Platform · finance accounting
Melio
Simple bill pay for small businesses, with card and bank options
The verdict
Melio lets small businesses pay vendors by bank transfer or card, even when the vendor only accepts checks or ACH. It focuses narrowly on the bill-pay step.
What it is
Melio's pitch is flexibility at the moment of payment: pay any vendor by bank transfer or card, and Melio delivers it as ACH or a mailed check regardless of how the vendor wants to receive it. That lets a business put bills on a card to manage cash flow even when the vendor does not take cards. It syncs paid bills to QuickBooks. It is deliberately narrow, so it lacks the deep approval hierarchies, receivables tooling and broad integrations of heavier AP platforms, and card payments carry a fee.
Strengths
- Pay vendors by card even when the vendor only accepts bank transfer or check
- Free for standard bank transfers, with payment delivered as ACH or a mailed check
- Syncs paid bills to QuickBooks so the ledger stays current
Trade-offs
- Card payments carry a processing fee, so the cash-flow flexibility has a real cost
- Approval workflows are basic compared with dedicated AP platforms
- Narrow scope: it pays bills but does not handle receivables or broad finance automation
Best for
Owners who want to pay bills by card for cash-flow timing while the vendor still receives a normal bank payment or check
Not for
Mid-sized finance teams needing layered approvals, receivables automation and a wide integration shelf
AI tools that fit Melio
Scored on how well each tool actually works with Melio — integration depth, workflow fit, and real adoption. Higher is better.
Pricing
Free to use (no setup/monthly fees); bank transfers free, card payments carry a fee (~2.9%), and some payment types (instant, international, checks) have fees. Usage-based.
Bank transfer
Free$0
- free ACH bill pay
- pay by check
Card payment
Free$0
- pay any vendor by card
- per-transaction card fee applies
What people build with it
Frequently asked
- What is Melio for?
- Paying vendor bills. You can fund a payment by bank transfer or card, and Melio delivers it as ACH or a mailed check, even if the vendor does not take cards.
- Is Melio free?
- Standard bank transfers are free. Paying by card carries a per-transaction fee, which is the cost of using a card for cash-flow timing.
- Does Melio sync with QuickBooks?
- Yes. It pulls bills from QuickBooks and writes payments back, so the ledger reflects what has been paid without manual updates.
- Melio or BILL for paying bills?
- Melio is simpler and cheaper for basic bill pay. BILL fits businesses that need detailed approval hierarchies, receivables automation and an audit trail.
- Can I put a vendor bill on a credit card with Melio?
- Yes, even if the vendor only accepts checks or bank transfer. Melio charges a card fee but lets you use the card's billing cycle to manage cash flow.