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Melio vs Airbase

Melio logo

Melio

Software

Simple business payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Airbase logo

Airbase

Software

The first all-in-one spend management platform

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Melio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Melio go (free) plan limited to one user only; Airbase airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.
  • They diverge on capability: Melio covers Vendor payments, Airbase covers Corporate cards.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Melio and Airbase actually diverge.

Attributes where Melio and Airbase differ
AttributeMelioAirbase
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile appWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20182017

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 Melio

  • Vendor payments
  • Card to check
  • Payment scheduling
  • Approval workflows
  • QuickBooks sync
  • FreshBooks
  • SOC 2
  • Bank-level encryption

Only in Airbase

  • Corporate cards
  • Bill payments
  • Expense management
  • Procurement
  • Approvals
  • NetSuite
  • Sage Intacct
  • Slack

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Melio

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

Airbase

  • Spend managementnot Melio
  • Expense reportingnot Melio
  • Vendor paymentsnot Melio

Where each one falls short

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

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)

Airbase

  • Airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.

Pricing, plan by plan

Melio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio review.

Airbase

$29/month
  • StandardFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense reports
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$10/month
    • Advanced approvals
    • NetSuite sync
    • Procurement
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Airbase if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want bill payments.
Airbase review

Questions people ask

Is Melio or Airbase better?
Neither clearly leads. Melio starts at Free and Airbase at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Melio or Airbase?
Melio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Melio and $29/month for Airbase.
Does Melio or Airbase run on more platforms?
Melio runs on Web, Mobile app. Airbase runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Melio for free?
Yes. Melio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Airbase starts at $29/month.
What is Melio best used for?
Melio is most often used for accounts payable automation, bill management and payment scheduling, multi-vendor payment processing, invoice receivables and payment collection. Of those, accounts payable automation and bill management and payment scheduling are not what Airbase is typically brought in for.
What can Melio do that Airbase cannot?
Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows. Airbase covers Corporate cards, Bill payments, Expense management, Procurement. Both handle QuickBooks, Xero, Web support, Ios support.
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