Melio vs Zoho Expense Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
| Melio | Zoho Expense | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $25/mo | $4/mo |
| Number of plans | 5 | 3 |
| Free plan | ||
| Free trial | ||
| Pricing model | hybrid | per-seat |
Go
- 5 free ACH/month
- Pay by ACH, wire, or check
- Fast/Instant payments
- Set auto-pay
- Pay any bill by card
- AI bill capture
- Dedicated bills inbox
- Pay internationally
- Free AR & Invoicing
- Create invoices
- Get paid by card or bank
- Create payment links
Core
- 20 free ACH/month
- Pay by ACH, wire, or check
- Fast/Instant payments
- Set auto-pay
- Pay any bill by card
- AI bill capture
- Dedicated bills inbox
- Pay internationally
- QuickBooks Online sync
- Xero sync
- Batch payments
- Custom approval workflows
- W-9 collection
- 1099 automation
- AI assistant
- Priority chat support
- Free AR & Invoicing
- Create invoices
- Get paid by card or bank
- Create payment links
- Create branded invoices
Boost
- 50 free ACH/month
- Pay by ACH, wire, or check
- Fast/Instant payments
- Set auto-pay
- Pay any bill by card
- AI bill capture
- Dedicated bills inbox
- Pay internationally
- QuickBooks Online sync
- Xero sync
- Batch payments
- Custom approval workflows
- W-9 collection
- 1099 automation
- AI assistant
- Priority chat support
- Advanced user roles
- Apply vendor credits
- QuickBooks Desktop sync
- Premium phone support
- Free AR & Invoicing
- Create invoices
- Get paid by card or bank
- Create payment links
- Create branded invoices
Unlimited
Popular- Unlimited free ACH
- Pay by ACH, wire, or check
- Fast/Instant payments
- Set auto-pay
- Pay any bill by card
- AI bill capture
- Dedicated bills inbox
- Pay internationally
- QuickBooks Online sync
- Xero sync
- Batch payments
- Custom approval workflows
- W-9 collection
- 1099 automation
- AI assistant
- Priority chat support
- Advanced user roles
- Apply vendor credits
- QuickBooks Desktop sync
- Premium phone support
- Unlimited user seats
- NetSuite sync
- Free AR & Invoicing
- Create invoices
- Get paid by card or bank
- Create payment links
- Create branded invoices
Platinum
- Custom transaction fees
- Preferred card fees
- Priority payment processing
- Faster settlement times
- White-glove account management
- Discounted exchange rates
- Custom integrations & API access
FREE
- Maximum users: 3
- Expense reports
- Expense tracking via personal cards
- Mileage expenses via GPS
- Accounting integrations
- Global tax compliance
- Multi factor authentication
- Multi-currency expenses
- Customer /project tracking
- Basic audit trail
- 5 GB receipt storage
- 20 Receipt Autoscans
- Email Support
STANDARD
- Corporate card management
- Real-time card feeds
- Multiple expense policies
- Multi-level approval
- Split expenses
- Custom user roles
- Expense access delegation
- Cash advance management
- ACH Payments
- Direct bank reimbursements
- Attendee expense management
- 20 Autoscan per user
- Email & call support
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- ERP and HRMS integrations (Add-on)
PREMIUM
Popular- Online travel booking tool
- Inbuilt travel desk management tool
- GSA compliant automated per diem management
- Auto mileage capture with live tracking
- Live budget tracking
- Itemized receipt Autoscan
- Advanced approval management and policy customization
- Advanced customization
- Multi-entity/country expense management
Melio vs Zoho Expense FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- Zoho Expense is the cheaper option, starting at $4/mo vs $25/mo for Melio.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Both offer free plans, so you can try each without paying. Start with whichever fits your workflow better and upgrade when you hit the limits.
- How do they charge?
- Different approach here. Melio uses hybrid pricing, while Zoho Expense goes with per-seat. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. Melio: Melio is positioned as the SMB-friendly alternative to heavier AP platforms like Bill.com — cheaper entry point, simpler UX, and a free plan that actually works. They're not chasing enterprise, but the Platinum tier signals they want a piece of high-volume mid-market before those accounts graduate to something like Tipalti. Zoho Expense: Zoho is playing the aggressive value card here — $4–$6/seat undercuts most dedicated expense tools like Expensify or Concur by a meaningful margin. They're going after cost-conscious SMBs and teams already in the Zoho ecosystem who want to avoid paying a premium for a standalone tool.
Still deciding? See the best Melio alternatives or the best Zoho Expense alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.
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