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Software · head to head

Brex vs Melio

Brex logo

Brex

Software

The financial stack for growing businesses

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Melio logo

Melio

Software

Simple business payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Melio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Brex the free Essentials tier is limited to two legal entities; Melio go (free) plan limited to one user only
  • They diverge on capability: Brex covers Corporate cards, Melio covers Vendor payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brex and Melio actually diverge.

Attributes where Brex and Melio differ
AttributeBrexMelio
Starting price$29/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile app
Founded20172018

Identical on both: pricing model (freemium), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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

  • Go (free) plan limited to one user only
  • ACH charges £0.50 per transaction beyond monthly allowance (5-50 free depending on plan)
  • Card payment fees range from 2.9% to 2.9% plus £75 maximum
  • International payments limited to select currencies only
  • NetSuite integration only available in Unlimited plan (£80/month minimum)

Pricing, plan by plan

Brex

$29/month
  • EssentialsFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense management
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$12/month
    • Advanced controls
    • Custom approvals
    • Travel booking

Melio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Brex if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • 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 $29/month 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?
Melio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Brex and Free for Melio.
Does Brex or Melio run on more platforms?
Brex runs on Web, Ios, Android. Melio runs on Web, Mobile app.
Can I use Melio for free?
Yes. Melio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brex starts at $29/month.
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.
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