Why so many signing apps are subscriptions
Most of the well-known signing apps focus on sending: routing a contract to several people, tracking who signed, storing everything in the cloud. That's an ongoing service, so companies sell it as a subscription. For a business that sends contracts every week, that's reasonable.
If you're the one receiving the PDF and you sign a handful a year, you're paying for a service you don't use. Several good options skip the subscription entirely.
Signing apps for iPhone without a subscription
What each option costs and does. Checked on Apple's and the developers' App Store pages.
| Feature | Apple Markup | PdfSign Lite | eSign PDF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, built in | $4.99 lifetime (in-app purchase) | $59.99 once |
| Account needed | No | No | No |
| Draw a signature | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dates, checkboxes, initials | Text boxes only | Not listed | Yes, dedicated tools |
| Flattened on export | No (annotation layer) | Not listed | Yes, every export |
| Documents stay on iPhone | Yes | Yes, per listing | Yes |
| Sends to others to sign | No | No | No |
PdfSign Lite price from its US App Store listing on 2026-09-26. Check the listing for current details.
Apple Markup: try it first
Markup is already on your iPhone. Open the PDF in Mail or Files, tap the pen icon, tap +, then Add Signature. For a one-page form going back to someone on an iPhone or Mac, it's often all you need.
Its limits: no real date, checkbox, or initials tool. Also, Markup saves signatures as an annotation layer that some Windows and Android viewers don't show. Our guide to signing a PDF on iPhone explains the fix.
Low-cost one-time signer apps
There are small apps that sell lifetime access for a few dollars. PdfSign Lite, for example, lists lifetime access for $4.99 on the US App Store and says documents stay on your device. If you just need to draw a signature on a PDF, that's a good deal and worth a look.
Before buying any low-cost app, read the price line carefully: some apps that look cheap are weekly subscriptions. A true one-time purchase says lifetime or one-time and doesn't show a renewal date in Settings → Subscriptions.
eSign PDF: for forms and files that must show everywhere
eSign PDF costs more than the smallest apps. It focuses on the documents people actually receive: leases, W-9s, intake forms. It detects likely signature and date fields. It has tools for dates, checkboxes, initials, and text. It also flattens every export so your signature shows on Windows, Android, and office systems.
There's no account, it uploads nothing, and it works offline. It doesn't send documents for others to sign. If you need that, see eSign PDF vs DocuSign or eSign PDF vs Signeasy.
To be clear about our own pricing: eSign PDF also sells weekly and yearly plans. The lifetime purchase ($59.99 one-time (US)) is the one-time option, and it's listed first.
What reviewers mention
We don't quote reviews. Across subscription signing and PDF apps, low App Store ratings tend to share a few themes. These are trials that became charges, not knowing where to cancel, and upgrade prompts appearing mid-signature. Those themes are about billing more than the signing itself, and a one-time purchase avoids them. The sources below link to current review pages.
Already stuck in one? Here's how to cancel a PDF signing app subscription on iPhone and ask Apple for a refund after a free trial. App by app: SignNow alternative, PDF Expert one-time purchase, Signeasy alternative.
We also counted 3,917 reviews of 10 signing apps. See what PDF signing app users complain about.
Verdict
Use Apple Markup if…
the form is short, you only need a signature, and the recipient uses an iPhone or Mac.
Choose a low-cost one-time app if…
you mainly draw a signature on simple PDFs and want the lowest price.
Choose eSign PDF if…
you fill real forms with dates, checkboxes, and initials, and need the signed file to show correctly on any device, with no account.
Keep a subscription if…
you send documents to other people to sign and need tracking. That's what DocuSign and Signeasy are built for.
If you only sign now and then
eSign PDF is $59.99 one-time (US): lifetime, nothing to renew. No account, nothing uploaded, and flattened on export so your signature shows everywhere.
FAQ
Is Apple Markup really free?+
Yes. It's built into iPhone. Open a PDF in Mail or Files and tap the pen icon to sign.
How do I know if an app is a one-time purchase?+
Read the price on the purchase screen. A one-time purchase says lifetime or one-time, and it won't appear in Settings → your name → Subscriptions afterward.
Why is eSign PDF more expensive than some other one-time apps?+
It's built for forms: dates, checkboxes, initials, field detection, and flattening on every export. If you only draw a signature on simple PDFs, a smaller app or Markup may be enough.
Can a one-time app send documents for other people to sign?+
Not the ones on this page. Sending and tracking signatures is a cloud service, which is why tools like DocuSign are subscriptions.
What does eSign PDF cost in the US?+
$59.99 one-time (US), lifetime. Other plans and local prices are in the App Store.
Sources
- Apple iPhone User Guide: Fill out forms, sign documents, and create signatures
- Apple Community: Markup edits not showing on non-Apple devices
- PdfSign Lite on the US App Store
- eSign PDF on the US App Store
- Signeasy on the US App Store: ratings and reviews
- PDF Expert on the US App Store: ratings and reviews