Sign a PDF online free
A free e-signature that is a real signing flow, not a picture of your name pasted onto a page.
Yes, you can sign a PDF online free. Create a free Pactlyra workspace, upload the PDF, add yourself and anyone else who needs to sign, place signature, date, text or checkbox fields, and send. A free workspace includes 3 credits a month, and one credit sends one document for signature. Signers never need an account, and every completed document comes with a certificate you can verify free.
How to sign a PDF online with Pactlyra
- Create a free workspace. Sign up with your email address. No plan to choose and no card to enter.
- Upload the PDF. Pactlyra checks the file is a PDF from its bytes and reads the page sizes once, so every field lands on a page the document actually has.
- Add the signers. A name and email address for each person, including yourself if you are signing. Set the order if one person must sign before another.
- Place the fields. Choose a signature, date, text or checkbox field for each signer, and the page and position it goes on.
- Review and send. You see what the send will use before anything is sent. Each signer gets a private link by email and signs on any device, without an account.
- Download the result. When everyone has signed, you get the completed PDF, a certificate of completion and an evidence package that can be verified independently, free, whatever plan you are on.
What the free workspace includes
| Included free | What it means |
|---|---|
| 3 credits a month | One credit sends one document for signature, however many people sign it |
| Signers without accounts | The people you send to open a link and sign; they never pay and never sign up |
| An event history on every document | Who was asked, when they opened it and when they signed, in a hash-chained record |
| Certificate and evidence package | Downloadable with the signed PDF, and checkable without a Pactlyra account |
Need more than 3 a month, a team, or templates? The pricing page lists the paid plans and credit packs. Before you send, check the short list of documents you cannot sign electronically in the US.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pactlyra’s e-signature really free?
Yes, within the free allowance. A free workspace includes 3 credits a month, and sending one document for signature uses one credit. Signers never pay. Certificates, evidence packages and verification are free on every plan. Paid plans and credit packs are on the pricing page if you need more.
Do the people signing need an account?
No. Each signer gets a private link by email, opens it on any device and signs. Only the person sending the document needs a workspace.
Can I sign a PDF myself?
Yes. Add yourself as a recipient and send it. You sign through the same private link anybody else would, and you get the completed PDF with its certificate. It uses one credit, like any other send.
Is a free electronic signature legally binding?
Being free makes no difference. In the US, the ESIGN Act says a signature or contract cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic (15 U.S.C. §7001), with exceptions such as wills and certain court documents in §7003. Whether a particular document can be signed this way depends on the document and the jurisdiction. This is general information, not legal advice.
What if I only need a picture of my signature?
Use the free signature generator: draw or type a signature and download it as a PNG or SVG, with no account. An image on its own is not a record of who signed or when, so send agreements through a signing flow instead.
Last reviewed 2026-09-27. Pactlyra produces a detailed evidence record for every completed document. Electronic signature validity depends on your jurisdiction, the document type, and how the transaction is carried out; nothing here is legal advice. Only a picture of your signature? Use the signature generator.