name: Paperform FinOps
description: FinOps Framework FOCUS-aligned cost and usage profile for Paperform API consumption. Paperform uses subscription-based pricing with API access gated by plan tier. There are no per-call API charges; cost is driven entirely by subscription plan selection and user seat add-ons.
specificationVersion: "1.0"
url: https://paperform.co/pricing/
framework: FinOps Framework
alignment: FOCUS 1.0
costModel:
  type: subscription
  billingCycles:
    - monthly
    - annual
  currency: USD
  notes: No metered or per-call API pricing. All API access is bundled into the monthly/annual subscription. Annual billing provides ~18% savings over month-to-month.

services:
  - name: Paperform Subscription
    description: Core platform subscription that determines which API tier (Standard or Business) is available. API access requires Pro ($49/mo) or Business ($99/mo) plans at minimum.
    costDrivers:
      - name: Plan Tier
        description: The selected subscription tier (Essentials, Pro, Business, Enterprise) is the primary cost driver. Essentials and Free have no API access.
        unit: plan
        notes: The monthlyPrice values below ($24/$49/$99) are annual-billed monthly equivalents, NOT month-to-month rates — month-to-month is higher. Current month-to-month and annual rates are at https://paperform.co/pricing/. Confirmed by Paperform 2026-09-14.
        tiers:
          - tier: Free
            price: 0
            apiAccess: none
          - tier: Essentials
            monthlyPrice: 24
            annualPrice: 288
            apiAccess: none
          - tier: Pro
            monthlyPrice: 49
            annualPrice: 588
            apiAccess: Standard
          - tier: Business
            monthlyPrice: 99
            annualPrice: 1188
            apiAccess: Standard + Business
          - tier: Enterprise
            price: custom
            apiAccess: Standard + Business + Regional
      - name: Additional User Seats
        description: Business plan allows up to 25 total users; additional seats beyond the base 5 cost $9/month each.
        unit: user/month
        price: 9
        applicablePlans:
          - Business

  - name: Papersign API
    description: Electronic signature feature with its own API plan requirement, layered on top of the base Paperform subscription.
    costDrivers:
      - name: Papersign Plan
        description: Papersign API access requires a separate Papersign-specific plan in addition to the base Paperform plan.
        unit: plan
        notes: Pricing details for Papersign plans available at https://paperform.co/pricing/

optimization:
  - name: Annual Billing
    description: Annual billing runs ~18% cheaper than paying month-to-month for the same plan. The comparison is month-to-month billing vs annual billing — the $24/$49/$99 figures already reflect the annual-billed monthly equivalent. Current month-to-month and annual rates are at https://paperform.co/pricing/.
  - name: Plan Right-Sizing
    description: If only read-only form and submission access is needed, the Pro plan (Standard API) is sufficient. Business API endpoints (write operations) only require the Business plan if those capabilities are actively used.
  - name: Submission Volume Monitoring
    description: Submission caps (1,200/year Essentials, 12,000/year Pro, 120,000/year Business) can force plan upgrades. Monitor submission usage to avoid overage-driven tier bumps.

allocation:
  - dimension: API Tier
    values:
      - Standard (Pro+)
      - Business (Business+)
  - dimension: Region
    values:
      - Global (default)
      - AU (Enterprise)
      - EU (Enterprise)