Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Brex vs Melio

Brex logo

Brex

Accounting

The financial stack for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Melio logo

Melio

Accounting

Simple business payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Brex the free Essentials tier is limited to two legal entities; Melio card payments incur flat 2.9% fee on all plans
  • They diverge on capability: Brex covers Corporate cards, Melio covers Vendor payments.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brex and Melio actually diverge.

Attributes where Brex and Melio differ
AttributeBrexMelio
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile app
Founded20172018

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Brex

  • Corporate cards
  • Business accounts
  • Expense management
  • Bill pay
  • Travel
  • NetSuite
  • PCI DSS
  • FDIC insured

Only in Melio

  • Vendor payments
  • Card to check
  • Payment scheduling
  • Approval workflows
  • QuickBooks sync
  • FreshBooks
  • Bank-level encryption

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • SOC 2
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Brex

  • Corporate cards with spend controls for startupsnot Melio
  • Expense management and reimbursementsnot Melio
  • Travel booking inside the spend platformnot Melio
  • Bill pay and accounting system syncnot Melio
  • Multi-entity spend management on the paid tiersnot Melio

Melio

  • Accounts payable automationnot Brex
  • Bill management and payment schedulingnot Brex
  • Multi-vendor payment processingnot Brex
  • Invoice receivables and payment collectionnot Brex

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Brex

  • The free Essentials tier is limited to two legal entities
  • Premium is $12 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount using the card
  • Enterprise and Smart Card pricing is not published
  • Eligibility criteria are not stated anywhere on the pricing page, which matters for a product that extends credit

Melio

  • Card payments incur flat 2.9% fee on all plans
  • International payments charged $20 flat fee or 2.9% conversion rate plus international fees
  • Paper checks cost $1.50 per check
  • Wire transfers cost $10 standard or up to 1% plus $10 for same-day processing
  • Core and Boost plans charged $10/month per additional user beyond base

Pricing, plan by plan

Brex

Free
  • EssentialsFree
    • Global card acceptance
    • Accounting integrations
    • Real-time reporting
  • Premium$12/month
    • per user
    • Custom expense policies
    • Dynamic approval chains
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing

Melio

Free
  • GoFree
    • 5 free ACH payments per month
    • Pay by card, wire, or check
    • Basic invoicing
  • Core$25/month
    • 20 free ACH payments per month
    • $20/month with annual billing
    • QuickBooks Online and Xero sync
  • Boost$55/month
    • 50 free ACH payments per month
    • $44/month with annual billing
    • QuickBooks Desktop sync
  • Unlimited$80/month
    • Unlimited free ACH payments
    • $64/month with annual billing
    • NetSuite sync

Which should you pick?

Choose Brex if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want business accounts.
Brex review

Choose Melio if

  • You need vendor payments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app.
  • You also want card to check.
Melio review

Questions people ask

Is Brex or Melio better?
Neither clearly leads. Brex starts at Free and Melio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brex or Melio?
Brex starts at Free and Melio at Free.
Does Brex or Melio run on more platforms?
Brex runs on Web, Ios, Android. Melio runs on Web, Mobile app.
Can I use Brex for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Brex best used for?
Brex is most often used for corporate cards with spend controls for startups, expense management and reimbursements, travel booking inside the spend platform, bill pay and accounting system sync. Of those, corporate cards with spend controls for startups and expense management and reimbursements are not what Melio is typically brought in for.
What can Brex do that Melio cannot?
Brex covers Corporate cards, Business accounts, Expense management, Bill pay. Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows. Both handle QuickBooks, Xero, SOC 2, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Brex: Does Brex have a free plan?

Yes. Brex Essentials is free for startups and growing companies and includes global card acceptance, AI-powered rules, accounting integrations, real-time reporting, and bill pay.

Source
Melio: What does Melio charge for ACH payments?

Melio's free Go tier includes 5 free ACH payments per month. Core tier provides 20 free ACH payments per month at $25/month. Boost offers 50 free ACH payments at $55/month. Unlimited tier at $80/month includes unlimited free ACH payments.

Source
Brex: What is Brex Premium pricing?

Brex Premium costs $12 per user per month and is designed for mid-sized companies. It adds custom expense policies, dynamic approval chains, AI compliance auditing, multi-entity support, and live budgets.

Source
Melio: Does Melio charge fees for card payments?

Yes, Melio charges a flat 2.9% fee on all card payments. International card payments also include currency conversion charges and international fees beyond the base 2.9%.

Source
Brex: What countries accept Brex cards?

Brex cards are accepted in 210+ countries. The Smart Card plan offers local-currency cards in 50+ countries for companies focused on procurement simplification and international payments.

Source
Melio: Can I use Melio for free?

Yes, Melio's free Go tier allows 5 free ACH payments per month with no subscription cost. Users can pay by card, wire, or check and access basic invoicing and payment link features.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Brex

More on Melio

Keep looking

Other head to heads