Softwr

Automation Integration · head to head

Parabola vs Postscript

Parabola logo

Parabola

Automation Integration

Visual flow automation for modern teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Postscript logo

Postscript

Marketing

SMS marketing built for Shopify merchants, with carrier fees billed on top of message rates

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Parabola has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Parabola the Basic plan allows 1 user and 1,000 credits with limited AI; Postscript carrier pass-through fees are billed on top of the per-message rate, roughly $0.00418 per SMS and $0.00841 per MMS in the United States, and are routinely missing from the cost comparisons buyers build.
  • They diverge on capability: Parabola covers Visual workflow builder, Postscript covers Shopify segmentation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Parabola and Postscript actually diverge.

Attributes where Parabola and Postscript differ
AttributeParabolaPostscript
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelfreemiumPer month plus per message sent
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS
CategoryAutomation IntegrationMarketing
Founded2015Unknown

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

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 Parabola

  • Visual workflow builder
  • Data transformation
  • Conditional logic
  • Looping
  • Error handling
  • Monitoring
  • Scheduling
  • 300+ apps

Only in Postscript

  • Shopify segmentation
  • Automated flows
  • Subscriber acquisition
  • Two-way conversations
  • MMS campaigns
  • Revenue attribution
  • Headless SDK
  • Usage-based tiers

What people use each for

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

Parabola

  • Workflow automation for operations and finance teamsnot Postscript
  • Data integration across 1,000+ sourcesnot Postscript
  • Automation and reporting workflowsnot Postscript

Postscript

  • A Shopify direct-to-consumer brand that wants abandoned cart recovery by text rather than another email in an ignored inboxnot Parabola
  • A brand running a product drop where a timed broadcast to an opted-in list is the whole launch mechanismnot Parabola
  • A merchant segmenting by past purchase and variant to send replenishment reminders at the right intervalnot Parabola
  • A store on headless Shopify or a custom stack that still wants SMS built on order data through the SDKnot Parabola

Where each one falls short

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

Parabola

  • The Basic plan allows 1 user and 1,000 credits with limited AI
  • No price is published for either the self serve or the business tier
  • Credits are consumed when agents run, and further credits are bought pay as you go
  • Role based access control, SSO, version history and SLAs all sit on the unpriced business plan

Postscript

  • Carrier pass-through fees are billed on top of the per-message rate, roughly $0.00418 per SMS and $0.00841 per MMS in the United States, and are routinely missing from the cost comparisons buyers build.
  • The cheapest per-message rates require the $500 a month plan, so a small sender pays more than double the headline low rate per text.
  • The $0 Starter plan carries a $49 minimum monthly spend, so it is not a free tier and quiet months still generate a bill.
  • US SMS marketing carries real legal exposure under consent, quiet hours and carrier registration rules, and the compliance obligation sits with the merchant, not the platform.
  • It is SMS and MMS only, so email, push and on-site messaging live in a separate tool and audience suppression between the two has to be managed across systems.

Pricing, plan by plan

Parabola

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Parabola review.

Postscript

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • $0 base fee but a $49 minimum monthly spend
    • SMS at $0.015 and MMS at $0.045 per message
    • Campaigns, automations, acquisition tools and analytics
  • Growth$100/month
    • Lower per-message rates than Starter
    • Full campaign and automation feature set
    • No contract required
  • Professional$500/month
    • Rates falling towards $0.007 SMS and $0.024 MMS
    • Suited to high-volume senders
    • Upgrade or downgrade at any time
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing on a contract
    • Negotiated message rates and support terms

Which should you pick?

Choose Parabola if

  • You need visual workflow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data transformation.
Parabola review

Choose Postscript if

  • You need shopify segmentation.
  • You work on Web, iOS.
  • You also want automated flows.
Postscript review

Questions people ask

Is Parabola or Postscript better?
Neither clearly leads. Parabola starts at Free and Postscript at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Parabola or Postscript?
Parabola has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Parabola and $49/month for Postscript.
Does Parabola or Postscript run on more platforms?
Parabola runs on Web. Postscript runs on Web, iOS.
Can I use Parabola for free?
Yes. Parabola has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Postscript starts at $49/month.
What is Parabola best used for?
Parabola is most often used for workflow automation for operations and finance teams, data integration across 1,000+ sources, automation and reporting workflows. Of those, workflow automation for operations and finance teams and data integration across 1,000+ sources are not what Postscript is typically brought in for.
What can Parabola do that Postscript cannot?
Parabola covers Visual workflow builder, Data transformation, Conditional logic, Looping. Postscript covers Shopify segmentation, Automated flows, Subscriber acquisition, Two-way conversations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Parabola: How much does Parabola cost?

Parabola does not publish specific pricing rates. The service uses a credit-based system where credits are consumed when agents run. Self-serve plans include a monthly credit allotment, and Business plans require a custom quote.

Source
Postscript: Is Postscript only for Shopify?

It is built for Shopify and that is where its segmentation advantage lies, but headless and non-Shopify stores are supported through an SDK with more setup work.

Parabola: Does Parabola offer a free plan?

Yes, Parabola offers a free tier indefinitely for self-serve users with limited credits and basic features including the Prowork agent builder and pre-built integrations.

Source
Postscript: What is the real cost per text?

The plan rate plus carrier fees. On Starter that is about $0.015 plus roughly $0.00418 in US carrier fees per SMS, so budget close to two cents a message before discounts.

Parabola: What features are included in Parabola's Business plan?

Business plans include all self-serve features plus automation engineer enablement, deployment support, proof of concept on production data, enterprise security with SSO, service level agreements, and a dedicated account manager.

Source
Postscript: Is the Starter plan free?

No. The base fee is $0 but there is a $49 minimum monthly spend, so it functions as a $49 floor.

Parabola: Can I upgrade from free to Business later?

Yes, customers can start on free or self-serve plans and upgrade to Business plans at any time.

Source
Postscript: Do I need a contract?

No. Contracts are offered but not required, and plans can be moved up or down at any time under usage-based billing.

Share

Related pages

More on Parabola

More on Postscript

Keep looking

Other head to heads