Paperpile
Reference manager with browser capture, PDF annotation, and Google Docs citations
Do not mistake the interface for the product. Paperpile's durable value is data, import reliability, which a solo one-shot build cannot reproduce responsibly. The prompt therefore builds only the closest honest personal consolation tool.
Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability
What you give up
- citation graph scale
- team libraries and institutional access
- licensed scholarly metadata
- publisher-specific import reliability
Why people still pay
Paperpile: Researchers pay for correct metadata, resilient importers, citation coverage, and workflows that survive publisher and browser changes.
Your build guide
The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.
Before you start
- Node.js 22
- browser automation for user-authorized imports
- optional OpenAI API key stored in .env
- Explicit README warning that this is a consolation build, not a production replacement
Use these project rules and optional skill references alongside the prompt. Review each skill before adding it to your agent; the AGENTS.md export includes the same guidance.
Project rule, data: Model source URLs, saved items, reading state, annotations, and exports; keep stable source IDs and timestamps.
Project rule, behavior: For reference manager, accept a user-supplied URL or file and save its original URL, fetch time, and content hash.
Project rule, recovery: An unreachable URL keeps its bookmark and error state; duplicate imports must not discard existing highlights.
Implementation plan
Phase 1, architecture and data
Use exactly this stack: Next.js 15 + TypeScript + SQLite + Playwright. Model source URLs, saved items, reading state, annotations, and exports; keep stable source IDs and timestamps.
Phase 2, implement
For reference manager, accept a user-supplied URL or file and save its original URL, fetch time, and content hash.
Phase 3, implement
Extract readable content, deduplicate imports, and preserve notes or highlights by stable source position.
Phase 4, review and output
Search the saved collection and export an item with its source metadata.
Phase 5, recovery and acceptance
Verify this invariant with a saved fixture: An unreachable URL keeps its bookmark and error state; duplicate imports must not discard existing highlights. State the practical limit: citation graph scale.
Build me a focused reference manager workflow for the personal core of Paperpile. Requirements: - Use exactly this stack: Next.js 15 + TypeScript + SQLite + Playwright. Model source URLs, saved items, reading state, annotations, and exports; keep stable source IDs and timestamps. - Paid product context: Reference manager with browser capture, PDF annotation, and Google Docs citations. Build only this DIY scope: Build a private reference manager workspace that imports user-supplied URLs or files, extracts metadata, supports notes, and searches the local corpus. - For reference manager, accept a user-supplied URL or file and save its original URL, fetch time, and content hash. - Extract readable content, deduplicate imports, and preserve notes or highlights by stable source position. - Search the saved collection and export an item with its source metadata. - Use a local web page with input, progress, review, and export views. Required input or access: browser automation for user-authorized imports; optional OpenAI API key stored in .env. Keep credentials in .env. - Acceptance: with one labelled sample, show the input, saved intermediate state, and exported result; verify this invariant: An unreachable URL keeps its bookmark and error state; duplicate imports must not discard existing highlights. - Out of scope: citation graph scale; team libraries and institutional access. Keep this a personal, inspectable workflow. - Include a README with setup, a sample input, required keys or permissions, data location, and the supported scope.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan
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Paperpile pricing
| plan | monthly | annual (per mo) | what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| regular | — | $8.30/user | Unlimited references and PDF storage; no full-text PDF search, shared libraries or advanced notes.Annual-only. |
| regular academic | — | $4.15/user | Unlimited references and PDF storage; academic eligibility required.Annual-only. |
| expert | — | $11.50/user | Unlimited references/storage plus full-text PDF search, notes, annotations and shared libraries.Annual-only. |
| expert academic | — | $5.75/user | Expert features; academic eligibility required.Annual-only. |
| enterprise | — | — | Organization-wide licensing and administration; price and seat minimum are quote-based.Contact sales. |
free tierno free tier; 30-day trial
billingannual only; no month-to-month plan
hidden coststax may be added; group Expert discounts reach up to 20%; every user on one multi-user licence must use the same plan, so Regular and Expert seats cannot be mixed
pricing sources checked 2026-08-13 · pricing source ↗
Questions about Paperpile
Can you build your own Paperpile with AI?
A full replacement is not the recommended project. Do not mistake the interface for the product. Paperpile's durable value is data, import reliability, which a solo one-shot build cannot reproduce responsibly. The prompt therefore builds only the closest honest personal consolation tool.
What does the Paperpile build prompt cover?
The prompt starts with this scope: Build a private reference manager workspace that imports user-supplied URLs or files, extracts metadata, supports notes, and searches the local corpus. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: citation graph scale; team libraries and institutional access; licensed scholarly metadata. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.
How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?
Start with the Paperpile prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.
How long will this Paperpile project take?
The catalogue estimate is not a true replacement; consolation build in one to two days for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.
What would I give up by replacing Paperpile?
citation graph scale; team libraries and institutional access; licensed scholarly metadata; publisher-specific import reliability. Paperpile: Researchers pay for correct metadata, resilient importers, citation coverage, and workflows that survive publisher and browser changes.
What can I use instead of building Paperpile?
Zotero: The reference manager everyone keeps recommending because it actually earns it. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.