specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Parcels App
providerId: parcelsapp
created: '2026-07-11'
modified: '2026-07-11'
reconciled: true
tags:
- Parcel Tracking
- Shipment Status
- Package Tracking
- Logistics
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of Parcels API spend. The API is billed as a flat monthly
  subscription selected by tier - Pro 300 at $19, Premium 500 at $29, or Elite
  1000 at $49 per month - rather than per-call pricing. The consumed unit is
  the unique tracking number: each distinct tracking number added in a billing
  month counts once against the plan limit, regardless of how many times its
  status is polled, and the counter resets each cycle. Cargo and freight
  tracking (air AWB, road LTL/FTL, sea container/BL) is included on the $19
  and $29 tiers but excluded from the $49 postal-and-courier tier, so tier
  choice is a capability decision as well as a volume decision. Paid plans
  carry a 30-day no-questions-asked refund, and a pro-rated current-month
  refund is issued automatically on termination.
notes: >-
  Spend is predictable (flat monthly) until shipment volume forces a tier
  change; there is no published overage rate, so exceeding a limit means
  upgrading tiers. Monitor consumption programmatically via GET /account
  (plan, limit, current, resetDate). Prices confirmed on the API pricing page
  as of 2026-07-11.
sources:
- https://parcelsapp.com/pricing-api
- https://parcelsapp.com/terms-api
- https://parcelsapp.com/api-docs/
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Parcels App
serviceCategory: Integration
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Committed (flat monthly tiers)
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Purchase
  - Adjustment
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Parcels API
  ServiceCategory: Integration
  ProviderName: Parcels App
  PublisherName: Parcels App
  InvoiceIssuerName: Parcels App
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Purchase
  PricingCategory: Committed
meters:
- name: unique_tracking_numbers
  description: Distinct tracking numbers added per billing month; the sole metered unit, capped at 300/500/1000 by tier with the counter reset each cycle.
  unit: shipments
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - plan
- name: tracking_requests
  description: POST/GET calls to /shipments/tracking; not billed directly, and repeat lookups of known numbers are served from cache without consuming quota.
  unit: requests
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
- name: webhook_deliveries
  description: shipment_completed and batch_completed callbacks delivered to your webhookUrl; no published per-delivery charge.
  unit: events
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Poll GET /account for plan, limit, current, and resetDate to watch quota burn-down in dashboards before the monthly reset.
- name: Allocation
  description: A single flat subscription covers the account; allocate cost internally by tagging which orders/teams generate the unique tracking numbers submitted.
- name: Optimization
  description: Deduplicate tracking numbers before submitting (only unique numbers consume quota), lean on cached results and webhooks instead of polling loops, and drop to the $49 postal-and-courier tier only if cargo/freight tracking is not needed.
- name: Accountability
  description: Right-size the tier each month against actual unique-shipment volume; there is no overage pricing, so sustained overshoot means a planned upgrade rather than surprise usage charges.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com