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Choosing the right B2B payments platform can make all the difference between smooth cash flow and constant delays, especially in accounts payable and receivable cycles and that’s exactly where the Forwardly vs Plooto comparison comes in. Both promise to simplify payments and automate back-office tasks, but their approaches are very different. In this blog, we’ll compare Forwardly and Plooto side by side, looking at features, pricing, and real-world value, so you can decide which one truly supports your business growth.
What is Forwardly?
Forwardly is one of the top alternatives to Plooto for accounts payable and receivable automation, that offers full-scale B2B payments solution designed for speed and simplicity. Forwardly makes money moves in under 60 seconds, whether you’re sending or receiving. Vendor bills can be cleared instantly, and approval workflows are completely customizable. You can even schedule payments to line up perfectly with due dates and enjoy seamless 4-way sync with accounting tools like QuickBooks, Xero, and more. There is no subscription fee and nominal rates for other payment methods, making it a smart, modern solution for businesses that want to pay faster, work smarter, and keep cash flow moving effortlessly.
What is Plooto?
Plooto is a payment solution that includes Plooto Instant, a pre-funded wallet system for faster vendor payments. It supports bill scheduling, payment tracking, and integrations with popular accounting platforms like QuickBooks Online and Xero through its tiered subscription plans. While Plooto Instant is able to accelerate payments, but funds need to be loaded into the wallet in advance, and ACH withdrawals can still take 3-5 business days. It’s a good choice for businesses already using its broader AP/AR automation features but comes with ongoing subscription costs and processing fees.
Plooto Vs Forwardly: Feature-by-feature comparison
Instant payments
Forwardly delivers true 24/7 instant payments through the RTP and FedNow networks, sending funds directly to bank accounts in under 60 seconds, even on weekends and holidays. There’s no need to pre-fund a wallet or wait for bank processing windows. Plooto’s “Plooto Instant” works differently, requiring businesses to load funds into a wallet first. This pre-funding step adds 1-2 business days to the process, and withdrawing the funds to a bank account can take an additional 3-5 days.
In the Forwardly vs Plooto matchup, speed makes all the difference, Forwardly’s direct transfers land in under 60 seconds, removing delays and giving businesses cash flow certainty. This difference directly impacts AR collections and AP obligations, businesses using Forwardly can clear vendor bills instantly and receive customer payments in seconds, without the friction of wallet delays.
Bank agnostic payments
Both Forwardly and Plooto are bank agnostic, meaning you can connect your existing U.S. (and in Plooto’s case, Canadian) bank accounts without being tied to a specific institution. The difference lies in execution, Forwardly’s instant payments move money directly between banks in under 60 seconds through FedNow and RTP, no wallets or intermediaries required, but Plooto relies on pre-funding a wallet. That extra step introduces delays to load funds, and to withdraw, making it less seamless compared to Forwardly’s direct-to-bank model.
Pricing & affordability
Forwardly uses a transparent, pay-for-what-you-use model: zero subscription fees, and nominal instant payment fees. Plooto operates on subscription plans (Go, Grow, Pro) and charges $1 for ACH payments for the starter “Go plan”. Businesses using Plooto Instant may also face wallet funding costs. When you look at Forwardly vs Plooto on pricing, Forwardly clearly comes out ahead with no monthly overheads and simple pay-per-use fees, making instant transfers predictable and budget-friendly. Forwardly’s pricing is especially attractive for AP-heavy businesses or firms handling multiple receivables, since there are no subscription fees stacking up as you scale transaction volume.
Integrations & compatibility
Both Forwardly and Plooto offer sync with major accounting software like QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreshBooks and Zoho Books but Forwardly goes a step further with it’s 4-way sync with QuickBooks Online and Xero and 2-way sync with FreshBooks and Zoho Books. This matters for both sides of the ledger, whether you’re syncing payables or updating receivables, Forwardly keeps AR and AP books aligned in real time. It also allows full standalone use, meaning you can use its complete feature set even without linking to accounting software. Plooto’s functionality is strongest when integrated, and while it works well with connected systems, it’s less flexible for businesses that prefer standalone payment management or work across multiple accounting platforms.
