Best for: teams already using Jotform, or anyone wanting a free option, who just need to collect legally binding signatures
At a Glance
Formstack Documents
Foxit PDF Editor
Jotform Sign
Primary category
Documents & E-signature
Documents & E-signature
Documents & E-signature
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription (tiered plans plus custom Enterprise pricing)
Subscription (per-user annual or monthly licensing)
Freemium
Starting price
$110/month (Starter plan, billed annually)
$10.99/month or $129.99/year per user
Free
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Yes
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Not documented
Platforms
Web
Web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
Web, iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Yes
Not documented
Public API
Yes
Not documented
Yes
Standout Differences
Formstack Documents specializes in automated document generation
Formstack Documents merges data from forms, CRMs, and databases into templated documents with conditional logic and automated routing, a bulk-generation use case Foxit PDF Editor and Jotform Sign are not built around.
Formstack Documents
Foxit PDF Editor adds AI-powered redaction and analysis
Foxit's AI Smart Redact and AI Assistant automate sensitive-data removal and document analysis, capabilities that are not documented for Formstack Documents or Jotform Sign.
Foxit PDF Editor
Jotform Sign is free and comes with a large template library
Jotform Sign is bundled free into a Jotform account with 1,000+ signable templates, undercutting Formstack Documents' $110/month starting price and Foxit's per-user PDF editor licensing.
Jotform Sign
Only Formstack Documents and Jotform Sign document multi-step approval routing
Formstack Documents offers automated routing and Jotform Sign offers multi-step approval flows for sequential signers, while this is not documented as a Foxit PDF Editor capability outside its separate eSign add-ons.
Formstack Documents, Jotform Sign
Feature-by-Feature
Document Creation and Editing
Feature
Formstack Documents
Foxit PDF Editor
Jotform Sign
Template-based document generation/merge
Available
Not documented
Limited
Full PDF text and image editing
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
OCR for scanned documents
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
E-Signature and Approval
Feature
Formstack Documents
Foxit PDF Editor
Jotform Sign
Legally binding e-signature collection
Not documented
Available
Available
Multi-step approval/routing workflows
Available
Not documented
Available
AI Features
Feature
Formstack Documents
Foxit PDF Editor
Jotform Sign
AI-assisted document analysis or redaction
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
Pricing and Access
Feature
Formstack Documents
Foxit PDF Editor
Jotform Sign
Free tier available
Unavailable
Limited
Available
API access
Available
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Formstack Documents
Starter — $110/month Monthly or annual
Teams — $220/month Monthly or annual
Pro — $440/month Monthly or annual
Enterprise — Custom pricing Annual contract
Foxit PDF Editor
PDF Editor — $10.99/month or $129.99/year per user Monthly or annual
PDF Editor+ — $13.99/month or $159.99/year per user Monthly or annual
AI Assistant Add-on — $49.99/year Annual
eSign Essentials — $120/year per user Annual
eSign Business — $300/user/year (5-seat minimum) Annual
Gold / Enterprise — $129/month or custom (Jotform plan) monthly ($99/month billed annually) or custom annual
Pros & Cons
Formstack Documents
Pros
Advanced conditional logic that adapts document content dynamically, beyond what many competitors offer
Deep native integration with Formstack Forms for an end-to-end data-to-document workflow
Automated routing to cloud storage and approval workflows reduces manual document handling
Long operating history dating back to WebMerge's 2011 founding, with a proven high-volume merge engine
Cons
Standalone pricing can be less economical than Formstack's bundled Suite plan for teams needing forms and e-signatures too
Primarily focused on document generation rather than full contract lifecycle management or redlining
Entry-level Starter plan's 150 monthly merges may be limiting for higher-volume document workflows
Enterprise-grade compliance features require a custom quote rather than transparent published pricing
Foxit PDF Editor
Pros
Significantly more affordable than Adobe Acrobat while covering most core PDF editing needs
AI Smart Redact automates sensitive-data removal that would otherwise require manual review
