AP Automation / Bill Pay ComparisonLast updated March 2026
Cleo Pay vs. Melio: Purpose-Built AP for Hospitality Teams
Cleo Pay is a hospitality-focused AP automation platform with no extra fee for standard ACH and same-day payments on Growth and higher plans. Melio is a general SMB bill pay tool that charges $0.50 per ACH payment after a limited free monthly allocation, takes 3 business days for standard transfers, and starts at $25/month with per-user fees on most plans. For restaurants, venues, and hotels, Cleo Pay offers purpose-built features like AI category matching, one-link vendor onboarding, and multi-location P&L segmentation that Melio does not provide.
Max plan: $399/mo billed yearly ($499 monthly), 300 payments and 15 seats included
Unlimited plan: $80/mo (or $64/mo billed annually). Only plan with unlimited users and ACH.
ACH Transaction Fees
No extra fee (200 payments fit in Max's 300 included)
$0 on Unlimited plan (unlimited free ACH). Boost plan: $0.50 x 150 overage = $75/mo
Expedited Payments (10/mo)
Same-day available on Max
Same-day ACH: 1% per payment (capped at $30). Est. ~$100/mo for 10 payments
Monthly Total
Max plan fee only
~$180/mo (Unlimited plan + same-day fees)
Annual Total
Max plan fee only
~$2,160/year (Unlimited annual + same-day fees)
3-Year Cost (no growth)
Max plan fee only
~$6,480 minimum
Estimated annual savings vs Melio
$2,160+
in transaction and per-user fees your team keeps
Melio's Unlimited plan removes per-payment ACH fees, but same-day ACH still costs 1% per payment (capped at $30). Lower-tier plans hit overage fees quickly at 200 payments per month. For a restaurant group that needs fast vendor payments, the same-day surcharges alone can add over $1,200 per year.
Payment Speed
When Do Your Vendors Get Paid?
Standard ACH
Cleo PayAvailable on every planNo extra fee
Melio3 business days$0.50/payment (after free allocation)
Same-Day ACH
Cleo PayOn Growth and higher plansIncluded in Growth and higher plans
MelioSame-day if scheduled before 2 PM ET1% of payment (capped at $30)
Instant Transfer
Cleo PayN/AN/A
MelioMinutes (weekdays 2 AM - 7 PM ET)1% of payment (capped at $75)
Mailed Check
Cleo PayN/AN/A
Melio~7 business days standard. Overnight: $50Free (2/mo), then $1.50. Overnight: $50
The Pay screen: what you paid, what is coming up, what is overdue, and a Pay button on every unpaid bill.
See it on your own invoices.
Bring three to five real bills to the call.
We scan and code them live, QuickBooks sync included.
Both Cleo Pay and Melio integrate with QuickBooks Online, but the depth and hospitality focus differ. Cleo Pay uses AI-powered category matching designed specifically for hospitality charts of accounts, while Melio provides auto-sync that pre-fills categories, classes, and locations from QBO. Melio requires Boost or Unlimited plans for QuickBooks Desktop support, and each location needs a separate Melio account with its own QB connection, which creates management overhead for multi-unit operators.
QuickBooks Integration comparison between Cleo Pay and Melio
Feature
Cleo Pay
Melio
QBO Support
Yes, native integration
Yes, two-way sync
QB Desktop Support
On roadmap
Boost and Unlimited plans only. Requires web connector installation
Category Mapping
AI-powered automatic matching
Auto-sync from QBO (pre-fills category, class, location)
Vendor Sync
Automatic bi-directional
Automatic bi-directional
Payment Reconciliation
Auto-marked as paid in QB
Auto-syncs payment details back to QBO
Multi-Location Mapping
Native class/location code mapping
Each location needs a separate Melio account with its own QB connection
Setup Complexity
Connect QuickBooks Online in the app
QBO: a few clicks. QB Desktop: web connector install with single-user mode required
1099 Compliance & Tax Filing
Both platforms support 1099 workflows, but the integration depth varies. Cleo Pay collects W-9s during vendor onboarding, runs IRS TIN matching, and prepares 1099-NEC forms from your payments. Vendors provide their tax info through the self-service portal, so W-9s are captured before the first payment is ever made. Melio offers automated W-9 collection with AI extraction and TIN matching against IRS records. Melio uses a third-party Tax1099 integration for e-filing. For hospitality businesses managing dozens of contractors (musicians, event staff, freelancers), having W-9s on file before the first payment reduces year-end work.
