Despite this, some insiders of the platform have reported on its pricing, which is why I decided to create this guide to help merchants make the right call.
In this buyer guide, I’ll cover everything that is known about parcelLab’s pricing, including if it has a free plan or a free trial, and some reported numbers that you can use for your due diligence.
➡️ At the end of this article, I’ll introduce you to a comprehensive parcelLab alternative for returns management that is easy to set up, does not require you to use your carrier accounts, and is rather affordable for growth-stage DTC brands.
TL;DR
parcelLab does not seem to offer a free plan or a free trial for its platform.
The post-purchase experience software has been reported to start from €2,400/month, but new information reveals that this number is now closer to €3,333/month (€40,000/year).
If you’re looking for an alternative to parcelLab for returns management, ZigZag Global is the best option, as it can help you offset your return costs and scale your e-commerce return workflows on a global scale.
Does parcelLab offer a free plan or a free trial?
ParcelLab, to our knowledge, does not offer a free trial or a free plan of its post-purchase solution as of January 2026.
How much does parcelLab actually cost?
According to insiders of the platform, parcelLab starts at €2,400/month (just over £2,000/month).
Another 3rd party insider mentions that parcelLab’s pricing now starts from €40,000/year (~£35,000/year).
Does parcelLab provide good value for money?
Now that you know parcelLab’s pricing and you still haven’t given up reading this article, I’ll assume that you’re fine to continue reading.
parcelLab has been a game-changer for many e-commerce brands, with some users mentioning that it keeps their customers coming back and that the tool’s analytics are also super helpful.
However, ignoring the high price tag, which would make many SMEs give up, users of the platform mention a few concerns about the solution:
Even though I’ve read positive things about parcelLab’s customer service, some users have not been happy with it.
According to one enterprise user, it can take weeks or even months for a support ticket to be resolved.
‘’If a support ticket needs to be filed, it takes weeks, sometimes months, just to get a resolution, while you get asked repetitive information.’’ – G2 Review.
Next up, some users have experienced some tracking issues with their shipments, such as the shipment information not being synchronised across their systems.
‘’Sometimes we may find that shipment information is not synchronised across our systems, affecting customer support performance.’’ – G2 Review.
Lastly, some customers have not been too happy with how much time it took them to set up the platform, with G2 reporting that it takes an average of 3 months.
‘’Integration takes some initial setup, but once configured, it runs smoothly. Some features require deeper customisation, but the platform is flexible and scalable.’’ – G2 Review.
Are you looking for a parcelLab alternative for global returns management?
ZigZag Global (that’s us) offers the best parcelLab alternative in 2026 for retailers of all sizes looking to optimise and automate their returns management on a worldwide scale.
While parcelLab is primarily designed to improve your post-purchase communication and branded tracking experiences, ZigZag is purpose-built to reduce the cost, friction, and complexity of local and global returns.
Instead of treating returns as an extension of outbound delivery visibility, ZigZag provides you with a global returns infrastructure that helps you protect your margins, keep capital in the business, and offset your costs of returns.
Unlike parcelLab, ZigZag offers:
Best-in-class key account management and customer service that will help you set up a custom returns portal and promptly answer questions.
Our own carrier accounts, so you would not have to use your carrier account and pay premium prices for domestic and international carriers.
A comprehensive range of international carrier integrations so you can scale your returns management internationally, instead of using multiple returns tools for different countries.
Short software implementation time that can be as little as one hour with our pre-made cartridges for popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento.
Advanced return analytics that will let you find out why shoppers return products in the first place and help you deal with return fraud.
Disclosure: Even though ZigZag Global is our returns platform, I’ll provide an unbiased perspective on why we offer the best parcelLab alternative on the market in 2026.
Our returns platform lets you build a custom returns portal and offers your consumers different return options that help you keep capital in the business and offset the costs of returns.
Let’s go over the capabilities that SMEs and enterprises like SportsDirect, Ted Baker, Puma and Swarovski love about ZigZag Global. 👇
Customisable, Multi-Language Returns Portal
ZigZag Global offers a customisable returns portal that lets you change returns rules alongside white-labelling the portal to reflect your brand.
You can adapt various new return solutions (such as a gift card, exchange, or cash refund) depending on the customers’ reasons for returning.
For example, merchants can customise the possible reasons for returns to be that the product was faulty, did not fit, or was unsuitable.
You can get a feel of how ZigZag’s platform works in our interactive guided demo: 👇
Single-Click Shopify Integration
Does your shop operate on Shopify?
