BoldSign, DocHub, and SignRequest are all affordable, template-driven e-signature tools with free entry tiers, but they differ in focus and momentum. BoldSign…
Freemium subscription (per user/month) · From $9/month per user (Professional plan)
Best for: Small businesses and freelancers who want the simplest, lowest-cost per-user e-signature tool backed by an established parent company
At a Glance
BoldSign
DocHub
SignRequest
Primary category
Documents & E-signature
Documents & E-signature
Documents & E-signature
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Freemium
Freemium
Freemium subscription (per user/month)
Starting price
Free
Free
$9/month per user (Professional plan)
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web
Web, iOS, Android
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Yes
Yes
Not documented
Public API
Yes
Not documented
Yes
Standout Differences
SignRequest is the low-cost entry point
SignRequest's Professional plan starts at $9 per user per month, undercutting BoldSign's Growth plan and DocHub's Basic plan on a straight per-seat basis.
SignRequest
BoldSign is built to be embedded
BoldSign ships a REST API and SDKs for embedding sending, signing, and webhooks directly into another application, a capability not documented for DocHub or SignRequest.
BoldSign
DocHub is a PDF editor first
DocHub combines in-browser PDF editing, annotation, and fillable forms with e-signing, tightly integrated into Gmail, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
DocHub
SignRequest's roadmap now runs through Box Sign
Since being acquired by Box in 2021, SignRequest's technology powers Box Sign, and Box has stated it is no longer building new API integrations under the SignRequest name.
SignRequest
Free plans exist on all three, with different limits
BoldSign, DocHub, and SignRequest each offer a free tier for occasional use, though document and user limits vary.
BoldSign, DocHub, SignRequest
Feature-by-Feature
Core Signing and Templates
Feature
BoldSign
DocHub
SignRequest
Free plan available
Available
Available
Available
Reusable templates
Available
Available
Available
Bulk sending
Available
Available
Available
Developer and Integrations
Feature
BoldSign
DocHub
SignRequest
Embeddable API for developers
Available
Not documented
Limited
Third-party app integrations
Limited
Available
Available
Compliance and Editing
Feature
BoldSign
DocHub
SignRequest
HIPAA compliance option
Available
Available
Not documented
Full PDF editing beyond signing
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
BoldSign
Essential — Free monthly
Growth — $5/user/month (annual) annual or monthly
Business — $15/user/month (annual) annual or monthly
Premium — $99/month (annual) annual or monthly
Enterprise API — $0.75/envelope, $30/month minimum usage-based
DocHub
Free — $0 monthly
Basic — $8/user/month (billed annually) monthly or annual
Pro — $12/user/month (billed annually, ~$16 month-to-month) monthly or annual
Site License — Custom custom
SignRequest
Free — $0 Monthly
Professional — $9/month per user Monthly (annual discount available)
Business — $15/month per user Monthly (annual discount available)
Pros & Cons
BoldSign
Pros
Free tier covers up to 25 envelopes per month for individuals and micro-businesses
Developer-first API pricing is competitive against per-seat-only competitors
Strong compliance coverage including HIPAA and SOC 2
Backed by Syncfusion, an established developer tools vendor
Cons
Unlimited envelopes require the $15+/user/month Business tier
API pricing can add up per envelope at high volume
Advanced compliance features like HIPAA are gated behind higher tiers
Brand recognition is lower than incumbents like DocuSign
DocHub
Pros
Free plan is genuinely usable for occasional PDF editing and a handful of e-signature requests per month
Deep, native integration with Gmail and Google Drive means files never need to be downloaded and re-uploaded
Simple, uncluttered browser-based editor with a low learning curve compared to desktop PDF suites
Per-user pricing on Basic and Pro is noticeably cheaper than DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign for small teams
Cons
Free and Basic plans cap monthly e-signature requests, which can be limiting for active individual users
HIPAA compliance and Business Associate Agreements are only available on the custom-priced Site License tier
Advanced PDF manipulation, such as heavy OCR workflows or complex conditional form logic, is more limited than dedicated PDF suites like Adobe Acrobat
The experience is primarily browser-based, without the offline-first native desktop apps some competitors offer
