Melio

Melio solved a deeply boring but expensive problem: paying vendors when your business runs on a different payment rhythm than they do. You want to pay by credit card and earn rewards. They only accept checks. Melio bridges that gap, and on the free tier it costs nothing for the basics.

Who it’s for

Small US businesses paying contractors, suppliers, or freelance vendors. Founders who want to extend cash runway by paying via credit card while vendors receive checks or ACH. Bookkeepers managing accounts payable for multiple clients.

If you’re outside the US, Melio’s value drops significantly — international payments are a flat $20 fee. UK or EU founders should look at Wise Business or local equivalents.

What it actually does well

The free tier is the headline. Melio Go gives you unlimited credit card payments at 2.9%, plus 5 free ACH transfers per month. For a solo founder paying a handful of contractors, the platform is genuinely free to use. Compare to BILL, which has no free option and starts at $45/mo per user.

Vendor flexibility is the real engine. Your vendor wants a paper check; you want to pay by card. Melio pays the card fee on your behalf, prints and mails the check. Your supplier receives what they wanted, you got the cash float and the rewards points.

QuickBooks and Xero sync is a real time-saver. Two-way auto-sync on the Boost tier means your bills, payments, and reconciliations flow automatically. For founders running their books in either platform, the integration is the single biggest reason to use Melio over a bank’s bill pay.

The Xero acquisition (announced June 2025, $2.5B) signals where Melio is heading. Expect deeper Xero integration over the next 12-24 months and possibly tighter packaging within Xero plans.

Where it gets awkward

The 5 ACH cap on free pinches faster than you think. Beyond a small handful of monthly vendors, you’re either paying $0.50 per overflow ACH or upgrading to Core at $25/mo (20 free ACH).

International payments at $20 flat per transaction is meaningful. If your vendors are abroad, the math shifts away from Melio quickly.

Premium tier value is question-mark territory. Boost at $55/mo unlocks 50 free ACH and advanced approvals, but for many founders the free tier or Core covers everything they need. Don’t overbuy.

The 2.9% credit card fee is just the industry rate, not a Melio advantage. You’re paying for the routing layer, not for cheaper card processing.

How it compares

Versus BILL: BILL is the enterprise-style competitor with deeper AP automation but no free tier. Melio wins on simplicity and free entry, BILL wins for finance teams running complex approval workflows.

Versus paying through your bank: Banks usually charge for outbound ACH or wires. Melio’s free tier saves real money on a few payments per month.

Versus Wise Business: Wise is the better choice for international payments. Melio is the better choice for US-only vendor pay.