Marketing · head to head
Northbeam vs Paperform
The short version
- Only Paperform has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Northbeam limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance; Paperform free plan limited to 30 submissions per month
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Northbeam and Paperform actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Northbeam
- Cross-platform attribution
- Media mix modeling
- Creative analytics
- Real-time dashboards
- Incrementality testing
- Customer journey
- Cohort analysis
- LTV predictions
Only in Paperform
Nothing recorded that Northbeam does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Northbeam
- Marketing attributionnot Paperform
- Media optimizationnot Paperform
- Creative testingnot Paperform
- Budget allocationnot Paperform
Paperform
- Creating multi-step application forms with conditional field displaynot Northbeam
- Building payment collection forms for online invoicingnot Northbeam
- Setting up appointment scheduling with calendar integrationnot Northbeam
- Collecting customer signatures on contracts and agreementsnot Northbeam
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Northbeam
- Limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
- Lack of transparency in attribution modeling methodology and how credit is assigned
- Pageview-based pricing that can scale faster than perceived value for high-traffic, lower-conversion brands
- Slower reporting cadence limits real-time feedback for teams requiring immediate performance data
Paperform
- Free plan limited to 30 submissions per month
- Additional submissions beyond plan limits incur overage fees
- Custom domains require additional $20 per month fee on Pro plan
Pricing, plan by plan
Northbeam
$1500/month- Starter$1500/month
- Multi-touch attribution
- Media mix modeling
- Up to 1M monthly pageviews
- Professional$2500/month
- All Starter features
- Creative analytics
- Export API access
Paperform
Free- FreeFree
- 1 user
- 30 submissions per month
- 5 payment submissions per month
- Essentials$24/month
- 1 user
- 1,200 submissions per year
- 240 payment submissions per year
- Pro$49/month
- 3 users
- 12,000 submissions per year
- 3,000 payment submissions per year
- Business$99/month
- 5 users plus $9 per additional user (up to 25)
- 120,000 submissions per year
- 30,000 payment submissions per year
Which should you pick?
Choose Northbeam if
- You need cross-platform attribution.
- You work on Web, API.
- You also want media mix modeling.
Questions people ask
- Is Northbeam or Paperform better?
- Neither clearly leads. Northbeam starts at $1500/month and Paperform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Northbeam or Paperform?
- Paperform has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1500/month for Northbeam and Free for Paperform.
- Does Northbeam or Paperform run on more platforms?
- Northbeam runs on Web, API. Paperform runs on Web.
- Can I use Paperform for free?
- Yes. Paperform has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Northbeam starts at $1500/month.
- What is Northbeam best used for?
- Northbeam is most often used for marketing attribution, media optimization, creative testing, budget allocation. Of those, marketing attribution and media optimization are not what Paperform is typically brought in for.
- What can Northbeam do that Paperform cannot?
- Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Media mix modeling, Creative analytics, Real-time dashboards.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Northbeam: How is Northbeam priced?
Northbeam offers three tiers: Starter ($1,500/month), Professional ($2,500/month), and Enterprise (custom quote). Pricing is based on monthly pageviews and refreshed data frequency. There are no setup fees, free plan, or free trial.
SourcePaperform: Is there a free version of Paperform?
Yes, Paperform offers a free plan with 1 user, 30 submissions per month, and 100 MB storage at no cost.
SourceNorthbeam: What platforms does Northbeam integrate with?
Northbeam integrates with Shopify, Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Klaviyo, Recharge, and others. It pushes attribution data to Meta CAPI, Google Conversion API, GA4, and TikTok Events API.
SourcePaperform: Does Paperform offer a free trial for paid plans?
Paperform offers a 7-day unrestricted trial for all paid plans without requiring a credit card.
SourceNorthbeam: What does Northbeam measure?
Northbeam uses multi-touch attribution (MTA), media mix modeling (MMM), and Northbeam Apex to measure how paid media spend translates to revenue. Apex sends attribution data directly back to ad platforms for algorithm optimization.
SourcePaperform: What payment processing options does Paperform support?
All Paperform plans include payment processing via Stripe, Square, Braintree, or PayPal.
SourceNorthbeam: Who should use Northbeam?
Northbeam is ideal for intermediate to advanced ecommerce operators at Shopify-based DTC brands generating $1M+ annual revenue and spending at least $1.5M yearly on paid media across multiple channels.
SourcePaperform: When does Paperform charge for custom domains?
Custom domains are available on the Pro and Business plans, with an additional $20 per month fee for this feature.
SourceNorthbeam: What are Northbeam's main limitations?
Key limitations include a steep learning curve and complex interface, shallow creative-level reporting, lack of model transparency, pricing that can scale faster than value for high-traffic brands, and slower reporting cadence compared to real-time dashboards.
SourceRelated pages
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