Updated October 2026 · Prices checked October 14, 2026
Dropbox Sign vs PandaDoc: which one should you use?
Choose Dropbox Sign if you mostly get existing documents signed: Essentials is $10.05/month billed yearly with unlimited signature requests. Choose PandaDoc if your team writes proposals and quotes and wants an editor, pricing tables and CRM sync: Starter is $19/month billed annually, and Business, where CRM integrations and branding start, is $49/seat/month.
Dropbox Sign (formerly HelloSign) and PandaDoc both collect legally binding e-signatures, but they are built around different jobs. Dropbox Sign is a signing tool: you upload a finished file, place fields and send it. PandaDoc is a document tool for sales teams: you build the proposal or quote inside it, then send it for signature.
Dropbox Sign has a free plan with 3 signature requests a month, then Essentials at $15/month ($10.05 billed yearly) for one user and Standard at $25 per user/month ($17.50 billed yearly) for teams. Both paid plans include unlimited signature requests; Standard adds branding, bulk send, team admin and SMS authentication. More detail in our Dropbox Sign alternative page.
PandaDoc's free plan allows 5 documents a month. Starter is $19/month and Business $49 per seat/month, both billed annually, with unlimited documents created in the app. Business is where custom branding, CRM integrations, payments and approval workflows appear; bulk send, web forms and the API run on paid usage credits. See our PandaDoc alternative page.
If all you do is send finished PDFs or Word files for signature, eSignSimple is a simpler third option: a free plan with 3 documents a month, Bronze at $4.99/month and unlimited documents on Silver at $9.99/month. Its column is included for reference.
How do Dropbox Sign and PandaDoc compare?
| Feature | eSignSimple (for reference) | Dropbox Sign / PandaDoc |
|---|---|---|
| Starting paid price | eSignSimple: $4.99/month (Bronze) | Dropbox Sign: $10.05/month billed yearly ($15 monthly) · PandaDoc: $19/month billed annually |
| Team price | eSignSimple: Gold $19.99/month for up to 5 senders | Dropbox Sign: $17.50/user/month billed yearly · PandaDoc: $49/seat/month billed annually (Business) |
| Free plan | eSignSimple: 3 documents/month | Dropbox Sign: 3 signature requests/month · PandaDoc: 5 documents/month |
| Sending limits on paid plans | eSignSimple: 25/month on Bronze, unlimited on Silver | Dropbox Sign: unlimited signature requests · PandaDoc: unlimited documents created in the app |
| Templates | Yes, on every plan | Dropbox Sign: 5 (Essentials), 15 (Standard), unlimited (Premium) · PandaDoc: up to 5 on Free and Starter, unlimited on Business |
| Document editor / proposals | No (upload PDF or Word) | Dropbox Sign: no · PandaDoc: yes, with pricing tables, quotes and a content library |
| Signers need an account | No | No for both |
| Audit trail | Yes, with SHA-256 hash | Yes for both |
| Bulk send | Silver and up (up to 200 per send) | Dropbox Sign: Standard and up · PandaDoc: Business, uses usage credits |
| Branding | Logo and brand color (Gold) | Dropbox Sign: Standard and up · PandaDoc: Business and up |
| Signer verification | No (email link only) | Dropbox Sign: SMS authentication on Standard · PandaDoc: SMS, KBA and ID verification listed on Business and up |
| Integrations | No native integrations yet | Dropbox Sign: Google Drive, Word, HubSpot; Salesforce add-on on Standard · PandaDoc: CRM integrations on Business |
| API | REST API v1 and webhooks (Silver and up) | Dropbox Sign: separate API plans from $75/month billed yearly · PandaDoc: usage credits |
| Single sign-on | No | Dropbox Sign: Premium · PandaDoc: Enterprise (optional on Business) |
How much does each tool cost?
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Dropbox Sign Free | $0 | 3 signature requests a month (renewing every 30 days) and unlimited self-signing. |
| Dropbox Sign Essentials | $15/month, or $10.05/month billed yearly ($120.60) | 1 user, unlimited signature requests, 5 templates, Google Drive, Microsoft Word and HubSpot integrations. |
| Dropbox Sign Standard | $25/user/month, or $17.50/user/month billed yearly | 2 or more users (sales for 5+), 15 templates, branding, bulk send, team admin, SMS authentication, signer attachments, in-person signing; Salesforce as a paid add-on. |
| Dropbox Sign Premium | Custom quote | 5 or more users, unlimited templates, single sign-on, data residency, advanced signer fields and multi-team setup. |
| PandaDoc Free | $0 | 5 documents a month (60 a year), document editor, tracking, up to 5 templates. |
| PandaDoc Starter | $19/month billed annually | Unlimited documents created in the app and unlimited e-signatures, rich document editor, up to 5 templates; API needs usage credits. |
| PandaDoc Business | $49/seat/month billed annually | Unlimited templates, quotes, CRM integrations, custom branding, content library, approval workflows, payments; web forms and bulk send use usage credits. |
| PandaDoc Enterprise | Custom (per seat or per document) | Adds CPQ, workflow automation, smart content, single sign-on, team workspaces and notary. |
Prices checked October 14, 2026 on Dropbox Sign plans and pricing, Dropbox Sign API pricing, Dropbox Help: Dropbox Sign free plan, PandaDoc pricing. Vendors change prices and may show different prices by country and currency, so confirm before you buy.
