Is Melio better than Plastiq?

Melio is better for most US businesses. Melio offers free ACH and check payments, while Plastiq charges 1% for ACH and 2.85% for checks. Melio also has better accounting integrations.

Plastiq is a payment platform that lets US businesses pay vendors using a credit card even when vendors don't accept cards. It charges 2.85% on all card payments.

Does Melio have lower fees than Plastiq?

Yes. Melio ACH is free vs Plastiq 1%. Melio checks are free vs Plastiq 2.85%. Melio credit card is 2.9% vs Plastiq 2.85% — almost identical for card.

TL;DR: Melio wins — free ACH (Plastiq charges 1%), free checks (Plastiq charges 2.85%), better accounting integration. Try Melio free →

Melio vs Plastiq — Full Comparison 2026

Features • Fees • Pros & Cons • Which is Better for US Businesses

Melio vs Plastiq — Melio Payments bill management dashboard for US businesses paying vendors

Melio vs Plastiq — Overview

Both Melio and Plastiq allow US businesses to pay vendors using credit cards — even vendors who don't accept cards. The key difference is in how they charge for it. Plastiq charges fees on nearly every payment type. Melio offers ACH and check payments for free, with a 2.9% fee only on card payments.

Melio vs Plastiq — Fee Comparison

Payment Method	Melio Fee	Plastiq Fee	Winner
ACH bank transfer	Free	1% fee	Melio
Check by mail	Free	2.85% fee	Melio
Credit card	2.9%	2.85%	Tie (~equal)
Debit card	2.9%	2.85%	Tie
Monthly subscription	Free (Go plan)	Free	Tie
International payments	80+ countries	Limited	Melio

Melio vs Plastiq — Feature Comparison

Feature	Melio	Plastiq
Pay vendors by card	Yes — 2.9%	Yes — 2.85%
Free ACH payments	Yes — always free	No — 1% fee
Free check payments	Yes — always free	No — 2.85% fee
QuickBooks sync	2-way sync	Limited
Xero sync	Yes	No
Approval workflows	Yes	Basic
Mobile app	iOS & Android	iOS & Android
AI bill capture	Yes	No
Pay over time	Yes	No
W-9 & 1099 tools	Yes (Boost+)	No
Get paid / invoicing	Yes	No

When Plastiq Might Be Better

Plastiq has a slight edge (0.05%) on credit card payment fees — 2.85% vs Melio's 2.9%. For businesses that exclusively pay by card and process very high volumes, this small difference could add up. However, for any business that uses ACH or check payments at all, Melio is significantly cheaper.

Why Melio Wins Over Plastiq for Most Businesses

Free ACH: Melio's ACH payments are always free. Plastiq charges 1% — on a $10,000 payment that's $100 vs $0
Free checks: Melio mails checks for free. Plastiq charges 2.85% for checks
Better integrations: Melio's two-way QuickBooks and Xero sync vs Plastiq's limited accounting integration
More features: Approval workflows, AI bill capture, invoicing, W-9/1099 — Plastiq doesn't offer these
International payments: Melio supports 80+ countries vs Plastiq's limited international options

Switch to Melio — Free ACH and Check Payments

Stop paying Plastiq's 1% ACH fee. Melio ACH is always free.

Create Free Melio Account → See All Melio Fees