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Software · head to head

Melio vs Navan

Melio logo

Melio

Software

Simple business payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Navan logo

Navan

Software

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 go (free) plan limited to one user only; Navan enterprise pricing requires quote request; no transparency on true per-user or per-transaction costs

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 (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
  • 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

  • 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)

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

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio review.

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

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
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
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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