{"securityAudit":null,"logoUrl":"/logos/docuseal.png","id":"docuseal","slug":"docuseal","name":"DocuSeal","summary":"E-signatures and fillable forms, with a free cloud plan or free self-hosting.","type":"free_oss","hasFreePlan":false,"license":{"spdx":"AGPL-3.0","type":"copyleft","needsReview":false},"trust":{"status":"verified","reasons":[]},"pricing":{"model":"free","basePrice":0,"perSeat":null,"perLocation":null,"estHostingMonthly":0,"label":"$0"},"setupEffort":null,"setupLevel":"one_click","aiMaturity":"none","worksWith":[{"id":"zapier","name":"Zapier"}],"problemIds":["accounting-3","beauty-4","child-care-1","cleaning-1","home-improvement-5","hvac-plumbing-5","landscaping-4","real-estate-3","restaurants-3","accounting-5","child-care-4","child-care-5","cleaning-2","home-improvement-4"],"rating":null,"securityAudits":[],"url":"https://www.docuseal.com","aiCapabilities":"AI field detection exists only as a paid embedding add-on ($100/mo); core is not AI.","byoAiKey":false,"priceNotes":"Free license. Hosting estimate: $0 (cloud free tier) to $20/user; PikaPods from $2.36/mo","pricingSourceUrl":null,"priceCheckedAt":"2026-11-05","complianceFlags":[],"affiliate":false,"oss":{"repoUrl":"https://github.com/docusealco/docuseal","licenseSpdx":"AGPL-3.0","licenseType":"copyleft","licenseReview":"auto","copyleftNote":"AGPL-3.0 plus a Section 7(b) additional term: you must keep the DocuSeal attribution in the user interface. Commercial use is allowed; share source if you offer a modified version over a network.","openCoreNote":"Open-core: Pro features (automated reminders, SMS invitations/verification, conditional fields, bulk send from spreadsheets, white-label, user roles, SSO, embedding) require a paid Pro license ($20/user/mo or $240/user/yr).","stars":18998,"lastReleaseAt":"2026-11-02","latestReleaseTag":null,"backing":"DocuSeal (company).","hostedOptions":"Official DocuSeal Cloud: free plan (10 signature-request emails/mo), Pro $20/user/mo. One-click: PikaPods (from $2.36/mo), Cloudron, Heroku, Railway, DigitalOcean, Render deploy buttons.","securityNote":"No published GitHub security advisories found."},"trustChecks":[{"key":"admin_verified","label":"Admin-verified listing","pass":true,"note":"Reviewed by the Catervas team: links and prices checked Nov 5, 2026","checkedAt":"2026-11-05"},{"key":"license","label":"License verified","pass":true,"note":"AGPL-3.0 is on the license allow-list","evidenceUrl":"https://github.com/docusealco/docuseal","checkedAt":"2026-11-05"},{"key":"maintenance","label":"Active maintenance","pass":true,"note":"Last release or commit 2026-11-02","evidenceUrl":"https://github.com/docusealco/docuseal","checkedAt":"2026-11-05"},{"key":"security","label":"No open critical security advisories","pass":true,"note":"No unpatched critical or high advisories found. Keep it on the latest release.","evidenceUrl":"https://github.com/docusealco/docuseal/security","checkedAt":"2026-11-05"},{"key":"privacy","label":"Privacy and data policy","pass":true,"note":"Self-hosted: your data stays on your own hosting.","checkedAt":"2026-11-05"},{"key":"backing","label":"Company or foundation backing","pass":true,"note":"DocuSeal (company).","evidenceUrl":"https://github.com/docusealco/docuseal","checkedAt":"2026-11-05"}],"problems":[{"id":"accounting-3","industryId":"accounting","rank":3,"title":"Chasing client documents and information","summary":"Most firms report delays getting the documents they need from clients. Fewer than a third fully use automated reminders.","theme":"admin-paperwork","strength":1,"howItHelps":"A free DocuSign alternative for buyer agreements, disclosures, leases, engagement letters and tax authorization forms. Reusable templates and email reminders keep signatures and client intake forms moving, and signed engagement letters set scope before work starts."},{"id":"accounting-5","industryId":"accounting","rank":5,"title":"Getting paid: slow fees, paper checks and unbilled extra work","summary":"Most accounting firms are paid late, and many still collect mostly by paper check. Extra work outside the agreed scope often goes unbilled.","theme":"cash-flow","strength":0.6,"howItHelps":"A free DocuSign alternative for buyer agreements, disclosures, leases, engagement letters and tax authorization forms. Reusable templates and email reminders keep signatures and client intake forms moving, and signed engagement letters set scope before work starts."},{"id":"beauty-4","industryId":"beauty","rank":4,"title":"Hiring and keeping licensed stylists and barbers","summary":"There are tens of thousands of openings for barbers and stylists each year, mostly to replace people who leave. Owners also compete with booth-rental and suite models.","theme":"hiring","strength":1,"howItHelps":"Turn paper forms into fill-and-sign links: staff onboarding packets and policy acknowledgments, parent enrollment/medical/permission forms, client service agreements and job-completion sign-offs (proof of work) — all stored as signed PDFs."},{"id":"child-care-1","industryId":"child-care","rank":1,"title":"Hiring, keeping and onboarding qualified staff","summary":"Staffing is the top challenge for child care centers, and burnout is common. Maryland lost an estimated 27% of its child care workers between 2019 and 2022.","theme":"hiring","strength":1,"howItHelps":"Turn paper forms into fill-and-sign links: staff onboarding packets and policy acknowledgments, parent enrollment/medical/permission forms, client service agreements and job-completion sign-offs (proof of work) — all stored as signed PDFs."},{"id":"child-care-4","industryId":"child-care","rank":4,"title":"Licensing compliance and paperwork (MSDE, EXCELS, training hours)","summary":"Maryland providers must track ratios, staff credentials, training hours, immunizations and incidents. Providers say the paperwork is heavy and often requested more than once.","theme":"compliance","strength":0.6,"howItHelps":"Turn paper forms into fill-and-sign links: staff onboarding packets and policy acknowledgments, parent enrollment/medical/permission forms, client service agreements and job-completion sign-offs (proof of work) — all stored as signed PDFs."