Softwr

Accounting & Finance · head to head

Carta vs Melio

Carta logo

Carta

Accounting & Finance

Equity management & valuations

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Melio logo

Melio

Accounting & Finance

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: Carta free plan eligibility as captured 19 January 2024 was capped at companies with fewer than 25 stakeholders and less than $1M raised in funding; Melio go (free) plan limited to one user only
  • They diverge on capability: Carta covers Cap table management, Melio covers Vendor payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carta and Melio actually diverge.

Attributes where Carta and Melio differ
AttributeCartaMelio
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile app
Founded20122018

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting & Finance).

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 Carta

  • Cap table management
  • 409A valuations
  • Equity plans
  • Investor reporting
  • Fund administration
  • Gusto
  • Slack

Only in Melio

  • Vendor payments
  • Card to check
  • Payment scheduling
  • Approval workflows
  • QuickBooks sync
  • Xero
  • FreshBooks

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • SOC 2
  • Bank-level encryption
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Carta

  • Equity managementnot Melio
  • 409A valuationsnot Melio
  • Fund administrationnot Melio

Melio

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

Where each one falls short

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

Carta

  • Free plan eligibility as captured 19 January 2024 was capped at companies with fewer than 25 stakeholders and less than $1M raised in funding

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

Carta

$29/month
  • LaunchFree
    • Cap table
    • Stakeholder management
  • Seed$360/year
    • 409A valuations
    • Option exercising
    • Scenarios

Melio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Carta if

  • You need cap table management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want 409a valuations.
Carta 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 Carta or Melio better?
Neither clearly leads. Carta 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, Carta or Melio?
Melio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Carta and Free for Melio.
Does Carta or Melio run on more platforms?
Carta 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. Carta starts at $29/month.
What is Carta best used for?
Carta is most often used for equity management, 409a valuations, fund administration. Of those, equity management and 409a valuations are not what Melio is typically brought in for.
What can Carta do that Melio cannot?
Carta covers Cap table management, 409A valuations, Equity plans, Investor reporting. Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows. Both handle QuickBooks, SOC 2, Bank-level encryption, Web support.
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