Sending for signature
Does Docusign have a free plan?
In short
Not for sending. When we read Docusign's plans page there was no published free plan for sending documents. A free Docusign account can sign documents people send you and sign its own uploads; sending starts with the Personal plan, $11 a month on an annual plan billed monthly, with 5 envelopes a month.
Short answer: you can use Docusign for free to sign, but not to send. Here is what that means in practice, read from Docusign's own plans page.
What a free Docusign account can do
- Sign anything someone sends you. Signers never pay, with or without an account.
- Sign your own uploads. A free account lets you upload a document and sign it yourself.
- Try sending during the free trial. The plans page offers a trial of the paid plans.
What it cannot do
- Send documents for other people to sign, without paying. There is no published free sending plan. After the trial ends, Docusign does not publish how many envelopes a free account can still send.
What the cheapest paid plan includes
| Plan | Price (annual plan) | Envelopes |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $11 a month billed monthly, or $10 a month prepaid | 5 a month |
| Standard | $30 per user a month billed monthly | 100 per user a year |
| Business Pro | $45 per user a month billed monthly | 100 per user a year |
An envelope counts the moment it is sent, whether or not anyone signs it. The 100 on Standard and Business Pro is a yearly figure, about 8 a month per person.
"Downgrade Docusign to free": what happens
People search for this after a trial or a paid year ends. Docusign's plans page does not say how much a free account can send once a paid plan stops, so ask Docusign before you cancel, and download every completed envelope you want to keep first. Paid plans renew automatically, so do it before the renewal date.
A free way to send for signature
KovaPDF's Request Signatures sends documents for signature on the Free plan, with a limited allowance each calendar month; Pro removes the limits. You need a free account to send, and the people you send to never need one. Every finished request gets a certificate of completion and a trusted timestamp seal. If you only need to sign something yourself, Sign PDF needs no account at all.
For a side-by-side view, read our Docusign alternative page, or see every free plan on one table in free electronic signature software compared.
Common questions
Is Docusign free to use?
Signing is free. Sending documents for signature needs a paid plan; there was no published free sending plan.
Can I sign a document with Docusign for free?
Yes. Signing a document someone sends you is always free, and a free account can also sign its own uploads.
How many envelopes does the cheapest Docusign plan include?
Personal includes 5 envelopes a month, at $11 a month on an annual plan billed monthly, when we read the plans page.
Is there a free alternative to Docusign for sending?
Yes. KovaPDF's Request Signatures sends on its Free plan, within a limited monthly allowance, from a free account. Signers need no account.
KovaPDF on your computer and phone
Use KovaPDF on your computer, where many tools work with no internet, and on your phone. The same account works in both.