Finance & Accounting · Review · Updated 17 October 2026
Melio reviewPay business bills by bank transfer or card, even when vendors only take checks
Excellent
Brent score, out of 5
Melio is one of the easiest ways for a US small business to pay bills online: vendors do not need an account, you can pay by card when the vendor only accepts checks, and payments sync to QuickBooks or Xero. The free plan works for light use, and paid plans are reasonably priced. Fees on card, fast and international payments add up, and it is built for US businesses.
Price
Free plan; paid from $20/month (USD, billed annually)
Free option
Free plan
Best for
US small businesses paying vendors by ACH or check today
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Best for
- US small businesses paying vendors by ACH or check today
- Owners who want to pay by card for float or rewards when vendors do not accept cards
- QuickBooks Online and Xero users who want bill payments to sync automatically
- Bookkeepers and accountants managing payables for clients
Skip it if
- Businesses based outside the US
- Companies with complex multi-entity AP that need a full ERP-grade system
- Teams that pay mostly by card or fast transfer and want to avoid percentage fees
Every month the bills pile up: suppliers who want a check, contractors who want a bank transfer, a landlord who will not take a card. Writing checks and keying payments into the bank site takes hours, and then someone has to record it all in QuickBooks.
Melio turns that into one inbox for bills. Upload or email the bill, choose how you pay and when, and Melio delivers it the way the vendor prefers, then syncs it to your books.
This review explains what Melio costs, the fees that matter, and where it beats or loses to Bill and your bank's own bill pay.
What is Melio?
Melio is an accounts payable and B2B payments platform built for US small and mid-sized businesses. You capture bills by scanning or forwarding them by email, set approvals, and pay by bank transfer, debit or credit card. Vendors can receive ACH, a paper check or other options without creating an account. Payments sync with QuickBooks, Xero and NetSuite. Melio also offers invoicing and payment links for receivables, and international payments to 80+ countries.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Free Go plan with 5 free ACH payments a month
- Vendors get paid without signing up for Melio
- Pay by card where cards are not accepted; Melio sends ACH or a check to the vendor
- Two-way sync with QuickBooks Online, Xero, QuickBooks Desktop and NetSuite on higher plans
- Approval workflows, batch payments, W-9 collection and 1099 automation from Core
- 90-day free trial of paid plans
What could be better
- Card payments cost 2.9%, and fast or instant options cost 1% (up to $75)
- ACH beyond the free allowance is $0.50 each; checks are $1.50
- International payments cost $20 or more per transfer
- Extra users cost $8 to $10 a month on Core and Boost
Overall
Excellent
- Features4.4
- Ease of use4.7
- Value4.5
- Support4.1
Key features of Melio
Bill capture and scheduling
Scan bills with OCR or email them to a dedicated address. Pay now or schedule one-time or recurring payments, and pay several bills at once with batch payments on paid plans.
Pay by card, vendor gets ACH or check
You can pay with a card even when the vendor does not accept cards; Melio delivers the funds by their preferred method. The card fee is 2.9%, and it can help with cash flow or card rewards.
Vendors do not need an account
Payees receive money without signing up, which removes the usual adoption problem with payment platforms.
Approvals and roles
Set multi-level approval flows by team member, role, amount or vendor, with viewer, approver and admin roles. Approval workflows start on the Core plan.
Accounting sync
Payments sync two-way with QuickBooks Online and Xero, with QuickBooks Desktop on Boost and NetSuite on Unlimited. The free plan allows up to 10 syncs.
International payments
Pay vendors in USD or local currency in 80+ countries. International ACH is $20 flat, with faster options at higher fees.
Melio pricing
Checked 2026-10. Prices can change; confirm on Melio’s site.
Go
$0/month
free forever
- 5 free ACH payments/month
- 1 user
- Pay by card
- Invoicing and payment links
Core
$20/month
billed annually ($25 monthly)
- 20 free ACH/month
- Unlimited QuickBooks Online and Xero sync
- Approvals and batch payments
- W-9 and 1099 automation
Boost
$44/month
billed annually ($55 monthly)
- 50 free ACH/month
- QuickBooks Desktop sync
- Advanced user roles
- Premium phone support
Unlimited
$64/month
billed annually ($80 monthly)
- Unlimited free ACH
- Unlimited users
- NetSuite sync
Platinum
Custom
invite-only
- Custom transaction fees
- API access
- Preferred card fees
Watch out: Prices are in US dollars; transaction fees apply on top of the plan (ACH $0.50 beyond the free allowance, checks $1.50, cards 2.9%, instant or same-day 1% up to $75, wires $10), and after the 90-day trial the account drops to Go unless you choose a plan.
See current Melio pricing →What people use Melio for
Replacing paper checks
A construction subcontractor pays 15 suppliers a month. Instead of writing checks, the owner schedules payments in Melio, which mails checks or sends ACH, and everything syncs to QuickBooks.
Using a card to manage cash flow
A retailer pays its landlord with a credit card through Melio, paying the 2.9% fee to extend cash flow until month-end sales come in, while the landlord still receives a bank transfer.
Approvals for a growing team
A marketing agency on Core requires the owner's approval for any bill over $2,000, while the office manager can pay smaller bills on her own.
How to get started with Melio
- 1
Sign up for the free Go plan with your US business details
- 2
Connect your bank account and, if you like, a debit or credit card
- 3
Connect QuickBooks Online or Xero to import vendors and bills
- 4
Forward or upload a bill, choose the payment method and delivery date, and schedule it
- 5
Try a paid plan during the 90-day trial if you need approvals or more free ACH payments
Melio alternatives
| Product | Choose it when |
|---|---|
| Melio 4.5 | US small businesses paying vendors by ACH or check today |
| BILL4.3 | Choose it for more advanced AP and AR workflows and spend management in larger finance teams. |
| Xero4.5 | Choose it if you need full accounting software with bill pay built in, rather than a payments layer. |
| QuickBooks Bill Pay | Choose it if you want bill pay inside QuickBooks without a separate tool. |
Melio: frequently asked questions
Is Melio free?+
Yes. The Go plan is free forever with 5 free ACH payments a month for one user. Card, check and fast payments still have fees.
How much does Melio charge?+
Paid plans are $20, $44 and $64 a month on annual billing ($25, $55 and $80 monthly). Fees include $0.50 per ACH beyond your allowance, $1.50 per check and 2.9% for card payments.
Can I pay a vendor with a credit card if they don't accept cards?+
Yes. You pay Melio by card for a 2.9% fee, and Melio delivers the payment to the vendor by ACH or check.
Does the vendor need a Melio account?+
No. Vendors receive payments without signing up.
Does Melio work with QuickBooks?+
Yes. Melio syncs with QuickBooks Online and Xero on all plans (up to 10 syncs on Go), QuickBooks Desktop from Boost and NetSuite on Unlimited.
Can non-US businesses use Melio?+
Melio says it is built specifically for US businesses. It can pay vendors in 80+ countries, but your business should be US-based.
Final verdict
Is Melio worth it?
If you are a US business still writing checks or keying payments into your bank, Melio can win back hours each month. Start on the free plan, pay your next few bills through it, and upgrade only when you need approvals or more free transfers.
Pay bills with MelioAffiliate link · we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Reviewed by
Amjid Ali, Founder and editor
Amjid Ali is a Melbourne-based AI and automation lead, author of five books on infrastructure, automation and digital transformation, and a corporate trainer whose courses on n8n, Proxmox, firewalls and ERP have taught thousands of IT professionals.
Last updated 17 October 2026 · How we review
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