Printing a contract just to sign it, scan it, and email it back is one of those workflows that should've died a decade ago. Every tool on this list lets you skip the printer entirely — draw, type, or upload a signature, drop it on the page, download. I tested 5 of them specifically for the no-account, no-watermark use case rather than full e-signature platforms built for collecting signatures from other people.
One distinction worth knowing before the list: an electronic signature (a visible mark showing intent — what every tool here produces) and a digital signature (a cryptographic seal backed by a certificate authority) are not the same thing. Electronic signatures are legally recognized for the overwhelming majority of everyday contracts under frameworks like the US ESIGN Act and EU eIDAS regulation. Digital signatures are what regulated filings specifically requiring a "qualified" signature need instead. None of the free tools below do the latter — know which one your document actually requires before picking a tool.
1. ToolTiny — draw, type, or upload, with actual placement control
ToolTiny's Sign PDF tool renders every page directly in the browser so you can see exactly where you're placing the signature, then drag and resize it with a corner handle until it sits on the line. All three creation methods are supported: draw freehand (mouse, trackpad, or touch), type your name in one of four handwriting fonts, or upload a photo of your real signature — the white background gets stripped automatically so only the ink lands on the page.
Useful detail for multi-page contracts: a "place on all pages" option stamps the same signature at the same position across every page in one action, instead of repeating the drag-and-drop per page. No account, no watermark, and uploaded files are deleted from the server within 10 minutes. Works the same in a mobile browser with touch signing — no app install needed. ToolTiny also runs a blog with deeper guides on related PDF tasks like compression and watermarking, worth a look if you're doing more than a one-off signature.
2. Sejda — free-forever, but no document management
Sejda covers the basics cleanly and doesn't put a hard expiration on free usage the way some competitors do. What it doesn't include: routing signatures to other people, reminders, or an audit trail — it's built for signing your own documents, not collecting signatures from a team or client.
3. PDF24 Tools — lightweight, no subscription, browser-only
If you want something that stays out of your way, PDF24's signing tool runs entirely in-browser with no subscription prompt anywhere in the flow. It's part of a broader free PDF toolkit (merge, split, compress) if you need more than signing in the same session.
4. Signeasy — best if your files already live in cloud storage
Signeasy connects directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Box, so you can import and sign without a separate download-then-upload step. It's compliant with ESIGN and eIDAS, and offers an option to add a password to the signed PDF for an extra layer of access control on top of the signature itself.
5. DigiSigner — signs more than just PDFs
DigiSigner's free tier extends past PDF to Word, images, and TXT/XLS files, which is useful if the document you're signing didn't start as a PDF in the first place. No registration, SSL-encrypted transfer, and files are removed automatically once your session ends.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Creation methods | Account needed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ToolTiny | Draw, type, upload | No | Precise placement, multi-page stamping |
| Sejda | Draw, type, upload | No | Occasional single-document signing |
| PDF24 Tools | Draw, type, upload | No | Bundled with other free PDF tasks |
| Signeasy | Draw, type, upload | Free tier | Files already in cloud storage |
| DigiSigner | Draw, type, upload | No | Signing non-PDF file types too |
The honest caveat
Every tool on this list, ToolTiny included, produces a visible electronic signature — not a certificate-based digital one. For an offer letter, a lease, an invoice approval, or a consent form, that's exactly the right amount of legal weight and none of these tools will leave you undersigned. But if a government filing or regulated document specifically asks for a "qualified" or certificate-based signature, none of the free browser tools here — or honestly most of the paid ones either — will satisfy that requirement. You'd need a signature from an actual certificate authority instead. Check what the document is actually asking for before you assume "sign PDF online" solves it.
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