Our returns management platform can also be set up on Shopify with as little effort as one single click, instead of having to wait for 3 months.
Here’s why Shopify merchants love our integration:
One-click installation: Install the ZigZag plugin with a simple click to offer hassle-free returns to your shoppers.
Save the sale with exchanges: Offer exchanges or refunds to gift cards instead of a full refund.
Cut the costs of your returns: Save up to 57% in your return costs with our consolidation and efficient routing of e-commerce returns.
💡 Our consumer research on returns found that 57% of shoppers who are considering returning items would accept a gift card as a refund.
This return option lets you keep capital in the business while benefiting consumers with a quick gift card option they can use in your store.
International Returns To 170+ Countries With 1,500+ Carrier Services.
ZigZag Global is ideal for international returns, as we facilitate international returns in 170+ countries by connecting you with 1,500+ global carriers.
➡️ Our global returns portal can also accept multiple currencies & provides different language settings for international consumers, which is ideal for international brands.
Platforms like Loop Returns and parcelLab that do not facilitate international returns make global retailers use multiple return management solutions for the different countries.
Instead of using multiple return providers for the USA, Europe, and other regions, you can use ZigZag Global as a global return logistics solution.
Comprehensive Range of Return Options For Consumers
The goal of our global returns solution is not only to manage your returns but to help you save time, money, and improve the loyalty of your consumers.
This is why ZigZag Global offers the following return options for your shoppers:
In-Store Returns
In-store returns are when your shoppers return the product to your store in person to save the costs of a paid return online.
You can implement free in-store returns to your physical locations to slash shipping costs, boost foot traffic to your store, and give shoppers more ways to get a refund.
💡 ZigZag Global also offers in-store drop-off kiosks that are hassle-free for your shoppers to use in your store.
Store Credit To Save the Sale
Return to store credit is when consumers get a refund in the form of a gift card to your online store, instead of a monetary refund to their bank account.
As shoppers are happy to accept store credit instead of a refund (since it’s usually of greater value), our team added the option of this return to our retailers’ portal so you can keep capital in the business.
➡️ Return to store credits allows you to increase and maintain the customer lifetime value (LTV).
Live Exchanges
Customers often want a solution, not a return. Provide customers with a hassle-free second chance to get the right product with Live Exchanges.
After selecting which items to return and the reason for doing so, customers are presented with either the option to get a refund or explore the exchange options. ZigZag’s Live Exchanges feature enables customers to request a new item in exchange for the return of the original.
Paid Returns
We found that 48% of customers are happy paying for returns, and there has been a 32% rise in paid returns since last year.
This is why we’ve started recommending that the retailers we work with implement paid returns in their stores.
That means asking shoppers to pay a small fee to return their products.
Here are a few reasons why retailers of all sizes have been offering paid returns:
Returned costs are covered, so your organisation is not on the losing end.
Customers can’t exploit the free returns policy to engage in wardrobing.
Consumers are likely to make better buying decisions.
💡 You can check out our recent article on how merchants can deal with bracketing.
➡️ Interested in how much money ZigZag’s paid returns can save your organisation? Check out our ROI Calculator.
Here’s a scenario where you have 5,000 returns per month, and 20% of them are paid returns of £3.
That’ll save you a total of £3,000 per month.
Advanced Returns Analytics
Our returns system offers advanced reporting that tracks everything for our merchants to view and manage from one portal, such as:
Comparing the popularity of refund solutions.
Evaluating the most common reasons why consumers return products.
Reviewing revenue generated from paid returns.
Detecting suspicious return behaviour from customers.
➡️ Retailers who use ZigZag Global can reduce their returns in the long run after evaluating the common reasons why people return products.
Next Steps: Offer More Return Options To Offset Costs & Battle Return Fraud With ZigZag Global
There was one review on Software Advice from 2019 that mentioned the reason why they chose parcelLab was that there were no real alternatives back then.
However, if you feel like parcelLab is too expensive or not worth it, you’re not short on alternative options for post-purchase experience software in 2026.
If you’re looking for a returns management tool to reduce return costs, recover lost revenue, and scale internationally without juggling multiple tools, ZigZag Global stands out as the top parcelLab alternative in 2026.
No matter the industry you work in, such as the electronics, luxury, fast fashion, or footwear industry, our returns management platform can help you:
Reduce return costs.
Offer an on-brand customer experience for your shoppers.
Battle return fraud with our advanced return analytics.
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