PaperCut MF is the default pick for most teams that already use PaperCut and want on-premises control, while Printix is the best low-cost cloud pick at $1.99 per user per month and ezeep is the best free start for up to 10 users. One fact most roundups miss is that PrinterLogic charges by print queue, not by user, so a site with 25 to 49 print queues starts at $121.80 per month and a site with many queues can cost more than a site with many users. MyQ X Smart is free for commercial use after registration, with a license valid for one year and renewable before expiry, but scanning and embedded terminals are not included in that free edition.
PaperCut MF is a print management platform for schools, offices, and shared fleets. It covers secure release, quotas, cost tracking, and print rules. The alternatives below cover the same work in different ways. Some remove print servers entirely, some stay on premises, and some start free. Pick by fleet size, by cloud or local control, and by how your vendor charges: per user, per queue, per device, or by quote.
On this page
Papercut alternatives: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PaperCut MF | On-premises print control | quote only | Free trial | Visit |
| 2 | PrinterLogic | Serverless printing across sites | $121.80 per month | Free trial | Visit |
| 3 | Printix | Small cloud-first teams | $1.99 per user/month | Free trial (30 days) | Visit |
| 4 | ezeep | Small teams with a free start | €2.75 per user/month | Yes | Visit |
| 5 | YSoft SAFEQ Cloud | Hybrid and multi-vendor fleets | quote only | Free trial | Visit |
| 6 | Canon uniFLOW Online | Canon-led cloud printing and scanning | quote only | Free trial (90 days) | Visit |
| 7 | Pharos Cloud | Large enterprise print operations | $3.00 per user/year | No | Visit |
| 8 | MyQ X | Single-device offices and small teams | $0 for MyQ X Smart | Yes | Visit |
The 8 best papercut alternatives, in detail
PaperCut MF
Best for: On-premises print control
PaperCut MF is the product most readers are comparing against, so it belongs first as the reference point. It is a self-hosted platform that can run on premises or in a private cloud, which suits teams with local servers or strict data rules. It supports secure release, where a job waits until the user authenticates at the printer, plus Find-Me printing, quotas, and cost tracking.
- The trade-off is price transparency.
- PaperCut does not publish a list price for MF, and Hive and Pocket use different models, so MF buyers work through a partner or sales contact.
- Get the quote in writing with user and device counts stated.
- Choose MF if you want local control and the full PaperCut feature set.
Pros
- Secure print release and Find-Me printing
- print quotas, cost tracking, and detailed reporting
- Mobility Print for BYOD devices
Cons
- No list price is published on the PaperCut site, so you need a partner quote
- advanced device features can need extra enablement packs
PrinterLogic
Best for: Serverless printing across sites
PrinterLogic, now sold as Vasion Print, is a serverless print management platform. It replaces print servers and scripts with direct IP printing and central management. Admins can deploy queues and drivers from one console, and users get the printers for their site without manual setup.
- The billing model is the detail to read first.
- The entry tier listed for 25 to 49 print queues is $121.80 per month, while the tier for 50 to 99 print queues is $109.60 per month.
- Sites with 100 or more print queues need a custom quote.
- Because the charge follows queues rather than users, count every queue before you ask for a price, including test queues.
Pros
- Removes print servers with direct IP printing
- central queue and driver management
- works across multiple sites
Cons
- Pricing is based on print queues, so a fleet with many queues costs more
- 100 or more print queues need a custom quote
Printix
Best for: Small cloud-first teams
Printix is a cloud-first print management service from Tungsten Automation. It removes print servers and routes jobs through a cloud service, with queues managed from a central console. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, and mobile devices, which helps hybrid teams with mixed hardware.
- The entry price is $1.99 per user per month for the SMB tier, which covers up to 50 users.
- That makes it one of the lowest priced options in this list for a small team.
- Once you pass 50 users, you move to the Enterprise tier, which needs a custom quote.
- Education users should also ask about student licensing, because students can be free on some education plans.
Pros
- Cloud print management with no print server
- $1.99 per user per month for up to 50 users
- supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, and mobile devices
Cons
- No free plan, only a trial
- the Enterprise tier for 51 or more users needs a custom quote
ezeep
Best for: Small teams with a free start
ezeep is a cloud print platform from ThinPrint for distributed teams, remote workers, and virtual desktop setups. It moves driver and queue management to the cloud, so users can print from offices, home, or coworking spaces without local server work. Pro starts at €3.45 per user per month with monthly billing, or €2.75 per user per month with annual billing.
