Lightyear vs Melio

Lightyear is an accounts payable, purchase order and expense management platform for automating finance administration. It extracts invoice data, supports approval workflows and statement reconciliation, and keeps searchable documents for archiving and reporting. Teams can create and approve purchase orders, record goods received and match orders and receipt notes against supplier bills. Its iOS and Android apps support document capture, approvals and collaboration; mobile approvals require Double Approval or higher in company settings. Lightyear offers API and integration options for accounting software, ERPs and other finance systems, with an additional monthly fee possible depending on requirements. Essentials costs $199 a month for 125 credits, while Standard costs $319 a month for 250 credits. Exported invoices, supplier statements and purchase orders use one credit each; an employee expense report uses three. Browser uploads are limited to 10 MB and supported image and document formats. There is no free plan, but a 30-day trial is listed. The maker is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Melio is a bill pay and invoicing platform for businesses, covering accounts payable, receivable, and payment processing. It captures bills through OCR or email, supports approval workflows, and syncs payments with QuickBooks, Xero, or NetSuite. Businesses can pay by card, ACH, instant transfer, paper check, and other methods, including one-time, recurring, or batch payments. International vendor payments can be made in USD or local currencies, and vendors do not need an account to receive payment. Teams can assign roles such as viewers, approvers, and admins. The mobile app supports reviewing, approving, paying, and managing payables and receivables; web, Android, and iOS platforms are listed. Go is free for one user and includes five ACH payments each month, then $0.50 per ACH payment. The 90-day offer provides access to all features at no cost; afterward, accounts without a paid subscription convert to limited Go. Paid plans start at $25/mo after the trial. Melio says it is built for US businesses.