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Accounting · head to head

Melio vs Payhawk

Melio logo

Melio

Accounting

Simple business payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Payhawk logo

Payhawk

Payroll

Modular spend management combining corporate cards, accounts payable, procurement and travel

From
On request
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 card payments incur flat 2.9% fee on all plans; Payhawk buying the full stack of Travel, Accounts Payable, Cards and Procurement separately costs more than a single suite price, since each module carries its own flat monthly fee.
  • They diverge on capability: Melio covers Vendor payments, Payhawk covers Corporate cards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Melio and Payhawk actually diverge.

Attributes where Melio and Payhawk differ
AttributeMelioPayhawk
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumPer module per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile appWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryAccountingPayroll
Founded2018Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Payhawk

  • Corporate cards
  • Accounts payable automation
  • Procurement module
  • Travel booking
  • ERP integrations
  • Multi-entity consolidation

What people use each for

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

Melio

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

Payhawk

  • A multi-entity European business wanting one system for cards, expenses and payables across currenciesnot Melio
  • A finance team that wants to price spend management before a sales call rather than negotiating blindnot Melio
  • A company wanting only accounts payable automation without paying for card issuing it does not neednot Melio
  • A mid-market business standardising ERP-integrated expense reporting ahead of a fundraise or auditnot 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

Payhawk

  • Buying the full stack of Travel, Accounts Payable, Cards and Procurement separately costs more than a single suite price, since each module carries its own flat monthly fee.
  • The unlimited-seats model is a poor fit for a company issuing cards to only a handful of employees, since the fixed module price does not scale down.
  • Card issuing depends on Payhawk's own banking partners rather than a company's existing bank, so switching away later means reissuing cards and re-training staff on a new tool.
  • Procurement is a separate paid module rather than a built-in feature, so a company evaluating "Payhawk" from marketing material may be looking at capability it has not actually bought.
  • International card acceptance and FX handling vary by market, and companies with material spend outside Europe report gaps compared to global card issuers.

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

Payhawk

On request
  • Travel$299/month
    • Integrated travel booking
    • Unlimited employee seats
  • Accounts Payable$349/month
    • Invoice capture and approval routing
    • Unlimited document processing
  • Cards and Expenses$449/month
    • Unlimited card transactions
    • Multi-entity expense management
  • Procurement$499/month
    • Purchase request and approval workflow
    • Vendor management

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 Payhawk if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want accounts payable automation.
Payhawk review

Questions people ask

Is Melio or Payhawk better?
Neither clearly leads. Melio starts at Free and Payhawk at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Melio or Payhawk?
Melio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Melio and On request for Payhawk.
Does Melio or Payhawk run on more platforms?
Melio runs on Web, Mobile app. Payhawk runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Melio for free?
Yes. Melio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Payhawk starts at On request.
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 Payhawk is typically brought in for.
What can Melio do that Payhawk cannot?
Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows. Payhawk covers Corporate cards, Accounts payable automation, Procurement module, Travel booking.

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
Payhawk: Is Payhawk pricing really public?

Yes, module pricing (Travel, Accounts Payable, Cards and Expenses, Procurement) is published starting at 299 to 499 dollars a month per module, or bundled as Payhawk Complete.

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
Payhawk: Does it charge per seat?

No, each module includes unlimited employee seats; the fixed monthly fee does not increase with headcount.

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
Payhawk: Can we buy just one module?

Yes, modules are sold separately, so a company can buy Accounts Payable without Cards or Procurement.

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