“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” — Warren Buffett
Let’s face it—when it comes to managing payments in your business, two things matter most: cost and simplicity. You don’t want to jump through hoops. You don’t want hidden fees. And you definitely don’t want to waste hours sending checks or reconciling messy spreadsheets.
That’s why I’m writing this guide. If you’re running a small to mid-size business or freelancing your way through the modern economy, chances are you’ve come across Melio. It’s sleek. It’s cloud-based. And it promises to make bill payments and invoicing dead simple. Give Melio Payments a try today!
But here’s the real question: How much does Melio cost? Really!
If you’re like me, you want the full picture—upfront pricing, potential fees, and real-world value. So let’s dive into the good, the not-so-good, and the everything-in-between of Melio’s pricing structure.
What Is Melio?
Before we get into the dollars and cents, let’s get clear on what Melio actually does. In short, it’s an accounts payable and receivable platform designed to help you pay vendors and get paid faster—all without needing your payees to sign up for anything.
You can pay by bank transfer, card, check, or even schedule recurring payments. Better yet? You can do it all in one place. No paper. No postage. Just streamlined bill management.
But is it affordable? That’s what we’re about to unpack.
The Big Picture: Is Melio Free?
Here’s the great news:
✅ Creating a Melio account is 100% free.
✅ Sending ACH (bank-to-bank) payments is free.
✅ You can receive payments without paying anything.
But just like any platform, Melio isn’t entirely free. Depending on how you use it—especially if you want to pay by card, send international transfers, or fast-track payments—there are some fees involved.
Don’t worry, I’ll break them down line by line.
How Much Does Melio Cost: Go, Core, Boost & Unlimited
Here’s how much does Melio cost, with their four primary pricing tiers:
| Plan | Monthly (Billed Annually) | Monthly (Billed Monthly) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | $0 | $0 | Solo users, very small businesses |
| Core | $22 | $25 | Small teams, accounting sync |
| Boost | $47 | $55 | Growing teams needing automation |
| Unlimited | $68 | $80 | Larger teams with high volume |
Let’s look at what you actually get in each plan—and which features are worth paying for.
1. Melio Go ($0/month)
Yes, it’s really free.
This plan is perfect if you’re a solo entrepreneur or small business testing the waters. You can send up to 5 free ACH payments each month, pay by card, and even schedule bills. It’s a great entry point.
What’s included:
- 1 user
- 5 free ACH transfers per month
- Pay by card, ACH, wire, or check
- AI bill capture
- International payments
- Free invoicing tools (including payment links)
Who this is for: Freelancers, side hustlers, or anyone with a light payment load.
Heads-up: After your 5 free ACHs, each one costs $0.50. Still cheaper than postage!
2. Melio Core ($22–$25/month)
Step up to the Core plan if you’re juggling a small team and need better bookkeeping sync and approval workflows.
What you get:
- Everything in the Go plan
- 20 free ACH transfers/month
- Batch payments
- Approval workflows
- W-9 collection & 1099 automation
- QuickBooks Online + Xero sync
- Priority support
Who this is for: Small business owners who want to streamline monthly bills and get their accounting right.
Trust me—if you’re syncing with QuickBooks, this feature alone can save hours each month.
3. Melio Boost ($47–$55/month)
Here’s where the automation magic kicks in.
Boost includes advanced roles and permissions, more user control, and better accounting features—especially useful if your business is scaling and you have a finance team (or even just a really detail-oriented bookkeeper).
Added features include:
- 50 free ACH transfers/month
- Advanced user roles
- Custom approval workflows
- QuickBooks Desktop sync
- Set classes & locations for transactions
- Premium phone support
Who this is for: Fast-growing teams that want automation and control over financial processes.
4. Melio Unlimited ($68–$80/month)
Unlimited ACH. Unlimited users. Ultimate peace of mind.
This is the best value plan for established businesses making high-volume payments.
What’s included:
- Unlimited free ACH transfers
- Unlimited user seats
- Everything from Boost, plus:
- Dedicated account manager
- White-glove onboarding
- Premium phone support
Who this is for: Established businesses making 50+ payments per month, or teams managing payments across departments or clients.
