eSignatures.io vs SignatureAPI (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, eSignatures.io and SignatureAPI share a 2.0 GPA, neither has a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about ease of use, where eSignatures.io grades higher, or the free plan, where SignatureAPI does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, 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
SignatureAPI
E-signature API for developers, with a no-code connector
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 SignatureAPI if
- Fits if you are building signing into your own product
- Works for developers who want to pay per completed envelope
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you have no developer, since it is an API with only connectors for no-code
- Watch out: the signatures are eIDAS simple only, not advanced or qualified
- Tight if your envelopes are large, as the limit is 10 documents and 10 signers
- Watch out: annual billing and prepaid credits are not self-serve
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAeSignatures.ioFair | 2.0GPASignatureAPIFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CStandard is $25 a month with 100 envelopes included, then $0.25 each, just above the category's $20 middle. Extra dashboard users are $20 each. |
| Free plan and trial | DThe pages describe a free trial but give no length or limits, and there is no free plan. | CA free test account with no time limit and no card, but it is for testing, and sending for real needs Standard. |
| 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. | CEnvelope API, templates, signing with no account, sealed documents, audit log, branding and webhooks. An envelope holds at most 10 documents and 10 signers, and signatures are simple only. |
| 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 it needs developers to write code against an API before anyone signs anything. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Zapier, Make, Google Drive, WordPress, HubSpot, Salesforce, Claude and ChatGPT connections and an API. | BWeb and API, with Power Automate and Zapier connectors. |
| Best for | a pay-per-contract signing API | adding e-signatures to 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 SignatureAPI. How we grade
Where they differ
- eSignatures.io also covers documents.
- SignatureAPI also covers AI agents.
At a glance
| eSignatures.io | SignatureAPI | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $0.49 per contract, prepaid in credits from $50 | $25 per month, includes 100 completed envelopes |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial offered; its length and limits are not stated on the pages read | Free test account with no time limit, no card required |
| Web | ||
| Made by | eSignatures.com | Signature API, Inc. |
| Price read from | esignatures.com | signatureapi.com |
| 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.
SignatureAPI
- Only completed envelopes, signed by every recipient, are billed; the $0.25 rate applies after the first 100 each month.
- An envelope holds at most 10 documents and 10 signers.
- The vendor classifies its signatures as eIDAS simple electronic signatures (SES), not advanced or qualified ones.
- Annual billing and prepaid credits are not self-serve; the vendor says to contact it.
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.
SignatureAPI
- Envelope API
- One call creates an envelope with up to 10 documents and up to 10 signers, routed in parallel or in sequence.
- Document templates
- Start from a .docx file with placeholders and fill it with data from your own system before the document goes out for signature.
- Accountless signing
- Signers open a link and sign from a desktop or phone browser without creating an account.
- Sealed documents and audit log
- The finished file holds the signed documents and a log of who opened it and what they did, cryptographically sealed against changes.
- Branding and languages
- Logo and brand colors can be applied to the signing page and recipient emails, and the interface language, date format and time zone can be set.
- Webhooks and no-code connectors
- Webhooks and emails report signing activity in real time. Power Automate and Zapier connectors and an AI toolkit are offered for non-developers and agents.
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.
SignatureAPI
Standard$25
per month, includes 100 envelopes
First 100 envelopes included, then $0.25 each. One dashboard user included, extra users $20 each.
EnterpriseCustom
Annual contracts, prepaid credits, SLAs and dedicated Slack support, sold through sales.
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.
SignatureAPI
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, eSignatures.io or SignatureAPI?
As of Nov 13, 2026, eSignatures.io starts at $0.49 per contract, prepaid in credits from $50, and SignatureAPI starts at $25 per month, includes 100 completed envelopes.
Which has a free plan, eSignatures.io or SignatureAPI?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither eSignatures.io nor SignatureAPI 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.