Softwr

Software · head to head

Clay vs Melio

Clay logo

Clay

Software

Data platform for sales teams

From
On request
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: Clay two separate meters run at once, actions and data credits, and a plan can exhaust either independently; Melio go (free) plan limited to one user only
  • They diverge on capability: Clay covers Data enrichment, Melio covers Vendor payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clay and Melio actually diverge.

Attributes where Clay and Melio differ
AttributeClayMelio
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app
Founded20212018

Identical on both: 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 Clay

  • Data enrichment
  • Contact management
  • Workflow automation
  • Integration
  • API access
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

Only in Melio

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Clay

  • Enriching prospect lists from multiple data providers in one tablenot Melio
  • Building automated outbound research and outreach workflowsnot Melio

Melio

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

Where each one falls short

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

Clay

  • Two separate meters run at once, actions and data credits, and a plan can exhaust either independently
  • Data credit overage is sold at a 30% premium over the plan rate, so exceeding the allowance costs more per unit than planning for it
  • The free plan allows 500 actions, 100 data credits and 200 rows per table
  • The entry paid plan starts at $167 a month, and both paid prices are starting figures rather than fixed
  • The free plan cannot buy overage at all, so hitting the limit stops work rather than billing for it

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

Clay

On request
  • Pricing upon request$undefined/month
    • Data enrichment
    • Integration
    • Support

Melio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Clay if

  • You need data enrichment.
  • You also want contact management.
Clay 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 Clay or Melio better?
Neither clearly leads. Clay starts at On request and Melio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clay or Melio?
Melio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Clay and Free for Melio.
Does Clay or Melio run on more platforms?
Clay runs on Web. 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. Clay starts at On request.
What is Clay best used for?
Clay is most often used for enriching prospect lists from multiple data providers in one table, building automated outbound research and outreach workflows. Of those, enriching prospect lists from multiple data providers in one table and building automated outbound research and outreach workflows are not what Melio is typically brought in for.
What can Clay do that Melio cannot?
Clay covers Data enrichment, Contact management, Workflow automation, Integration. Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows. Both handle Web support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Clay

More on Melio

Keep looking

Other head to heads