The Free DocuSign Alternative That Works
Looking for a free DocuSign alternative? SignQuick offers free PDF signing with E2E encryption, no account required, and legally binding signatures.
SignQuick Team
Content Team
Why People Are Looking for DocuSign Alternatives
DocuSign dominates the e-signature market with 85% brand recognition. But brand recognition comes with premium pricing: their cheapest individual plan costs $15/month, the Standard plan is $25/month per user, and the Business Pro plan is $40/month per user.
For freelancers sending 5-10 documents a month, that's $180-$480/year for a feature they use a few times a week. It's no wonder "DocuSign alternative" and "free DocuSign alternative" are among the most searched e-signature keywords.
What to Look for in a DocuSign Alternative
Before comparing tools, know what actually matters:
- Free tier — Not a trial, a permanent free plan
- No watermarks — Your documents should look professional
- Legally binding — ESIGN Act and UETA compliant
- No account required for signers — Recipients shouldn't need to create an account
- Encryption — Your documents should be encrypted at rest and in transit
- Multi-party signing — Send to multiple signers
- Audit trail — Proof of who signed and when
Top 7 Free DocuSign Alternatives (2026)
1. SignQuick — Best Overall Free Alternative
Free plan: 5 documents/month, no watermarks, no account needed to sign
SignQuick is purpose-built for freelancers and small businesses who need to sign and generate documents without the enterprise complexity (or pricing) of DocuSign.
What sets it apart:
- Document generators — Create invoices, contracts, receipts, waivers, and proposals directly in the app. DocuSign doesn't offer this.
- E2E encryption — AES-256 encryption before your document leaves the browser. DocuSign only encrypts at rest.
- SHA-256 seal — Every signed document gets a tamper-evident cryptographic seal with a QR verification code.
- No account required — Sign up to 3 documents/month without creating an account.
- 14 languages — Full localization, not just English and Spanish.
Pricing: Free (5 docs/mo) → Pro $9/mo (25 docs) → Business $19/mo (unlimited)
Best for: Freelancers, solopreneurs, small businesses, anyone who needs signing + document generation.
2. Dropbox Sign (formerly HelloSign)
Free plan: 3 documents/month
Dropbox Sign offers a clean interface and tight integration with Dropbox. The free plan is more limited than SignQuick (3 vs 5 documents), and you need a Dropbox account.
Pricing: Free (3 docs/mo) → Essentials $20/mo → Standard $28/mo
Best for: Teams already using Dropbox for file management.
3. PandaDoc
Free plan: Unlimited e-signatures (but limited features)
PandaDoc's free plan focuses on e-signatures with basic templates. Document creation and automation require paid plans starting at $35/month.
Pricing: Free (signatures only) → Business $35/mo → Enterprise custom
Best for: Sales teams needing proposals + e-signatures in one platform.
4. Zoho Sign
Free plan: 5 documents/month
Part of the Zoho ecosystem. Works well if you already use Zoho CRM, Books, or other Zoho products.
Pricing: Free (5 docs/mo) → Standard $12/mo → Professional $20/mo
Best for: Businesses already invested in the Zoho ecosystem.
5. SignNow
Free plan: 7-day trial only (no permanent free tier)
SignNow offers competitive pricing at $10/month for the Business plan, but there's no permanent free tier. Good for teams that need template libraries and bulk sending.
Pricing: Trial only → Business $10/mo → Enterprise $30/mo
Best for: Small teams that need affordable paid plans with template features.
6. DigiSigner
Free plan: 3 documents/month
Simple, no-frills PDF signer. Limited features compared to SignQuick but straightforward for basic signing needs.
Pricing: Free (3 docs/mo) → Pro $12/mo
Best for: People who only need basic PDF signing with no extras.
7. Adobe Acrobat Sign (formerly Adobe Sign)
Free plan: 2 documents/month (Acrobat Reader)
Adobe offers basic PDF signing in the free Acrobat Reader. For full e-signature features, you need Acrobat Pro at $23/month or Acrobat Sign at $13/month per user.
Pricing: Free (2 docs) → Acrobat Pro $23/mo → Acrobat Sign $13/mo
Best for: Teams already paying for Adobe Creative Cloud.
Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Docs/Mo | Watermarks | E2E Encryption | Doc Generation | Multi-Party | Price (Paid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **SignQuick** | 5 | No | Yes (AES-256) | Yes (5 types) | Yes (3 signers) | $9/mo |
| Dropbox Sign | 3 | No | No | No | Yes | $20/mo |
| PandaDoc | Unlimited* | No | No | Paid only | Yes | $35/mo |
| Zoho Sign | 5 | No | No | No | Yes | $12/mo |
| SignNow | Trial only | No | No | No | Yes | $10/mo |
| DigiSigner | 3 | No | No | No | Limited | $12/mo |
| Adobe Sign | 2 | Yes | No | No | Yes | $13/mo |
*PandaDoc free plan is limited to signatures only — no templates, analytics, or automation.
How Much Can You Save vs. DocuSign?
| Scenario | DocuSign Cost | SignQuick Cost | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo freelancer (5 docs/mo) | $180/year (Personal) | $0 (Free) | **$180** |
| Small business (25 docs/mo) | $300/year (Standard) | $72/year (Pro annual) | **$228** |
| Growing team (unlimited) | $480/year (Business Pro) | $144/year (Business annual) | **$336** |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to switch from DocuSign?
Yes. Your existing DocuSign documents remain accessible. Simply start sending new documents through your new tool. There's no migration needed.
Will my clients notice the difference?
No. Signers receive a link, sign in their browser, and get a copy. The experience is nearly identical regardless of which tool you use.
Can I import my DocuSign templates?
Most tools don't support direct DocuSign template import. Export your templates as PDFs from DocuSign, then re-upload them to your new tool.
What if I need enterprise features later?
SignQuick's Business plan ($19/mo) includes unlimited documents, API access, and custom branding. For true enterprise needs (SSO, advanced workflows, 100+ users), DocuSign or PandaDoc may still be the better choice.
Ready to Start Signing Documents?
Join thousands of users who trust SignQuick for fast, secure, and legally binding electronic signatures.
