How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- BILL is the heavyweight accounts payable platform, from 45 dollars per user a month, with the deepest approval workflows and vendor network in the category.
- Relay and Mercury bundle bill pay into free business banking, which removes a subscription for companies willing to move their operating account.
- Ramp and Brex answer a different question, company spend control with bill pay included, aimed at funded and growing companies rather than Main Street payables.
- Melio's charm was paying by card and free ACH on a simple interface; compare per payment fees, not just subscriptions, because that is where these platforms differ most.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 BILL | Full accounts payable automation | $45 per user per month | No |
 Ramp | Spend control with bill pay built in | Free | Yes |
 Relay | Bill pay inside free business banking | Free | Yes |
 Mercury | Startup banking with payments | Free | Yes |
 Brex | Corporate cards and bill pay combined | Free | Yes |
 Airwallex | International vendor payments | Free | Yes |
 Plooto | Canadian and US payables together | See website | No |
 QuickBooks Online | Bill pay inside your accounting | $38 per month | No |
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The best Melio alternatives
#1BILL
Best for: Full accounts payable automation4.4/5 on
G2 (1,805 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit bill.com
Starting price$45 per user per month
Free planNo
What we like- BILL, formerly Bill.com, is the category's incumbent: invoice capture, multi level approval workflows, payments by ACH, check, and card, and a vendor network where millions of businesses already have payment details on file, so paying a new vendor often needs no bank details at all. Essentials starts at 45 dollars per user a month, with higher tiers adding controls and integrations. It syncs deeply with QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, and NetSuite, and its receivables side handles invoicing too.
Watch out for- Per user pricing plus per transaction fees stack up for a small team, and the total first bill surprises many Melio switchers used to free software. The interface and feature depth aim at finance staff
- A solo owner paying ten bills a month buys machinery they will not use. Support quality reviews are mixed at the lower tiers.
#2Ramp
Best for: Spend control with bill pay built in4.8/5 on
G2 (2,540 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ramp.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
What we like- Ramp combines corporate cards, expense management, and a bill pay module in one free core platform, earning from card interchange instead of subscriptions. Its bill pay reads invoices, matches them, routes approvals, and pays by ACH, check, or card, and the spend controls, per card limits, category rules, receipt enforcement, are the reason finance teams choose it. For a growing company whose problem is controlling all outflows, not just invoices, Ramp replaces several tools at once.
Watch out for- Ramp is built for companies with real card spend and finance processes
- A tiny business paying a handful of vendors gains little over Melio's simplicity. Eligibility involves revenue and banking requirements that exclude the smallest firms. Paid tiers add features such as advanced controls and procurement, and international payment depth still trails Airwallex.
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
What we like- Relay is a business banking platform, banking services provided through partner banks, that builds bill pay into the account itself: add vendors, schedule ACH and check payments, set approval rules by amount, and organize money across multiple accounts for budgets or tax reserves. There is no subscription for the core platform, which, combined with no monthly account fees on the standard tier, makes it the cheapest structural alternative to Melio for a business willing to bank where it pays. Accountant access and QuickBooks and Xero sync are built for the way small firms actually work.
Watch out for- Moving your operating bank account is a bigger decision than changing a payments app, and Relay's partner bank model means reading the deposit and FDIC pass through terms yourself. Card payment to vendors, Melio's famous trick, is not the platform's centre. International payments are limited compared with Airwallex, and larger companies will want BILL or Ramp's workflow depth.
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
What we like- Mercury is the startup banking standard: free business accounts through partner banks, domestic wires and ACH, bill pay, invoicing, and a clean interface founders actually like, with no monthly fee on the core account. Vendor payments, team cards, and reimbursements sit inside the same product, and its API and integrations serve technology companies well. For a venture backed or online business, it consolidates the bank, the card, and the payables inbox into one login.
Watch out for- Mercury's heartland is startups and digital businesses
- A traditional Main Street company may find its cash handling, it has no cash deposits and no branches, a poor fit. Bill pay workflow depth, multi level approvals and invoice automation, is lighter than BILL's. Eligibility is US business focused, and support is digital only.
#5Brex
Best for: Corporate cards and bill pay combined4.8/5 on
G2 (1,643 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit brex.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
What we like- Brex pairs corporate cards with high limits, built for funded companies, with bill pay, expense management, and reimbursements in the same spend platform, free at the core tier and earning on interchange. Its global card issuance and multi currency accounts suit companies with international teams, and the accounting integrations and controls match a finance department's expectations. Companies outgrowing Melio because spending now includes cards, travel, and software subscriptions find the consolidation valuable.
Watch out for- Brex's target customer is the funded, growing company
- Very small businesses may not meet account expectations or need the machinery. Bill pay is one module of a spend suite rather than the product's soul, so AP specialists still benchmark it against BILL. Feature packaging between the free core and paid tiers has changed before and needs checking at signup.