eSignSimple pricing, for comparison
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 documents a month (a document counts when it is sent), unlimited signers, templates, audit trail and certificate of completion. |
| Bronze | $4.99/month or $39.99/year | 1 sender, 25 documents a month, automatic reminders. |
| Silver | $9.99/month or $89.99/year | 1 sender, unlimited documents, bulk send (up to 200 people per send), web forms, REST API and webhooks. |
| Gold | $19.99/month or $179.99/year | Everything in Silver, team seats for up to 5 senders with shared templates, your logo and brand color, priority support. |
Which one should you choose?
- Dropbox Sign: a low entry price for unlimited signature requests and a clean, signing-only interface.
- Dropbox Sign: a separate API product with a free test mode, plus native Dropbox, Google Drive and HubSpot connections.
- PandaDoc: a real document editor with pricing tables, quotes, a content library and deal rooms for sales teams.
- PandaDoc: payments, approval workflows, CRM sync and stronger signer checks (SMS, KBA, ID) on Business.
- Both: native mobile apps and team administration, which eSignSimple does not offer yet.
What would a simpler option change?
Choose Dropbox Sign if…
your contracts already exist as files and you want unlimited requests at a low per-user price, or you store files in Dropbox. See how it stacks up against DocuSign in DocuSign vs Dropbox Sign.
Choose PandaDoc if…
your team builds proposals and quotes from scratch and wants them tracked in the CRM. For a lower-cost signing tool next to it, compare PandaDoc vs SignNow.
Consider eSignSimple if…
you only need finished documents signed with an audit trail. Silver is $9.99/month with unlimited documents, templates and bulk send; it has no editor, CRM sync, SMS checks or native apps yet.
Who should pick which?
| Consider eSignSimple if… | Pick Dropbox Sign or PandaDoc if… |
|---|---|
| Your documents are finished PDFs or Word files. | Dropbox Sign: signing-focused teams and Dropbox users. |
| You want unlimited documents for $9.99/month, or $89.99 a year. | PandaDoc: sales teams that build proposals and quotes. |
| You don't need proposals, CRM sync or signer verification. | Either: teams that need SSO, admin roles or SMS checks. |
How do you move to either tool?
- Decide whether you create documents inside the tool (PandaDoc) or only send finished files (Dropbox Sign).
- Count your templates: Dropbox Sign caps them at 5 or 15 below Premium, PandaDoc at 5 below Business.
- Check which extras cost more: PandaDoc's bulk send, web forms and API use usage credits; Dropbox Sign's API is a separate plan.
- Export signed documents and audit trails before cancelling the old tool.
- Rebuild templates and send one real document end to end before moving everyone over.
Our take
These two rarely compete for the same buyer. If you send contracts someone else drafted, Dropbox Sign is cheaper and simpler. If your revenue depends on proposals, PandaDoc's editor and CRM sync justify the higher seat price, but only from Business upward, since Starter lacks branding and CRM integrations.
If you want neither an editor nor an API plan, eSignSimple costs less still: unlimited documents on Silver for $9.99/month. Compare more options in our best DocuSign alternatives guide.
We compare published features and prices from each vendor's own website and list the sources above. Where we could not verify something, we say so. DocuSign and Dropbox Sign are trademarks of their owners; eSignSimple is not affiliated with either. See how we protect documents on our security page and what each plan includes on pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dropbox Sign cheaper than PandaDoc?
Yes for signing alone. Dropbox Sign Essentials is $10.05/month billed yearly with unlimited signature requests; PandaDoc Starter is $19/month billed annually, and PandaDoc's CRM integrations and branding start on Business at $49/seat/month.
Do both have a free plan?
Yes. Dropbox Sign's free plan includes 3 signature requests a month plus unlimited self-signing. PandaDoc's free plan includes 5 documents a month and up to 5 templates.
Which is better for sales proposals?
PandaDoc. Its editor, pricing tables, quotes and content library are built for proposals. Dropbox Sign has no document editor; you upload finished files.
Which has the better API?
Dropbox Sign sells a separate API with a free test mode, from $75/month billed yearly for 50 requests a month. PandaDoc's API runs on paid usage credits. Choose by how you plan to embed signing.
Is there a cheaper option for simple signing?
Yes. eSignSimple has a free plan with 3 documents a month, Bronze at $4.99/month and unlimited documents on Silver at $9.99/month. It offers simple electronic signatures only. See our pricing.
Get your next document signed today.
Start with 3 free documents a month. No card needed.