electronic document signature / PDF signing
OpenSign is a free, self-hosted, open-source web application for electronic signatures and PDF signing, positioned as a DocuSign alternative.
Same problem, same approach. Swapping one for another is a config change, not a rewrite.
choose it when you prefer a Ruby/Rails self-hosted AGPL signing app with its own API over OpenSign's Node/Mongo stack.
Open source DocuSign alternative. Create, fill, and sign digital documents ✍️
choose it when TypeScript/Next.js and AGPL are a better stack fit for you than OpenSign's architecture.
The Open Source DocuSign Alternative.
choose it when a simpler standalone web signer with multi-person PDF signing is enough and you do not need OpenSign's broader workflow features.
Free open-source web software for signing PDF (alone or with others) and also organize pages, edit metadata and compress pdf
Solves the same problem with a different architecture or at a different layer. Expect to rewrite the integration.
choose it when you need standards-based PDF signing embedded in a Python backend instead of operating a full signing web app.
pyHanko: sign and stamp PDF files
choose it when you want self-hosted collaboration/storage and e-signing in one Go-based suite rather than a dedicated signing app.
Trilli — open-source self-hosted cloud storage, collaboration & e-signature platform. One Go binary per service.
choose it when you run Nextcloud and want e-signing integrated into your existing collaboration platform rather than a standalone app.
Control how your documents get signed
choose it when you need an enterprise PKI signing service for automated server-side signing of documents/code, not human signing workflows.
SignServer – Open source, PKI-based signing software to sign code, documents, timestamps and more.
choose it when you need PAdES AES/QES signing and verification implemented in pure Go inside your own system.
Add/verify Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) and Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) in PDF (using pure Go)
An earlier or more limited way to do the job. Still the right call when you need something small, proven, or CPU-only.
choose it only when you need simple programmatic certificate-signing of PDFs in Node and do not need workflow or UI.
Simple signing of PDFs in node.
choose it only for simple PHP-based programmatic PDF signing and parsing without investing in a full signing platform.
Simple and Agnostic PDF Document Parser in PHP - sign PDF docs using PHP
Does the same job, but ships as an app. Useful to a person, not swappable into a codebase.
choose it when you want a local cross-platform desktop GUI/CLI for applying certificate signatures to PDFs instead of a self-hosted web platform.
Cross-platform PDF digital signing tool. JavaFX desktop UI with drag-to-place visible signatures, PKCS#11/PKCS#12 keystores, RFC 3161 timestamping, OCSP/CRL long-term validation, and a scriptable CLI.
These projects were analysed and named OpenSign among their alternatives. The relationship is not symmetric — how OpenSign rates them is a separate judgement, made when OpenSign is analysed in its own right.
calls OpenSign “Choose when you need a free, open-source DocuSign alternative with a different UI and JavaScript/React stack.”
Open source DocuSign alternative. Create, fill, and sign digital documents ✍️
calls OpenSign “Direct self-hosted DocuSign alternative; choose it when you want a peer with a JavaScript implementation and its own community/features.”
The Open Source DocuSign Alternative.