Bulk & split payments
Forwardly lets you process multiple vendor payments at once and even split a single bill into multiple payments, a handy feature for managing partial invoices or staged project payments. Plooto supports batch payments too, but lacks the same level of flexibility for splitting bills into multiple transactions. For businesses dealing with large volumes or complex payment schedules, Forwardly’s bulk and split payment tools help reduce processing time and keep records organized. That flexibility helps streamline both supplier payments (AP) and customer settlements (AR), which is where many businesses struggle with traditional batch-only tools.
Unlimited users & role permissions
Forwardly includes unlimited users in every account, along with detailed role-based permissions so you can control exactly who can view, approve, or send payments. This is especially valuable for growing businesses or accounting firms that manage multiple staff members and clients. Plooto supports multiple users as well, but user counts and permission options may vary depending on the subscription plan, potentially leading to extra costs or restricted access as your team expands.
Payment approval workflows
Forwardly offers advanced, multi-level approval workflows that can be customized based on payment amount, vendor, or category. All actions are logged in a complete audit trail for transparency and compliance. These controls are available to every Forwardly user, regardless of plan. Plooto also offers approval workflows, but customization and access may be limited by subscription tier.
If governance and payment security are priorities, Forwardly’s unrestricted access to approval controls makes it more scalable. CFOs managing both payables and receivables can set controls once and apply them across the full AR/AP process, without being gated by plan tiers.
Multi-business management
Forwardly makes managing multiple businesses simple by offering one dashboard to oversee all financial tasks. You can track transactions, monitor cash flow, and control access for each business with granular permissions. There’s no limit on the number of entities or users. Plooto can handle multiple entities too, but may require separate setup or come with plan-based limitations, making it less seamless for accounting firms or multi-entity organizations.
Real-time reconciliation
Forwardly keeps books accurate with real-time reconciliation, automatically updating payment statuses in your connected accounting software. This ensures you always have an up-to-date view of payables and cash flow. Plooto also offers reconciliation through its integrations, but its wallet-based payment flow means some transactions may take longer to appear in your records. Forwardly’s direct-to-bank model eliminates that lag, giving you faster financial clarity. Forwardly ensures every AR invoice and AP bill is reflected instantly in your books, so you’re never working with stale data.
Why businesses choose Forwardly?
What Forwardly ultimately delivers is confidence, agility, and growth. By making money move in seconds instead of days, it strengthens cash flow and ensures businesses always have liquidity when opportunities or obligations arise. Its flexibility empowers teams to run operations without financial bottlenecks, while its predictable, no-subscription pricing keeps margins protected as you scale.
For accounting firms and mid market businesses, Forwardly brings clarity and control under one roof, reducing complexity and human error. And because it frees teams from manual back-office work, leaders gain time and headspace to focus on strategy, customers, and expansion. In short, Forwardly isn’t just about faster payments—it’s about giving businesses the freedom to operate with certainty, make smarter decisions in real time, and grow without friction.
Here are the features that make it the best B2B payment solution:
- Use with or without accounting software: Fully compatible with QuickBooks Online, Xero, Zoho Books, and FreshBooks, but also works standalone for complete flexibility.
- Cost-effective processing: Save up to 80% in fees compared to traditional platforms. No monthly subscriptions, no user limits, just simple pay-as-you-go pricing.
- Seamless sync: Unique 4-way sync with QuickBooks and Xero, 2-way sync with Zoho Books and FreshBooks. Invoices, bills, and statuses update automatically for stress-free reconciliation.
- Smart scheduling: Plan payments up to 90 days in advance and align them with due dates to avoid late fees.
- Custom approval workflows: Unlimited roles, permissions, and approval thresholds with a full audit trail at no extra cost.
- Express migration: Move from 5 to 5,000 clients with white-glove onboarding support and enjoy volume-based discounts.
When choosing a payments platform, the question isn’t just “What can it do?”, it’s “What will it do for my business?” Forwardly’s value lies in the way it impacts your cash flow, operational agility, and growth potential, not just the features on paper.
Keep your cash flowing, not waiting
At the end of the day, the Forwardly vs Plooto comparison shows one clear winner: Forwardly, a better accounts receivable and payable automation solution. Why let pre-funded wallets and payment delays slow you down? Forwardly puts your money where it needs to be in seconds, with no subscription fees holding you back.
Sign up now and see how simple payments can be.
