What Markup actually does
Markup is Apple's built-in drawing and annotation tool. It shows up in Mail, Files, Photos, and Messages. Apple's iPhone guide covers using it to fill out forms, sign documents, and create signatures. You draw a signature once, save it, and drop it on any PDF.
Markup is good at what it's built for. It's free, it needs no account, it works offline, and your files stay on the device. For one signature on one page it's hard to beat.
What Markup adds are annotations: marks that sit on top of the page, like a sticky layer. Apple's own apps read that layer perfectly. That's why it looks right on your screen.
The one question that matters: can they see it?
The trouble starts when the PDF leaves the Apple world. Some Windows and Android PDF viewers, and some property-management and HR systems, don't show annotation layers the same way. Apple's community forum has a thread about exactly this: Markup edits not showing on non-Apple devices. The recipient opens your file and the signature line is blank.
The fix is to flatten the PDF, merging your signature and text into the page itself. A MacRumors forum thread on PDF signing describes the same fix for Acrobat: flatten so the signature shows. After flattening, the page looks the same in every viewer.
Markup doesn't give you a flatten button. That single gap is the main reason people who try Markup end up looking for something else.
Apple Markup vs eSign PDF, side by side
Both work on-device and neither sends documents out for other people to sign.
| Feature | Apple Markup | eSign PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, built in | $59.99 one-time (US) |
| Signature | Draw and save | Draw, type, or import a photo of your pen signature |
| Dates | Type into a text box | Date tool with formats like MM/DD/YYYY |
| Checkboxes | Draw a check by hand | One-tap checkbox tool |
| Initials on every page | Draw each time | Saved and placed per page |
| Scanned / flat forms | Text boxes placed by hand | Place text, dates, and checks anywhere |
| What you send | Annotations; may not show in some non-Apple viewers | Flattened PDF that shows the same everywhere |
| Account / upload | None | None; works offline |
| Send for others to sign | No | No — use DocuSign or similar |
Markup features can change with iOS updates. Check the current version on your iPhone.
When Markup is enough
Keep your money if this describes you.
- ✓A one-page permission slip or school form for a teacher who uses an iPad or Mac.
- ✓A single signature, no date or checkboxes, going to someone you know is on Apple devices.
- ✓A document you only need to sign once or twice a year and can re-send if needed.
- ✓A signing link from the sender (DocuSign or their own portal). Use their link, not Markup or an app.
When a signing app is worth it
- 1Multi-page documents, like a lease with initials on every page. See how to sign a lease on your phone.
- 2Forms with dates, checkboxes, and many blanks. See how to fill out PDF forms on iPhone.
- 3The PDF goes to a landlord, HR team, bank, or client who uses Windows or Android.
- 4Someone already told you "I can't see your signature."
- 5Scanned forms with no fields to tap.
Which should you use?
Use Apple Markup if…
It's one page, one signature, and the other person is on an iPhone or Mac. It's free and it works.
Use eSign PDF if…
The document is several pages, needs dates or checkboxes, or goes to someone on Windows or Android. It flattens on export, runs on-device, and costs $59.99 one-time (US).
Use DocuSign if…
You're the one sending documents for other people to sign. That's a different job. DocuSign Personal: $11 a month billed yearly ($132 a year), 5 envelopes a month. See eSign PDF vs DocuSign.
Free vs one-time: the cost side
Markup: free. eSign PDF: $59.99 one-time (US), no subscription needed, no account. The App Store shows other plans and local prices.
FAQ
Is Apple Markup good enough to sign a PDF?+
Yes, for a one-page document going to someone on an Apple device. For multi-page forms or recipients on Windows or Android, flatten the file first.
Why doesn't my Markup signature show up for the other person?+
Markup saves your signature as an annotation layer, and some non-Apple viewers don't display it. Flattening merges the signature into the page so every viewer shows it.
Can Markup flatten a PDF?+
Markup has no flatten option. eSign PDF flattens the PDF automatically when you export.
Can I add a date or checkbox with Markup?+
Only by typing a text box or drawing a check by hand. There's no dedicated date or checkbox tool.
Do I need a paid app to sign a PDF on iPhone?+
Not always. Markup is free and fine for simple cases. eSign PDF is $59.99 one-time (US) for multi-page, form-heavy, or cross-platform documents.