A free DocuSign alternative, with the limits in plain sight
Free e-signature plans always have a catch, so here's ours up front: SignMaster Free sends 3 envelopes a month for one person. If that covers you, you may never pay. If it doesn't, this page shows what the next step costs, next to DocuSign's prices as of October 2026.
Updated October 13, 2026 · 3 min read
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Signing yourself vs getting others to sign
“Free” means two different things in e-signatures, and it helps to know which one you need.
- You need to sign something yourself. That's free almost everywhere. Adobe says its online Fill & Sign tool is free, Apple's iPhone guide covers signing documents on the phone, and our guides show how to sign a PDF on iPhone and on a Mac.
- You need other people to sign. That's where free plans get limited, because sending, reminders and a signed record cost money to run. Adobe says you can request e-signatures free with an Adobe account, and the same page says requesting signatures from others and audit trails may need a paid Acrobat plan.
SignMaster counts that second kind in envelopes. An envelope is one send: one or more documents going to one or more signers. Reminders and resends never count again.
What SignMaster Free includes
| SignMaster Free | |
|---|---|
| Price | $0, no card, no end date |
| Envelopes | 3 a month |
| People | 1 |
| Templates | 3 |
| Alana AI requests | 10 a month |
| In-person signing | Included |
| Scanning | Included |
| Signer languages | All 6 |
| Audit trail and certificate | Included on every envelope |
| Bulk send, your logo, API | Not included |
Signers never pay and never need an account. They open a link on any phone or computer, or sign in person on your device. The month's count resets on the first of each month (UTC).
Getting the most out of Free
- Put related documents in one envelope. A contract, an addendum and a disclosure going to the same people can travel together, and that's one envelope, not three.
- Add every signer to the same envelope. Two homeowners and you as countersigner is still one envelope.
- Use templates for what you send most. Free keeps 3, with calculated and conditional fields included.
- Sign in person when you're in the room. It's on Free, and it saves a round of emails.
When free is enough, and when it isn't
- Enough: a freelancer signing a couple of new clients a month, a landlord with a unit or two, anyone who sends the odd agreement and wants a proper record of it.
- Not enough: a business that sends every week, a team of more than one person, or anyone who needs bulk send or their own logo on the emails.
Be honest with yourself about volume. A business that sends contracts every week will hit 3 envelopes early in the month. That's not a trick; it's the line between trying SignMaster and running a business on it.
What the next step costs
| SignMaster | DocuSign eSignature Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| One person | Solo, $15 a month, unlimited envelopes | $45 a month month to month, or $30 a month on an annual commitment |
| Envelopes | Unlimited on every paid plan | 100 per user a year on annual plans, 10 a month on monthly billing |
| A team of 5 | Crew, $49 a month for 5 people | $150 a month on an annual commitment, $225 month to month |
| In-person signing | Every plan, Free included | Standard and up |
DocuSign figures come from its own pricing page, read on October 9, 2026. Every new SignMaster workspace also starts with 14 days of Crew free, no card, then drops to Free unless you pick a plan. Nothing you've sent stops working when it does. See the full DocuSign comparison.
What you give up compared with DocuSign
Fair is fair. DocuSign lists apps for iOS and Android; SignMaster has an iPhone and iPad app and runs in any phone's browser, but there's no Android app. DocuSign lists 44 signing languages; SignMaster has 6. And SignMaster seals documents with a SHA-256 fingerprint and a certificate of completion rather than a PKI digital certificate. If none of those matter to you, Free gives you a lot for nothing.
Fine print, without the fine print
- When you've used the month's envelopes, SignMaster asks you to upgrade before the next one sends. Your drafts stay put.
- Envelopes already out keep working if you downgrade: signers can still sign and completed copies still arrive.
- Free is for one person. Adding a teammate means a paid plan.
- SignMaster sends by email, not text, and doesn't collect payments on any plan.
Questions? Answers.
Is SignMaster really free?
Yes. Free has no card and no end date. It sends 3 envelopes a month for one person, with the audit trail and certificate included.
Do my signers have to pay or sign up?
No. Signers never pay and never need an account, on any plan.
What happens when I hit the monthly limit?
SignMaster asks you to upgrade before the next envelope sends. Or wait: the count resets at the start of the next month. Solo at $15 a month removes the limit.
Is a signature on the free plan legally binding?
The plan doesn't change the law. Envelopes on Free get the same consent step, certificate and audit trail as on paid plans. See are electronic signatures legal.
Can I move to a paid plan later?
Yes, any time, from Settings → Billing. Your templates, envelopes and contacts stay where they are.
Does the free plan include in-person signing?
Yes. In-person signing, scanning and every signer language are on Free. Bulk send, your logo and API access are not.
Sources
- DocuSign eSignature pricing · ecom.docusign.com
- DocuSign mobile app · docusign.com
- DocuSign signing languages · docusign.com
- Adobe: Sign PDF online (Fill & Sign) · adobe.com
- Apple iPhone User Guide: fill out forms, sign documents and create signatures · support.apple.com