Includes a genuinely free standalone PDF reader alongside the paid editing subscriptions
Volume discounts of up to 30% make it cost-effective for larger teams
Cons
Mobile apps and several premium features are gated behind the higher-priced PDF Editor+ tier
Foxit eSign Business requires a 5-seat minimum purchase, adding cost for very small teams
AI Assistant's free tier is limited to 20 credits per month before requiring a paid add-on
Company's origin and dual US/China corporate structure has drawn scrutiny in some government and enterprise security discussions
Jotform Sign
Pros
Free to use, bundled into existing Jotform account plans rather than a separate subscription
Large library of 1,000+ signable document templates
Deep integration with Jotform Tables, Report Builder and forms
Multi-step approval routing for sequential signers
Mobile-friendly signing experience for on-the-go signers
Cons
Less specialized than dedicated e-signature vendors like DocuSign or PandaDoc
No standalone pricing page, so document limits are tied to a Jotform account plan
HIPAA-compliant signing requires upgrading to Jotform's Gold or Enterprise tier
Smaller enterprise contract-management feature set than pure-play competitors
Brand recognition in e-signature is lower than established leaders like DocuSign
Use Cases
Choose Formstack Documents: teams that need to auto-generate contracts, invoices, or proposals at scale by merging data from forms, CRMs, or databases into templates
Choose Foxit PDF Editor: users who need full PDF editing, OCR, and conversion capabilities beyond just signing, at a lower cost than Adobe Acrobat
Choose Jotform Sign: teams already using Jotform, or anyone wanting a free option, who just need to collect legally binding signatures
Formstack Documents
Automated contract and proposal generation — Sales and legal teams generate personalized contracts and proposals automatically from CRM data instead of manual copy-paste.
Insurance policy document generation — Insurance companies generate policy documents and compliance paperwork automatically from underwriting data.
HR offer letters and onboarding paperwork — HR departments generate personalized offer letters and onboarding documents from applicant tracking data.
Foxit PDF Editor
Affordable PDF editing for students and freelancers — Individuals get core PDF editing, conversion, and OCR capabilities without paying for a full Adobe Acrobat subscription.
Compliance-driven document redaction — Legal and HR teams use AI Smart Redact to quickly remove sensitive personal information before sharing documents externally.
Enterprise document workflows with e-signature — Larger teams standardize on Foxit PDF Editor and Foxit eSign Business for regulated document creation, editing, and signing at volume-discounted pricing.
Jotform Sign
Contract and NDA signing — Businesses send contracts and NDAs built from templates and track signature status through the Sign Inbox.
HR onboarding paperwork — HR teams route offer letters and onboarding documents through multi-step approval flows for sequential signing.
Healthcare consent forms — Healthcare providers use Gold or Enterprise-tier HIPAA-compliant signing for patient consent and intake documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these three tools is completely free to use?
Jotform Sign, which is bundled free into a Jotform account rather than sold as a separate paid subscription, unlike Formstack Documents ($110/month starting) and Foxit PDF Editor ($10.99/month for editing).
Can Formstack Documents also collect e-signatures?
This is not documented; Formstack Documents focuses on generating and routing documents from templated data, while Foxit PDF Editor and Jotform Sign are the two tools here with documented e-signature capability.
Does Foxit PDF Editor include e-signature features?
Yes, through its separate eSign Essentials and eSign Business add-ons, in addition to its core text/image editing, OCR, and conversion features.
Which tool is best for automatically generating contracts from CRM data?
Formstack Documents, since it merges data from forms, CRMs, and databases into templated documents with conditional logic and automated routing.
Do any of these three tools include AI features?
Foxit PDF Editor is the only one with documented AI features, including an AI Assistant for document analysis and AI Smart Redact for automating sensitive-data removal.
Which is the cheapest option for basic PDF editing or signing needs?
Jotform Sign is free for signing needs, while Foxit PDF Editor starts at $10.99/month for full PDF editing, making it the more affordable option if editing (not just signing) is required.