No infrastructure to run
Self-hosting an open-source tool means a server, a database, storage, updates, and uptime to own. scrolly is the hosted alternative: paste your HTML, get a secure link, and never think about the stack underneath it.
scrolly vs PaperMark and public HTML links
scrolly vs PaperMark and publishing a public HTML link
If you have an AI-generated HTML document, you have a few ways to share it: run the open-source PaperMark yourself, publish the file at a public URL with a hosting tool, or use a managed service. scrolly is the managed option that is free to start, locks the document down, and shows you who opened it, with nothing to self-host.
Side by side
scrolly, PaperMark, and a public HTML link
| Capability | scrolly | PaperMark and public HTML publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and hosting | scrolly advantage: Managed and hosted; nothing to deploy | PaperMark: self-host and operate; public link: a hosting tool |
| Access control | scrolly advantage: Password, expiry, email gate, and allowlist out of the box | PaperMark: configurable; public link: anyone with the URL |
| Sandboxed viewing of untrusted HTML | scrolly advantage: Served from a separate origin in a locked sandbox | PaperMark: depends on your setup; public link: none |
| Per-recipient open analytics | Opens, dwell, and scroll depth per recipient, built in | PaperMark: built in; public link: none without extra tooling |
| Revoke access after sharing | scrolly advantage: Disable any link instantly; it stops working at the edge | PaperMark: yes; public link: re-host or delete the file |
| Cost to start | Free plan with the full security model | PaperMark: free but self-operated; public link: host-dependent |
| Full control of the stack | Managed service (portability seams, but we run it) | PaperMark: complete control if you self-host |
Why switch
Why a managed link beats self-hosting or a public URL
A public URL is not access control
Publishing an HTML file at a public link means anyone who gets the URL can open it, forever, with no idea who did. scrolly puts a password, expiry, email gate, or allowlist in front of the same document and records every open.
Untrusted HTML is sandboxed by default
Your document renders on a separate origin inside a locked sandbox with a strict content security policy, so its scripts can never reach your account. You get that isolation without configuring a single header yourself.
Being fair
Where PaperMark or a public link makes more sense
PaperMark is open source, so if you want complete control of the code and data, must self-host for policy reasons, or enjoy running your own infrastructure, it is a strong choice and worth supporting. A plain public HTML link is genuinely the right tool when a document is meant to be open to the world and you do not care who reads it, such as public documentation or a launch page. scrolly is for the middle ground that is most common with AI-generated documents: you want it managed, locked to specific people, and tracked, without operating anything.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Is scrolly an alternative to PaperMark?
- Yes. PaperMark is an open-source, self-hosted document-sharing tool; scrolly is a managed, free-to-start service that hosts your HTML, adds access controls and per-recipient analytics, and requires no infrastructure to run.
- Why not just publish my HTML file at a public link?
- A public link is open to anyone who has the URL and tells you nothing about who opened it. scrolly serves the same document behind a password, expiry, email gate, or allowlist, sandboxes it on a separate origin, and records every open per recipient.
- Do I need to host anything to use scrolly?
- No. scrolly is fully managed. You upload a self-contained HTML file, scrolly hosts it and serves it securely, and you share the short link. There is no server, database, or deployment to operate.
- Is scrolly really free to start?
- Yes. The free plan includes sandboxed viewing, every access mode, and full engagement analytics, so you can secure and track a shared document without paying.
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