Last Updated on November 29, 2025 by Ewen Finser

Whether it’s fulfilling orders, participating in meetings or fielding customer questions, running a business is hectic. That’s why it’s best to find software solutions you can trust that can save time and streamline repetitive tasks. Every business has bills to pay, and any business that wants to survive will collect payments from customers. A payment platform helps you manage your payables and receivables, and choosing the right solution for your business can alleviate many headaches down the line. 

If you’ve started researching payment solutions and are conflicted between choosing Melio or Payoneer, you’ve come to the right place. While both platforms allow you to carry out transactions both in the US and worldwide, Payoneer is geared more toward freelancers and international online marketplaces.

Melio vs. Payoneer: At a Glance

What are Melio and Payoneer?

What to Know About Melio

Melio is a popular choice for managing AP and AR at small and medium-sized businesses. It accommodates a variety of payment methods. Whether you’re using ACH bank transfer, wire transfer, card or even check, Melio’s got you covered. It can be an appropriate solution for businesses regardless of their industries. Melio advertises itself to businesses in healthcare, construction, retail, logistics and many others. It’s not only for US transactions, either. You can make and receive international payments as well. 

What to Know About Payoneer

On the surface, Payoneer looks pretty similar to Melio. You can use it to make payments to vendors and receive payment from customers and, like Melio, it has international capabilities. The available payment methods are similar, too. However, one of Payoneer’s main distinctions is that it’s more tailored toward freelancers and e-commerce businesses than Melio, even though these audiences can use Melio also.

Here’s an in-depth look at how Melio and Payoneer compare. 

Plans and Pricing

Let’s not beat around the bush. What kinds of plans do these companies offer, and at what prices?

• Melio: With Melio, there are four main plans available to you: Go, Boost, Core and Unlimited. However, they also offer a fifth plan, Platinum, but this is a customized plan for high-volume businesses.

• Go is Melio’s free plan, and its capabilities are fairly limited. With this plan, you can only have one user, and you only get five free ACH per month. Syncs with QuickBooks Online and Xero are restricted to 10 each. 

• Core is the next step up, and it comes at a cost of $25 monthly. However, if you want more than one user on your account, you’ll have to pay an additional $10 per user. With Core, syncs with QuickBooks Online and Xero are no longer limited, and your number of free ACH increases to 20 per month. You also gain access to features like batch payments, W-9 collection and 1099 automation.

• Boost is $55 monthly. Like Core, you’ll pay an additional $10 per month for each additional user you add to your account. All the capabilities of the Core plan carry over, but you get 50 free ACH per month. Additionally, with the Boost plan, you’re no longer limited to syncing with QuickBooks Online and Xero. You can sync with QuickBooks Desktop as well. 

• Unlimited is pretty self-explanatory. With this plan, you get unlimited free ACH, unlimited users and unlimited syncs at a set price of $80 per month. You no longer have to pay the extra $10 to add another user. 

• Payoneer: Unlike many payment platforms, Payoneer doesn’t offer traditional plans, and it doesn’t charge subscription fees. Opening an account is completely free. However, if your account receives less than $2,000 over a 12-month period, you’ll be hit with a $29.95 annual account fee. 

Verdict: When it comes to subscription fees, Payoneer is the cheaper option between the two. 

Payment Fees

Since payment fees can add up significantly over time, it’s important to know what you can expect with both of these accounting solutions. 

• Melio: Fees vary depending on which payment method you use. If you’re paying by card, there will be a 2.9% associated fee. Payments made via ACH bank transfer are usually free. If you’re paying someone in another country, fees will be higher. ACH payments in USD will cost you a $20 flat fee. If you’re making global payments with a debit or credit card, you’ll also incur the $20 fee, but this is on top of the existing 2.9% charge. 

• Payoneer: When your clients pay you, there’s a fee of up to 3.99% for payments made with credit cards and a 1% fee for ACH bank transfers in the US. However, if your client is also a Payoneer customer, there aren’t any fees. 

If you’re in the US and are paying a customer in USD, you’ll either incur a flat fee of $1.50, or you’ll have to pay 0.5% of the total withdrawal amount. The 0.5% fee comes into play when the total amount of withdrawals and payments during a single calendar month exceeds $50,000. Otherwise, the $1.50 fee applies. For global transactions involving currency conversion, the fee could be as high as 3.5%. 

Verdict: In the majority of situations, Melio’s fees are far lower than Payoneer’s. This is critical since high fees can be a drag on your profits.

International Payments

While both Melio and Payoneer allow you to make payments globally, their reach differs. 

• Melio: With Melio, you can make payments to vendors in over 80 countries spanning Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, among other regions. At present, Melio supports payments in 15 distinct currencies, though this number could change. 

• Payoneer: Payoneer allows for cross-border transactions in over 190 countries worldwide using more than 100 currencies. 

