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Manufacturing · head to head

Paperless Parts vs Samotics

Paperless Parts logo

Paperless Parts

Manufacturing

Quoting and estimating software for job shops, with geometry analysis and ITAR-aware handling

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Samotics logo

Samotics

Manufacturing

Condition monitoring of motor-driven assets using electrical signature analysis from the motor control cabinet

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Paperless Parts no pricing is published at any tier, and the mandatory implementation and data migration are quoted on top of the subscription, so the first-year cost is materially higher than the recurring one.; Samotics sAM4 only sees what reaches the motor electrically, so it covers the driven train and misses un-driven equipment, structures, process conditions and anything downstream of a mechanical decoupling.
  • They diverge on capability: Paperless Parts covers Geometry analysis, Samotics covers Electrical signature analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paperless Parts and Samotics actually diverge.

Attributes where Paperless Parts and Samotics differ
AttributePaperless PartsSamotics
PlatformsWebWeb, Cloud

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

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 Paperless Parts

  • Geometry analysis
  • Costing rules
  • Customer portal
  • Quote revisions
  • ITAR-aware handling
  • ERP hand-off

Only in Samotics

  • Electrical signature analysis
  • Switchroom installation
  • Energy and efficiency measurement
  • Submersible and hazardous area coverage
  • Fault classification
  • Fleet view

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Paperless Parts

  • A CNC machine shop losing RFQs because quotes take three days to return by emailnot Samotics
  • A defence supplier that must process controlled RFQ files without exposing them to a generic cloud toolnot Samotics
  • A fabricator standardising estimating so quotes do not vary by which estimator picked them upnot Samotics
  • A contract manufacturer giving customers a portal to submit parts and receive prices themselvesnot Samotics

Samotics

  • A water utility monitoring submersible and borehole pumps that no vibration sensor can be fitted to without lifting the pumpnot Paperless Parts
  • A chemical plant with assets in ATEX zones where certifying and maintaining in-field sensors is more expensive than the monitoring itselfnot Paperless Parts
  • A food plant that wants pump and mixer condition data without opening guarding or taking a hygiene-critical line down to fit sensorsnot Paperless Parts
  • A site building an energy reduction case, where measured motor efficiency and waste give the business case a payback that reliability alone would notnot Paperless Parts

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Paperless Parts

  • No pricing is published at any tier, and the mandatory implementation and data migration are quoted on top of the subscription, so the first-year cost is materially higher than the recurring one.
  • The quality of automated quotes depends on costing rules the shop must write, which takes an experienced estimator out of production for weeks before the system is useful.
  • ERP and shop system integration is gated to higher tiers, so a small shop on the entry plan is still retyping won quotes into its job system.
  • Geometry analysis handles prismatic machined and sheet metal parts well but struggles with complex organic surfaces, weldments and assemblies, which still need manual estimating.
  • Once costing logic and quote history live in the platform, moving to another system means rebuilding the rules from scratch, which is a strong practical lock-in beyond the contract term.

Samotics

  • SAM4 only sees what reaches the motor electrically, so it covers the driven train and misses un-driven equipment, structures, process conditions and anything downstream of a mechanical decoupling.
  • Each monitored motor needs hardware installed in the motor control centre by a qualified electrician, and in older switchrooms that installation, including any required outage, can cost more than a year of the subscription.
  • Per-asset subscription pricing means the cost scales linearly with the number of motors, so a plant with a thousand small motors faces a bill that a fixed-price plant-wide vibration system would not impose.
  • Electrical signature analysis on variable-speed drives is harder than on direct-on-line motors, and results vary with drive type, so a heavily VSD estate should insist on a pilot on its own drives before committing.
  • Nothing is published on price, contract length or minimum deployment size, and the vendor sells multi-year subscriptions, so early exit terms are a negotiation you have to raise yourself.

Pricing, plan by plan

Paperless Parts

On request
  • Basic$undefined/year
    • Quoting and geometry analysis
    • Customer portal
    • For small job shops and contract manufacturers
  • Pro$undefined/year
    • Integrations with ERP and shop systems
    • Deeper costing configuration
    • For mid-sized manufacturers
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Controlled data handling for defence and aerospace
    • Multi-site and multi-process support
    • Priority support and dedicated onboarding

Samotics

On request
  • SAM4$undefined/year
    • Subscription priced per monitored asset
    • SAM4 sensor hardware required in each motor control centre
    • Electrical installation by a qualified electrician, quoted separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Paperless Parts if

  • You need geometry analysis.
  • You also want costing rules.
Paperless Parts review

Choose Samotics if

  • You need electrical signature analysis.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want switchroom installation.
Samotics review

Questions people ask

Is Paperless Parts or Samotics better?
Neither clearly leads. Paperless Parts starts at On request and Samotics at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paperless Parts or Samotics?
Paperless Parts starts at On request and Samotics at On request.
Does Paperless Parts or Samotics run on more platforms?
Paperless Parts runs on Web. Samotics runs on Web, Cloud.
What is Paperless Parts best used for?
Paperless Parts is most often used for a cnc machine shop losing rfqs because quotes take three days to return by email, a defence supplier that must process controlled rfq files without exposing them to a generic cloud tool, a fabricator standardising estimating so quotes do not vary by which estimator picked them up, a contract manufacturer giving customers a portal to submit parts and receive prices themselves. Of those, a cnc machine shop losing rfqs because quotes take three days to return by email and a defence supplier that must process controlled rfq files without exposing them to a generic cloud tool are not what Samotics is typically brought in for.
What can Paperless Parts do that Samotics cannot?
Paperless Parts covers Geometry analysis, Costing rules, Customer portal, Quote revisions. Samotics covers Electrical signature analysis, Switchroom installation, Energy and efficiency measurement, Submersible and hazardous area coverage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Paperless Parts: How much does Paperless Parts cost?

It does not publish pricing. Expect a tiered annual subscription plus a separately quoted implementation and data migration.

Samotics: Does Samotics replace vibration monitoring?

For motor-driven assets it often does, and it reaches assets vibration cannot. For un-driven equipment and structures it does not apply at all.

Paperless Parts: Does it quote automatically without setup?

No. It applies your costing rules to analysed geometry, and those rules have to be built with your estimator during implementation.

Samotics: Do I have to buy Samotics hardware?

Yes. SAM4 requires the vendor's sensors fitted in the motor control centre; there is no software-only option.

Paperless Parts: Can it handle ITAR-controlled RFQs?

It markets controlled data handling for defence and aerospace work, which is a main reason regulated shops choose it over generic quoting tools.

Samotics: Does it work on variable-speed drives?

It can, but performance depends on the drive and the operating profile. Pilot it on your own VSD assets rather than accepting a reference from a direct-on-line site.

Paperless Parts: Will it integrate with my shop ERP?

Integrations exist but are gated to the higher tiers, so confirm your ERP is covered at the tier you are quoted.

Samotics: How is it priced?

Subscription per monitored asset, quoted, typically on a multi-year term, with hardware and electrical installation on top.

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