- Pro adds up to 10 connectors, group user management, admin-assigned printers, and a tracking and reporting dashboard.
- Business starts at €4.75 per user per month billed annually and adds up to 80 connectors, Secure Pull Printing, and Microsoft Entra ID group sync.
- The limits to check are the 10-user free cap, the 1-connector free cap, and the Pro API cap of 1,000 pages per month per organization.
Pros
- Free Personal plan for up to 10 users
- Pro starts at €2.75 per user per month billed annually
- driver-free printing across major platforms
Cons
- Free plan is limited to 10 users and 1 connector
- Pro API pages are capped at 1,000 per month per organization
YSoft SAFEQ Cloud
Best for: Hybrid and multi-vendor fleets
YSoft SAFEQ is a print management platform with two main paths. SAFEQ Cloud is a native cloud service, with Breeze for smaller businesses and Pro for enterprises that need complex authentication and hybrid setups. SAFEQ 6 is the on-premises option for regulated environments.
- Both support multi-vendor fleets, including HP, Xerox, Konica Minolta, Canon, Brother, and Ricoh.
- SAFEQ Cloud is subscription-based and licensed per user or per device.
- SAFEQ 6 uses perpetual licensing with optional maintenance.
- YSoft states that actual pricing depends on deployment scale and features, so there is no list price to compare directly with the per-user options in
Pros
- SAFEQ Cloud Breeze for SMBs and Pro for enterprises
- SAFEQ 6 for on-premises use
- supports multi-vendor MFP fleets
Cons
- No list price is published, and actual pricing depends on deployment scale and features
- full trials are arranged through authorized vendors
Canon uniFLOW Online
Best for: Canon-led cloud printing and scanning
Canon uniFLOW Online is a cloud-based print and scan management solution built on Microsoft Azure. It manages print, copy, and scan from a cloud portal, with no local server to buy or maintain. Jobs wait in a secure queue and release only after the user authenticates with a PIN or a proximity card.
- It also supports scan workflows and cost accounting.
- Canon sells uniFLOW Online as a monthly subscription through Canon representatives and partners, and it does not publish a list price on the product p
- Canon New Zealand lists a 3-month free trial, with an unrestricted number of users and devices during the trial, which can then convert to a regular s
- Choose uniFLOW Online if you already use Canon devices and want cloud print and scan in one service.
Pros
- Cloud print, scan, and accounting with no local server
- secure release with PIN or card login
- supports multi-vendor mixed fleets, including non-Canon devices
Cons
- No list price is published by Canon, so pricing comes through a Canon representative or partner
- advanced scanning can need a higher subscription
Pharos Cloud
Best for: Large enterprise print operations
Pharos Cloud is an enterprise cloud print platform that replaces print servers with a cloud-managed service. Admins use a central web console to manage users, groups, drivers, queues, and devices. Direct Print sends jobs straight to the printer, while Secure Release holds jobs until the user signs in at the device.
- The listed starting point is $3.00 per user per year on a custom quote, which looks low until you read the full model.
- Pharos states that pricing is tailored to organization size, user count, devices, and deployment needs, so the final figure depends on your fleet.
- There is also a separate Education Edition for higher education, with the same $3.00 per user per year starting point.
- No free plan is listed, so budget for a full subscription from day one.
Pros
- Cloud-managed print with Direct Print and Secure Release
- Pharos Insights for fleet analytics
- ISO 27001 certified platform with zero trust support
Cons
- No free plan and no free trial is listed
- pricing is a custom quote, with $3.00 per user per year as the listed starting point
MyQ X
Best for: Single-device offices and small teams
MyQ X is a print management solution for mixed printer fleets, with a free entry point that most enterprise tools do not offer. MyQ X Smart is free for commercial use after registration in the MyQ Community, and it covers 1 multifunction printer. MyQ X Enterprise adds embedded terminals and full support, and it is priced per embedded terminal per multifunction printer.
- The free license is valid for one year and can be renewed before expiry, and it comes with limited support through updates, patches, and the community
- Scanning is not available on the free Smart edition, and embedded terminals are not available, so there are no terminal actions such as Print all or c
- Choose MyQ X if you have one main device and want a free, real start.
