Astera vs Melio

Astera is a data management and automation platform that helps businesses streamline data integration, extraction, and processing.

While not exclusively an invoicing tool, Astera plays a key role in financial management by enabling organizations to automate workflows, transform unstructured financial data, and ensure data accuracy across systems.

Its flagship product, Astera Centerprise, allows companies to collect data from multiple sources, cleanse it, and load it into financial systems for reporting and analysis.

With built-in automation, businesses can reduce manual data entry, eliminate errors, and improve efficiency in tasks such as invoice processing, reconciliation, and compliance reporting.

Melio is a payment platform designed to simplify business-to-business (B2B) transactions for small and medium-sized businesses.

It allows companies to pay bills, vendors, and contractors using bank transfers or credit cards, even if recipients only accept bank deposits.

This flexibility helps businesses manage cash flow while also earning credit card rewards. Melio’s intuitive dashboard makes it easy to schedule, track, and approve payments, ensuring better financial control.

Unlike traditional payment systems, Melio requires no subscription fees—users pay only transaction fees for credit card payments. It also integrates seamlessly with accounting platforms like QuickBooks, reducing manual entry and bookkeeping errors.