Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Melio vs Navan

Melio logo

Melio

Accounting

Simple business payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Navan logo

Navan

Accounting

AI-powered corporate travel and expense management with integrated corporate card

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Melio card payments incur flat 2.9% fee on all plans; Navan enterprise pricing requires quote request; no transparency on true per-user or per-transaction costs
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Melio and Navan actually diverge.

Attributes where Melio and Navan differ
AttributeMelioNavan
PlatformsWeb, Mobile appWeb, iOS, Android, API
Founded2018Unknown

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

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
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • FreshBooks

Only in Navan

Nothing recorded that Melio does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Melio

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

Navan

  • Mid-market and enterprise companies automating travel and expense workflowsnot Melio
  • Organisations seeking to reduce travel costs through policy enforcement and AI-driven discountsnot Melio
  • Teams utilising corporate card programmes for spend tracking without receipt capture overheadnot Melio
  • Global enterprises requiring multi-currency support and ERP integrationnot Melio
  • Companies where employee autonomy is prioritised; AI assistant enables self-service booking and policy compliancenot Melio

Where each one falls short

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

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

Navan

  • Enterprise pricing requires quote request; no transparency on true per-user or per-transaction costs
  • Expense management charges apply beyond 5 users, increasing per-user costs for larger teams
  • Corporate card programmes (Navan Card, Connect) complicate adoption by requiring banking integration
  • AI assistant (Navan Edge) lacks transparency on data handling; unclear whether conversation data is retained for model training
  • Limited EMEA coverage; emerging market travel inventory less comprehensive than global GDS systems

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Navan

Free
  • Navan BusinessFree
    • Unlimited flight, hotel, train, rental car bookings
    • Global inventory across 178+ countries
    • 24/7 travel support
  • Navan Business (Expense add-on)$15/month
    • Additional expense management users (beyond 5 free)
    • Receipt scanning and categorisation
    • ERP integration (30+ connectors)
  • Navan EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Dedicated account management
    • Negotiated corporate rates

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 Navan if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Navan review

Questions people ask

Is Melio or Navan better?
Neither clearly leads. Melio starts at Free and Navan at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Melio or Navan?
Melio starts at Free and Navan at Free.
Does Melio or Navan run on more platforms?
Melio runs on Web, Mobile app. Navan runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Can I use Melio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Navan is typically brought in for.
What can Melio do that Navan cannot?
Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows.

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
Navan: Is Navan's travel booking free?

Yes. Navan Business travel bookings are free, supported by supplier commissions. Expense management is free for the first 5 users monthly; additional users cost £15/month each.

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
Navan: What is Navan Edge?

Navan Edge is an AI travel assistant integrated into chat that handles flight, hotel, and restaurant enquiries, provides recommendations, processes cancellations and rebookings, and escalates to human support 24/7.

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
Navan: Does Navan integrate with our ERP system?

Yes. Navan provides 30+ pre-built ERP connectors (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, etc.) and REST APIs for real-time spend sync and invoice reconciliation.

Source
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