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Xero · Bill payments

How do I pay bills in Xero?

You pay bills in Xero by recording a payment on each approved bill, by creating a batch payment for several bills and uploading the exported file to your bank, or in the US with online bill payments powered by Melio. Before releasing a payment run, check approvals, duplicates and any recently changed supplier bank details.

This guide covers the three ways to pay supplier bills in Xero: recording one payment, batch payments with a bank file, and US online bill payments. It ends with the checks to run before any payment leaves the bank, because a payment run is where a changed bank account or a duplicate bill becomes a loss.

Last updated · Aequo AP editorial team

Three ways to pay bills in Xero

Record a payment you made elsewhere, pay many bills in one batch with an exported bank file, or, in the US, send payments from Xero with online bill payments powered by Melio.

Ways to pay supplier bills in Xero
MethodWhere the money movesBest forNotes
Record a payment on the billYour bank, outside XeroOccasional bills, card or check paymentsMarks the bill paid in Xero; reconcile when it clears
Batch paymentYour bank, usually by uploaded fileWeekly or biweekly payment runsOne payment per supplier; file export depends on region and bank
Online bill payments (US)Melio, from your bank or cardUS businesses paying by ACH, card or checkBusiness verified by Melio; per-bill fees apply to some methods
From the Xero pages listed in Sources, read November 13, 2026. Availability varies by region and plan.

How to record a payment on one bill

Open the approved bill, enter the amount, date, the account you paid from and a reference in the payment section, and record it. Xero moves the bill to Paid, or leaves the balance due if you paid part.

  1. 1

    Find the bill

    In Bills to pay, open the Awaiting Payment tab and select the bill.
  2. 2

    Enter the payment

    In the payment section, enter the amount paid, the date paid, the bank or other account it was paid from, and a reference such as the check number or bank reference.
  3. 3

    Record it

    Save the payment. A partial amount leaves the bill in Awaiting Payment with the balance due.
  4. 4

    Reconcile

    When the payment shows on the bank feed, match it to the recorded bill payment.

How to pay bills in Xero with a batch payment, step by step

Approve the bills, select them on the Awaiting Payment tab, make one batch payment from the right bank account, check bank details, then export the file or pay in your bank and reconcile the total.

  1. 1

    Approve the bills first

    Only approved bills (Awaiting Payment) can be paid. Bills still in Draft or Awaiting Approval need an approver before they appear in the payment run.
  2. 2

    Pick the bills to pay

    In Bills to pay, open the Awaiting Payment tab, filter by due date or planned date, and select the bills for this run.
  3. 3

    Create the batch payment

    Choose to make a batch payment, enter the payment date and the bank account you are paying from, and check the amount against each bill (you can reduce a line to pay part of a bill).
  4. 4

    Check supplier bank details

    Before you export or release anything, compare each supplier’s bank details with the details you verified at onboarding, and hold any supplier whose details changed recently until you have called them back on a known number.
  5. 5

    Export the bank file, where offered

    If your region and bank support it, export the batch as a payment file and upload it to online banking. Xero marks each bill paid, with one payment per supplier. Otherwise, pay in your bank and record the batch in Xero.
  6. 6

    Reconcile the batch

    When the payment clears, the bank shows one total. Reconcile it against the batch payment in Xero, which you can find on the Bank Accounts screen.

US online bill payments in Xero

US businesses can pay bills from inside Xero through Melio: submit your business details for verification, select the bills, choose to pay online and pick a bank account or card. Melio sends ACH, card-funded or check payments.

Xero online bill payment fees per bill (US), as listed by Xero
MethodSupplier receivesFee per bill
Standard ACH from a bank accountIn about 3 business daysFree on Early, Growing and Established plans
Check from a bank accountIn 5–7 business days$1.50 (faster checks cost more)
Paid by credit cardSame-day ACH or check2.9%
From Xero’s online bill payment fee page, read November 13, 2026. Fees are charged by Melio on top of the Xero subscription and apply to each bill in a batch.

Checks to run before any payment leaves the bank

Pay only approved bills, look for duplicates, compare supplier bank details with the ones you verified, and have a second person release the run. Xero records payments; it does not tell you whether the account belongs to the supplier.

  • Approved bills only. Keep the person who approves bills separate from the person who releases payments.
  • Duplicates. Scan the run for the same supplier, amount and invoice number, including bills entered twice under slightly different numbers. See preventing duplicate payments.
  • Changed bank details. List every supplier whose bank account changed since the last run and confirm each change by phone on a number you already had. See vendor bank account change fraud.
  • The file itself. Upload the exported file promptly and compare the bank’s total and payee count with the batch in Xero.

Frequently asked questions

How do I pay a bill in Xero?

Open the approved bill from Bills to pay, Awaiting Payment. In the payment section at the bottom, enter the amount paid, the date, the account it was paid from and a reference, then record the payment. This records a payment you made in your bank; to send money from Xero itself in the US, use online bill payments.

Can I pay several bills at once in Xero?

Yes. A batch payment combines several bills into one payment transaction. Select the bills on the Awaiting Payment tab and make a batch payment. Xero says the total you can pay in one batch, or several batches on one day, is limited by your bank’s payment limits, not by Xero.

Can Xero send payments to suppliers?

In the US, Xero offers online bill payments powered by Melio: you select bills in Xero and pay them by ACH, card or check through Melio, which verifies your business first. Elsewhere, pay from online banking, often with a batch payment file exported from Xero.

How much do Xero online bill payments cost?

Xero’s US fee page lists standard ACH from a bank account as free on its Early, Growing and Established plans, check payments at $1.50 per bill, and card payments at 2.9% per bill. Fees are charged by Melio on top of the Xero subscription and can change, so check the current fee page.

How do I pay part of a bill in Xero?

Enter a smaller amount when you record the payment, or reduce the bill’s line in a batch payment. The bill stays in Awaiting Payment with the balance due until it is paid in full.

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Related guides and tools

Sources

Checked on November 13, 2026. Vendor capabilities and prices change; confirm current details with each vendor.

  1. Xero Central, Record payment of a bill — recording a payment against an outstanding bill
  2. Xero Central, Pay multiple bills — batch payments; bank payment limits
  3. Xero Central, Find and view batch payments — batches on the Bank Accounts screen
  4. Xero Central, Pay bills using online bill payments — US online bill payments powered by Melio
  5. Xero, Fees for online bill payments (powered by Melio) — ACH, check and card fees per bill
  6. Xero, Pay bills (US) — payment files uploaded to online banking; bills marked paid