BILL vs Melio: Pricing, Features and Fees Compared (2026)
Updated November 10, 2026 · Reviewed by Benjamin Margolis
BILL and Melio both let a US business pay its vendors by bank transfer, check, or card, collect payments from its own customers, and keep every payment in sync with its accounting software. Many small business owners see Melio as the low-cost version of BILL, and on price that holds for most small teams. The two companies charge in different ways, however. BILL charges for each person who logs in and for each payment, while Melio charges one monthly fee that includes a set number of free bank transfers, so the number of people on the account and the number of bills paid each month decide which one costs less.
Our analysts compared the two on November 10, 2026, using BILL's and Melio's own pricing, fee, integration, and product pages, user ratings on Capterra, and our full reviews of both companies.
Choose BILL if
- you need custom approval policies, purchase orders, or matching bills against purchase orders before payment
- your books run on Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics, or QuickBooks Enterprise
- you want free company cards, budgets, and credit lines from $1,000 to $5M in the same system as bill pay
- you pay many vendors abroad, since BILL reaches more than 130 countries and charges no fee on local-currency transfers
Choose Melio if
- a team of one to five people pays fewer than a few hundred bills a month
- you want a free plan, or one flat monthly price with free ACH payments included
- you use QuickBooks Online, Xero, QuickBooks Desktop, or NetSuite and want automatic sync for $80 per month or less
- you want to pay vendors by card when they do not take cards, or spread a large bill over time
BILL scores 84 and Melio scores 79 in our ratings. BILL is the deeper platform for a finance team with several approvers and a larger accounting system. Melio costs far less for most small businesses, and in our three worked examples it came out $52 to $385 per month cheaper.
Key Features Compared
BILL vs Melio at a Glance, November 2026
| Feature | BILL | Melio |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | ||
| Fintech Index score | 84 / 100Higher score | 79 / 100 |
| Capterra user rating | 4.1 of 5 (563 reviews) | 4.2 of 5 (407 reviews) |
| Pricing | ||
| Plans and monthly price | Essentials $49, Team $65, and Corporate $89 per user; Enterprise quoted | Go $0, Core $25, Boost $55, and Unlimited $80; Platinum by invitationLower cost |
| Free plan | Spend & Expense (cards and expenses only) | Go, with one user and 5 free ACH payments per monthFree bill pay |
| Extra users | Full price for every user; cheaper approver-only seats on Corporate and Enterprise | $10 per user on Core and Boost; unlimited users on UnlimitedCheaper seats |
| Annual billing discount | None published | 20% on Core, Boost, and UnlimitedAnnual discount |
| Free trial | On most plans | 90 days of paid features, no card needed |
| Payment fees | ||
| Standard ACH payment | $0.59 | Free up to 5, 20, 50, or unlimited per month by plan, then $0.50Cheaper ACH |
| Mailed check | $1.99 | $1.50Cheaper checks |
| Faster check | $14.99 three-day, $19.99 two-day, $24.99 overnightCheaper overnight check | $20 fast check, $50 overnight |
| Same-day ACH | $11.99 flat | 1%, up to $75 |
| Instant payment | 1%, $9.99 minimum, $100 maximum | 1%, $75 maximumCheaper instant payments |
| Pay a vendor by credit or debit card | 2.9% | 2.9%, plus the delivery fee on faster methods |
| International payment in US dollars | $19.99 | $20 |
| International payment in local currency | No fee; exchange rate applies | No fee; exchange rate applies |
| Getting paid by ACH | $0.59 per payment received | FreeFree ACH collection |
| Paying and getting paid | ||
| Ways to pay vendors | ACH, check, virtual card, credit or debit card, international wire, and local transfer | ACH, check, wire, credit or debit card, instant transfer, and international payment in USD or local currency |
| Pay by card when the vendor does not take cards | Vendor receives ACH, check, or wire | Vendor receives ACH, check, or wire |
| Invoicing and getting paid | Custom and recurring invoices, reminders from Team, auto-charge from Corporate | Invoices and payment links on every plan, branded invoices from Core |
| AI bill entry | AI line-item coding from Team | AI bill capture on every plan |
| W-9 and 1099 tools | W-9 collection on every plan; 1099 e-filing $2.99 per form | W-9 collection and 1099 filing through Tax1099 from Core |
| Purchase orders and matching | Corporate, or an add-on on lower plansProcurement | |
| Approvals and control | ||
| Approval workflows | Standard on every plan; custom policies from Corporate | Vendor-based and step-by-step approvals from Core; routing by amount and user from Boost |
| Single sign-on and dual control | Single sign-on from Corporate; dual control on EnterpriseMore controls | |
| API access | Every planAPI on every plan | Platinum plan, plus a separate payouts API for software platforms |
