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Software · head to head

Dubsado vs Melio

Dubsado logo

Dubsado

Software

Business management for creatives

From
$20/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: Dubsado automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year; Melio go (free) plan limited to one user only
  • They diverge on capability: Dubsado covers Scheduler, Melio covers Vendor payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dubsado and Melio actually diverge.

Attributes where Dubsado and Melio differ
AttributeDubsadoMelio
Starting price$20/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app
Founded20162018

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 Dubsado

  • Scheduler
  • CRM
  • Invoicing
  • Contracts
  • Automation workflows
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zapier

Only in Melio

  • Vendor payments
  • Card to check
  • Payment scheduling
  • Approval workflows
  • QuickBooks sync
  • Xero
  • FreshBooks
  • SOC 2

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Dubsado

  • Client management and project workflows for freelancers and studiosnot Melio
  • Sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow upnot Melio

Melio

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

Where each one falls short

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

Dubsado

  • Automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year
  • The Starter plan allows a single lead capture form
  • Zapier and bookkeeping integrations are excluded from Starter
  • Additional brands are $10 a month each
  • Only 3 users are included, with 4 to 10 costing $25 a month and 21 to 30 costing $60

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

Dubsado

$20/month
  • Starter$20/month
    • 3 clients
    • Core features
    • Scheduler
  • Premier$40/month
    • Unlimited clients
    • All features
    • Automation

Melio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Dubsado if

  • You need scheduler.
  • You also want crm.
Dubsado 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 Dubsado or Melio better?
Neither clearly leads. Dubsado starts at $20/month and Melio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dubsado or Melio?
Melio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20/month for Dubsado and Free for Melio.
Does Dubsado or Melio run on more platforms?
Dubsado 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. Dubsado starts at $20/month.
What is Dubsado best used for?
Dubsado is most often used for client management and project workflows for freelancers and studios, sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow up. Of those, client management and project workflows for freelancers and studios and sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow up are not what Melio is typically brought in for.
What can Dubsado do that Melio cannot?
Dubsado covers Scheduler, CRM, Invoicing, Contracts. Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows. Both handle QuickBooks, Web support.
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Related pages

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