#6Airwallex
Best for: International vendor payments4.1/5 on
G2 (55 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit airwallex.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
What we like- Airwallex answers the payment Melio does worst: paying overseas. Multi currency accounts with local details in many countries, conversions at rates close to interbank with a stated margin, and transfers to more than 150 countries make it the default for importers, agencies with foreign contractors, and ecommerce sellers. Accounts are free to open with pay as you go transfer fees, and cards, payment acceptance, and expense tools extend the platform for international businesses.
Watch out for- FX margins, while competitive, are still a cost to model against your bank and against Wise style rivals on your specific corridors. Domestic US bill pay workflow, approvals and invoice capture, is less developed than BILL's. The platform's breadth can overwhelm a business whose payments are all domestic, where Melio's narrowness was the point.
#7Plooto
Best for: Canadian and US payables together4.4/5 on
G2 (90 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit plooto.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- Plooto serves the cross border small business the US centric platforms forget: payables and receivables across Canada and the US in one workflow, with approval chains, accounting sync, and payments in CAD and USD without forcing a currency conversion on every transaction. Businesses with entities or suppliers on both sides of the border standardize on it for that reason alone. Its AP automation covers capture, approvals, and payment runs in the mid market shape.
Watch out for- Plooto has adjusted its pricing model in recent periods and current published figures conflict between its site and comparison sources, so this guide lists see website
- Get the current per payment and plan structure in writing. Outside the Canada US corridor its international reach is thinner than Airwallex. Brand recognition and integration breadth in the US market trail BILL.
Starting price$38 per month
Free planNo
What we like- For the many businesses whose books already live in QuickBooks Online, its built in bill pay removes the separate platform entirely: enter or capture a bill once, schedule the payment inside the same ledger, and reconciliation happens by construction rather than by sync. Simple Start starts at 38 dollars a month with bill pay features expanding on higher tiers, and payments run by ACH and check through Intuit's network. Your accountant already has access, which removes an onboarding step every other entry here requires.
Watch out for- Payment features and limits are tied to your QuickBooks tier, and per payment fees apply on top of the subscription, so heavy payers should model the total against BILL and Relay. The workflow is accounting first, so approval chains and vendor management are lighter than a dedicated AP platform. Leaving QuickBooks later means leaving your payables history's home, which is the lock in price of convenience.
How we chose
We compared payment platforms on bill pay workflow, approval controls, payment methods and their fees, accounting integration, and who the product is truly built for, since a startup bank and an AP suite answer different questions. We favoured published pricing and flagged the one platform whose current figures conflict. None of these services is a bank in its own right unless stated; banking services run through partner banks, and we noted where that model applies because it affects deposit terms.
How to choose the right Melio alternative
Start with why you are moving. If Melio's simplicity still suits you but approvals and audit trails do not, BILL is the dedicated upgrade. If the real wish is fewer logins, the banking bundles, Relay and Mercury, or the accounting route in QuickBooks, consolidate payments where the money or the books already live. If the growth is international, Airwallex or Plooto should lead the list, and if the growth is in company spending generally, Ramp and Brex reframe the problem entirely.
Then model your payment mix honestly for a month: count ACH payments, card payments to vendors who do not take cards, mailed checks, and foreign transfers, and price that exact basket on each finalist, fees included. Per transaction differences of a dollar or a percent compound across a year of payables. Finally, respect the money movement: run the new platform beside Melio for one payment cycle, keep amounts small while vendor details and approval rules are proven, and confirm how each service handles a misdirected payment before you need the answer. This guide is general information, not financial advice for your business.
Frequently asked questions
Why do businesses switch from Melio?
Usually growth: more bills needing approval chains, international vendors Melio handles thinly, company cards and expenses joining the picture, or a wish to fold payables into banking or accounting. Melio's per payment fees also prompt comparisons at volume, since a free platform charging per transaction can pass a subscription platform's cost once payment counts climb.
How much does bill pay software really cost?
From zero subscription on Relay, Mercury, Ramp's core, and Brex's core, where the money is made on interchange or payment fees, to 45 dollars per user a month and up at BILL before transaction fees. The honest comparison is a month of your real payments priced end to end: ACH fees, card percentages, check fees, and FX margins on foreign payments.
Can these platforms pay vendors who do not accept cards?
Yes, that is the category's founding trick, which Melio popularized: you pay by card or ACH, and the platform delivers an ACH transfer or a paper check in the vendor's name. Fees and delivery times differ per method, and card payments carry a percentage fee, commonly around 3 percent, so it suits earning card rewards or managing timing, not routine discount hunting.
Is my money protected with banking platforms like Relay and Mercury?
Relay and Mercury provide banking services through FDIC insured partner banks, so eligible deposits receive FDIC insurance through that partner structure, subject to its terms. Read the specific partner bank arrangement and pass through conditions on the provider's site, and remember payment platforms that are not banks hold funds under their own money transmission licences and terms. This is general information, not financial advice.
What happens to my vendor data and history if I switch?
Vendor names, addresses, and bank details generally export or can be re entered, and accounting integrations carry bill history into QuickBooks or Xero regardless of which platform paid them. Payment history inside the old platform stays accessible under its terms for a period; export reports before closing the account, since audit trails for past payments are records your business should keep for tax and dispute purposes.
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Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.