DocuSign revolutionized how we sign documents. But somewhere along the way, the pricing got out of hand. What started as a convenient solution now costs small businesses and freelancers hundreds of dollars annually for a feature they might use a handful of times each month.
If you've recently logged into DocuSign to send a quick contract and balked at the price tag, you're not alone. The good news is that the e-signature market has matured significantly. Plenty of alternatives now offer comparable functionality at a fraction of the cost, and some work even better for occasional users.
This comparison examines seven DocuSign alternatives, breaking down their pricing, features, and ideal use cases to help you find the right fit for your signing needs.
Why DocuSign Has Become Too Expensive
Before exploring alternatives, let's understand why so many people are searching for them. DocuSign's pricing structure creates a peculiar problem for occasional users.
The cheapest DocuSign plan costs $15 per month when billed annually, which comes to $180 per year. That plan limits you to just five documents monthly. If you exceed that limit, you're looking at the $45 per month Business Pro plan.
For a real estate agency signing dozens of contracts monthly, these prices might make sense. But for a freelancer who signs maybe three or four contracts per month, paying $180 annually works out to roughly $4-5 per signature. That's expensive for what amounts to a digital scribble.
The math gets worse for truly occasional users. If you only sign one contract every few months, that annual subscription could mean paying $20 or more per signature. At that point, you're paying premium prices for a commodity service.
The 7 Best DocuSign Alternatives in 2026
1. CanUSign - Best for Occasional Users
Pricing: €1 per signed contract or €15/month unlimited
CanUSign takes a fundamentally different approach to e-signature pricing. Instead of forcing everyone into monthly subscriptions, it offers genuine pay-per-use pricing that actually makes sense for people who don't sign contracts every day.
How it works: Upload your contract or create one using their templates, send a signing link to the other party, and pay €1 when the contract gets signed. No monthly fees, no account required for signers, no hidden costs.
Best features:
- No subscription required for occasional use
- Signers don't need accounts
- Simple, clean interface without overwhelming options
- Legally binding under eIDAS and ESIGN Act
- Supports multiple signers and signature fields
Who it's for: Freelancers, landlords, small business owners, and anyone who signs fewer than 15 contracts monthly. At 15 contracts, the €15 unlimited subscription becomes more economical.
The verdict: If you've been paying $15+ monthly for a service you barely use, CanUSign's pay-per-signature model could save you 80% or more while providing the same legal validity.
2. HelloSign (now Dropbox Sign) - Best for Dropbox Users
Pricing: Free for 3 documents/month, $20/month for unlimited
Dropbox acquired HelloSign in 2019 and rebranded it as Dropbox Sign. The integration with Dropbox's ecosystem is seamless, making it attractive if you already live in the Dropbox world.
Best features:
- Native Dropbox integration
- Clean, user-friendly interface
- Mobile app available
- Audit trails and templates
Who it's for: Small businesses and individuals already using Dropbox for file storage. The integration eliminates friction in document workflows.
Downsides: The free tier limits you to three signatures monthly, and jumping to $20/month for unlimited represents a significant commitment. No true pay-per-document option exists.
3. PandaDoc - Best for Sales Teams
Pricing: Free e-signatures, $35/month for full features
PandaDoc positions itself as more than an e-signature tool. It's a complete document workflow solution with proposals, quotes, contracts, and payment collection built in.
Best features:
- Document analytics showing when recipients open and read
- Built-in payment collection
- CRM integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and others
- Template library for sales documents
Who it's for: Sales teams who need to track document engagement and want proposals and contracts in one platform.
Downsides: The full-featured plans start at $35/month, making it expensive for simple signing needs. The free tier works for basic signatures but locks away most useful features.
4. SignNow - Best for Small Business Teams
Pricing: $8/month per user for basic, $15/month for business
SignNow offers competitive team pricing, making it attractive for small businesses with multiple people who need signing capabilities.
Best features:
- Reasonable per-user pricing
- Template creation and sharing
- Conditional signing workflows
- API access for developers
Who it's for: Small businesses with three to ten employees who all need to send contracts. The per-user pricing scales better than some alternatives.
Downsides: Individual users might find the per-user model unnecessary. The interface feels slightly dated compared to newer competitors.
5. SignRequest - Best Budget Subscription
Pricing: Free for 10 documents/month, $9/month for Professional
Now owned by Box, SignRequest offers one of the most generous free tiers in the industry. Ten free documents monthly covers many freelancers and small business needs entirely.
Best features:
- Generous free tier
- Simple, focused interface
- Team features at reasonable prices
- Box integration
Who it's for: Individuals and small teams who want a subscription but need to minimize costs. The free tier is legitimately useful, not just a teaser.
Downsides: Fewer integrations than larger competitors. The acquisition by Box creates some uncertainty about future direction.
