Paperpile is built on Google Drive. Your PDFs are stored in a hidden folder in your Google Drive, and the citation tool works best with Google Docs. If your university or lab uses Microsoft 365 exclusively, you will find Paperpile frustrating. To determine if the price is fair, compare it to the other major players.
Here is a complete breakdown of Paperpile’s pricing, what you get for your money, and how it compares to the competition. Paperpile is not free. It operates on a subscription model starting at $2.95 per month (billed annually). For most users, the price is surprisingly affordable for a premium tool, but it lacks a permanent free tier. Detailed Pricing Breakdown (2024-2025) Paperpile keeps its pricing simple with two main plans: paperpile price