QB Essential Plan Bill Pay Options

I am not sure but your post appeared in Global Community, not US Community. Make sure you are using QBO US version, not Global version. You should be able to utilize the BillPay feature available in QBO US Essential powered by MP.

https://melio.grsm.io/quickbooks

Are QB Billpay and Melio Payment the same product?

QB Billpay and Melio Payment are two different products, @DaMel. Let me explain it further and clarify things for you. 

QB Billpay is a service offered by QuickBooks to help businesses manage and pay their bills, while Melio Payment is a separate payment platform that also provides services for businesses to handle payments and manage their finances. Each product offers different features and services tailored to meet the needs of businesses.

To record a bill payment in QuickBooks Online,

     1.Click on + New located in the left corner of your screen.

     2. Choose Bill.

     3. Complete all required fields.

     4. Once finished, click Save and Close.

If you're looking to record a payment for bills, there are two methods available. For more information, you can refer to the article: Bill pay in QBO.

If you have any further inquiries about Bill payment, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm here to assist you at any time!

If you are using QBO US version, you can explore QB Billpay vs Melio Payment to sync with QBO.

https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/quickbooks

You can also get the cashback once you meet their T&C

https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/cashback