specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: Papercups
providerId: papercups
created: '2026-06-20'
modified: '2026-06-20'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Customer Messaging
- Live Chat
- Open Source
- Support
- Intercom Alternative
- Plans
description: >-
  Papercups is open-source software (MIT) that can be self-hosted at no
  license cost; the REST API, realtime WebSocket chat, and webhooks are all
  available on a self-hosted deployment with no per-call charge from the
  project. A hosted version historically ran at app.papercups.io with free and
  paid tiers, but the project is now in maintenance mode (community-maintained,
  no major new features) and current hosted-tier availability and pricing are
  not reliably published, so paid-tier details are not reconciled here.
notes: >-
  Papercups is in maintenance mode per its GitHub README: "there won't be any
  major new features in the near future. We will still accept pull requests and
  conduct major bug fixes." Self-hosting is free under MIT. Any hosted SaaS
  tiers, trial limits, and seat pricing should be verified against papercups.io
  during reconciliation; treat all paid amounts below as unconfirmed.
sources:
- https://papercups.io
- https://github.com/papercups-io/papercups
- https://docs.papercups.io
plans:
- id: papercups-self-hosted
  name: Self-Hosted (Open Source)
  type: free
  description: >-
    Run Papercups on your own infrastructure under the MIT license. No license
    fee; you pay only your own hosting costs. Full access to the REST API,
    Phoenix WebSocket realtime chat, and webhooks.
  entries:
  - label: Self-Hosted License
    name: self_hosted
    type: flat
    metric: license
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: month
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: $0 (MIT, self-hosted)
    userMultiplied: false
  elements:
  - name: Conversations API
  - name: Messages API
  - name: Customers API
  - name: Realtime Chat (WebSocket / Phoenix Channels)
  - name: Webhooks
- id: papercups-hosted
  name: Hosted (SaaS)
  type: usage
  description: >-
    Historically a managed hosted offering at app.papercups.io with free and
    paid tiers. Current availability and pricing are not reliably published
    given maintenance-mode status; values are unconfirmed and unreconciled.
  entries:
  - label: Hosted Plan
    name: hosted
    type: flat
    metric: contract
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: month
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: unknown - verify at papercups.io (maintenance mode)
    userMultiplied: false
  elements:
  - name: Managed Hosting
  - name: Conversations API
  - name: Messages API
  - name: Customers API
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com