Choose Melio when one or two people pay vendors and you want a free or flat monthly plan with included ACH allotments. Melio Go is $0 with five free ACH payments a month; paid plans list at $25, $55, or $80 a month, or $20, $44, or $64 a month if you pay annually (checked November 11, 2026). Choose BILL (still searched as Bill.com) when several people need named roles, structured approvals, and combined AP and AR, at $49, $65, or $89 per user per month plus $0.59 per ACH and $1.99 per mailed check. Both tools pay US vendors by ACH, check, or card. Seat math and approval depth usually decide which one fits.
Disclosure: This comparison is educational and may include affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you sign up through our Melio partner link, at no extra cost to you. Pricing and features change; verify current rates on each vendor’s site before you buy.
Research note: List prices and fee bands below were checked on melio.com/pricing and bill.com/product/pricing on November 11, 2026. BILL’s older /pricing URL now redirects to that product page. Treat the cost scenarios as worksheets you can recalculate with your own seat count and payment mix, not as quotes.
Quick answer: Melio or Bill.com?
Takeaway: Melio is usually the lower-cost way to stop mailing checks; BILL is usually the better fit when several people need roles, approvals, and a defensible audit trail.
If you need to pay a vendor this week without a stamp, start with Melio. If you need named approvers and a structured record for your bookkeeper, shortlist BILL. For more context, see the comparisons hub, bill pay overview, Melio alternatives, and Melio vs Plastiq.
What is Melio?
Takeaway: Melio is a US bill-pay and contractor-pay platform with a free plan, included ACH allotments, and optional invoicing on every tier.
Melio lets you upload or email in bills and pay vendors or contractors by ACH, mailed check, wire, or card. Go limits QuickBooks Online and Xero sync to the first 10 payments; Core and higher unlock those syncs, batch payments, approval workflows, W-9 collection, and 1099 automation (Melio points to Tax1099 for e-filing). Boost and Unlimited add QuickBooks Desktop; Unlimited also lists NetSuite sync and unlimited seats. Every published plan includes invoices and payment links. For a product walkthrough, see the Melio review, Melio pricing guide, and Can you pay contractors with Melio?.
What is BILL (Bill.com)?
Takeaway: BILL is the current name of the company long searched as Bill.com — a per-user AP and AR platform, not a free bill-pay plan.
If you still type “Bill.com” into search, you are looking at BILL. The company sells accounts payable and accounts receivable as Essentials, Team, Corporate, or custom Enterprise plans, priced per user per month for direct customers, plus a separate $0-per-user Spend & Expense card product. Published AP strengths include structured approvals, W-9 tools on all AP plans, AI multi-line bill coding from Team upward, automatic two-way QuickBooks and Xero sync from Team upward, and procurement included on Corporate and Enterprise. NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics, and QuickBooks Enterprise sync are listed on Enterprise. Because /bill-com-pricing/ is not a live page on this site, the tables below are the dated list-price reference for BILL.
Melio vs Bill.com at a glance
Takeaway: The durable split is pricing model and control depth, not a longer feature checklist.
| Category | Melio | BILL (Bill.com) |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Solos, lean teams, check replacement | Multi-user AP, approvals, scale |
| Starting software cost (list, Nov 11, 2026) | Go $0; Core $25/mo ($20/mo billed annually) | Essentials $49 per user/mo |
| Pricing model | Org plan; +$10/mo extra users on Core/Boost ($8/mo billed annually); Unlimited includes all seats | Per-user AP/AR plans plus payment fees |
| Free standard ACH included | 5 (Go) / 20 (Core) / 50 (Boost) / unlimited (Unlimited) each month, then $0.50 | None listed on the public fee table; ACH $0.59 each |
| Pay by card (typical published rate) | 2.9%, plus delivery add-ons on faster methods | 2.9% when you pay by credit or debit card to ACH |
| Approvals | Workflows on paid plans; more routing options on Boost and Unlimited | Standard workflows on all AP plans; custom approval policies on Corporate and Enterprise |
| AR features | Invoicing and payment links on all plans | Full AR module alongside AP |
| Accounting sync | QBO and Xero on Core+ (Go is limited to the first 10 payments); QuickBooks Desktop on Boost+; NetSuite on Unlimited | QBO, QuickBooks Pro/Premier, and Xero auto-sync from Team; NetSuite, Intacct, Dynamics, QuickBooks Enterprise on Enterprise |
| Procurement / POs | Not a published purchase-order suite on the pricing page | Included on Corporate and Enterprise; add-on on Essentials and Team |
Use the table as a filter, then rerun the numbers with your seat count and ACH volume. Melio’s own marketing comparison page has, at times, shown older BILL plan prices than BILL’s pricing page. When the two disagree, use BILL’s official pricing page.
