Whether you work remotely or have a business, one thing that you’ll find invaluable is a reliable payment platform. Such a platform allows you to pay bills, track and pay your employees or receive payments from your clients. That’s where Melio payments comes in. Melio is an Accounts Payable program made by a company of the same name in Tel Aviv. The payment company targets small businesses looking to pay international vendors and make local transactions.
To save you the delivery cost, Melio will deposit or send your payments to suppliers for you. In addition, you can delay payments even more if you use a credit card and pay a 2.9% transaction fee. If you pay using a credit card, you may take advantage of the 45-day grace period before your next credit card billing cycle while simultaneously earning rewards points.
This article will help you discover everything about the payment system while introducing you to its capabilities and limitations.
Melio Payments Explained
Melio was created by Matan Bar, Illan Atias, and Ziv Baz in Israel in July 2018. Despite starting the business in Sweden, it now conducts most of its transactions in the United States. The company grew by a factor of 2,000 in the same year. One of Melio’s founders, Matan Bar, came up with the idea for the company after working in the P2P payment market with PayPal and Venmo.
Melio is a platform for business payments that lets small and medium-sized businesses send and receive wire transfers, debit and credit card payments, and even paper checks if needed. Melio plans to create a paperless and eco-friendly method of payment. Moreover, it is an easy solution for small businesses to keep pace with their rivals in the market. By making it easier for organizations to send and receive payments, Melio lets companies focus more on their customers and less on administrative problems.
Melio is free, and you can use it on any platform. Resultantly, it has become very popular with mobile business owners and professionals who want to spend less money on accounts payable software but still need to pay invoices and track cash flow while on the move.
Using Melio’s built-in tools to schedule payments, you can pay ahead of time without worrying about forgetting or paying too soon. Plus, you can give people, such as your accountant, access to the platform without giving up control over who can approve transactions. It works with all major credit cards and banks in the US, and it’s easy to connect to popular accounting programs such as QuickBooks.
Features
Melio has many features to make any electronic payment for your small business. Some that stand out are explained below.
Mobile Compatibility
Melio is an online service that you can use anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. In fact, Melio is an indispensable tool for managing your company’s finances and paying bills.
As of November 2022, Melio does not have a mobile app. But you can use any device to access all of Melio’s features using this URL.
Pay Vendors Through Credit Cards
Cash inflow is very important for any business. Although credit card payments often cost less than cash transactions, only select businesses let you pay with them. Melio can help by handling the credit card processing and sending the merchant a wire transfer or check. You can use a credit card to buy things from stores that do not accept them. Moreover, credit cards can give you up to 45 days of float. Thus, you can buy things without paying immediate interest using Melio.
Permissions
With Melio, you can create several processes for approving payments. Inviting coworkers or your bookkeeper is fairly simple. Moreover, you can decide who approves transactions by giving each user individual authority.
Set Up Recurring Payments
Melio is perfect for people who hate having to remember payment deadlines. Setting up recurring payments helps you not worry about late fees or a drop in cash flow.
Melio and Quickbooks Work Together
Melio’s two-way sync with QuickBooks is an excellent feature for anybody using that program and who wants to streamline their payment processes. Plus, with two-way sync in QuickBooks Online, you never have to enter an invoice or payment manually. Moreover, your Melio username and password will be the same as your QuickBooks username and password.
Melio.me
Melio.me is a simple and clear way to receive online payments. The client doesn’t need a Melio account to send you money. The sender can pay with a free bank transfer or a credit card (with a 2.9% fee) with just a few clicks.
Accountants
You can stay on top with the help of Melio’s accounting services. It lets you view the clients’ payment history and how they sync with QuickBooks in one place. Moreover, moving from one client profile to another is fairly easy.
The company can also send messages to suppliers asking them to enter their payment information and choose whether they want to be paid by check or direct deposit.
There’s also a special group for customers with the Melio Accountant plan. You get access to specialized tools for your industry to give your customers a better, more streamlined experience with accounts payable.
Affiliate Program
Melio has an excellent referral program where you can earn money by inviting other people. The website uses cookies to keep track of the people you refer. Web browsers will remember your personalized URL for the next 90 days.
Moreover, every referral will get you $200 when a new client makes their first payment through Melio. However, if a payment failed to go through, the referral won’t work. At the close of each month, payments are processed and dispersed by either PayPal or Stripe (other methods available for non-PayPal territories).
Customer Service/ Support
Melio offers live customer support. In addition, the Accountant plan gives you access to live, specialized accountants on their customer support team who can answer any question you have about accounting.
If you have any general inquiries about Melio, you can find answers on the FAQ page. Furthermore, you can contact support through email and social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter).
Security
Melio takes great care to protect user safety and keeps its servers in secure data centers. In addition, the platform uses top-level encryption standards like HTTPS and AES.
Melio also meets the PCI compliance standards. Important information is kept safe, and regular (both human and computer-based) system checks are done to avoid fraud. Melio’s external credit card processor, TabaPay, has the highest level of PCI certification (Level 1). This certification is a must to keep up with annual audit standards.
Moreover, the site works with Evolve Bank & Trust to ensure hassle-free transactions. All employees also undergo thorough background checks and security orientations.
No Fees Required
All ACH (Automated Clearing House) transactions, both incoming and outgoing, are free. However, credit and debit card payments come with a 2.9% processing fee which you can avoid if you use an electronic bank transfer instead of a credit card. Also, using a credit card to pay for things could free up much-needed cash. Furthermore, since your vendor can skip signing up for Melio or paying any monthly subscription fees, there is no way that payments get stuck.
