eSignature comparison: what you actually pay, and what you actually get

Drop your document here and sign it now. PDF, Word and Excel all work: a .docx or .xlsx is laid out in your browser exactly as it was written, so there is nothing to convert first. Add a signature, a date, a company stamp or a watermark, then download it sealed. Free to start, no account, and the file is never uploaded to open it.

Every eSignature product signs a document. What separates them is the shape of the bill and what arrives with the signature. Below is the same set of questions asked of each: what one signed document costs, whether there is an envelope allowance to run out of, whether the recipient needs an account, what the signed file carries afterwards, and which of it is included rather than sold as an add-on.

Side by side

QuestionPDF VerifiedThe usual answer elsewhere
Cost per signed document$1.50 flat, or unlimited on a $15 planPer seat per month, plus envelope allowances
Envelope or document limitsNone on the Business planAllowances on most plans, overage above them
Does the signer need an accountNo, they open a link and signUsually no, though some flows push registration
Formats acceptedPDF, Word and Excel, laid out as writtenPDF, with conversion of Office files
Public verification of the finished fileQR and a verification page on every documentRare, and generally not public
Company stamps and sealsBuilt in, serialised, with a self-filling dateNot a native feature on most
Audit certificateOn every plan including freeHigher tiers on several
REST APIIncluded with the $15 Business planFrequently a paid add-on
ESIGN, UETA and eIDASYesYes

The three things worth checking on any of them

The unit you are billed in. Per seat means the bill follows headcount whether anyone sends anything. Per envelope means an allowance a busy month eats. Per completed document means a quiet month costs nothing. None of the three is dishonest, they suit different patterns, and most small teams end up on the one that suits them worst.

Whether the signer needs an account. This is where signature requests die. Somebody who came to spend two minutes will not make a password, and the document then sits in their inbox for a week while you compose a third follow-up.

What the signed file carries afterwards. A signature image proves nothing on its own. An audit certificate naming who signed and when, a fingerprint of the exact file, and a page anyone can check it against are what turn a signature into evidence.

Read the individual comparisons

Prices and features move. Everything above is from publicly listed plans, and it is worth checking each provider's own pricing page before you decide. PDF Verified is not affiliated with any of them.

What PDF Verified is, and what it is not

PDF Verified is a tool for preparing, signing, stamping and checking documents. It is not a law firm, a compliance service or a forensic examiner, and nothing here is legal, financial or compliance advice. Requirements differ by country, by document type and by the party asking, so check what applies to your document before you rely on it, and take advice where the document matters. You are responsible for the documents you create, sign and send, and for having the authority to do so: signing or stamping in somebody else name, or as an organisation you do not represent, is forgery whatever tool is used. To the extent the law allows, we accept no liability for how a document made with this tool is used or relied on. The full position is in our terms of service.