How to get clients to sign documents online, free.
Send a contract, proposal or NDA for e-signature in a few minutes. Your client signs from their inbox on any device — no account, no printing, no scanning.
The short version
Upload the PDF → add your client’s name and email → drop a signature field where they sign → send. Your client gets a link, signs on any device without an account, and you get the signed PDF plus an audit certificate. It’s free for 10 documents a month.
Step by step: send a document for signature
- 1
Upload your PDF
Start a New envelope and drop in your contract, proposal or SOW — PDF files up to 10 MB.
- 2
Name it and create the envelope
Give it a name your client will recognise (“Website Redesign SOW — Northwind Bakery”), leave it as a Live document, and press Create envelope.
- 3
Add your client
Quick setup asks “Who’s signing this?” Choose Someone else and enter your client’s name and email.
- 4
Place the signature field
Quick setup places any fields it detects, like a date. Click Signature in the bar above the document, then click where your client signs. Add date, name or text fields the same way, and drag any field to adjust it.
- 5
Send it
Press Send for signing, add a short message if you like, and press Send now. Your client gets an email with a secure signing link.
- 6
What your client sees
They open the link — no account, no download — review the document, tap Click to sign, type, draw or upload a signature, and press Finish Signing. It works the same on a phone.
- 7
What you get back
The envelope shows Signed by all parties. Download the signed PDF and the audit certificate — timestamps, signer details and the document’s SHA-256 fingerprint — and both of you get a copy by email.
Don’t have the document yet? On the New envelope screen, choose Create with AI and Amanda drafts it for you — an NDA, contract or SOW — ready to review and send. The free plan includes 3 AI documents a month.
Why not just email a PDF?
Emailing a PDF and asking for it back turns into a loop: your client prints it, signs it, scans it and emails it back — or forgets, or signs an old version. You end up with copies in three inboxes and no record of who signed what, or when.
To be fair, an emailed PDF with a pasted signature image can be valid. What an e-signature platform adds is the evidence: an audit trail showing who signed, when, and that the document hasn’t changed. That’s what makes a signature easy to rely on later — see what makes an electronic signature legally binding.
Already writing in Google Docs, Word or Outlook?
SignForge doesn’t have a Google Docs, Word or Outlook add-in. You don’t need one: export the document as a PDF, upload it, and send it from SignForge. Your client still signs from their inbox.
From Google Docs
Open the document, choose File → Download → PDF Document (.pdf), then upload that PDF as a new envelope.
From Word
Choose File → Save As (or Export) and pick PDF, then upload it.
From Outlook (email attachment)
If the document arrived as an attachment, save it to your computer first. If it isn’t a PDF, open it and save it as one. Then upload it to SignForge and send it to your client, instead of replying with the attachment.
What freelancers usually send for signature
Start from a template, customise it, and send it for signature in the same place:
Tips to get clients to sign faster
- Send it while you’re still on the call, or right after. Momentum is everything.
- Only add the fields the client needs. Type the names, fees and dates into the document before you upload it, so all that’s left for the client is to sign.
- Use a clear subject line and message, e.g. “Signature needed: Website redesign SOW”, so it doesn’t get lost in their inbox.
- Assume they’ll sign on a phone. Most people do, and the signing page is built for it.
- Follow up. Automatic reminders are on Pro and above; on the free plan, a quick personal nudge works too.
- Keep the signed copy and certificate together. They’re stored with the envelope, and the document locker holds the files you want to keep at hand.
Is it legally binding?
In the US, the ESIGN Act and UETA say a signature can’t be denied legal effect just because it’s electronic, and in the EU eIDAS says the same. Some documents, such as wills in many places, still need ink, and whether a particular document qualifies depends on the transaction and the country. See the e-signature legality guide for your country.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a client to sign a document online for free?
Upload the PDF to SignForge, add your client's name and email, place a signature field where they sign, and send it. Your client signs from the email link on any device, and you get the signed PDF and an audit certificate. The free plan covers 10 documents a month.
Does my client need an account to sign?
No. They open the link in the email, review the document and sign — no registration and nothing to install.
Can I send a PDF for signature by email?
Yes — that's how it works. You upload the PDF once and SignForge emails your client a secure signing link, so nobody has to print, sign, scan and email it back. You both receive the signed copy by email when it's done.
How do I send a document for signature from Outlook or Google Docs?
There's no Outlook, Google Docs or Word add-in. Save or download the document as a PDF (in Google Docs: File → Download → PDF), upload it to SignForge and send it from there. Your client still signs from their inbox.
How many documents can I send for free?
10 a month on the free plan, with up to 3 recipients each. Pro raises that to 25 a month for $15/month.
Will I get proof that my client signed?
Yes. Every signed document comes with an audit certificate recording who signed and when, plus a fingerprint of the document that shows it hasn't changed since. The proof is embedded in the signed PDF itself, so it can be checked without a SignForge account.
Send a document for signature, free
10 documents a month at $0. Your client signs from their inbox — no account needed.
Send a document for signature, freeFree plan, no time limit. No credit card required.