Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is Papercup?
Papercup is a kid-friendly phone designed for children. It lets kids make and receive calls to parent-approved contacts, with no internet browsing, social media, or apps.
What age is Papercup suitable for?
Papercup is designed for children aged 5-12, though it can be useful for any child who needs a simple, safe way to stay in touch with family.
Does Papercup need Wi-Fi?
Yes. Papercup uses Wi-Fi to make and receive calls. It does not use a cellular/mobile network.
What is a "cup"?
A cup is a profile for your child's phone. Each cup has its own contacts, speed dials, quiet hours, call history, and settings. You manage cups from the parent portal at portal.papercup.kids.
Device
Does the phone need to stay plugged in?
Yes. Papercup is a desk phone that stays plugged in to a power adapter. There is no battery — it turns on automatically when connected to power.
Can my child access the internet on the phone?
No. Papercup does not have a web browser, app store, or social media. It's designed purely for calls with approved contacts.
Is the phone durable?
Papercup is designed to be kid-friendly and handle the occasional bump or drop. However, it's not waterproof, so keep it away from water.
Calls & Contacts
Who can my child call?
Your child can only call contacts that you've approved through your parent account. No unknown numbers can be dialed.
Can anyone call my child?
Only approved contacts can reach your child's Papercup phone. Calls from unknown numbers are automatically blocked.
Does Papercup support texting?
Not currently. Papercup is focused on voice calls for now.
How do speed dials work?
Speed dials let your child call a contact by pressing and holding a single digit key (1-9). You assign contacts to digits from the parent portal. See Speed Dials for setup instructions.
Can I restrict when my child can make calls?
Yes! Quiet hours let you block all calls during set times. Great for bedtime, school hours, or homework time. See Quiet Hours.
How do friend codes work?
Friend codes let two Papercup cups become friends. Generate a code, share it with another Papercup parent, and both cups automatically get each other as approved contacts. Codes are valid for 24 hours. See Friend Codes.
Can my child call 111 (emergency)?
By default, yes. Emergency calling is enabled for safety. You can disable it in your cup's settings if you prefer, but we recommend keeping it on. See Calling & Emergency Settings.
Account & Billing
How much does Papercup cost?
Visit papercup.kids for current pricing information.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time. See Cancelling your plan for details.
How do I update my payment details?
See Managing your subscription for instructions on updating payment methods.
Can I have multiple caregivers on one account?
Yes! You can invite other parents or caregivers to your family. They'll be able to manage cups, contacts, and settings. See Managing Your Family.
What happens if I run out of minutes?
Your plan includes a set number of calling minutes per billing period. If you're running low, you can purchase a top-up of 100 extra minutes for $10 from the Billing page.