},{"id":"child-care-5","industryId":"child-care","rank":5,"title":"Daily reports, lesson plans, billing and parent messages","summary":"Directors and home providers juggle teaching with daily reports, lesson plans, attendance, billing and family messages. Many families also need messages in other languages.","theme":"admin-paperwork","strength":0.6,"howItHelps":"Turn paper forms into fill-and-sign links: staff onboarding packets and policy acknowledgments, parent enrollment/medical/permission forms, client service agreements and job-completion sign-offs (proof of work) — all stored as signed PDFs."},{"id":"cleaning-1","industryId":"cleaning","rank":1,"title":"Hiring and keeping cleaners amid very high turnover","summary":"Labor makes up most of a cleaning company's costs, and turnover often runs 200–400% a year. Most commercial cleaners say hiring and keeping staff is their top risk.","theme":"hiring","strength":1,"howItHelps":"Turn paper forms into fill-and-sign links: staff onboarding packets and policy acknowledgments, parent enrollment/medical/permission forms, client service agreements and job-completion sign-offs (proof of work) — all stored as signed PDFs."},{"id":"cleaning-2","industryId":"cleaning","rank":2,"title":"Keeping clients: uneven quality and no proof of work","summary":"After labor, losing customers is the biggest worry, and many clients are cutting cleaning budgets. Inspections and proof of work help keep accounts.","theme":"other","strength":0.6,"howItHelps":"Turn paper forms into fill-and-sign links: staff onboarding packets and policy acknowledgments, parent enrollment/medical/permission forms, client service agreements and job-completion sign-offs (proof of work) — all stored as signed PDFs."},{"id":"home-improvement-4","industryId":"home-improvement","rank":4,"title":"Slow payments, progress billing and small deposits","summary":"Fewer than 1 in 10 construction businesses are always paid on time for finished work. Slow payment strains cash flow on every job.","theme":"cash-flow","strength":0.6,"howItHelps":"Free DocuSign alternative: send contracts, change orders, MHIC-required contract terms, deposit authorizations and service agreements for e-signature on the homeowner's phone, with signature verification and stored audit copies, so jobs start (and deposits are collected) faster."},{"id":"home-improvement-5","industryId":"home-improvement","rank":5,"title":"MHIC licensing, contract rules and admin paperwork","summary":"Maryland home improvement contractors need an MHIC license, insurance and specific notices in every contract. Contract mistakes can bring fines of $500 to $5,000.","theme":"compliance","strength":1,"howItHelps":"Free DocuSign alternative: send contracts, change orders, MHIC-required contract terms, deposit authorizations and service agreements for e-signature on the homeowner's phone, with signature verification and stored audit copies, so jobs start (and deposits are collected) faster."},{"id":"hvac-plumbing-5","industryId":"hvac-plumbing","rank":5,"title":"Admin overload: scheduling, dispatch, paperwork and job records","summary":"Owner-operators spend nights and weekends on quotes, scheduling, invoices and records instead of paid work. Techs often can't quickly pull warranty data or service history on site.","theme":"admin-paperwork","strength":1,"howItHelps":"Free DocuSign alternative: send contracts, change orders, MHIC-required contract terms, deposit authorizations and service agreements for e-signature on the homeowner's phone, with signature verification and stored audit copies, so jobs start (and deposits are collected) faster."},{"id":"landscaping-4","industryId":"landscaping","rank":4,"title":"Fertilizer, pesticide and licensing records","summary":"About a third of landscapers worry about equipment, water and chemical rules. Compliance means certifications, renewals and application logs.","theme":"compliance","strength":1,"howItHelps":"Free DocuSign alternative: send contracts, change orders, MHIC-required contract terms, deposit authorizations and service agreements for e-signature on the homeowner's phone, with signature verification and stored audit copies, so jobs start (and deposits are collected) faster."},{"id":"real-estate-3","industryId":"real-estate","rank":3,"title":"Transaction paperwork, deadlines and compliance","summary":"Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer agreements, disclosures and contract deadlines must be documented carefully on every deal. Deadline tracking and document checks are still mostly manual for solo agents.","theme":"compliance","strength":1,"howItHelps":"A free DocuSign alternative for buyer agreements, disclosures, leases, engagement letters and tax authorization forms. Reusable templates and email reminders keep signatures and client intake forms moving, and signed engagement letters set scope before work starts."},{"id":"restaurants-3","industryId":"restaurants","rank":3,"title":"Recruiting, hiring and keeping hourly staff","summary":"Most operators say hiring and keeping staff is still a big challenge. Owners without HR staff spend hours posting jobs and screening applicants.","theme":"hiring","strength":1,"howItHelps":"Turn paper forms into fill-and-sign links: staff onboarding packets and policy acknowledgments, parent enrollment/medical/permission forms, client service agreements and job-completion sign-offs (proof of work) — all stored as signed PDFs."}],"integrations":[{"id":"zapier","name":"Zapier","type":"other","note":"Zapier/Make/n8n on paid tier;"}],"setupGuide":null,"reviews":[]}