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Abstract vs Paymo

Abstract logo

Abstract

Software

Design version control and asset management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full review
Paymo logo

Paymo

Software

Work & project management for teams

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Abstract has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Abstract the product appears to be gone. Its documentation path 404s, goabstract.com no longer resolves, and abstract.com now belongs to an unrelated venture capital firm; Paymo every advertised price rises after 3 months, with Plus going from $10.90 to $15.90 per user and Pro from $16.90 to $23.90
  • They diverge on capability: Abstract covers Version control, Paymo covers Task management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Abstract and Paymo actually diverge.

Attributes where Abstract and Paymo differ
AttributeAbstractPaymo
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacos, WebWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
Founded20152008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Abstract

  • Version control
  • Branching & merging
  • Asset library
  • Design tokens
  • Collaboration
  • File management
  • Comments
  • Activity tracking

Only in Paymo

  • Task management
  • Time tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Gantt charts
  • Resource scheduling
  • Google Workspace
  • SSL encryption
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Zapier

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Abstract

  • Design systemsnot Paymo
  • Version controlnot Paymo
  • Asset managementnot Paymo
  • Team collaborationnot Paymo

Paymo

  • Project management with time tracking and invoicing for agenciesnot Abstract
  • Tracking billable hours and project profitabilitynot Abstract

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Abstract

  • The product appears to be gone. Its documentation path 404s, goabstract.com no longer resolves, and abstract.com now belongs to an unrelated venture capital firm
  • Built around Sketch files, so it never covered teams that moved to Figma

Paymo

  • Every advertised price rises after 3 months, with Plus going from $10.90 to $15.90 per user and Pro from $16.90 to $23.90
  • The free plan allows 1 user, 1 client and 2 projects
  • The Solo plan is still capped at 3 clients and 5 projects
  • Gantt charts, task dependencies and scheduling require the Plus plan
  • Integrations are excluded from both the free and Solo plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Abstract

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 shared library
    • Basic version control
    • 2 team members
  • Pro$12/month
    • Unlimited libraries
    • Full version control
    • Unlimited team members
  • Enterprise$50/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Advanced admin controls
    • Compliance & security

Paymo

On request
  • FreeFree
    • 1 user
    • Basic features
  • Starter$4.95/month
    • Time tracking
    • Kanban
    • Invoicing

Which should you pick?

Choose Abstract if

  • You need version control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Macos, Web.
  • You also want branching & merging.
Abstract review

Choose Paymo if

  • You need task management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want time tracking.
Paymo review

Questions people ask

Is Abstract or Paymo better?
Neither clearly leads. Abstract starts at Free and Paymo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Abstract or Paymo?
Abstract has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Abstract and On request for Paymo.
Does Abstract or Paymo run on more platforms?
Abstract runs on Macos, Web. Paymo runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Abstract for free?
Yes. Abstract has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paymo starts at On request.
What is Abstract best used for?
Abstract is most often used for design systems, version control, asset management, team collaboration. Of those, design systems and version control are not what Paymo is typically brought in for.
What can Abstract do that Paymo cannot?
Abstract covers Version control, Branching & merging, Asset library, Design tokens. Paymo covers Task management, Time tracking, Invoicing, Gantt charts. Both handle Slack, Zapier.
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