Pricing and fees compared
Takeaway: Melio’s included ACH and flat tiers usually cost less for a solo or two-person team; BILL’s bill is driven first by how many people need a login.
Melio published list pricing (November 11, 2026)
These figures come from Melio’s pricing page on November 11, 2026. Paid plans also advertise 90 days of unlimited free ACH payments and advanced automations with no credit card required. After that window, the page says your account converts to the limited Go plan if you have not subscribed, and data tied to premium features is deleted if you stay on Go.
| Plan | Monthly | Billed annually (monthly equivalent) | Users | Free standard ACH / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go | $0 | $0 | 1 user | 5, then $0.50 each |
| Core | $25, plus $10 per extra user | $20, plus $8 per extra user | Add users at the listed fee | 20, then $0.50 each |
| Boost | $55, plus $10 per extra user | $44, plus $8 per extra user | Add users at the listed fee | 50, then $0.50 each |
| Unlimited | $80 | $64 | Unlimited seats included | Unlimited free standard ACH |
Melio also lists an invite-only Platinum tier with custom card rates for eligible high-volume businesses (the FAQ points to more than $300,000 a month in card payments). Accountant-firm terms are separate from the four self-serve plans above; get those from Melio directly.
BILL published list pricing (November 11, 2026)
Direct-customer AP and AR plans on BILL’s pricing page, checked November 11, 2026:
| Plan | List price | Notable published inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $49 per user / month | Standard approvals, six standard roles, W-9 tools, CSV import/export to the ledger (no automatic two-way QuickBooks or Xero sync on this tier) |
| Team | $65 per user / month | Automatic two-way sync with QuickBooks Online, Pro, Premier, and Xero; AI multi-line bill coding; custom roles; cash-flow forecasting for QuickBooks Online users |
| Corporate | $89 per user / month | Custom approval policies, discounts for approver-only users, procurement included, single sign-on, multi-entity / multi-location features |
| Enterprise | Custom | Sync with QuickBooks Enterprise, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics, and more; dual control; premium phone support |
BILL does not publish a free AP plan. The $0-per-user Spend & Expense offer is a card, budget, and expense product; credit lines are described as $1,000–$5 million and are subject to approval. AP and AR have a free trial in most cases, per BILL’s FAQ. Accounting firms can use an Accountant console listed at $49 a month, with client pricing set through that partner program.
Published payment fees (November 11, 2026)
| Payment | Melio (bank-funded, published) | BILL (bank, BILL Balance, or BILL Cash Account, published) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard ACH | $0.50 after the plan’s free monthly allotment; free on Unlimited | $0.59 each |
| Faster ACH | Same-day ACH 1% ($75 max), if scheduled before 2 p.m. ET | Pay Faster ACH $11.99 (same-day if scheduled by 10:00 a.m. PT; next-day by 6:00 p.m. PT; excludes weekends and bank holidays) |
| Mailed check | $1.50 | $1.99 |
| Expedited check | Fast check $20; overnight check $50 | Pay Faster Check: overnight $24.99, two-day $19.99, three-day $14.99 |
| Domestic wire | $10; same-day wire 1% ($10 minimum, $75 max) if scheduled before 6 p.m. ET | Not listed as a domestic-wire line on the public fee grid we reviewed |
| Instant payment | Instant bank transfer 1% ($75 max) | 1.0% ($9.99 minimum, $100 maximum) |
| International USD | Global payments by ACH in USD $20; fast USD 1% ($30 minimum, $95 max) | International USD wire $19.99 (BILL notes this fee may be transferred to the receiver) |
| International local currency | Conversion rates apply | International FX wire or local transfer listed as free, with the exchange rate applying |
| Virtual card (vendor payout) | Confirm current card-to-virtual-card terms at checkout; standard card payments are often 2.9% | Listed as Free when the payer funds from a bank, BILL Balance, or BILL Cash Account |
| Pay by credit or debit card | Often 2.9%, plus the delivery fee on faster methods | 2.9% to pay by card into ACH; faster check add-ons still apply |
BILL also lists operational fees such as $25 to void a check and $50 for a failed ACH after the receiver is paid. Melio’s card table adds fees on overnight checks and instant transfers. Read the live grid at checkout. For method context, see ACH vs wire and paying vendors with a credit card.
