Bench vs Melio — Accounting Comparison (2026)

Melio

Simple B2B payments

Compare Bench and Melio side-by-side — pricing, features, scores, and which one is right for you.

The bottom line

Bench and Melio are both strong contenders in the accounting space, but they serve different needs. Bench edges ahead with an overall score of 68/100 compared to Melio's 66/100. Both are equally user-friendly (9/10 each). On pricing, Melio offers a free tier while Bench requires a paid plan from $299/mo. Melio rates higher for value for money (7/10 vs 6/10), making it a better pick if budget is a concern.

At a glance

	Bench	Melio
Our score	68/100	66/100
Starting price	$299/mo	Free
Free tier	No	Yes
Best for	Expert bookkeeping for your business	Simple B2B payments

Pricing comparison

Bench

No free tier

Bookkeeping$349/mo

Bookkeeping & Tax$699/mo

Pricing verified 2026-03-19

Melio

Free tier available

Go (Free)Free

Core$25/mo

Boost$55/mo

Unlimited$80/mo

Pricing verified 2026-03-19

Calculate your cost

Bench plan

Melio plan

BenchBookkeeping

$299/mo

$3,588/yr

MelioGo (Free)

Free/mo

Free/yr

Cheaper— save $3,588/yr

Visit Bench →Try Melio free →

Feature comparison

core

Feature	Bench	Melio
Invoicing	No	Yes
Expense tracking	Yes	No
Bank reconciliation	Yes	No
Financial reports	Yes	No

advanced

Feature	Bench	Melio
Payroll	No	No
Inventory	No	No
Multi-currency	No	No
Tax filing	Bookkeeping & Tax plan	1099 (Boost+)

integrations

Feature	Bench	Melio
Stripe	Yes	No
PayPal	Yes	No
Shopify	Yes	No
Zapier	No	No
QuickBooks	No	Yes
Xero	No	Yes

Ratings breakdown

Bench

Ease of use

9/10

Value for money

6/10

Features

6/10

Support

8/10

Melio

Ease of use

9/10

Value for money

7/10

Features

5/10

Support

7/10

Choose Bench if...

You're ready to invest from $299/mo
You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
You need enterprise-grade capabilities

Visit Bench →

Choose Melio if...

You want a free tier to get started
You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
You need enterprise-grade capabilities

Try Melio free →

Frequently asked questions

Is Bench or Melio better?

Bench scores 68/100 compared to Melio's 66/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — Bench excels at ease of use (9/10) while Melio scores 9/10.

How much does Bench cost compared to Melio?

Bench starts at $299/mo. Melio starts at free (free tier available). Melio is the more affordable option.

Does Bench or Melio have a free plan?

Melio offers a free tier. Bench does not — its cheapest plan starts at $299/mo.

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