Melio

Melio is a bill-pay, invoicing, and payment platform built for US businesses. It suits small and midsize companies replacing paper or spreadsheet-based payables, as well as larger teams that need multi-entity support. Its appeal is the connected workflow; the main caveat is that meaningful usage limits and premium access depend on the plan.

Overview

Melio brings accounts payable, accounts receivable, invoicing, and payment processing into one service. It can capture bills, route them for approval, pay vendors, and synchronize payment records with accounting software. Vendors can be paid without creating Melio accounts, a practical advantage when suppliers are not already part of the platform.

Payment options include ACH, cards, instant transfers, and paper checks. Melio also supports international vendor payments in US dollars or local currencies, which can arrive the same day. The company says businesses save over 15 hours of manual work a month on average; that claim is not a promise of the same result for every operation.

Key features

Bill intake, approvals, and accounting

Bills can enter through OCR scanning or a dedicated email address, reducing manual entry at the start of the payable process. Teams can assign viewer, approver, and admin roles, then use approval workflows before payment. One-time, recurring, and batch payments cover both routine bills and grouped payment runs. Multi-entity support is useful for businesses managing more than one entity.

Accounting sync is plan-dependent: Core connects to QuickBooks Online and Xero, Boost adds QuickBooks Desktop, and Unlimited includes NetSuite sync. The Go plan includes AI bill capture but not the paid plans’ listed accounting sync and workflow capabilities. Businesses that need a particular accounting connection should choose a plan with that integration rather than assume every tier includes it.

Receivables, tax documents, and mobile use

Melio also handles receivables and invoicing, including free AR and invoicing on Go. Contractor and vendor W-9s can be requested, collected, reviewed, and edited; 1099 automation and Tax1099 e-filing sync are included in Core. The mobile app supports reviewing, approving, paying, and managing payables and receivables. Agent Mel answers questions about bills, vendors, and payments.

Security

Melio says it undergoes an annual SOC 2 Type II audit and lists ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27017:2015, and ISO/IEC 27018:2019. Its stated controls include TLS 1.2 or higher in transit, multifactor authentication, continuous security monitoring, DDoS protection, and a private bug-bounty program. It says sensitive card data is handled by a third-party PCI Level 1-certified processor rather than stored, processed, or transferred by Melio.

Pricing

Melio uses a freemium model. Go is free, but its one-user limit and five free ACH payments per month make it a constrained starting point for a team. Each additional ACH payment costs $0.50. It supports ACH, wire, check, or card payments, AI bill capture, international payments, and free AR and invoicing.

Core costs $25/mo after the first 90 days; annual billing is $20/mo. Additional users cost $10/mo each, or $8/mo each with annual billing. It includes 20 free ACH payments monthly, QuickBooks Online and Xero sync, batch payments, custom approval workflows, W-9 collection, 1099 automation, and priority chat support. Core fits a small team that needs accounting sync and structured approvals, though its extra-seat charges can add up.

Boost costs $55/mo after the first 90 days, or $44/mo with annual billing. Additional users are $10/mo each, or $8/mo each annually. Its 50 free ACH payments, advanced roles and approvals, QuickBooks Desktop sync, vendor credits, and premium phone support suit teams with heavier payment volume or more complex controls.

Unlimited costs $80/mo after the first 90 days, or $64/mo billed annually. It includes unlimited users and free ACH payments, NetSuite sync, advanced user roles, vendor credits, and premium phone support. This is the clearest fit for organizations whose seat count or ACH volume would make lower tiers restrictive. Platinum has custom pricing, custom transaction fees, priority payment processing, white-glove account management, and custom integrations and API access; it is aimed at businesses needing tailored service rather than a published standard tier.

The all-features offer is free for the first 90 days. After the trial, an account without a paid subscription automatically moves to Go and loses premium-feature access. Businesses relying on integrations, approvals, or other paid capabilities should account for that conversion rather than treating the offer as an ongoing free plan.

Platforms

Melio runs on the web and has Android and iOS apps. Mobile support for reviewing, approving, paying, and managing payables and receivables makes it possible to handle those tasks away from a desktop.

Who it's for

Melio is strongest for US small and midsize businesses moving beyond manual bill payment, especially those that want bill capture, approvals, vendor payments, and accounting sync in one workflow. Multi-entity support and higher-volume tiers extend its fit to larger operations. It is less compelling for a solo user with only occasional ACH payments if the Go plan’s five-payment allowance is insufficient or premium features are essential.

Pros and cons

Pros: Bill capture, approvals, payment execution, and accounting sync connect the main payable steps in one service.

Pros: Vendors can be paid without accounts, and international payments can use US dollars or local currencies.

Pros: Go includes bill capture, international payments, and AR and invoicing at no cost, giving a small operation a way to start without a subscription.

Cons: Go is limited to one user and five free ACH payments monthly, with a $0.50 charge for each additional ACH payment.

Cons: Core and Boost charge extra for additional users, so teams can outgrow the headline monthly price.

Cons: The 90-day all-features offer converts to limited Go without a paid subscription, removing premium access.

Alternatives

Accounts Payable Software is the broader category for comparing payable tools. Consider Ramp AP instead if you want a free plan described as suited to smaller teams simplifying finances. BILL Accounts Payable is a paid option with a free trial and a $49 a month Essentials plan covering both payables and receivables.

Nanonets Accounts Payable Automation is another freemium alternative with a free trial; its Starter plan allows up to three users. Ottimate offers complimentary ACH payment issuance with transaction limits and processing-time terms that may suit buyers focused on ACH costs. OpenEnvoy has a free 800-token tier and a small-team Essentials option with no annual minimum.

Flowie may suit a buyer seeking a free tier capped at 24 documents per month and one entity, though that tier has no workflows. Hyland AP Automation is an enterprise alternative with pricing not stated. Relay Bill Pay offers a free Starter plan with 20 checking accounts and a $30/month Grow plan that adds batched vendor payments.

Verdict

Choose Melio if you are a US business that wants to bring bill capture, approvals, vendor payment, and accounting synchronization together, with a free tier for modest ACH needs and clear upgrade paths for larger teams. Look elsewhere if the one-user, five-payment Go allowance is too tight and the paid plans’ recurring costs or extra-seat fees do not suit your operation.