| Accounting integrations | ||
| QuickBooks Online | Automatic sync from Team ($65 per user) | Automatic sync from Core ($25)Cheaper sync |
| QuickBooks Desktop | Pro and Premier from Team; Enterprise on Enterprise | From Boost ($55) |
| Xero | Automatic sync from Team | Automatic sync from Core; also built into XeroBuilt into Xero |
| Oracle NetSuite | Enterprise plan (quoted) | Unlimited plan ($80)NetSuite under $100 |
| Sage Intacct | Enterprise planSage Intacct sync | |
| Microsoft Dynamics | Enterprise planDynamics sync | |
| International payments | ||
| Countries | More than 130Wider reach | More than 80 |
| Currencies | Local currency in its supported countriesMore currencies | 15 currencies, including EUR, GBP, and CAD |
| Cards and spend | ||
| Company cards | BILL Divvy physical and virtual cardsFree cards | |
| Credit lines | $1,000 to $5M, subject to approvalLarger credit lines | Pay-over-time loans only |
| Expense management | Budgets, receipts, and reimbursements | Expense tracking and receipt capture |
| Apps and support | ||
| Mobile app | iOS and Android, plus a separate cards app | iOS and Android |
| Customer support | Live chat and phone on every plan; premium phone on EnterprisePhone on every plan | Live chat on every plan; priority chat from Core; phone from Boost |
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2006 | 2018 |
| Headquarters | San Jose, California | New York, New York |
| Ownership | Publicly traded (NYSE: BILL) since 2019 | Owned by Xero since October 2025, bought for ~$2.5B upfront |
| Chief executive | René Lacerte, founder | Matan Bar, co-founder |
| Customers | 479,300 businesses (June 2026) | 52,000 direct payments customers (March 2026) |
| Revenue | $1,653.2M in fiscal 2026 | $115.6M to Xero in the year to March 2026 |
Fintech Index Scores Compared
We rate every company on eight criteria from 0 to 100, four tied to what buyers in its sector need and four shared by every company, and the rating is their average. BILL scores 84 and Melio scores 79.
Criterion Scores Out of 100
BILL and Melio Pricing
BILL sells bill pay and invoicing as one subscription priced per user, with a separate free plan for company cards and expenses. Melio sells four self-serve plans at one price each, and the plan you choose sets how many ACH payments are free each month.
BILL Plans and Prices per Month
| Plan | Price per month | Suits | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $49 per user | A small team that can move data to its books by file upload | Bill entry, standard approval policies, payments by ACH, card, and check, W-9 collection, invoicing, and six standard user roles; accounting sync by CSV file only |
| Team | $65 per user | A QuickBooks or Xero business that wants automatic sync | Automatic two-way sync with QuickBooks Online, Pro, Premier, and Xero, AI bill coding, custom user roles, payment reminders, and cash flow forecasting for QuickBooks Online users |
| Corporate | $89 per user | A controller who needs custom rules and purchase orders | Custom approval policies, cheaper approver-only seats, purchase requests and orders with two-way matching, single sign-on, and multi-entity accounting |
| Enterprise | Quoted | A larger company on an ERP | Sync with QuickBooks Enterprise, Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics, Acumatica, and Rillet, automatic two- and three-way matching, dual control, and premium phone support |
| Spend & Expense | $0 | Any business that wants company cards | Physical and virtual BILL Divvy cards, budgets, expense tracking, reimbursements, and credit lines from $1,000 to $5M, subject to approval |
Melio Plans and Prices per Month
| Plan | Price per month | Suits | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | $0 | A sole owner paying a handful of bills | One user, 5 free ACH payments per month, pay by card, international payments, AI bill capture, invoicing and payment links, and up to 10 accounting syncs |
| Core | $25, or $20 billed annually, plus $10 per extra user | A bookkeeper on QuickBooks Online or Xero with a second approver | 20 free ACH payments per month, QuickBooks Online and Xero sync, batch payments, custom approval workflows, W-9 collection, 1099 filing through Tax1099, and priority chat |
| Boost | $55, or $44 billed annually, plus $10 per extra user | A larger team or accounting firm | 50 free ACH payments per month, advanced user roles, QuickBooks Desktop sync, vendor credits for QuickBooks Online, and premium phone support |
| Unlimited | $80, or $64 billed annually | A busy payables team or a NetSuite company | Unlimited free ACH payments, unlimited users, and NetSuite sync |
| Platinum | By invitation | A business paying more than $300,000 per month by card | Custom transaction fees, cheaper card and exchange rates, faster settlement, API access, and an account manager |
What BILL and Melio Cost in Practice
We priced three common setups on BILL and on Melio, from a sole owner to a four-person finance team, using each company's own plan prices and payment fees.