Monthly cost scenarios (illustrative list-price math)
These are worksheets from the November 11, 2026 list prices, not invoices and not customer case studies. They assume bank-funded standard ACH or mailed checks only, no card markup, and no same-day or overnight fees. Annual Melio figures use the published monthly equivalent.
| Scenario | Assumptions | Melio (illustrative) | BILL (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo owner | 1 user, 20 standard ACH / month | Go: 5 free + 15 × $0.50 = $7.50. Core: $25 with 20 ACH included ($20 if billed annually). | Essentials: $49 + 20 × $0.59 = $60.80 |
| Three-seat finance team | Owner + bookkeeper + manager; 40 ACH + 5 checks | Core monthly: $25 + 2 × $10 = $45, plus 20 extra ACH at $0.50 ($10) and 5 checks at $1.50 ($7.50) = $62.50. Unlimited monthly: $80 + $7.50 checks = $87.50 ($71.50 if Unlimited is billed annually). | Team: $65 × 3 = $195, plus 40 × $0.59 ($23.60) and 5 × $1.99 ($9.95) = $228.55 |
| Higher ACH volume | 2 users, 150 standard ACH / month, no checks | Boost monthly: $55 + $10 extra user = $65, plus 100 ACH beyond the 50-payment allotment at $0.50 ($50) = $115. Unlimited: $80 monthly or $64 billed annually, with ACH included. | Team: $65 × 2 = $130 + 150 × $0.59 ($88.50) = $218.50 |
A four-user team that also wants custom approval policies and procurement should price BILL Corporate: $89 × 4 = $356 in software, plus transaction fees. Melio Unlimited would still be $80 a month ($64 billed annually) plus check fees, but only if Melio’s approvals and sync cover the workflow. NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or Dynamics two-way sync is listed on BILL Enterprise, which is quote-only on the public page.
Payment methods: ACH, check, card, and faster options
Takeaway: Both tools can replace most paper checks; the fee difference shows up in standard ACH volume and in how often you pay by card or expedite a payment.
Standard ACH is the cheap default on both platforms. Melio includes a monthly allotment and then charges $0.50; Unlimited includes standard ACH. BILL charges $0.59 with no free bundle on the public table. Mailed checks are $1.50 on Melio and $1.99 on BILL; both still send paper when a vendor needs it. See how to pay business bills online without mailing checks.
Faster rails differ in formula. Melio caps same-day ACH and instant bank transfers at 1% ($75 max). BILL charges a flat $11.99 Pay Faster ACH fee (same-day or next-day cutoffs in Pacific Time) and publishes overnight, two-day, and three-day check fees. Run the actual dollar amount through both before you expedite a large bill. Paying by credit or debit card is commonly listed at 2.9% on both sites, and faster deliveries can add their fee on top. Internationally, Melio publishes a $20 USD ACH fee and a fast-USD percentage band; BILL lists an FX or local transfer as free (exchange rate applies) and a $19.99 USD wire.
Approvals, roles, and audit trail
Takeaway: If two people can approve payments in a shared login today, Melio is usually enough; if you need named roles, custom policies, or procurement matching, BILL is built for that job.
