A Tiptap Cloud alternative for Bubble: how the three options compare
Tiptap Cloud is Tiptap's managed platform. Hocuspocus is the open-source collaboration server you can run yourself. WhoIsTyping is a hosted collaboration server built for Tiptap editors in Bubble. This page compares them on the points that decide the choice: who runs the server, what it costs, where data is hosted and how it fits a Bubble app.
Short answer
Tiptap Platform gives you the broadest product: comments, tracked changes, document history and AI tools. Hocuspocus is MIT-licensed and free to run, but you operate the server. WhoIsTyping is the hosted option built for Bubble, and its paid entry tier is cheaper than Tiptap Platform's.
Side-by-side comparison
| Question | Tiptap Platform | Hocuspocus (self-hosted) | WhoIsTyping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs the server | Tiptap | You | WhoIsTyping |
| Software cost | Paid plans; Cloud documents are included per plan | Free (MIT licence); you pay for hosting and operations | Free tier, then paid plans |
| Entry paid price | Start from $49/mo on the yearly-billing view | Your infrastructure and engineering time | Starter: €20/mo + VAT ($25/mo) |
| What counts toward the limit | Cloud documents, per environment | Nothing from the software | Documents across your organization, plus projects |
| Collaboration requires | Cloud documents on the Platform | Your own deployment and auth | A WhoIsTyping project and signed tokens from your app |
| Hosting region | US or EU on Start, Team and Business | Wherever you deploy it | Not published |
| Bubble setup | Not verified for this page | Not verified for this page | Documented: the Rich Text Editor (Tiptap.dev) plugin with a custom provider |
| Support | Best effort (Start), 3 business days (Team), 1 business day (Business) | Your own team | Not published |
Pricing, side by side
The table matches tiers by document count. Tiptap prices are in USD and shown on its yearly-billing view, which Tiptap labels as 20% off monthly billing. WhoIsTyping prices are monthly, with EUR prices plus VAT.
| Document tier | Tiptap Platform (USD) | WhoIsTyping (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 documents | Start, from $49/mo | Starter, $25/mo (€20 + VAT) |
| 5,000 documents | Team, from $149/mo | Pro, $60/mo (€50 + VAT) |
| 50,000 documents | Business, from $999/mo | Business, $600/mo (€500 + VAT) |
The limits are not the same unit. Tiptap includes 2, 5 or 10 developer licences and 2, 3 or 5 environments by tier. WhoIsTyping limits projects: 1 on Free, 2 on Starter, 5 on Pro and 10 on Business. WhoIsTyping's pricing page does not list developer seats. The free tier on WhoIsTyping has five documents and no credit card requirement. Tiptap offers a 30-day trial, also without a card.
Hosting and data residency
Tiptap Platform lists US or EU hosting on Start, Team and Business. Enterprise is custom and can run on-premises. Tiptap says it is SOC 2 Type II compliant.
Hocuspocus runs wherever you deploy it, so residency is your decision and your responsibility.
WhoIsTyping has not published a hosting region. If data residency matters for your documents, ask WhoIsTyping in writing before you put personal or regulated content into a shared document.
Bubble integration
WhoIsTyping documents a Bubble setup: install the Rich Text Editor (Tiptap.dev) plugin, select the custom provider, use
wss://collab.whoistyping.wtf
as the server address, and generate an auth token in a page-load workflow. The full steps are in the Bubble setup guide.
This page did not verify a Bubble-specific setup for Tiptap Platform or for a self-hosted Hocuspocus server. Test either one on a staging Bubble app before you commit to it.
Which to pick
Choose Hocuspocus if you have a backend team that wants to own the server and can operate a WebSocket service, including auth and persistence. Tiptap's own FAQ says moving from Hocuspocus to the Platform later is not automatic and needs engineering work.
Choose Tiptap Platform if you need its managed comments, tracked changes, document history or AI tools and you accept its per-plan pricing.
Choose WhoIsTyping if you build in Bubble, want hosted collaboration without running a server and want the cheaper paid entry tier. Confirm the hosting region first.
Frequently asked questions
Is WhoIsTyping a Tiptap product?
No. WhoIsTyping is a separate hosted collaboration server for Tiptap editors. You still use the Tiptap editor in Bubble, and Tiptap Platform is a different product.
Can I avoid paying Tiptap by self-hosting Hocuspocus?
Yes. Hocuspocus is MIT-licensed and free to use, but you run, secure and scale the server yourself. Tiptap's own FAQ says its Platform runs on Hocuspocus under the hood.
Do documents count toward my plan on Tiptap Cloud?
Only documents stored in Tiptap Platform count toward your plan. Collaboration and document history need those Cloud documents.
Where is WhoIsTyping hosted?
WhoIsTyping has not published a hosting region. Ask before you put personal or regulated data into a shared document.
Can I try WhoIsTyping without a credit card?
Yes. The free tier includes one project and five documents, with no credit card required. Tiptap Platform also offers a 30-day trial without a card.
Sources
Checked on 15 October 2026:
- Tiptap feature comparison: plans, document limits, hosting region, support and environments.
- Tiptap pricing: Tiptap Platform add-ons, trial and FAQ on cloud documents, data and SOC 2.
- Tiptap open source to Platform: Hocuspocus is MIT-licensed; Platform runs on Hocuspocus.
- WhoIsTyping home page: plans, limits, Bubble setup and the FAQ.
- WhoIsTyping Bubble setup guide.