Monthly Cost in Three Examples
| Example | BILL | Melio | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Sole Owner Paying 10 Bills a Month | Essentials$54.90 | Go$2.50 | Melio by $52.40 |
| A Small Business Paying 50 Vendors a Month | Team$173.50 | Core$60.00 | Melio by $113.50 |
| A Growing Company Paying 200 Bills a Month | Corporate$510.10 | Unlimited$125.00 | Melio by $385.10 |
Monthly Cost by Example, in US Dollars
A Sole Owner Paying 10 Bills a Month
A sole owner who pays 10 vendors a month by ACH and does not need automatic accounting sync can stay on Melio Go and pay $0.50 for each ACH payment after the first five. On BILL the same owner needs the Essentials plan, which costs $49 before the first $0.59 payment fee.
BILL Essentials
- Essentials plan, 1 user at $49$49.00
- 10 ACH payments at $0.59$5.90
- Total per month$54.90
Melio Go
- Go plan$0.00
- 10 ACH payments, 5 free, 5 at $0.50$2.50
- Total per month$2.50
A Small Business Paying 50 Vendors a Month
An owner and a bookkeeper who pay 50 vendors a month, 40 by ACH and 10 by mailed check, and want payments to sync with QuickBooks Online need BILL's Team plan for both users. On Melio, Core covers the sync and approvals, adds the second user for $10, and includes 20 free ACH payments, so only 20 transfers carry the $0.50 fee.
BILL Team
- Team plan, 2 users at $65$130.00
- 40 ACH payments at $0.59$23.60
- 10 mailed checks at $1.99$19.90
- Total per month$173.50
Melio Core
- Core plan$25.00
- 1 extra user at $10$10.00
- 40 ACH payments, 20 free, 20 at $0.50$10.00
- 10 mailed checks at $1.50$15.00
- Total per month$60.00
A Growing Company Paying 200 Bills a Month
A four-person finance team that pays 200 bills a month, with 160 ACH payments, 30 checks, and 10 payments to European suppliers in euros, and that wants approvals routed by amount and by vendor, lands on BILL Corporate and on Melio Unlimited. Neither company charges a flat fee on the euro payments, and the exchange-rate margin each one builds into its rate is not included here.
BILL Corporate
- Corporate plan, 4 users at $89$356.00
- 160 ACH payments at $0.59$94.40
- 30 mailed checks at $1.99$59.70
- 10 international payments in local currency, no flat fee$0.00
- Total per month$510.10
Melio Unlimited
- Unlimited plan$80.00
- 160 ACH payments, all free on this plan$0.00
- 30 mailed checks at $1.50$45.00
- 10 international payments in local currency, no flat fee$0.00
- Total per month$125.00
Faster Payments and Card Payments
Faster payments are priced differently. BILL charges a flat $11.99 for same-day ACH, while Melio charges 1% of the payment up to $75, so Melio costs less on payments of $1,199 or less and BILL costs less above that. For instant payments Melio is cheaper at every amount, since BILL charges 1% with a $9.99 minimum and a $100 cap and Melio charges 1% with a $75 cap. Paying a $5,000 bill by credit card costs $145 in card fees on either platform, because both charge 2.9%.
Monthly costs use each company's published monthly prices and per-payment fees on November 10, 2026, before sales tax, exchange-rate margins, and Melio's 90-day free trial. Our analysts picked the cheapest plan on each side that covers the users and features in each example.
Key Differences Between BILL and Melio
How Each Company Charges
BILL charges for every person who works in the account, from $49 to $89 per user per month, and adds a fee to almost every payment, including $0.59 for each ACH transfer and $1.99 for each mailed check. A business with three people approving bills pays for three seats before it sends a dollar. On Corporate and Enterprise, people who only approve bills can get a cheaper seat.
Melio charges one monthly price for the account and adds $10 for each extra person on Core and Boost. Each plan includes 5, 20, 50, or unlimited free ACH payments per month, and each ACH after that costs $0.50. For most small teams that structure makes Melio the cheaper of the two, and the gap grows with every extra user.
