The one question that decides it
Who started the document? If you wrote the contract and need a client, tenant or hire to sign it, you are the sender. That is DocuSign's job. It routes the file, reminds people, tracks who signed, and keeps a record.
If someone else emailed you a PDF — a lease, an NDA, an offer letter, a W-9 — you are the signer. You need to open it, sign it, maybe add a date and initials, and send it back. We built eSign PDF for that job. For the full walkthrough, see how to sign a PDF on iPhone.
One more thing worth knowing: if the sender used DocuSign, you usually don't need a paid DocuSign plan to sign their envelope. Senders pay. Recipients sign from the email link. You only need a separate tool when you got a plain PDF attachment.
eSign vs DocuSign: is eSign the same as DocuSign?
No. eSign is short for electronic signature: any way of signing a document on a screen instead of on paper. DocuSign is one company that sells an e-signature service. So DocuSign is a kind of eSign, but eSign isn't DocuSign. In the US, the ESIGN Act is the law that makes electronic signatures count for most documents, whatever tool you use.
eSign PDF is our iPhone app. It's also an e-signature tool, but a different kind. DocuSign sends documents out and collects other people's signatures. eSign PDF signs a PDF you already have, on your phone. Then it gives you a file to send back. The rest of this page compares the two.
eSign PDF vs DocuSign at a glance
Checked against DocuSign's official pricing page. The App Store shows other eSign PDF plans and local prices.
| Feature | eSign PDF | DocuSign |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Signing a PDF you received | Sending documents for others to sign |
| Price (US) | $59.99 one-time (US) | Personal: $11 a month billed annually ($132 a year); higher plans if you send more |
| Usage limit | No envelope count | 5 envelopes a month on Personal |
| Account | None | DocuSign account to send |
| Where your document goes | Stays on your iPhone | Processed in DocuSign's cloud |
| Send for signature | No | Yes |
| Templates, reminders, tracking | No | Yes |
| Works offline | Yes | Sending needs a connection |
| Flattened export | Yes, every export | Completed files come from DocuSign |
| Fill fields: date, text, checkbox, initials | Yes | Yes, fields placed by the sender |
DocuSign pricing checked 2026-09-26. Check the DocuSign page for current plans.
Cost if you only sign a few documents a year
Most people who receive PDFs sign a handful a year: a lease renewal, a freelance contract, a school form, a tax form. Paying for a sending platform to do that is paying for features you don't use. DocuSign Personal is $11 a month billed annually, which is $132 a year, and it's built around sending 5 envelopes a month. Already paying and only signing? Here's how to cancel DocuSign.
eSign PDF is $59.99 one-time (US). You pay once and there's no envelope count, because no service sends anything for you. You sign the file and share it from your iPhone like any other attachment. Freelancers in this spot often start here: signing contracts as a freelancer.
What DocuSign reviewers complain about
We don't invent quotes. DocuSign's iPhone app is well rated overall — around 4.9 on the US App Store. The lower ratings tend to cluster around a few themes. The price feels high for someone who only signs now and then. Others mention plans and envelope limits, and filling fields on a small phone screen.
Those are sender-platform trade-offs, not flaws. If they sound like your situation because you're only ever the signer, a sender tool is simply the wrong fit.
When DocuSign is the better choice
Be honest with yourself here. eSign PDF does not replace DocuSign for any of these.
- ✓You send contracts, offer letters or leases to other people for signature.
- ✓You need reminders, signer order, or a record of who signed and when.
- ✓Your team shares templates and needs seats and admin controls.
- ✓Your company, lender or agency requires DocuSign.
- ✓You need to sign on Android or on a Windows laptop.
Verdict
Choose DocuSign if you send
You create the document and need others to sign it, with tracking. DocuSign Personal: $11 a month billed yearly ($132 a year), 5 envelopes a month; move up a plan if you send more.
Choose eSign PDF if you received a PDF
Someone emailed you a PDF and you need to sign it on iPhone and send it back so it shows up on any device. No account, on-device, $59.99 one-time (US).
Choose neither if it's one page between Apple devices
Apple Markup is free and fine for a single signature going to someone on an iPhone or Mac. See Apple Markup vs a signing app.
FAQ
Is eSign the same as DocuSign?+
No. eSign means electronic signature in general. DocuSign is one company that sells an e-signature service. eSign PDF is a separate iPhone app for signing PDFs you received.
Do I need DocuSign if I only need to sign a PDF?+
No. DocuSign is for sending documents to others. If you received a PDF by email, you can sign it on your iPhone and send it back without a DocuSign account.
How much is DocuSign Personal?+
DocuSign Personal: $11 a month billed yearly ($132 a year), 5 envelopes a month, per DocuSign's pricing page. Higher plans add more sending and team features.
Can eSign PDF send documents for other people to sign?+
No. It signs and fills PDFs you already have. It does not send envelopes, collect signatures from others, or track signers. Use DocuSign or a similar service for that.
Does eSign PDF upload my document?+
No. Signing, filling and flattening happen on your iPhone. There's no account, and it works offline.
How much does eSign PDF cost?+
$59.99 one-time (US). The App Store shows other plans and local prices.