eSignatures.io vs Firma (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Firma grades higher than eSignatures.io: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
eSignatures.io grades higher on ease of use. Firma grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
eSignatures.io
Pay-per-contract e-signatures with an API and no monthly fee
Free trial · from $0.49
Firma
Pay-per-envelope e-signature API for SaaS products
Free trial · from €0.049
Which one is for you
Pick eSignatures.io if
- Fits if you send contracts in bursts and would rather pay per contract than per seat
- Works for developers who want signing in an app through the API
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you need advanced or qualified eIDAS signatures, as only simple ones are offered
- Watch out: live photo ID checks ($2.99) and SMS delivery ($0.09 a message) are billed on top
- Watch out: signed contracts are kept for a mandatory three years, according to the site
- Tight if you want a trial first: its length and limits aren't stated
- Pricey if you send a lot, with the cost falling to $0.20 only at the $100,000 top-up
Pick Firma if
- Fits if you send low volumes from your own SaaS and want no monthly fee
- Works for developers who want webhooks and a TypeScript SDK
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you have no developer, as there is no signing app to open
- Watch out: prices are in euros and billed in your currency at the day's exchange rate
- Tight if you need fast support, because one-business-day priority support is EUR 100 a month extra
- Watch out: one envelope is one document however many signers or pages it has
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAeSignatures.ioFair | 2.4GPAFirmaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$0.49 a contract from a $50 top-up, with credits that don't expire. The category's figures can't price this, and what you pay depends on how many you send: 100 contracts is $49, and ID checks ($2.99) and SMS ($0.09) are extra. | AEUR 0.049 an envelope with no minimum, so 100 envelopes cost under EUR 5, under 60% of the category's cheapest quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | DThe pages describe a free trial but give no length or limits, and there is no free plan. | CA testing-mode API key with unlimited test envelopes and no card, but real sending is paid. |
| Features | CFlat fee per contract, mobile-first contracts, API, Zapier and Make, signer checks, links, kiosk mode and bulk send. Gap: only simple electronic signatures, with no advanced or qualified eIDAS signatures. | CREST API, TypeScript SDK, embedded editors, webhooks, audit trail and unlimited teams. It does the API job and has no end-user app of its own. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You connect it through its API, Zapier or Make, or send from the dashboard, so there's setup first. | DNo store rating on record, and you write code against an API before anything is signed. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Zapier, Make, Google Drive, WordPress, HubSpot, Salesforce, Claude and ChatGPT connections and an API. | BWeb and an API, with Zapier and n8n connectors listed. |
| Best for | a pay-per-contract signing API | cheap pay-per-envelope signing in your own app |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: eSignatures.io and Firma. How we grade
Where they differ
- eSignatures.io also covers documents.
- Firma also covers AI agents.
In commonWebPublic APITemplatesWorkflow automation
At a glance
| eSignatures.io | Firma | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $0.49 per contract, prepaid in credits from $50 | €0.049 per envelope, no minimum |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial offered; its length and limits are not stated on the pages read | Free testing-mode API key with unlimited test envelopes, no card required |
| Web | ||
| Made by | eSignatures.com | Firma.dev |
| Price read from | esignatures.com | firma.dev |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
eSignatures.io
- Only simple electronic signatures are offered; advanced and qualified signatures under eIDAS are not.
- Live photo ID checks ($2.99) and SMS delivery ($0.09 per message) are billed on top of the $0.49 contract fee.
- The pages read describe a free trial but do not state its length or limits.
- Signed contracts are kept for a mandatory three years, according to the site.
Firma
- Prices are listed in euros and billed in your local currency at the current exchange rate, so the dollar amount varies.
- One envelope is one document sent for signature, however many signers or pages it has.
- Priority support with a one-business-day response is a separate €100 per month.
- It is an API product; there is no separate end-user signing app listed.
Key features
eSignatures.io
- Flat fee per contract
- A contract costs the same whether it has one signer or fifteen, two pages or twenty. There are no seat fees and no envelope caps.
- Mobile-first contracts
- Contracts are responsive text instead of PDFs, so signers on a phone do not have to pinch and zoom. The signed result is delivered as a PDF.
- API, Zapier and Make
- A single API request sends a contract, and the service also connects to Zapier and Make. Contracts can be drafted and sent from Claude or ChatGPT.
- Signer checks
- Signers can be asked for a one-time code by email or SMS, or for a live photo ID check. Photo ID checks cost $2.99 each and SMS delivery $0.09 per message.
- Links, kiosk mode and bulk send
- A contract link lets anyone sign, can be embedded on a site or shared as a QR code, and kiosk mode lets people sign one after another on a shared tablet.
- Data location and branding
- Contracts can be stored in the US, Frankfurt, London, Sydney or Canada. Your logo, company name, fonts and email domain can be used in the signing flow.
Firma
- REST API and TypeScript SDK
- Send documents from templates or uploaded PDFs, add recipients with roles, set signing order and deadlines, and download signed files and audit trails.
- Embedded editors
- Template and signing editors drop into your app as an iframe, with custom styling and white-label branding applied.
- Unlimited teams
- Each of your customers can have an isolated workspace with its own branding and webhook settings at no extra charge.
- Webhooks and event stream
- Events such as document sent, viewed, signed and complete are pushed as webhooks, and a server-sent event stream covers team activity.
- Audit trail and compliance
- Every signing request records views, field changes and signatures. The vendor says it aligns with ESIGN, UETA, eIDAS and GDPR.
- Zapier and n8n
- For no-code use the vendor says Firma connects to Zapier or n8n.
Plans
eSignatures.io
Credits$50
one-time top-up, used as you go
About 100 contracts at $0.49 each. Larger top-ups add bonus credits, down to $0.20 a contract at $100,000. Credits do not expire.
Firma
Pay as you go€0.049
per envelope, no minimum or contract
Flat rate at any volume, with unlimited teams, full API access and no per-seat fees. Priced in euros and billed in your currency.
Ways to pay less
eSignatures.io
- Nonprofit
40% discount for non-profits
The pricing page states a 40% discount for non-profit organizations. How to claim it is not described on the page.
- Other savings
Bonus credits on larger top-ups
Credit purchases from $500 add 5% to 150% extra credits, lowering the effective fee from $0.47 to $0.20 per contract.
Firma
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, eSignatures.io or Firma?
As of Nov 13, 2026, eSignatures.io starts at $0.49 per contract, prepaid in credits from $50, and Firma starts at €0.049 per envelope, no minimum.
Which has a free plan, eSignatures.io or Firma?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither eSignatures.io nor Firma has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.