Approvals, Purchase Orders, and Controls
BILL goes further on control. Every plan includes standard approval policies, Corporate adds custom approval policies and purchase orders matched against bills before payment, and Enterprise adds three-way matching and dual control, where a second person has to confirm a payment. Single sign-on starts on Corporate. A controller who needs an audit trail with several approval levels will find all of it at BILL, at $89 per user and up.
Melio offers vendor-based and step-by-step approvals from its $25 Core plan, and its $55 Boost plan routes bills for approval by amount, vendor, or user. Melio does not offer purchase orders, matching, or single sign-on. For an owner who wants to sign off on anything over a set amount, Melio handles that for much less money.
Accounting Software Sync
Both sync with QuickBooks Online and Xero, but at different prices. BILL's automatic sync starts on Team at $65 per user, and Essentials moves data only by CSV file. Melio syncs QuickBooks Online and Xero from Core at $25, adds QuickBooks Desktop on Boost, and adds Oracle NetSuite on Unlimited at $80. Since March 2026, Xero has offered bill payments inside its own software, built on Melio.
BILL is the only one of the two that connects to Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics, QuickBooks Enterprise, Acumatica, and Rillet, all on its quoted Enterprise plan, so a company on one of those systems would need BILL.
Paying Vendors Abroad
BILL pays vendors in more than 130 countries and charges no fee when the payment goes out in the vendor's own currency, though the exchange rate applies. Its Local Transfer option sends money through the recipient country's own payment network and can arrive as soon as the same business day. A payment in US dollars costs $19.99.
Melio pays vendors in more than 80 countries and 15 currencies, also with no flat fee on local-currency payments and a $20 fee on US dollar payments. A business paying suppliers across Latin America, Africa, or Asia should check each company's country list before choosing.
Company Cards and Spend Management
BILL includes a free spend and expense product with physical and virtual BILL Divvy cards, budgets, receipt capture, reimbursements, and credit lines from $1,000 to $5M, subject to approval. There is no per-user fee for cardholders, so a business can give cards to the whole team without raising its software bill.
Melio does not issue company cards. It offers expense tracking and receipt capture, and its pay-over-time option lets a business pay a vendor now and repay on net terms or in installments, starting at 2.9%, through loans made by Lead Bank.
Ownership and Direction
BILL has been publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange since 2019 and is still run by its founder, René Lacerte, who started the company in 2006. It reported $1,653.2M of revenue in the fiscal year to June 2026 and served 479,300 businesses at the end of that year.
Xero completed its purchase of Melio on October 15, 2025. Co-founder Matan Bar runs Melio and also leads Xero's US business, and Xero's plan is to use Melio to give its own US customers bill pay inside their accounting software. Melio added $115.6M of revenue to Xero in the year to March 2026.
Pros and Cons
BILL
Pros
- Custom approval policies, purchase orders, and matching for larger finance teams
- Connects to Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, and QuickBooks Enterprise
- Free company cards and credit lines in the same system
- International payments to more than 130 countries
- Phone support on every plan and API access from the first plan
Cons
- Every user costs $49 to $89 per month
- A fee on every ACH payment, sent or received
- Automatic accounting sync starts at $65 per user
- No free plan for bill pay
Melio
Pros
- Free plan, and paid plans from $25 per month for the whole account
- 5 to unlimited free ACH payments per month, depending on plan
- QuickBooks Online, Xero, QuickBooks Desktop, and NetSuite sync for $80 or less
- Pay over time on net terms or installments
- 90-day free trial with no card needed
Cons
- No purchase orders, matching, or single sign-on
- No Sage Intacct or Microsoft Dynamics sync
- Fewer countries and currencies for international payments
- No company cards
- Phone support only from the $55 Boost plan
Who Each Is Best For
BILL
BILL suits a growing small or midsize business, or the accounting firm that serves it, with several people approving bills, a need for purchase orders or detailed approval rules, a larger accounting system such as Sage Intacct or Microsoft Dynamics, or many vendors abroad. It also suits a company that wants company cards and bill pay from one provider.
Melio
Melio suits a US small business, freelancer, or bookkeeper with a small team that pays up to a few hundred bills a month and wants low or no software fees. It is a strong fit for businesses on Xero, since Xero owns Melio, and for anyone who wants to pay vendors by card or spread a large bill over time.
Alternatives to BILL and Melio
These companies, all reviewed and rated on The Fintech Index, cover some of the same ground as BILL and Melio.
