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Personal Finance · head to head

Coinbase vs Melio

Coinbase logo

Coinbase

Personal Finance

Buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrency with ease

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: Coinbase the App Store listing states standard Coinbase trades carry fees and that a paid Coinbase One subscription is needed for zero trading fees and boosted staking rewards, and that fractional stock shares start at $1.; Melio card payments incur flat 2.9% fee on all plans
  • They diverge on capability: Coinbase covers Cryptocurrency Trading, Melio covers Vendor payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Coinbase and Melio actually diverge.

Attributes where Coinbase and Melio differ
AttributeCoinbaseMelio
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile app
CategoryPersonal FinanceAccounting
Founded20122018

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Coinbase

  • Cryptocurrency Trading
  • Staking
  • Coinbase Wallet
  • Coinbase Card
  • Bank transfers
  • PayPal
  • Apple Pay

Only in Melio

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Coinbase

  • Exchangesnot Melio
  • Tradingnot Melio
  • Walletsnot Melio

Melio

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

Where each one falls short

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

Coinbase

  • The App Store listing states standard Coinbase trades carry fees and that a paid Coinbase One subscription is needed for zero trading fees and boosted staking rewards, and that fractional stock shares start at $1.

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

Coinbase

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Buy and sell crypto
    • Coinbase Wallet
    • Staking rewards
  • Coinbase One$29.99/month
    • Zero trading fees
    • Priority support
    • Advanced trading tools

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 Coinbase if

  • You need cryptocurrency trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want staking.
Coinbase 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 Coinbase or Melio better?
Neither clearly leads. Coinbase 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, Coinbase or Melio?
Coinbase starts at Free and Melio at Free.
Does Coinbase or Melio run on more platforms?
Coinbase runs on Web, Ios, Android. Melio runs on Web, Mobile app.
Can I use Coinbase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Coinbase best used for?
Coinbase is most often used for exchanges, trading, wallets. Of those, exchanges and trading are not what Melio is typically brought in for.
What can Coinbase do that Melio cannot?
Coinbase covers Cryptocurrency Trading, Staking, Coinbase Wallet, Coinbase Card. Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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