6. Adobe Sign - Best for Adobe Users
Pricing: $14.99/month for individuals, custom enterprise pricing
Adobe Sign makes sense if you're already embedded in the Adobe ecosystem. The integration with Acrobat Pro DC creates a seamless workflow for PDF editing and signing.
Best features:
- Deep PDF editing capabilities
- Adobe ecosystem integration
- Enterprise-grade security
- Government and healthcare compliant
Who it's for: Professionals already using Adobe Creative Cloud or Acrobat who want to keep everything in one ecosystem.
Downsides: Expensive for standalone use. The Adobe ecosystem lock-in is real, and escaping later becomes complicated.
7. DocuSign (Yes, Still) - Best for Enterprise
Pricing: From $15/month to custom enterprise deals
DocuSign remains the industry leader for good reasons. Its brand recognition means recipients trust signing requests. Its feature set is comprehensive. Its compliance certifications are extensive.
Best features:
- Universal brand recognition
- Comprehensive compliance (HIPAA, SOC 2, etc.)
- Advanced workflow automation
- Extensive API and integrations
Who it's for: Enterprise organizations with complex compliance requirements and high volumes who need the most established solution.
Downsides: Expensive for small-scale use. The pricing model punishes occasional users. Feature bloat makes simple tasks more complicated than necessary.
Price Comparison: The Real Cost of E-Signatures
Let's put concrete numbers on this comparison. Here's what each platform costs for typical usage patterns:
Signing 3 contracts per month:
- CanUSign: €3/month (pay-per-use)
- SignRequest: Free
- DocuSign: $15/month
- HelloSign: Free
- SignNow: $8/month
- Adobe Sign: $14.99/month
- PandaDoc: Free (limited features)
Signing 10 contracts per month:
- CanUSign: €10/month
- SignRequest: Free
- DocuSign: $15/month
- HelloSign: $20/month
- SignNow: $8/month
- Adobe Sign: $14.99/month
- PandaDoc: Free (limited features)
Signing 20 contracts per month:
- CanUSign: €15/month (unlimited plan)
- SignRequest: $9/month
- DocuSign: $45/month (need higher tier)
- HelloSign: $20/month
- SignNow: $15/month
- Adobe Sign: $14.99/month
- PandaDoc: $35/month
The pattern is clear: for light to moderate usage, subscription-based pricing punishes you for using the service less. Pay-per-use models like CanUSign's make your costs proportional to your actual usage.
What to Look for in a DocuSign Alternative
Beyond pricing, several factors should influence your choice.
Legal Validity
Any e-signature platform worth considering should comply with major electronic signature laws. In the EU, that means eIDAS regulation compliance. In the US, look for ESIGN Act and UETA compliance. All seven alternatives listed here meet these requirements.
Ease of Use
A signing platform should simplify your life, not complicate it. If you need training to send a contract, the interface is too complex. Look for solutions that let you upload a document and send it for signature in under two minutes.
Signer Experience
Remember that the people signing your contracts didn't choose your platform. The experience should be frictionless for them. Requiring signers to create accounts or download apps creates unnecessary barriers that can delay signatures.
Audit Trails
Every signed document should come with a certificate of completion showing who signed, when they signed, and from what IP address. This audit trail is what makes electronic signatures legally defensible.
Storage and Access
Consider how you'll access signed documents later. Some platforms store documents indefinitely, others have retention limits. Regardless, download copies to your own storage immediately after signing.
Making the Switch from DocuSign
If you're currently paying for DocuSign and want to switch, the process is straightforward.
Step 1: Export your templates. Download any document templates you've created in DocuSign. Most can be exported as PDFs.
Step 2: Download completed contracts. Ensure you have copies of all signed documents. Never rely solely on a platform's storage.
Step 3: Cancel at the right time. DocuSign subscriptions typically auto-renew. Cancel before your renewal date to avoid another charge.
Step 4: Set up your new platform. Most alternatives offer quick setup. CanUSign requires no setup at all for senders.
Step 5: Update your workflow. If you have automated processes that send signing requests through DocuSign's API, you'll need to update those integrations.
The Bottom Line
DocuSign built a great product and deserves credit for mainstreaming electronic signatures. But competition has caught up, and the pricing no longer reflects the commodity nature of basic e-signing.
For occasional users signing fewer than 15 contracts monthly, CanUSign's pay-per-signature model makes the most economic sense. You pay €1 when a contract gets signed, nothing when it doesn't. No subscription to remember, no overpaying for unused capacity.
For teams already embedded in specific ecosystems, platform-specific solutions like Dropbox Sign or Adobe Sign offer convenience that might justify their subscription costs.
For enterprises with complex compliance needs and high volumes, DocuSign remains a solid choice despite the premium pricing.
The key insight is matching your solution to your actual usage. A freelancer signing four contracts monthly has completely different needs than a real estate agency signing forty. Price yourself into the right category, and you'll save money while getting exactly the features you need.
Stop paying enterprise prices for personal use. Your contracts will be just as legally binding at a fraction of the cost.