Other Bill Pay and Business Payments Companies
| Company | Score | Best for | Comparisons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plooto | 77 | Canadian or US small businesses and accounting firms that pay and collect with approvals and QuickBooks, Xero, or NetSuite sync | Melio vs Plooto |
| Paystand | 74 | Mid-market finance teams that want customers to pay invoices by bank transfer for a flat subscription | Paystand vs BILL |
| Mercury | 84 | Startups and small businesses that want free business banking with bill pay, cards, and treasury in one account | None yet |
| Relay | 80 | Small businesses that want several checking accounts, cards, and bill pay to manage cash flow | None yet |
| Rho | 80 | Startups and growing companies that want banking, corporate cards, bill pay, and invoicing together | None yet |
| Spenda | 62 | Businesses that want to earn rewards on supplier payments and get credit against invoices | Spenda vs BILL Spenda vs Melio |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Melio cheaper than BILL?
For most small businesses, yes. Melio's plans cost $0, $25, $55, and $80 per month for the account, with free ACH payments included, while BILL costs $49 to $89 per user per month plus $0.59 for each ACH payment. In our example of a business paying 50 vendors a month with two users and QuickBooks Online sync, Melio Core costs $60.00 per month and BILL Team costs $173.50.
Does BILL have a free plan?
BILL's Spend & Expense plan is free and includes company cards, budgets, expense tracking, and credit lines. Paying bills and sending invoices requires a paid plan, starting with Essentials at $49 per user per month, and most paid plans come with a free trial.
Does Melio have a free plan?
Yes. Melio Go costs $0 for one user and includes 5 free ACH payments per month, card payments, international payments, invoicing, and up to 10 accounting syncs. Each extra ACH payment costs $0.50.
Which one works with QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, or Sage Intacct?
Both sync with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, and NetSuite. Melio includes NetSuite on its $80 Unlimited plan, while BILL includes it on its quoted Enterprise plan. Only BILL connects to Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics, and QuickBooks Enterprise.
Can I pay a vendor by credit card if the vendor does not accept cards?
Yes, on both. BILL and Melio each charge 2.9% to fund a payment from your credit or debit card, and the vendor still receives an ACH transfer, a check, or a wire.
Which is better for paying international vendors?
BILL reaches more countries, more than 130 against Melio's more than 80, and more currencies. Neither charges a flat fee on payments in the vendor's own currency, BILL charges $19.99 and Melio $20 on payments sent in US dollars, and the exchange rate applies on both.
Which has better approval workflows?
BILL, for larger teams. It offers custom approval policies, purchase orders with matching, and single sign-on on its Corporate plan, and dual control on Enterprise. Melio offers vendor-based and step-by-step approvals from its $25 Core plan and routing by amount and user from its $55 Boost plan, which covers most small business needs.
Who owns Melio, and is BILL a public company?
Xero, the New Zealand accounting software company, has owned Melio since October 15, 2025. BILL is an independent company, publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker BILL since 2019.
Sources
- The Fintech Index analysis of BILL and Melio pricing, fees, and features, conducted November 2026 (As of November 10, 2026)
- BILL, pricing and plans: https://www.bill.com/pricing (As of November 10, 2026)
- BILL, international payments: https://www.bill.com/product/international-payments (As of November 10, 2026)
- BILL, integrations: https://www.bill.com/integrations (As of November 10, 2026)
- BILL, mobile app: https://www.bill.com/product/mobile-app (As of November 10, 2026)
- BILL, fiscal 2026 results: https://investor.bill.com/news/news-details/2026/BILL-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2026-Financial-Results/default.aspx (As of November 10, 2026)
- Melio, pricing: https://meliopayments.com/pricing/ (As of November 10, 2026)
- Melio, international payments: https://meliopayments.com/international-payments/ (As of November 10, 2026)
- Melio, mobile app: https://meliopayments.com/mobile-app/ (As of November 10, 2026)
- Melio, expense management: https://melio.com/expense-management/ (As of November 10, 2026)
- Xero, fiscal 2026 results: https://announcements.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20260514/pdf/06zkqxbympw940.pdf (As of November 10, 2026)
- Xero, bill payments launch: https://www.xero.com/us/media-releases/xero-introduces-online-bill-payments-delivering-full-service-financial-platform-for-small-businesses/ (As of November 10, 2026)
- CPA Practice Advisor, Xero acquires Melio, October 15, 2025: https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/10/15/xero-acquires-payments-platform-melio-for-2-5b/170967/ (As of November 10, 2026)
- Capterra, BILL vs Melio user ratings, November 9, 2026: https://www.capterra.com/compare/166559-184673/BILL-vs-Melio (As of November 10, 2026)