Melio Go is limited to one user. Core adds approval workflows and multiple approvers. Boost and Unlimited add vendor-based and gradual approvals plus advanced roles, which is enough for many small offices that want a second set of eyes without a procurement stack. See how to set up a bill approval workflow.
BILL treats approvals as a core AP feature on every paid plan. Custom approval policies and discounted approver-only seats appear on Corporate and Enterprise, along with procurement (purchase requests, purchase orders, and two-way matching). Procurement is an add-on on Essentials and Team. Corporate also lists single sign-on and multi-entity features. If your accountant or lender will ask who approved a payment, map that process before you pick the cheaper software bill.
Accounting integrations
Takeaway: Match the tool to the ledger you already use, especially if you are on QuickBooks Desktop or an ERP.
Melio Go limits QuickBooks Online and Xero sync to the first 10 payments. Core unlocks those syncs and QuickBooks Online vendor credits. Boost adds QuickBooks Desktop. Unlimited adds NetSuite and unlimited seats. If you already work in QuickBooks, see Melio vs QuickBooks Payments and paying bills with QuickBooks.
BILL Essentials uses CSV import and export. Automatic two-way sync with QuickBooks Online, Pro, Premier, and Xero starts at Team. QuickBooks Enterprise, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Microsoft Dynamics are listed on Enterprise. If an ERP connector is required, get a BILL Enterprise quote and compare it with Melio Unlimited’s published NetSuite mention in a demo; connector depth varies by edition.
When Melio is the better fit
Takeaway: Melio fits when you want to replace checks quickly, keep software cost flat, and stay inside QuickBooks Online, Xero, QuickBooks Desktop, or a relatively simple approval path.
- You are a solo owner or a two-person office paying a modest number of vendors each month, and the $0 Go plan or $25 Core plan covers the workflow.
- You want free standard ACH bundled into the subscription, or you are ready to cap ACH cost with Unlimited at $80 a month ($64 billed annually).
- You also pay 1099 contractors through Melio and want W-9 collection and 1099 automation on a paid plan.
- You want invoices and payment links in the same account, without buying a separate AR suite.
- You would rather start on a 90-day Melio trial, then drop back to Go or pick a paid tier after you see real payment volume.
When Bill.com is the better fit
Takeaway: BILL fits when headcount, approval policy, procurement, or ERP sync matter more than a lower software bill.
- Three or more people create, approve, or record bills, and you want every login to map to a role rather than a shared inbox.
- You need custom approval policies, approver-only seats, or purchase-order matching — features BILL places on Corporate (or as a procurement add-on on lower plans).
- Your ledger is QuickBooks Pro or Premier and you want automatic two-way sync (Team or higher), or you are heading toward NetSuite, Intacct, or Dynamics (Enterprise).
- You want AI multi-line bill coding and a combined AP and AR workspace for the same users.
- Your firm already standardizes clients on BILL’s Accountant console, or you specifically want BILL’s vendor network and virtual-card payout path (published as free when funded from a bank or BILL balance).
How to decide in 30 minutes
Takeaway: Count users, count monthly ACH and checks, then test one real bill on the cheaper plausible plan before you migrate every vendor.
- Count the people who must log in to create, approve, or reconcile bills. One user: start with Melio Go or Core. Three or more named roles: shortlist BILL Team or Corporate.
- Tally last month’s ACH, checks, card payments, wires, and same-day jobs, then drop those counts into the fee tables above.
- Match the ledger. QuickBooks Online or Xero works with paid Melio and with BILL Team+. QuickBooks Desktop points to Melio Boost or Unlimited. Other ERPs generally mean a BILL Enterprise conversation, aside from Melio Unlimited’s published NetSuite mention.
- If procurement or custom approval policies are required this year, price BILL Corporate (or the procurement add-on on lower tiers).
- Pilot two or three live vendors, one approval path, and a ledger sync. Keep your current check process until the first reconciliation looks clean.
Common mistakes when choosing a bill pay tool
Takeaway: Most regret comes from undercounting seats, ignoring ACH volume, or treating a trial as the long-term price.
