Source: https://rivet.global/blog/bill-com-vs-melio
Published: 2026-06-15 · Updated: 2026-11-04 · By Alexia M.

# BILL vs Melio: accounts payable tools compared for 2026

BILL vs Melio for paying vendors: per-user plans, ACH, card and international payment fees, from each company's pricing page, with a worked example.

## Key takeaways

- BILL's AP and AR plans cost $49, $65 and $89 per user a month; Melio has a free Go plan and paid plans from $25 a month.
- BILL charges $0.59 per ACH; Melio includes 5 to 50 free ACH payments a month by plan, then $0.50 each.
- BILL charges $19.99 for an international USD wire and applies an exchange rate to foreign-currency payments; Melio charges $20 for a global ACH in USD.
- Both charge 2.9% when you pay a vendor by card.

"Bill.com vs Melio" is one of the first suggestions after "bill.com vs". Both pay your vendors from your existing account and track bills. The pricing models differ, and so does the cost of paying abroad. Figures below were read on each pricing page on 4 November 2026.

## Pricing

| | BILL | Melio |
|---|---|---|
| Plans | Essentials $49, Team $65, Corporate $89 per user a month | Go $0, Core $25, Boost $55, Unlimited $80 a month |
| Free ACH | None; $0.59 each | 5, 20, 50 or unlimited a month by plan; then $0.50 |
| Pay by card | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| International USD | $19.99 per wire | $20 global ACH in USD |
| Foreign currency | Exchange rate applies | Conversion rates apply |

## Worked example

A small agency pays 30 US vendors and 10 vendors abroad each month, with two people in the tool.

- BILL Essentials: 2 users at $49 is $98; 30 ACH at $0.59 is $17.70; 10 international USD wires at $19.99 is $199.90. About $316 a month.
- Melio Boost: $55 plus one extra user at $10; 30 ACH inside the 50 included; 10 global ACH at $20 is $200. About $265 a month.

In both, more than half the bill is the international payments.

## Which to pick

BILL suits finance teams that want multi-step approvals and deep sync with accounting software. Melio suits owners who want a simple bill-pay tool and mostly pay US vendors.

## Fix the international part

Paying vendors abroad in US dollars pushes the conversion onto them, and many add it to the price. Paying in their currency on a local rail is usually cheaper for both sides.

## Paying into the United States: the local rail

| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Local rail | ACH for batch payments; RTP and FedNow for instant transfers |
| Run by | Nacha for ACH; The Clearing House for RTP; the Federal Reserve for FedNow |
| Settlement | Same-day ACH within the business day, standard ACH the next; RTP and FedNow in seconds, 24/7, where both banks take part |

Source: [Nacha: Same Day ACH](https://www.nacha.org/rules/same-day-ach-moving-payments-faster). Checked when this guide was last updated; the scheme's own page has the current figures.

## Where Rivet fits

Rivet pays vendors and contractors in 120+ countries from one balance, on local rails where available, at $2 per payout on Starter, $1 on Growth and $0.50 on Scale, with the FX shown before you confirm. Bulk payouts take a file. Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold the funds. See [bulk payments explained](/blog/bulk-payments-explained) and [Payouts](/payouts).

## Questions

### Is BILL or Melio cheaper?

For a small business paying fewer than 50 US vendors a month, Melio is usually cheaper because its plans include free ACH. For a finance team that needs approval workflows and syncs, BILL's per-user price buys more control.

### How much do BILL and Melio charge to pay vendors abroad?

BILL charges $19.99 per international USD wire, and foreign-currency payments carry an exchange rate. Melio charges $20 for a global ACH in USD and applies conversion rates for local-currency payments.

### Do I still need a bank account?

Yes. Both pull payments from your existing business account and push them to vendors.

### When is a multi-currency account better?

When you pay vendors abroad in their currency every month. Holding that currency and paying on local rails avoids per-payment wire fees and the tool's exchange rate.