APISign vs Dropbox Sign
A pay-per-contract e-signature API with no monthly plan, for teams that send contracts from code.
(Formerly HelloSign, now Dropbox Sign)
APISign
Dropbox Sign
Why developers look beyond Dropbox Sign
Dropbox Sign has a well-documented API, official SDKs and embedded signing. Where it fits less well:
A plan before your first send
Dropbox Sign's API plans start at $75/mo for 50 signature requests. Fine at steady volume; a lot per contract if you send a handful a month.
Priced around an allowance
Each API plan includes a monthly request allowance, so your cost follows the tier you pick rather than the contracts you actually send.
Templates live in their editor
Dropbox Sign templates are built in its web editor from uploaded documents. If you want contract text in your repo next to your code, that's an extra step.
APISign: Built for the developer workflow
What APISign does differently, and why it suits an API-only signing workflow.
Developer-native templates
Define templates in Markdown with {{variables}}. Version control your contracts, generate them programmatically.
Pay only when you send
No plan, no allowance. $0.25 per send, and a resend counts as a send. Test-mode contracts are free and go to your own inbox.
Import existing docs
Upload a Word .docx and it becomes a Markdown template you can edit. Keep the contracts you already have.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | APISign | Dropbox Sign |
|---|---|---|
| Per-contract pricing | $0.25 | ≈$1.50-$2.50 effective (plan ÷ allowance) |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $75-$250/mo API plans |
| API-first design | ||
| Markdown templates | ||
| Free to start | 20 live contracts + free test mode | Free API test mode; free app plan |
| Real-time webhooks | ||
| Audit trails | ||
| Embedded signing | Not offered | Yes |
| Official SDKs | None (REST, CLI, MCP) | Yes |
Competitor pricing checked October 2026. Sources: Dropbox Sign API pricing, Dropbox Sign app pricing. Effective per-request figures are plan price divided by the plan's included requests.
Moving from Dropbox Sign
The concepts map closely. The main differences: two plain HTTPS calls instead of an SDK, and signing links go out by email.
- Template → Markdown template with {{variables}}, or an imported .docx
- Send with template →
POST /api/contract/create, thenPOST /api/contract/send - Test mode →
test_mode: trueat creation: free, emailed to you instead of the signers, PDF stamped TEST - Event callbacks → webhooks
- SDKs → none; plain HTTPS with an
x-api-keyheader, the apisign-io CLI, or the MCP server - Embedded signing → not offered; signers get an emailed link
const headers = {
'x-api-key': process.env.APISIGN_API_KEY,
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
};
// 1. Create a contract from a template
const res = await fetch(
'https://apisign.io/api/contract/create',
{
method: 'POST',
headers,
body: JSON.stringify({
name: 'Services Agreement',
template_id: 'your_template_id',
variables: { company: 'Acme Inc' },
signers: [{
name: 'John Doe',
email: 'john@example.com',
signing_order: 1
}]
})
}
);
const { contract } = await res.json();
// 2. Send it (one $0.25 charge per send)
await fetch('https://apisign.io/api/contract/send', {
method: 'POST',
headers,
body: JSON.stringify({ contract_id: contract.id })
});More comparisons
See how APISign compares with other e-signature providers, or read how APISign pricing works.
Try APISign alongside Dropbox Sign
Start with 20 free contracts. No credit card required, no plan to pick.