Verdict: For its sheer scope of international payment capabilities, Payoneer dominates. However, for most cases, Melio’s global payment options will do the job just fine.

Batch Payments

Batch payment processing can be a great way to save time, since you’re making multiple payments at once. Let’s see how Melio and Payoneer fare in this category. 

• Melio: You can make batch payments with each of Melio’s paid plans, but keep in mind that this feature is only available for payments made in USD. With a single payment, you can combine up to 20 bills for the same vendor.

• Payoneer: If you’re using Payoneer, you can pay up to 1,000 transactions at once. Batch payments can be made in multiple currencies, as well. The company’s robust mass pay capabilities are due to its specialization in online marketplaces and other e-commerce businesses.

Verdict: Payoneer’s mass pay features dwarf those of Melio, but this really only matters if you’re running an online marketplace. 

Payment Delivery Time

Fees are one thing, but another major factor to look at when deciding between payment processors is how long it will take for your money to arrive. 

• Melio: When you use Melio, payment delivery times will vary depending on the payment method that you use. While a standard ACH bank transfer can take up to three business days to arrive, other available options are same-day ACH and instant ACH. With instant ACH transfer, money arrives within minutes. 

The timelines for domestic wire transfers are similar to those with ACH bank transfer. A standard wire transfer takes up to three business days, but same-day wire transfer is also an option. The slowest payment method is check, as it can take between five and seven business days for funds to arrive. 

• Payoneer: Payoneer isn’t as transparent with their delivery times as Melio is. They don’t provide a full breakdown by payment method. However, they do state that local bank transfers and wire transfers can take up to three business days to process. 

Verdict: Compared to Payoneer, Melio has the fastest available delivery times. Melio’s instant ACH can transfer payment within minutes, while you’ll be waiting up to three business days with Payoneer. 

Accounting Integrations

If you already have existing accounting software at your business, you’re probably looking for a payment solution that syncs up with what you already have. Fortunately, both Melio and Payoneer can sync with accounting software.

• Melio: You can sync your vendor details, outgoing payments and incoming payments with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop and Xero. Free syncs with QuickBooks Online and Xero are available even with the Go (free) plan, while QuickBooks Desktop is only available if you have the Boost or Unlimited plans. 

• Payoneer: With Payoneer, you can sync your transaction information with QuickBooks Online and Xero. However, unlike Melio, you can’t sync with QuickBooks Desktop. 

Verdict: Melio has the edge here. If your business already uses QuickBooks Desktop, it’s only natural that you’d want your payment platform to integrate with it. This is possible with Melio, but it isn’t with Payoneer. 

Security

Strong security features are a must if you want your sensitive financial information to remain safe. Both Melio and Payoneer have robust controls in place to protect your transactions. 

• Melio: The company monitors for security vulnerabilities 24/7, making it likely that they’d catch an issue before it causes major problems. To protect your data, Melio uses multi-factor authentication and encryption. It’s also Level I PCI Compliant, so it’s subject to an annual independent security audit. There’s also a process for reporting platform vulnerabilities if you think you’ve found one. 

• Payoneer: Payoneer has a lot of the same security features as Melio’s, keeping your financial data as safe as possible. It has real-time fraud monitoring, multi-factor authentication and regular security updates, to name a few.

Verdict: Both payment platforms have strong control systems to protect your financial data from bad actors. Neither Melio or Payoneer has a clear advantage when it comes to security. 

Customer Support

While it’s important to get a grasp of a payment platform’s technical capabilities, the human side can’t be overlooked. If customer service is poor, that can be a dealbreaker no matter how good the software is. 

• Melio: Melio has several different customer support options available, some of which depend on what plan you have. With the Go plan, you have access to live chat support, as well as email support. If you have the Core plan, you gain access to priority support. The Boost plan unlocks premium phone support, while the Unlimited plan comes with an account manager. 

• Payoneer: Like Melio, you can contact Payoneer via phone, chat and email. However, the company doesn’t offer priority support options. 

Verdict: Melio’s customer support comes out ahead when compared to Payoneer. The key difference is the availability of priority support. With Melio, you’ll be prioritized if you have a paid plan, leading to potentially faster resolution of your issue. This isn’t an option with Payoneer.

Which is Better?

For most small and medium-sized businesses, Melio comes out on top. One of its main advantages lies with its relatively low payment fees and fast delivery times. Payoneer lags behind in these areas, making it the potentially costlier and slower option between the two. Melio also has an edge with its customer support. It offers priority support for those with paid plans, an option that isn’t available with Payoneer. 

There are some exceptions, however. If you’re a freelancer or work in the e-commerce industry, you might prefer Payoneer, especially given its mass pay capabilities. Its international payment offerings are also powerful. Otherwise, Melio is generally going to be the stronger option.