PayRewards vs. Melio: 2026 comparison guide
Melio pays your bills. PayRewards pays your bills and pays you back. Keep your card’s points and earn up to 2 PayRewards Points per $1 on top.
- No setup fees
- No monthly or annual subscription fees
- No lock-in
Top 3 reasons to choose PayRewards over Melio
A second points balance
Keep your card’s rewards and earn up to 2 PayRewards Points per $1 on top. Melio has no points program of its own.
ACH that earns
Pay by bank and still earn PayRewards Points on every dollar.
Redeem for more than travel
Transfer to airline partners, pay next month’s bills with this month’s points, or claim tech, experiences and 100+ gift cards.
PayRewards vs. Melio, feature by feature
Both pay your vendors by card or bank. Only one pays you back.
| Feature | PayRewards | Melio |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | FreeEvery user and feature included | Paid plans $25 to $80/month |
| Rewards and redemptions | ||
| Its own points program | Yes1 or 2 points per $1 | No |
| Keep your card’s own points | Yes | Yes |
| Earn points on ACH payments | Yes | No |
| Redeem points to pay invoices | Yes | No |
| Airline transfer partners | Yes | No |
| Gift cards, 100+ brands | Yes | No |
| Custom redemptions: tech, golf, watches | Yes | No |
| Gift points to your team | Yes | No |
| Pay by card | ||
| Pay vendors who don’t take cards | Yes | Yes |
| Card service fee | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Cards accepted | Visa, Mastercard, Amex | Visa, Mastercard, DiscoverAmex in certain industries only |
| Payables | ||
| Vendor gets ACH, wire or check | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-user access | YesEvery user included | YesFree plan is one user; extra users $10/month |
| Approval workflows | Yes | YesPaid plans only |
| Multiple businesses, one login | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | ||
| QuickBooks Online sync | Yes | YesPaid plans only, from $25/month |
| Fees | ||
| ACH payments | 1.75% or 3.25%Every ACH payment earns 1 or 2 points per $1 | 5 free a month on GoThen $0.50 each, no points |
| Security | ||
| PCI DSS compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-factor authentication | YesPlus passkeys | Yes2-step verification by email |
As of September 28, 2026. Sources: Melio pricing, Melio security, Frequent Miler, July 2026. PayRewards: PayRewards pricing. Melio plan prices are monthly billing.
See what your bills could earn on top
Same bills. Same card. See how many more points land with PayRewards.
Your PayRewards tier
Core earns 1 point per $1 with a 1.75% fee. Plus earns 2 points per $1 with a 3.25% fee.
Extra points with PayRewards, first year
240,000
on top of the points your card already earns
Bills paid in a year$120,000
Paying through PayRewards: card points plus PayRewards Points360,000 pts
Assumes your card earns 1 point per $1.
Illustrative only. Not financial or tax advice. Card payments on PayRewards carry a 2.9% service fee. The PayRewards fee applies on top when you earn PayRewards Points.
Where your points go
Pay bills. Earn and transfer points to whatever moves you.
The same money you were spending anyway, now redeemable across travel, your team, and the business itself.
Your card's miles
Keep earning airline miles
Pay bills that don't take cards on the card you carry, and keep earning miles with Delta, United and American.
100+ brands
Buy gift cards from the best brands
Shop Amazon, Apple, Target and hundreds of brands, with every point worth its full face value at checkout.
Luxury redemptions
Experiences money can't buy
Work with our concierge team on whatever you want, then redeem for the experiences that money can't buy.
Instant transfers
Transfer points to employees as a reward
Recognize your team the very moment it matters, sending points to any employee instantly and directly.
Invoice redemptions
Pay an invoice with points
Put your points straight back into the business, applying them against your very next invoice or bill.
Transfer PayRewards Points to our airline and hotel partners
With direct transfers, it's easy to fly on PayRewards Points — including U.S. domestic routes.
“PayRewards solved a lot of things for us - cashflow being number one. Now I can upload all my payments at once and know they’ll be paid in two business days. It’s easier, our Vendors are happy, and we’re unlocking travel rewards we’d never have paid for out of pocket.”
Three steps to your payback
-
Make a payment
Add a bill or import it from QuickBooks Online. Pay by card or ACH. Your vendor gets ACH, wire or check.
-
Boost your points
Pick Core or Plus on each payment. Your card earns its points and PayRewards Points land on top.
-
Redeem
Flights, gift cards, invoices, custom redemptions, or points for your team.
What it costs
The card fee is the same as Melio’s. The points are optional on card, and every ACH payment earns them.
See full pricing →Service fee
Card payments
Visa, Mastercard and American Express
2.9%
per transaction
Points tier
Core
Earn rewards at a lower fee rate
1.75%
fee per transaction
1 point per $1
POPULAR
Points tier
Plus
Maximize your rewards earnings
3.25%
fee per transaction
2 points per $1
Card payments can skip points and pay 2.9% only. ACH payments carry no service fee and always earn Core or Plus. Fees as of September 28, 2026.
PayRewards vs. Melio: your questions
How do PayRewards fees compare to Melio?
The card fee is the same: 2.9% on PayRewards, 2.9% on Melio. On PayRewards the rewards fee is optional on card. Add Core (1.75%) or Plus (3.25%) to earn 1 or 2 PayRewards Points per $1 on top of your card’s points.
Can I switch from Melio in a day?
Yes. Connect QuickBooks Online, add your card, import your bills and pay.
Melio’s bank payments cost less. Why pay for ACH on PayRewards?
Because every ACH dollar earns points. Melio’s free Go plan includes 5 ACH payments a month, then charges $0.50 each, and none of them earn points. On PayRewards, pay by bank with Core (1.75%) for 1 point per $1 or Plus (3.25%) for 2.
Do I keep my Amex or Chase points?
Yes, 100%. Your card earns its points as usual and PayRewards Points land on top.
What can I redeem PayRewards Points for?
Transfer to airline partners, pay your next vendor invoice with points, claim from 100+ gift cards, or request a custom redemption, from tech and golf clubs to a Rolex. You can also gift points to your team.
Can I use PayRewards alongside Melio for receivables?
Yes. Keep Melio for receivables and run your payables through PayRewards.
Is PayRewards secure?
PayRewards is PCI DSS compliant, with infrastructure aligned to ISO/IEC 27001 standards. Accounts are protected by MFA and passkeys, card numbers are tokenized and never stored, and suspicious activity is flagged instantly.
Competitor information is based on publicly available sources as of September 28, 2026 and may change. PayRewards Points are earned and redeemed subject to the PayRewards Terms. Card fees may be tax deductible; consult your tax advisor. PayRewards is offered by PayRewards LLC.
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