Melio
Bill pay and invoicing platform with a free tier for small businesses.
Overview
Melio sits between writing checks by hand and running a full AP automation platform like BILL or Tipalti, giving US solo bookkeepers and small firms a free entry point for vendor bill pay, invoicing, and AI bill capture without the overhead of an enterprise tool.
Most firms looking at Melio also look at BILL, since both run AP and AR, both work with QuickBooks and Xero, and both pay vendors by ACH, card, or check. The split comes down to client mix. BILL starts at $49 per user per month with no free tier and is built around mid-sized clients running Sage Intacct, NetSuite, or Microsoft Dynamics in addition to QuickBooks and Xero. Melio starts at zero, caps client integrations at QuickBooks and Xero only, and is built around the long tail of sole traders and micro-businesses paying a handful of bills a month.
If your client list runs heavy on freelancers, contractors, and one-person companies, Melio wins. The free Go tier covers one user and five ACH payments per month, which is genuinely free for clients just starting out. Core at $25 per month adds batch payments, approval workflows, W-9 collection, 1099 automation, and unlimited QuickBooks Online and Xero sync. Boost at $55 per month brings advanced approval rules, QuickBooks Desktop sync, and classes tracking. The Unlimited plan at $80 per month drops per-user fees entirely.
If your client list runs heavy on mid-market companies with PO matching, multi-entity accounting, or NetSuite, BILL wins on coverage even at a higher per-user cost.
A 30-day free trial covers all features. Cross-border vendor payments are available in USD and local currencies. The partner programme tiers from Bronze to Diamond based on client count, with 30 to 45 percent discounts on firm-billed plans, a free Boost plan for the firm's own use, Melio Academy access, free Earmark CPE credits, and co-marketing. Melio is available in the US.
Key facts
- Starting price
- Free
- Pricing model
- Flat
- Free trial
- Yes
- Free tier
- Yes
- Deployment
- Cloud, Mobile
- Geography
- US
- Founded
- 2018
- Support
- Phone, Email, Chat, Knowledge Base
- Languages
- English
- Works with
- Quickbooks, Xero
- Last verified
- 2026-05-01
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Solo bookkeepers and small firms whose clients are sole traders and micro-businesses.
- Clients on QuickBooks Online or Xero that need free or low-cost ACH bill pay rather than enterprise AP.
- Practices that want a free Boost plan for their own firm use as part of the partner programme.
Cons
- Non-US firms. Melio operates in the United States only.
- Mid-market clients on NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or other ERPs. Melio integrates only with QuickBooks and Xero.
- Teams that need approval workflows or batch payments on the free Go tier. Those start at the Core plan ($25).
Pricing
| Tier | Price | Billing | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | $0 | Per month | One user, 5 free ACH payments monthly, AI bill capture, international payments, 10 free QuickBooks and Xero syncs, free AR and invoicing with payment links. |
| Core | $25 | Per month ($20/month billed annually) | 20 free ACH payments monthly, batch payments, approval workflows, W-9 collection, 1099 automation, unlimited QuickBooks Online and Xero sync, branded invoicing. Additional users $10/month. |
| Boost | $55 | Per month ($44/month billed annually) | 50 free ACH payments monthly, advanced user roles, custom approval workflows, QuickBooks Desktop sync, premium phone support, classes and locations tracking. Additional users $10/month. |
| Unlimited | $80 | Per month ($64/month billed annually) | Unlimited users, unlimited free ACH payments, dedicated account manager, white-glove onboarding. |
| Platinum | Custom | Custom (invite-only for $300K+/month card volume) | Custom transaction rates, API access, enterprise integrations. |
Frequently asked questions
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User reviews
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Alternatives to Melio
Other AI tools in the AP, AR, and payments category.
Last verified 2026-05-01. Pricing and features come from vendor-published specs. See our methodology.