solution and pure automation software?
If you want collections completely off your plate, choose a hybrid solution with human specialists who handle replies, portal uploads, and complex situations. Pure automation works when you have internal resources to manage the AI and handle exceptions yourself.
Which type of AR solution works best for companies with supplier portal requirements?
You need a service that actually logs into portals like Coupa, Ariba, or Tipalti to upload invoices and track approvals most automation tools stop at sending emails. Look for solutions that explicitly mention portal management as part of their service.
What's the difference between AR automation that includes human oversight versus AI-only tools?
Human oversight means real AR specialists review edge cases, handle disputed invoices, and make judgment calls about when to escalate or pause follow-ups. AI-only tools require your team to step in when the automation encounters situations it can't handle, which defeats the purpose of automation.
When should I consider a hybrid AR solution instead of hiring an in-house collections person?
If you're spending more than 10 hours per week chasing payments or considering hiring an AR clerk (which costs $50,000-$70,000 annually), a hybrid solution delivers the same work at a fraction of the cost and starts producing results within days instead of months.
Can hybrid AR solutions handle multi-channel follow-up beyond email?
Some can, some can't check whether the service includes phone calls, SMS, LinkedIn outreach, or Slack messages when email doesn't work. Most automation tools are email-only, which limits your ability to reach unresponsive contacts through alternative channels.
