Softwr

Software · head to head

Melio vs Brex

Melio logo

Melio

Software

Simple business payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Brex logo

Brex

Software

The financial stack for growing businesses

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; Brex the free Essentials tier is limited to two legal entities
  • They diverge on capability: Melio covers Vendor payments, Brex covers Corporate cards.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Melio and Brex actually diverge.

Attributes where Melio and Brex differ
AttributeMelioBrex
Starting priceFree$29/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile appWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20182017

Identical on both: pricing model (freemium), 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
  • Bank-level encryption

Only in Brex

  • Corporate cards
  • Business accounts
  • Expense management
  • Bill pay
  • Travel
  • NetSuite
  • PCI DSS
  • FDIC insured

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • SOC 2
  • 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 Brex
  • Bill management and payment schedulingnot Brex
  • Multi-vendor payment processingnot Brex
  • Invoice receivables and payment collectionnot Brex

Brex

  • Corporate cards with spend controls for startupsnot Melio
  • Expense management and reimbursementsnot Melio
  • Travel booking inside the spend platformnot Melio
  • Bill pay and accounting system syncnot Melio
  • Multi-entity spend management on the paid tiersnot 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)

Brex

  • The free Essentials tier is limited to two legal entities
  • Premium is $12 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount using the card
  • Enterprise and Smart Card pricing is not published
  • Eligibility criteria are not stated anywhere on the pricing page, which matters for a product that extends credit

Pricing, plan by plan

Melio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio review.

Brex

$29/month
  • EssentialsFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense management
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$12/month
    • Advanced controls
    • Custom approvals
    • Travel booking

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 Brex if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want business accounts.
Brex review

Questions people ask

Is Melio or Brex better?
Neither clearly leads. Melio starts at Free and Brex at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Melio or Brex?
Melio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Melio and $29/month for Brex.
Does Melio or Brex run on more platforms?
Melio runs on Web, Mobile app. Brex runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Melio for free?
Yes. Melio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brex 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 Brex is typically brought in for.
What can Melio do that Brex cannot?
Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows. Brex covers Corporate cards, Business accounts, Expense management, Bill pay. Both handle QuickBooks, Xero, SOC 2, Web support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Melio

More on Brex

Keep looking

Other head to heads