Zephr is a paywall decision engine. Pelcro adds billing and fulfillment.
Zephr by Zuora runs paywall and access decisions and takes payments through Zuora Billing, Stripe, Braintree or Chargify. Pelcro puts paywalls, its own billing engine, print fulfillment and managed subscriber services on one subscriber record.
By submitting your email, you agree to opt in to marketing emails.
Where Zephr and Pelcro differ
Zephr says it is designed to fit into your existing tech stack. Pelcro bundles the paywall with billing, print fulfillment and subscriber services.
No built-in billing engine
- Zephr by Zuora
- Zephr takes payments through out-of-the-box payment forms, while recurring billing runs in Zuora Billing, Stripe, Braintree or Chargify.
- Pelcro
- Pelcro's paywall and billing engine share one subscriber record.
No print fulfillment advertised
- Zephr by Zuora
- Zephr's product pages and docs don't list print subscription or fulfillment features.
- Pelcro
- Pelcro includes fulfillment runs, mailroom exports and CASS-certified USPS address verification.
Different AI focus
- Zephr by Zuora
- Zephr's AI decides which paywall to show each user, and paywalls and offers are built from pre-built templates. It advertises no prompt-built paywalls, offer pages or checkouts.
- Pelcro
- Pelcro has five AI agents: AI Billing builds plain-English plans and prices every renewal; the AI Harness lets you ask, analyze and act in plain English; the AI Data CoPilot answers data questions in plain English; AI Customer Service answers subscriber calls and hands anything it can't resolve to your team; and the AI Coding Agent builds paywalls and checkouts from a prompt.
Side-by-side comparison
Pelcro vs Zephr by Zuora, capability by capability
Pelcro brings print, digital, billing, and subscriber experience into one platform.
| Capability | Pelcro | Zephr |
|---|---|---|
AI Coding Agent
| Yes | No |
Subscription & Product Management
| Yes | Partial |
Billing & Payments
| Yes | Partial |
Access & UX
| Yes | Partial |
Fulfillment & Print
| Yes | No |
Data & Reporting
| Yes | Partial |
Automation & Integrations
| Yes | Yes |
Services & Support
| Yes | No |
Pelcro AI Coding Agent
Skip the separate page builder
Describe the paywall, offer page, or checkout you want. Pelcro's AI Coding Agent writes valid Pelcro code, opens a branch, and hands you a preview link to approve — no separate no-code page builder to license or maintain.
Example prompt
“Add a metered paywall to article pages”
No separate page builder
Build paywalls, offer pages, and checkout flows from a prompt, wired to Pelcro from the first commit.
No engineering ticket
Launch a new offer without waiting on a deploy window or a developer's backlog.
Keep the site you already run
The agent reads your WordPress or Arc theme and mounts the paywall where your article body renders.
Every change is reviewable
Changes are ordinary code on a branch with a preview link. Rollback is one click.
The future of publishing is here
Save 50% of your subscription management costs with one modern unified system
- SubscribersPrint + digital5,836+4.2% this monthAll Access — Digital + Print1,284Print · Daily delivery642Digital · Monthly3,910
Manage print and digital subscribers from one dashboard
Issue refunds, view invoices and fulfillments, all from one single source of truth.
See all comparisons - Invoice #4821PaidAll Access · Monthly$24.00Print delivery$7.00Total$31.00Auto-collected · Visa ·· 4242Reconciled
Automate invoicing, accounts receivable, and payable
Automate recurring billing processes to save yourself and your team time.
See all comparisons 
TeddyMy accountAll Access — Digital + PrintActiveRenews Aug 1 · $31.00/moUpdate cardInvoicesOffer seamless end-user experiences with client portals
Let your users manage their subscriptions, invoices, payment methods and profiles with their client portal to improve experiences and reduce customer support inquiries.
See all comparisons
Migration made easy
Switching from Zephr shouldn't require rebuilding your stack
Pelcro doesn't just provide software — we provide hands-on support for your entire subscription operation. From onboarding and migrations to customer support and fulfillment, our team ensures a smooth transition without disrupting your business.
Talk to our teamAn honest take
When Zephr by Zuora may be the better fit
Pelcro isn't the right choice for every team. Zephr by Zuora may suit you better if one of these describes your situation.
You already bill in Zuora
Zephr's Dynamic Offers pull rate plans and price books directly from Zuora Billing.
Source: zuora.com: Zephr dynamic offers (opens in a new tab)You want the vendor to run a reverse proxy for you
Zephr can run as a reverse proxy in front of your content, and its docs describe it as primarily a decision engine.
Source: docs.zuora.com: Introduction to Zephr (opens in a new tab)You want a self-learning AI paywall
Zephr's AI paywall runs on reinforcement learning to decide which paywall to show each visitor.
Source: zuora.com: Zephr AI paywall (opens in a new tab)
Pelcro vs Zephr by Zuora: frequently asked questions
Last updated: . Claims about Zephr by Zuora were checked against Zephr by Zuora's own website on that date.
What is the main difference between Pelcro and Zephr?
Zephr by Zuora is a decision engine for paywalls and access that plugs into an existing stack, with billing in Zuora Billing or another provider. Pelcro combines the paywall, its own billing engine, print fulfillment and managed subscriber services on one subscriber record.
Does Zephr handle billing and payments?
Zephr takes payments through out-of-the-box payment forms connected to Braintree, Chargify, Stripe or Zuora, and recurring billing runs in that provider. Pelcro bills subscribers directly, accepting cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and direct debit, and retries failed payments on soft declines.
Does Zephr handle print subscriptions or fulfillment?
Print subscriptions and fulfillment are not advertised on Zephr's product pages or documentation. Pelcro runs print, digital and bundled subscriptions on one subscriber record, with fulfillment runs, mailroom exports and CASS-certified USPS address verification.
Does Zephr publish pricing?
No. Zephr pricing is available on request from Zuora. Pelcro publishes its plans, from a free plan for up to 100 customers to Professional at $800 a month, with custom Enterprise pricing above 5,000 customers.
Can I migrate from Zephr to Pelcro?
Yes. Pelcro Professional Services can migrate user data and subscriptions into Pelcro, with limits that may apply by plan, and every plan includes an import tool. Pelcro charges implementation fees only when its team handles customizations, migrations or integrations for you.
Get started
See why publishers choose Pelcro over Zephr by Zuora
Book a 30-minute walkthrough and we will map the platform to your specific requirements.
By submitting your email, you agree to opt in to marketing emails.