Accounting · Bill Pay / Accounts Payable
Melio Review
Bill pay that syncs to your books: pay subs and suppliers by ACH, card, check or wire from one place
Heads up
Melio Payments' BBB profile lists 102 complaints closed in the last three years, as of September 2026. It is not BBB accredited; read the BBB profile for details and keep a backup way to pay any bill that can't be late.
Quick verdict
Who Melio fits: Small US contractors (GC, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, landscaping) who pay subs and suppliers and want low-cost bill pay that syncs to QuickBooks or Xero, with a backup for time-critical payments. Trade-offs: 102 BBB complaints closed in three years (September 2026); not full accounting; 2.9% card fee; the free plan is limited to one user, 5 free ACH payments a month and 10 syncs; QuickBooks Desktop and NetSuite sync need the $55 and $80/mo plans.
Pricing
Go $0/mo (1 user, 5 free ACH payments a month, up to 10 QuickBooks/Xero syncs) · Core $25/mo ($20 billed annually; 20 free ACH a month; +$10/user) · Boost $55/mo ($44 annually; 50 free ACH a month; adds QuickBooks Desktop sync) · Unlimited $80/mo ($64 annually; unlimited free ACH and users; adds NetSuite sync) · Platinum custom. Fees: ACH $0.50 beyond the free ones, paper check $1.50, card payment 2.9%, same-day ACH or instant transfer 1% (max $75), wire $10.
Affiliate disclosure: The link to Melio on this page goes to its own site and is not an affiliate link.
About Melio
Melio is bill-pay (accounts payable) software for US small businesses, not full accounting. It pays vendors, subs and suppliers by ACH, card, paper check or wire, then syncs the payments to QuickBooks, Xero or NetSuite depending on the plan. Melio Payments Inc. is based in New York, and the Better Business Bureau lists it as started in March 2018. Xero completed its purchase of Melio on October 15, 2025, for US$2.5 billion upfront plus up to US$0.5 billion in contingent payments; Melio says it keeps operating independently and continues to support QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop users.
For trades, the useful part is paying every vendor from one place and choosing how to fund each payment. The free Go plan includes 5 ACH payments a month (each ACH after that is $0.50), and Melio mails a paper check for $1.50. Melio says you can pay a bill by card for a 2.9% fee even when the vendor doesn't accept cards, which can let you hold on to cash until your customer pays. Paid plans add more free ACH payments (20 on Core, 50 on Boost, unlimited on Unlimited), more users and custom approval workflows, and start with 90 days of unlimited free ACH.
Melio also covers basic receivables: you can create invoices and payment links, and customers pay free by bank transfer or by card with a 2.9% fee that either side can cover. Melio Payments' BBB profile lists 102 complaints closed in the last three years and shows it as not accredited (September 2026), so read the BBB profile before relying on Melio for payments that can't be late.
The trade-off: Go is free but limited to one user, 5 free ACH payments a month and 10 accounting syncs; QuickBooks Desktop sync needs Boost ($55/mo) and NetSuite sync needs Unlimited ($80/mo); card payments cost 2.9%; and given the BBB complaint count in the reputation warning, keep a backup way to pay any bill that can't be late.
How it works
Add or forward a bill (Melio offers AI bill capture and a dedicated bills inbox), choose how and when to pay it (ACH from your bank, card, paper check or wire, including international payments), and Melio sends the payment. You can set auto-pay for recurring bills and, on paid plans, route payments through approval workflows before they go out. Payments sync to QuickBooks Online or Xero (up to 10 syncs on Go), QuickBooks Desktop from the Boost plan and NetSuite on Unlimited. For receivables, you create invoices or payment links that customers pay by bank transfer or card. Melio is not a general ledger, so you still need accounting software.
Pros & cons
What works
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Free plan with 5 ACH payments a month
Go costs $0 for one user, with 5 free ACH payments a month and $0.50 per ACH after that.
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Pays check-only vendors
Melio mails a paper check for $1.50, so suppliers who only take checks can be paid from the same place.
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Pay by card even where cards aren't accepted
Melio says you can pay any bill by card for a 2.9% fee, even when the vendor doesn't take cards.
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Syncs with your books
QuickBooks Online and Xero sync on paid plans (up to 10 syncs on Go), QuickBooks Desktop from Boost and NetSuite on Unlimited.
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Approval workflows on paid plans
Core and up add users and custom approval workflows, so an owner can sign off on payments the office queues.
What doesn't
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BBB complaint volume
Melio Payments' BBB profile lists 102 complaints closed in the last three years (September 2026); keep a backup payment method for time-critical bills.
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Not full accounting
Melio is bill pay and simple invoicing only; you still need QuickBooks, Xero or similar as your books.
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2.9% card fee
Paying a large supplier invoice by card costs 2.9%, which adds up on big material orders.
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Free plan limits
Go allows one user, 5 free ACH payments a month and 10 accounting syncs; more users and approvals need a paid plan.
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Some syncs need pricier plans
QuickBooks Desktop sync starts at Boost ($55/mo) and NetSuite sync needs Unlimited ($80/mo).
Features & integrations
Key features
Integrations
Frequently asked
Is Melio accounting software?
No. Melio is bill pay (accounts payable) with simple invoicing, not a general ledger. It pays your vendors and subs by ACH, check, card or wire and syncs those payments to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero or NetSuite depending on your plan, but you still need accounting software as your books.
How does Melio make bill pay free?
The Go plan is $0 for one user and includes 5 free ACH payments a month; each ACH after that is $0.50. Melio charges for other options: 2.9% to pay by card, $1.50 per mailed check, $10 per wire, and 1% (up to $75) for same-day ACH or instant transfers. Paid plans from $25/mo include more free ACH payments.
Is Melio safe to rely on?
Melio is owned by Xero, which completed its purchase on October 15, 2025, and Melio says it handles payments for hundreds of thousands of US businesses. Melio Payments' BBB profile lists 102 complaints closed in the last three years (September 2026), so read the BBB profile and keep a backup payment method for bills that can't be late.
Can Melio pay a supplier who only takes checks?
Yes. You schedule the payment in Melio and it mails a paper check to the vendor for $1.50 (a fast check is $20). You can pay every vendor from one place however each one wants to be paid.
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