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Software · head to head

Fishbowl vs Melio

Fishbowl logo

Fishbowl

Software

Manufacturing and warehouse management for QuickBooks

From
$4395/one-time
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: Fishbowl the $229 per month Essentials plan includes only 2 users, Growth at $429 includes 5 and Scale at $729 includes 10, all billed annually; Melio go (free) plan limited to one user only
  • They diverge on capability: Fishbowl covers Inventory management, Melio covers Vendor payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fishbowl and Melio actually diverge.

Attributes where Fishbowl and Melio differ
AttributeFishbowlMelio
Starting price$4395/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, CloudWeb, Mobile app
Founded20012018

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 Fishbowl

  • Inventory management
  • Manufacturing
  • Work orders
  • Barcode scanning
  • QuickBooks integration
  • QuickBooks Desktop
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Shopify

Only in Melio

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

What people use each for

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

Fishbowl

  • Inventory and SKU tracking for wholesale and distribution businessesnot Melio
  • Manufacturing bills of materials, MRP, work orders and job costingnot Melio
  • Warehouse fulfilment, transfer orders and automated reorderingnot Melio
  • Multichannel selling with synchronised stock levelsnot Melio

Melio

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

Where each one falls short

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

Fishbowl

  • The $229 per month Essentials plan includes only 2 users, Growth at $429 includes 5 and Scale at $729 includes 10, all billed annually
  • A paid implementation package is required as part of purchase and covers a 6 to 8 week training certification
  • Lot tracking, demand forecasting and compliance documentation require the Scale plan at $729 per month
  • Advanced Warehouse from $595 per month and Advanced Manufacturing from $675 per month are quoted on team size and deployment rather than sold at a fixed rate
  • Demand forecasting and custom reports are add ons carrying separate fees
  • All listed plan prices are billed annually rather than monthly

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

Fishbowl

$4395/one-time
  • Fishbowl Warehouse$4395/one-time
    • Inventory tracking
    • Order management
    • QuickBooks sync
  • Fishbowl Manufacturing$5495/one-time
    • Work orders
    • Bill of materials
    • Shop floor control

Melio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Fishbowl if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Windows, Cloud.
  • You also want manufacturing.
Fishbowl 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 Fishbowl or Melio better?
Neither clearly leads. Fishbowl starts at $4395/one-time and Melio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fishbowl or Melio?
Melio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4395/one-time for Fishbowl and Free for Melio.
Does Fishbowl or Melio run on more platforms?
Fishbowl runs on Windows, Cloud. 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. Fishbowl starts at $4395/one-time.
What is Fishbowl best used for?
Fishbowl is most often used for inventory and sku tracking for wholesale and distribution businesses, manufacturing bills of materials, mrp, work orders and job costing, warehouse fulfilment, transfer orders and automated reordering, multichannel selling with synchronised stock levels. Of those, inventory and sku tracking for wholesale and distribution businesses and manufacturing bills of materials, mrp, work orders and job costing are not what Melio is typically brought in for.
What can Fishbowl do that Melio cannot?
Fishbowl covers Inventory management, Manufacturing, Work orders, Barcode scanning. Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows.
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