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Automation Integration · head to head

Parabola vs Trigger.dev

Parabola logo

Parabola

Automation Integration

Visual flow automation for modern teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Trigger.dev logo

Trigger.dev

Automation Integration

Build and deploy fully managed AI agents and workflows

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Parabola the Basic plan allows 1 user and 1,000 credits with limited AI; Trigger.dev unclear scaling costs beyond included limits; pricing becomes complex beyond base plan features
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Parabola and Trigger.dev actually diverge.

Attributes where Parabola and Trigger.dev differ
AttributeParabolaTrigger.dev
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automation Integration).

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 Trigger.dev

Nothing recorded that Parabola does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Parabola

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

Trigger.dev

  • Job automation and workflow orchestrationnot Parabola
  • API-driven task schedulingnot Parabola
  • Background job processing for applicationsnot 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

Trigger.dev

  • Unclear scaling costs beyond included limits; pricing becomes complex beyond base plan features
  • No published Enterprise pricing; requires contacting sales
  • HIPAA BAA compliance requires separate add-on request
  • Pro plan uses conditional language that obscures exact overage costs
  • Compute billing granularity is unclear; waits under 5 seconds still consume compute resources

Pricing, plan by plan

Parabola

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Parabola review.

Trigger.dev

Free
  • FreeFree
    • $5 monthly credits
    • 20 concurrent runs
    • 1 day log retention
  • Hobby$10/month
    • $10 monthly credits
    • 50 concurrent runs
    • 7 day log retention
  • Pro$50/month
    • $50 monthly credits
    • 200+ concurrent runs
    • 30 day log retention
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom discounts
    • RBAC and SSO
    • SOC 2 reports

Which should you pick?

Choose Parabola if

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

Choose Trigger.dev if

  • You want to start without paying.

Questions people ask

Is Parabola or Trigger.dev better?
Neither clearly leads. Parabola starts at Free and Trigger.dev at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Parabola or Trigger.dev?
Parabola starts at Free and Trigger.dev at Free.
Does Parabola or Trigger.dev run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Parabola for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Trigger.dev is typically brought in for.
What can Parabola do that Trigger.dev cannot?
Parabola covers Visual workflow builder, Data transformation, Conditional logic, Looping.

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
Trigger.dev: Is there a free plan for Trigger.dev?

Yes, the Free plan offers $5 in monthly credits, 20 concurrent runs, 1 day log retention, and community support at no cost.

Source
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
Trigger.dev: What's the starting price for a paid plan?

The Hobby plan costs $10 per month USD and includes $10 monthly credits, 50 concurrent runs, and 7 day log retention.

Source
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
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
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