Accounts Payable Statistics
Last updated: June 2026 · 6 sourced statistics
Accounts payable is where invoice-processing economics are measured most rigorously. Ardent Partners has benchmarked AP performance for two decades, and the headline numbers barely need commentary: $12.88 to process an average invoice, 17.4-day cycle times, a quarter of invoices hitting exceptions — and a 79% cost advantage for teams that automate.
Key takeaways
- Average cost to process an invoice: $12.88; best-in-class teams pay 79% less (Ardent Partners, 2025).
- Average invoice cycle time is 17.4 days vs 3.1 days for best-in-class.
- 79% of organizations faced payments fraud attempts in 2024 — AP is the front line (AFP).
At a glance
Every figure on this page in one table, each linked to its named source. Scroll down for the full context behind each number.
| Figure | What it measures | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12.88 | The average cost of processing an invoice without best-in-class automation is $12.88 (Ardent Partners, 2025). | Ardent Partners, AP Metrics that Matter | 2025 |
| 3.1 days | Best-in-class AP organizations process invoices at 79% lower cost and in 3.1 days versus 17.4 days for everyone else (Ardent Partners). | Ardent Partners, State of ePayables | 2025 |
| ~25% | Roughly one in four invoices triggers an exception requiring manual rework (Ardent Partners benchmarking). | Ardent Partners | 2025 |
| ~33% | About a third of US/Canada B2B payments are still issued by paper check, keeping AP teams tied to the most fraud-exposed payment method (AFP). | AFP Electronic Payments Survey | 2022 |
| 79% | 79% of organizations experienced attempted or actual payments fraud in 2024, with business email compromise the top vector (AFP 2025 survey). | AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey | 2025 |
| Majority | The majority of invoices still arrive as emailed PDFs or paper requiring manual data capture — the single largest drag on AP productivity (Ardent Partners). | Ardent Partners, State of ePayables | 2025 |
The statistics
The average cost of processing an invoice without best-in-class automation is $12.88 (Ardent Partners, 2025).
Source:Ardent Partners, AP Metrics that Matter2025
Best-in-class AP organizations process invoices at 79% lower cost and in 3.1 days versus 17.4 days for everyone else (Ardent Partners).
Source:Ardent Partners, State of ePayables2025
Roughly one in four invoices triggers an exception requiring manual rework (Ardent Partners benchmarking).
Source:Ardent Partners2025
About a third of US/Canada B2B payments are still issued by paper check, keeping AP teams tied to the most fraud-exposed payment method (AFP).
Source:AFP Electronic Payments Survey2022
79% of organizations experienced attempted or actual payments fraud in 2024, with business email compromise the top vector (AFP 2025 survey).
Source:AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey2025
The majority of invoices still arrive as emailed PDFs or paper requiring manual data capture — the single largest drag on AP productivity (Ardent Partners).
Source:Ardent Partners, State of ePayables2025
When these numbers don't apply
Aggregate statistics hide a lot. Read these caveats before quoting a figure as if it describes your specific situation.
- Cost and cycle-time figures are cross-industry averages — your mix of PO vs non-PO invoices shifts them substantially.
- The ~33% B2B check share comes from AFP's treasury survey, skewed to larger organizations.
- 'Best-in-class' is the top quartile in Ardent's sample, not a universally achievable target for every team.
How we compiled this data
Compiled June 2026 from Ardent Partners' annual AP benchmarking research and AFP's payments surveys. Cost and cycle-time figures are cross-industry averages; well-run small teams can beat them, high-complexity enterprises may exceed them.
We hand-collected each figure from its original publisher rather than recycling secondary round-ups, cross-checked the headline numbers against the source documents in June 2026, and link every statistic to the report it came from so you can verify it yourself. Where a publisher issues annual updates, we cite the report edition and flag the year inline.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to process an invoice in AP?
$12.88 on average; roughly $2–3 for best-in-class automated operations (Ardent Partners, 2025). Exception invoices cost a multiple of clean ones.
What's a normal AP cycle time?
17.4 days from invoice receipt to payment-ready on average — but 3.1 days for top performers. Long cycles forfeit early-payment discounts and strain supplier relationships.
What's the biggest AP risk?
Payments fraud — 79% of organizations saw attempts in 2024 (AFP), led by business email compromise targeting vendor bank-detail changes.
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