Vendor Onboarding
Cleo Pay provides a one-link vendor portal. Share a single URL with vendors and they enter their own banking details, W-9 information, and payment preferences. No back-and-forth emails, no spreadsheets. Melio also allows vendors to receive a link and choose their preferred payment method (ACH or check) without needing a Melio account. However, Melio is limited to B2B transfers only, meaning you cannot pay individual contractors like musicians, DJs, or freelance event staff directly. This is a significant gap for venues, event spaces, and production companies.
Customer Support & Experience
Customer support is a meaningful differentiator for hospitality businesses that operate on tight timelines. Melio holds a 4.4/5 on Trustpilot (1,583 reviews) and 4.5/5 on G2, but free-tier users frequently report email-only support with multi-day response times. Live chat is available Monday through Friday for paid plans, and phone callback is restricted to Boost and Unlimited tiers. Cleo Pay offers a dedicated hospitality support team founded by operators who understand the urgency of vendor payments in events and F&B. Direct access with no ticket queues or callback scheduling.
Honest Positioning
Who Should Use What
Cleo Pay is best for...
Restaurant groups, venues, hotels, and event production companies
No extra fee for standard ACH payments
Same-day vendor payments on Growth and higher plans
AI-powered invoice processing built for food & beverage
One-link vendor onboarding with automatic W-9 capture
Multi-location P&L segmentation by class and location code
A support team that understands the pace of hospitality
Melio may work for...
Small businesses with low payment volume (under 5 ACH/month on the free plan)
Teams that want to pay vendors by credit card to earn rewards and extend cash flow
Businesses that need international payments to 80+ countries
Freelancers and solo operators who need a simple, free bill pay tool
Companies that value a mobile-friendly interface for on-the-go approvals
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cleo Pay better than Melio for restaurants?
Cleo Pay is purpose-built for hospitality, meaning features like vendor onboarding, invoice processing, and multi-location management are designed for restaurant, venue, and hotel workflows. Melio is a solid general-purpose bill pay platform, but it lacks industry-specific features like AI category matching for food & beverage accounts, one-link vendor portals with W-9 capture, and multi-location P&L segmentation from a single dashboard.
Does Melio charge per transaction?
It depends on your plan. Melio's free Go plan includes 5 ACH payments per month, after which each payment costs $0.50. The Core plan includes 20 free ACH, Boost includes 50, and the Unlimited plan ($80/month) includes unlimited free ACH. Same-day ACH costs 1% of the payment amount (capped at $30) on every plan. Cleo Pay plans include a monthly payment allowance with no extra fee for standard ACH, then $3, $2 or $1 per payment over it, depending on plan.
How long does Melio take to pay vendors?
Standard ACH payments through Melio take 3 business days. Same-day ACH is available if scheduled before 2 PM ET, but it costs 1% of the payment (capped at $30). Instant transfers arrive within minutes during business hours and cost 1% (capped at $75). Cleo Pay sends standard ACH with no extra fee, or same-day payments on Growth and higher plans.
Can I switch from Melio to Cleo Pay?
Yes. Cleo Pay is designed for fast onboarding. You can connect your bank account and QuickBooks, import vendors, and start paying. Your existing vendor relationships transfer seamlessly.
Does Cleo Pay work with QuickBooks?
Yes. Cleo Pay offers a native QuickBooks Online integration with AI-powered category matching and automatic vendor sync. Unlike manual mapping required by some platforms, Cleo Pay intelligently maps your hospitality chart of accounts.
What's the best AP automation for restaurants?
The best AP automation for restaurants should offer predictable payment fees, fast vendor payments, W-9 and 1099 support, and multi-location support. Cleo Pay was built by hospitality operators specifically for these needs, with no extra fee for standard ACH and same-day payments on Growth and higher plans.
Can Melio pay individual contractors like event staff?
No. Melio is limited to B2B transfers only, meaning you cannot pay individual subcontractors such as musicians, DJs, or freelance event staff directly. This is a significant limitation for venues and event production companies. Cleo Pay supports payments to both businesses and individual contractors.
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