Melio Review: Free Bill Pay & AP for LLCs
If your LLC pays 5-50 bills a month, Melio lets you pay for free. ACH is free, you get 5 free ACH on the free plan and unlimited on paid, checks are $1.50 (Melio mails), and card payments are 2.9% even if vendor only takes ACH. Syncs to QuickBooks Online, Desktop, and Xero, with batch pay, approvals, and 1099 prep.
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Quick verdict
Melio is the cheapest way for an LLC to pay bills and stay organized. Free plan includes 5 free ACH transfers/mo, 10 free QBO/Xero syncs, global payments, and ability to pay by card where vendor gets check/ACH/wire. Paid plans flat-rate regardless of users: Core $25/mo, Boost $55, Unlimited $80. Unlimited users on all plans.
For a single owner or small team with modest bill volume, Melio costs less than one BILL seat. For 5 users, Unlimited $80/mo vs BILL $225+.
What is Melio?
Melio is a bill pay platform focused on small business. Forward bills to inbox, batch pay, schedule payments to optimize cash flow, pay internationally, and sync 2-way to QuickBooks and Xero. Includes 1099 tracking and W-9 collection.
Melio pricing
Flat monthly, unlimited users. Verified July 28 2026 against meliopayments.com/pricing. Free ACH on all plans, checks $1.50, card 2.9%.
Go
- 1 user
- 5 free ACH/mo
- 10 QBO/Xero syncs
- Check $1.50, card 2.9%
Core
- $20 annual
- Unlimited ACH free
- Unlimited users
- Batch pay, approvals
Boost
- $44 annual
- Everything in Core
- Faster ACH, intl
- Most popular
Unlimited
- $64 annual
- All features
- Instant + intl payments
- Advanced controls
| Go | Core | Boost | Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $0 | $25 ($20 annual) | $55 ($44 annual) | $80 ($64 annual) |
| ACH payments | 5 free, then $0.50 | Unlimited free | Unlimited free | Unlimited free |
| Users | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Checks mailed | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 |
| Card payments | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
Source: Melio pricing page July 2026, AI Stack Guides, Tekpon. Platinum custom for large volume.
Free plan: 5 free ACH/mo, no subscription
Start Melio freeFlat pricing, unlimited users
Check Melio pricingWhat Melio really costs
| LLC, 1 user, 15 bills/mo | LLC, 5 users, 60 bills/mo | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Core $25 | Unlimited $80 |
| ACH payments | Unlimited free | Unlimited free |
| Checks (5) | 5×$1.50 = $7.50 | 10×$1.50 = $15 |
| Monthly total | ~$32.50 | ~$95 |
| vs BILL Team | BILL $49×1 + fees ~$57 | BILL $65×5 + fees ~$374 |
Key features
Free ACH
Unlimited free ACH on Core+, 5 free on Go. Vendor gets ACH, check, or wire – you choose how to pay.
Pay by card
Pay any vendor by card for 2.9% even if they only accept check/ACH. Earn rewards, extend float.
Batch & schedule
Batch pay multiple bills, schedule for cash flow, approve on mobile, recurring payments.
Accounting sync
2-way auto-sync with QuickBooks Online, Desktop, and Xero. Payments update books automatically.
International
Pay vendors in 130+ countries via international transfer, starting on Boost.
1099 & W-9
Track 1099 contractors, collect W-9s digitally, prep year-end 1099 filing.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Free plan with 5 free ACH, no subscription
- Flat pricing, unlimited users – cheaper than BILL for teams
- Unlimited free ACH on paid plans
- Pay by card where vendor gets ACH/check
- Easy QBO/Xero sync
What to watch
- Only 1 user on free Go plan
- Check fee $1.50, BILL is $1.99 but similar
- Card fee 2.9% adds up
- Fewer advanced AP features than BILL for large teams
Who is Melio for?
A good fit if you…
- LLC paying 5-60 bills/month
- Want free ACH and flat pricing
- Use QBO, QBD, or Xero
- Want to pay by card for rewards
Look elsewhere if you…
- Need advanced PO matching and multi-entity
- Pay 200+ bills with complex approvals
- Need Spend & Expense cards included
- Require NetSuite/Intacct deep integration
FAQ
How much does Melio cost?
Go $0 forever (5 free ACH), Core $25/mo ($20 annual), Boost $55 ($44 annual), Unlimited $80 ($64 annual), Platinum custom. Unlimited users. Checks $1.50, card 2.9%.
Is Melio really free?
Yes, Go plan is free with 5 free ACH/mo, 10 free QBO/Xero syncs, pay by card/bank. Vendor receives check/ACH/wire.
Does Melio work with QuickBooks?
Yes, 2-way sync with QBO, QuickBooks Desktop, and Xero.
Melio vs BILL?
Melio is bill-payment tool with flat pricing and free ACH, best for modest volume. BILL is per-user AP platform with AI capture, routing, fraud flags for growing companies.
Final verdict
Melio is the best free-to-start bill pay for small LLCs. If you pay under 60 bills and want flat pricing with unlimited users, it’s far cheaper than BILL. Start free, upgrade to Core $25 when you need unlimited ACH.
Start with 5 free ACH, no card needed
Start Melio freeUnlimited users, flat pricing
Visit Melio