Pros
- Accounts Payable and receivable
- Offers API
- Scheduling Payments
- Supplier Management
- Multi-User
- Notifications
- 2-Factor Authentication
- P&L
- Customer Management
- Dashboard
- Data Export and Import
- Billing/Invoicing
- Calendar Management
- Expense Tracking
- Multiple Payment Methods
- External Integrations
Cons
- Only allows vendor payments at this time
- Live checks take over a week to reach suppliers' bank accounts
- Does not work well for medium-sized businesses that must batch out large payments or sort and balance data.
- Software sometimes misreads new vendor invoices
- Doesn't support international payments to vendors with credit cards
- No mobile app
- Only pays out to businesses, not individuals
- For Accounts Payable, QuickBooks Online is the exclusive sync partner
Alternatives to Melio
Corpay One (Formerly Roger)
Corpay One helps you manage your cash easily. By putting all of your accounts payable programs into Corpay One, you can cut down on the number of programs you need to use.
Moreover, it offers automated features to handle things like payments, invoices, accounting, vendor communication, expense approvals, collecting receipts, exports, payment reconciliation, expense reports, and reimbursements.
Velo Payments
In 2020, Velo Payments and Mastercard set a new standard for processing international payments. With Velo, accounts payable can be handled faster and with fewer employees. The platform solves the problem with B2B payments and lets people pay by bank account transfer or credit card.
Tipalti
Tipalti is a great tool for automating accounts payable for companies with a wide range of products, locations, and accounting processes. The platform can handle an unlimited number of automated data processes and multiple payment methods and currencies. Since Tipalti works for businesses of all sizes, you can grow your business without buying new software.
Goby
Goby’s automation of the accounts payable process helps small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) the most. Using Goby can reduce the time it takes to process invoices and the costs associated with AP. Moreover, the software checks information, looks for mistakes, and helps eliminate them.
Paypool
Not to be confused with PayPal, Paypool is a web-based system for automating accounts payable. With its help, you can streamline processes from collecting data to sending invoices to accepting payments. You can trust that the platform has a digital paper trail that you can check. Moreover, it can integrate with your existing accounting software.
MineralTree
MineralTree is a billing and payment automation service that uses the cloud and works with common accounting software like QuickBooks, NetSuite, Intacct, and Microsoft Dynamics GP. It was made for small and medium-sized businesses.
Users can change the MineralTree program to meet different user requirements, such as approvers, accounting managers, and others. In addition, transfers through the automatic clearing house (ACH), paper checks, and credit card payments are good ways to use the service.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are some typical applications of Melio?
Melio is a free program that makes it easier to pay vendors on time while reducing the paperwork you must do. Moreover, it offers bank transfers as a free way to send money to suppliers, even if they only accept checks.
The service lets you carry only what you need, so you can use your credit card’s perks by making purchases anywhere. In addition, it also helps with accounts payable from a new angle. Since Melio works with QuickBooks, you don’t have to manually cut checks for your suppliers, as Melio will send them out for you.
2. Does Melio provide documentation, lessons, or assistance to users?
Yes, Melio is easy to use and offers a guide to help first-time users understand its payment methods.
3. Can I connect Melio to an API?
No, Quickbooks is the only accounting software it can currently connect to.
4. Is Melio compatible with any other applications?
Presently, it is only compatible with Quickbooks.
5. Which is Melio’s core target market?
People in the US who own small businesses and work in accounting and bookkeeping. Also, anyone in charge of a business who wants to use smarter billing practices like bank bill pay to make things run more efficiently.
6. What kinds of operating systems does Melio work on?
Melio is a web-based program that works with every operating system that uses an internet browser. For example, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, and iPad (Mac).
7. What are some standard programs that go well with Melio?
Only Quickbooks is integrated with Melio as of now.
8. Can more than one person use Melio simultaneously (for groups)?
Yes, you can use Melio for groups within a company.
9. How much does Melio cost?
It depends on the kind of transactions you’re making. A no-cost variant is also available. Moreover, Melio also provides a free demo.
10. How do I start using Melio’s services?
After making your first payment through Melio and choosing your account settings, you’ll have to give Melio legal information about your business. Your company must have a legal name, a physical location, and a Tax ID number.
If you’re a sole proprietor and have no physical business location, you can send checks to suppliers through their PO Box. You can change your business profile on the “Company Settings” page.
11. Should I let my suppliers know that I’m switching to Melio?
When you use Melio to transfer payments, you don’t need to tell each merchant separately, as they will continue to get payments in whatever way you choose (ACH, paper check, etc.). Also, sellers don’t have to join Melio for the transaction to go through.
Conclusion
Melio’s payment system makes things run smoother. It allows business owners flexibility and freedom in finding out about a bill, when payments go out to suppliers, or when customers’ payments fail. It gives business owners access to a wide range of methods to transfer money, such as credit cards and other actual payment methods that suppliers might not usually accept. Melio can handle all your billing and client invoicing needs on a single platform for a reasonable price.
Get more information on payment providers in our payment processing reference guide.
Paul Martinez is the founder of EcomSidekick.com. He is an expert in the areas of finance, real estate, eCommerce, traffic and conversion.
Join him on EcomSidekick.com to learn how to improve your financial life and excel in these areas. Before starting this media site, Paul built from scratch and managed two multi-million dollar companies. One in the real estate sector and one in the eCommerce sector.