Optional Add-Ons & Transaction Fees
So what happens if you go outside your plan limits? Or want extra capabilities? Here’s the breakdown of Melio’s transaction fees:
🔁 ACH Transfers
- Free up to plan limit
- $0.50 per ACH above your limit
💳 Credit/Debit Card Payments
- 2.9% fee (on your total payment amount)
Paying by card lets you earn points or extend cash flow—but yes, it comes with that 2.9% fee. You decide if the trade-off is worth it.
✉️ Paper Checks
- First 2 per month: Free
- After that: $1.50 per check
🕒 Expedited Payments
- Fast Check: $20 flat fee
- Same-Day ACH: 1% (up to $30)
- Overnight Check: $50
- Instant Transfer to Bank or Card: 1%
🌍 International Payments
- Flat $20 fee per transaction
- Only available in USD
- Limited to bank transfer or Visa/Mastercard
Heads-up: Melio doesn’t support payments in foreign currencies. If you need multi-currency support, you might want to pair it with a platform like Wise.
Real Talk: Is Melio Worth the Cost?
Short answer: Yes—if you use it smartly.
Here’s why I say that. I’ve worked with teams that used three different tools for payments, invoicing, and accounting. It was a mess.
Melio replaces all of that with a single dashboard. Plus, if you’re mostly paying by ACH, you might not pay a dime beyond your monthly plan.
But if you’re the kind of business that:
- Pays by credit card often
- Sends international payments
- Wants rapid transfers
…then yes, the fees can add up.
But here’s the flip side:
✅ Melio is still cheaper than many alternatives
✅ You can automate billing and batch payments
✅ Payees don’t need to sign up (a huge win!)
✅ You earn credit card rewards if you pay that 2.9%
✅ And it integrates smoothly with QuickBooks and Xero
Quick Comparison: Melio vs. Other Tools
| Feature | Melio | Bill.com | QuickBooks Bill Pay | Wise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $0–$80 | $45+ | $20+ | None |
| Free ACH | ✅ | ❌ ($0.49+) | ✅ | ✅ |
| International Pay | ✅ (USD only, $20) | ✅ (multi-currency) | ❌ | ✅ (multi-currency) |
| Credit Card Pay | ✅ (2.9%) | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Bill automation | ✅ | ✅ | Limited | ✅ |
| Accounting sync | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Limited |
| Payee signup needed? | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
My Experience Using Melio
If you’re wondering if I’ve used Melio myself, the answer is yes—and I recommend it often.
The first time I used it, I was stunned by how easy it was to onboard vendors. I just uploaded a bill, chose how I wanted to pay, and boom—done. They got paid via direct deposit without even creating an account.
What impressed me most was the batch payment feature. I could knock out 10 vendor payments in one click. No paper checks, no double entry, no drama.
The interface is intuitive, and the AI bill capture saves a lot of time. For small businesses and freelancers like me, it’s a game-changer.
So… How Much Does Melio Really Cost?
Here’s your quick cheat sheet:
- Startup or solo? Start free with the Go plan
- Need accounting sync or team workflows? Go Core ($22–$25/month)
- Scaling up? Boost gives you automation for $47–$55/month
- High volume? Unlimited at $68–$80/month gives you everything
And if you stick to ACH and avoid rush deliveries, your costs stay low. Want to float expenses and earn rewards? Use a business credit card and eat the 2.9% fee—strategically.
How Much Does Melio Cost, Final Thoughts (And a Tip!)
If you’ve read this far, you’re clearly serious about simplifying your business finances. Melio is an affordable, powerful platform that punches way above its price tag.
✅ It’s modern.
✅ It’s flexible.
✅ It scales with your business.
So if you’re ready to stop wasting time on manual payments and start automating your cash flow…
👉 Click here to sign up for Melio
It’s free to start, and you’ll know within a week whether it’s the right fit.
Got questions? Drop them in the comments—I’m happy to share my personal experience and help you find the right plan.
Want to learn why accountants are recommending Melio? Read all about here
