01
Open your PDF
Choose it from Mail or Files.
First: are you signing or sending?
This page is for the freelancer who receives a contract. The client wrote it, and you sign it and send it back. If you write the SOW yourself and need the client to sign it, you need a sending tool with signer links and tracking. DocuSign and similar services do that well. eSign PDF does not.
What usually shows up in your inbox
Most freelance paperwork arrives the same way: a PDF attached to an email from the client, their agency, or their procurement team. The common ones are a mutual NDA before a kickoff call and a statement of work (SOW) for a specific project. Another is a contractor agreement or master services agreement that covers the whole relationship. A W-9 request often comes in the same thread. For that one, see signing tax forms on your phone.
Some clients send a DocuSign link instead of a PDF. If that happens, just sign in their link. It's free for you as the signer, and you don't need anything on this page.
When it's a plain PDF, the client usually wants three things back: your signature, the date, and your printed name or business name. Longer agreements may also ask for initials on each page.
Read these parts before you sign
Signing on a phone is fast, and that makes it easy to skip the reading. Zoom in on these sections first.
- ✓Scope and deliverables. Does the SOW match what you agreed on the call?
- ✓Payment terms. Rate, invoice schedule, and how many days they have to pay (net 30, net 60).
- ✓Ownership of work. When does the IP transfer to the client: on creation, or on payment?
- ✓Confidentiality period on the NDA. Is it one year, three years, or forever?
- ✓Termination and notice. How either side can end the contract.
- ✓Your details. Legal name, business name, and address spelled correctly.
How to sign a client contract on iPhone
1
Open the PDF in eSign PDF
In Mail, tap the attachment, tap Share, and choose eSign PDF. The app highlights likely signature, date, and name fields so you don't miss one on page 7.
2
Sign once, reuse it
Draw your signature with your finger, type it, or import a photo of your pen signature. It's saved on the phone, so the next contract takes one tap.
3
Add the date, name, and initials
Tap each highlighted field to fill it. Add initials on every page if the agreement asks for them.
4
Export flattened and reply
Tap export. The app merges the signature and fields into the page. The client sees them in Acrobat, Edge, or Chrome on Windows. Reply to the client's email with the signed PDF attached. Save a copy to Files.
Mistakes that cost you a day
- ✕Replying with an unflattened Markup file. The client opens it on Windows and sees a blank signature line.
- ✕Printing at a copy shop, signing, and sending a crooked phone photo of the page.
- ✕Missing the date or printed-name field next to the signature.
- ✕Signing an old draft. Check the file name and date against the latest email in the thread.
- ✕Uploading a client's confidential NDA to a random signing website.
What about DocuSign?
DocuSign is a tool for the person who sends documents. DocuSign Personal: $11 a month billed yearly ($132 a year), 5 envelopes a month. That's a fair price if you send your own contracts to clients every month. If you only sign what clients send you, you're paying for sending you don't do. The eSign PDF vs DocuSign comparison lays out the split, and do freelancers need a DocuSign subscription? walks through the decision.
On the legal side, the US federal ESIGN Act says no one can deny a signature legal effect just because it's electronic. That covers most freelance contracts. If a client requires their own signing platform, use theirs.
Cost per contract for a freelancer
eSign PDF: $59.99 one-time (US). No account, no subscription needed, works offline. DocuSign Personal: $132 a year (5 envelopes a month). Apple Markup: free, and fine for a one-page NDA going to another Apple user. The App Store shows other plans and local prices.
FAQ
Can I sign an NDA on my iPhone and email it back?+
Yes. Open the PDF from Mail, sign it, add the date, export a flattened copy, and reply with it attached. You don't need a printer or a laptop.
My client sent a DocuSign link. Do I need a DocuSign account?+
No. Signers open the link from the email and sign there. You don't need a paid plan to sign a document someone else sent.
I send SOWs to my clients to sign. Is eSign PDF right for me?+
No. eSign PDF signs documents you received. It doesn't send signing requests or track who has signed. For that, use DocuSign or a similar sending tool.
Will my client see my signature on Windows?+
Yes, if you flatten the PDF. eSign PDF flattens on export, so the signature is part of the page in any PDF viewer.
How much does eSign PDF cost?+
$59.99 one-time (US). The App Store shows other plans and local prices.