Pros
- MyQ X Smart is free for commercial use after registration
- one-click actions and personalised workflows in MyQ X
- mobile print and BYOD support
Cons
- Free Smart license is valid for one year and must be renewed
- scanning and embedded terminals are not available on the free Smart edition
How we chose
We chose products that cover the core PaperCut MF jobs: secure release, print quotas, cost tracking, driver and queue management, and mobile or BYOD printing. We kept only real products with an official homepage and a clear print management role, and we left out generic print tools that do not manage a fleet. Prices and plan limits come from official vendor pages and vendor-supplied pricing listings opened on 2026-11-12. Where a vendor did not publish a list price, we wrote quote only instead of using an estimate. We did not test any tool hands-on. One fact most roundups miss is that PrinterLogic charges by print queue, not by user, while Printix, ezeep, and Pharos Cloud charge by user, so the cheapest option changes with your queue count as much as with your headcount.
Which option fits your size and budget
| Situation | Best match | Number to check first |
|---|---|---|
| 1 device, no budget yet | MyQ X | $0 for MyQ X Smart, 1 multifunction printer, 1-year license |
| Up to 10 users, free start | ezeep | Free for up to 10 users, 1 connector, then €2.75 per user per month billed annually |
| Up to 50 users, cloud only | Printix | $1.99 per user per month, 30-day trial, Enterprise quote above 50 users |
| 25 to 49 print queues | PrinterLogic | $121.80 per month, custom quote at 100 or more queues |
| Large enterprise fleet | Pharos Cloud | $3.00 per user per year, custom quote, no free plan |
| Canon fleet, cloud scan | Canon uniFLOW Online | 90-day trial, quote only, no list price published |
| Mixed fleet, hybrid path | YSoft SAFEQ Cloud | Quote only, Breeze for SMBs, Pro for enterprises |
| On-premises control | PaperCut MF | Quote only, partner sale, trial available |
Frequently asked questions
How much do PaperCut alternatives cost?
Prices in this list run from $0 for MyQ X Smart on 1 multifunction printer to $121.80 per month for PrinterLogic with 25 to 49 print queues. Printix starts at $1.99 per user per month for up to 50 users, ezeep Pro starts at €2.75 per user per month billed annually, and Pharos Cloud starts at $3.00 per user per year. PaperCut MF, YSoft SAFEQ Cloud, and Canon uniFLOW Online are quote only.
Which PaperCut alternative is best for small teams?
ezeep is the best small-team pick if you want a free start, because its free plan covers up to 10 users and 1 connector. Printix is the best low-cost cloud pick after that, at $1.99 per user per month for up to 50 users. MyQ X is the best pick for a single-device office, because MyQ X Smart is free for 1 multifunction printer.
Which PaperCut alternative is best for large enterprises?
Pharos Cloud is the best large-enterprise pick in this list, with cloud-managed Direct Print, Secure Release, and Pharos Insights for fleet analytics. YSoft SAFEQ Cloud Pro is a strong second choice for hybrid fleets that need complex authentication and multi-vendor support. PrinterLogic is a strong choice for multi-site teams that want to remove print servers entirely.
Is there a free PaperCut alternative?
Yes. ezeep has a free Personal plan for up to 10 users, and MyQ X Smart is free for commercial use after registration for 1 multifunction printer. Printix, PrinterLogic, YSoft SAFEQ Cloud, Canon uniFLOW Online, and PaperCut MF offer trials instead of a free plan, and Pharos Cloud lists no free plan.
Do I still need a print server with these alternatives?
No, not with the cloud options in this list. Printix, ezeep, Pharos Cloud, and Canon uniFLOW Online are built to work without a local print server. PaperCut MF and YSoft SAFEQ 6 can still run on premises if you need local control, so choose the deployment model that fits your IT rules.
What is the main difference between PaperCut MF and PaperCut Pocket?
PaperCut MF is a self-hosted platform for on-premises or private cloud use, with full device control and reporting. PaperCut Pocket is a cloud-native service for small and medium businesses that bills only for unique active users, starting at $1.90 per active user per month for 1 to 50 active users. Pocket suits a small team that wants cloud queue deployment without local servers.
Sources
- https://www.papercut.com/
- https://printerlogic.com/
- https://printix.net/
- https://www.ezeep.com/
- https://www.ysoft.com/safeq
- https://www.canon.co.uk/business/products/software/uniflow-online/
- https://www.pharos.com/products/cloud-platform/
- https://www.myq-solution.com/
- https://docs.myq-solution.com/en/myq-x/10.3/print-server/licenses
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.