SmartDocs vs. Paperless
The Paperless alternative without the entry barrier
Like SmartDocs, Paperless stands for German data sovereignty, and rightly so. The difference is access: with entry prices from €149 per month, Paperless targets larger organizations. SmartDocs delivers the same legal certainty and the same hosting location on terms that work for everyone from solo freelancers to mid-sized businesses.
- Hosted in Germany
- GDPR compliant
- eIDAS compliant
- ISO 27001
Head to head
SmartDocs and Paperless compared
German data sovereignty should not depend on your budget. SmartDocs starts at €0.
| SmartDocs | Paperless | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | €0 (Free) or €25 per seat per month | From €149 per month |
| Permanently free plan | Yes | No, trial period only |
| Pricing model | Per seat, unlimited requests from Pro | Per document, unlimited users |
| API access | Included in the Pro plan | Only on the Enterprise plan |
| Data hosting | Germany (Nuremberg) | Germany |
| QES | Yes, on request | Yes, from approx. €2.50 per signature |
| In-person signing (kiosk mode) | Yes | Not advertised |
As of June 2026. All information on Paperless is based on the provider's publicly available information, without guarantee.
Why SmartDocs
Four reasons to switch
Hosted exclusively in Germany
Data center in Nuremberg, no transfers to third countries. The simplest answer to any data protection review.
Transparent pricing from €0
A free plan with no time limit, Pro for €25 per seat per month. No pricing on request, no hidden tiers.
All three signature levels
SES, AES and QES on one platform: from everyday business to the statutory written form under § 126a BGB.
In-person signing included
Kiosk mode with documented identity verification: signatures in the showroom, at the practice or at handover.
Fairness
What Paperless does well
To be fair: beyond e-signatures, Paperless offers contract lifecycle management (CLM) and workflow automation. Businesses looking for a comprehensive document platform with a fixed budget are well served there. If your main goal is getting documents signed in a legally binding way, whether from a PDF or as an online form without a file, SmartDocs charges you for exactly that and nothing more.
See for yourself: the SmartDocs Free plan costs nothing, with no time limit, so running both side by side during your evaluation is free.
Switching is easier than you think
Create templates, invite your team, get going: most teams are productive on day one. We help you move over.