SignRequest
Pros
Simple, easy-to-use interface with a low learning curve for senders and signers
Affordable per-user pricing compared to larger enterprise e-signature suites
Backed by Box, Inc., a well-established, publicly traded company
Free plan available for individuals with light signing needs
Legally compliant with ESIGN Act and eIDAS requirements
Cons
Box has deprioritized new API integrations for SignRequest in favor of the Box Sign API
Fewer advanced workflow and contract-lifecycle features than larger platforms like DocuSign
Long-term product direction is uncertain as functionality consolidates into Box Sign
Limited standalone reporting and analytics compared to enterprise-grade competitors
Per-user pricing can add up for larger teams compared to flat-rate competitors
Use Cases
Choose BoldSign: Developers and software companies needing to embed e-signing via API with strong HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance coverage
Choose DocHub: Teams wanting free browser-based PDF editing plus e-signing built into Gmail and Google Drive
Choose SignRequest: Small businesses and freelancers who want the simplest, lowest-cost per-user e-signature tool backed by an established parent company
BoldSign
Standalone contract signing — Businesses send and track signature requests for contracts, offer letters, and agreements from the BoldSign web app.
Embedded signing in SaaS products — Software companies use the BoldSign API to add native e-signature capability inside their own platform.
Regulated document workflows — Healthcare and finance teams use HIPAA- and SOC 2-compliant signing for sensitive documents.
DocHub
Small Business Contract Signing — Freelancers and small businesses send contracts and invoices for signature and track completion status without paying for enterprise e-signature software.
Google Workspace Document Workflows — Teams already living in Gmail and Google Drive edit and sign PDF attachments in place, avoiding repeated downloads and uploads.
Recurring HR and Real Estate Paperwork — HR teams and real estate agents use saved templates to quickly send the same offer letters, leases, or disclosure forms for repeated signature collection.
SignRequest
Small business contract signing — Small businesses and freelancers use SignRequest to send and collect signatures on contracts, proposals, and invoices without paper.
HR onboarding documents — HR teams use bulk send and templates to distribute offer letters and onboarding paperwork to new hires for e-signature.
Box customers adding e-signature workflows — Existing Box customers use SignRequest and Box Sign to add e-signature directly into their document management and content workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was SignRequest acquired by Box, and does that affect the product?
Box acquired SignRequest in February 2021 for 55 million US dollars and has integrated its e-signature technology into Box Sign. SignRequest still operates as a standalone product with its own plans, but Box has said it is no longer building new API integrations under the SignRequest name, pointing developers to the Box Sign API instead.
Which tool offers the lowest per-user price?
SignRequest's Professional plan starts at $9 per user per month, which is lower than BoldSign's Growth plan (from $5/user/month annual, but effectively $15/month monthly) at comparable feature levels and DocHub's Basic plan at about $8 per user per month.
Can I embed BoldSign or SignRequest signing directly into my own app?
BoldSign is explicitly built for this with a REST API, SDKs, and a per-envelope Enterprise API. SignRequest has API capability but Box is directing new integration development toward Box Sign rather than the SignRequest API, so long-term investment there is less certain.
Which tool is best for basic PDF editing beyond just signing?
DocHub, which functions as a full in-browser PDF editor with annotation, fillable form fields, and document certification, in addition to e-signing. Neither BoldSign nor SignRequest is positioned as a general PDF editor.
Do these tools support HIPAA-regulated workflows?
BoldSign (Business plan) and DocHub (custom-priced Site License) both document HIPAA compliance support. SignRequest's provided data confirms ESIGN Act and eIDAS compliance but does not document HIPAA support.
Which has the most generous free plan?
BoldSign's free Essential plan allows up to 25 envelopes per month with 2 templates, which is more generous in volume than DocHub's free tier (about 5 e-signature requests per month) or SignRequest's free tier (limited documents, 1 user).