- Treating Melio Go or BILL Spend & Expense as a free multi-user AP system. Go is one user with five free ACH payments. Spend & Expense is a card and expense product, not BILL’s AP subscription.
- Pricing Melio Unlimited at $64 without noticing that $64 is billed annually; the monthly list price on November 11, 2026 is $80.
- Undercounting BILL seats. On Essentials and Team, a bookkeeper plus two approvers is three standard users, unless you are on a plan with discounted approver-only seats.
- Assuming card payments are free float. Both vendors commonly list about 2.9% when you fund with a credit or debit card.
- Ignoring Melio’s 90-day trial rules. If you use paid features and do not subscribe, Melio says the account returns to Go and premium-feature data is deleted.
- Buying from a marketing comparison page without opening each vendor’s live pricing URL. BILL’s public page now lives at
/product/pricing.
FAQ
Is Melio free for small businesses?
Yes. Melio Go is $0, limited to one user, with five free standard ACH payments a month and a $0.50 fee after that. Multi-user approvals, W-9 tools, and full QuickBooks or Xero sync start on Core. Confirm current Go limits on Melio’s pricing page.
Is Bill.com the same as BILL?
Yes in practical search terms. BILL is the current company and product name; Bill.com is the name most owners still type. This page uses both so the search query matches the product you will buy.
Which is cheaper: Melio or Bill.com?
For a solo owner or a small team with modest ACH volume, Melio is usually cheaper because of the $0 Go plan, included ACH allotments, and flat Unlimited pricing. BILL’s per-user AP plans start at $49 and do not include free standard ACH on the public fee table, which can still be the right buy when you need several seats, custom approvals, or an ERP connector. Use the worksheet above with your own counts.
Can I pay vendors with a credit card on Melio and BILL?
Often yes, even when the vendor does not formally accept cards. Both publishers commonly list a 2.9% payer fee when a card funds an ACH or check payout, and faster deliveries can add a fee. Check the amount shown on the payment screen before you confirm.
Does BILL have a free AP plan?
No. BILL’s $0-per-user offer is Spend & Expense (cards, budgets, and expense tracking). Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable are paid, per-user subscriptions, with a free trial in most cases according to BILL’s pricing FAQ.
Does Melio or BILL replace my accountant?
No. Both can reduce data entry, help you pay on time, and sync to common ledgers. They do not replace bookkeeping, tax filing, or cash-flow advice. If your CPA or bookkeeper already works in one tool, that is a practical reason to stay on it.
How does Melio’s 90-day trial work?
Melio offers 90 days of unlimited free ACH payments and advanced automations with no credit card required. If you have not subscribed by the end of that period, Melio says the account converts to limited Go, paid features go away, and data from those premium features is deleted. Export anything you need before the window closes.
Should I switch from checks to Melio or BILL first?
Start with vendors who already accept ACH, keep a mailed-check path for holdouts, and tighten approvals after the first month reconciles. Melio is a common first step for low-cost check replacement. BILL is a common first step when named roles need to be in place on day one.
Next steps and related guides
Takeaway: If Melio fits a lean bill-pay workflow, start a carefully scoped pilot; if BILL fits your approval and seat needs, get current per-user pricing and run the same pilot there.
If Melio looks like the right fit for your small business, start here: Try Melio. Terms, eligibility, and offers can change. Verify pricing, free-tier ACH limits, and plan features on Melio before you enroll.
Continue with these related SmallBizPayGuide resources:
- Bill pay overview
- Software comparisons
- Melio pricing
- Melio review for small business owners
- Melio alternatives
- BILL (Bill.com) alternatives
- Melio vs Plastiq
- Melio vs QuickBooks Payments
- Can you pay contractors with Melio?
- Pay vendors with a credit card
- Pay business bills online without mailing checks
- ACH vs wire transfer for vendor payments
- Set up a bill approval workflow
List prices change. Re-check Melio pricing (2026) and BILL pricing (2026), map seats and payment mix, and choose the tool that matches how your US small business pays vendors.