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OpenSign

Free, secure, self-hosted e-signature platform for any document

E-Signature & Contract Management

OpenSign provides a free, self‑hosted e‑signing solution with secure PDF signing, multi‑signer workflows, OTP guest verification, template management, audit trails and API integrations, rivaling commercial services.

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Overview

Overview

OpenSign is a self‑hosted e‑signature platform that delivers the core capabilities of commercial services without licensing fees. It supports encrypted PDF signing, hand‑drawn or uploaded signatures, and unlimited document processing. Multi‑signer workflows let you invite participants, enforce signing order, and manage expirations or rejections.

Who it’s for & deployment

Designed for developers, SMBs, and organizations with strict data‑residency needs, OpenSign can be deployed via Docker with a single command. The default MongoDB instance is transient, so production setups should supply a persistent MongoDB URL. Once running, users access a web UI, an integrated “OpenSign Drive” for storage, and RESTful APIs (plus Zapier) for custom integrations.

Key capabilities

Beyond signing, the platform offers OTP verification for guest signers, customizable email templates, PDF template creation, detailed audit trails, and completion certificates. All features are open source, allowing full control over security, branding, and future extensions.

Highlights

Secure PDF signing with robust encryption
Multi‑signer workflows with sequential signing
OTP email verification for guest signers
Integrated OpenSign Drive with templates and audit trails

Pros

  • No licensing cost – completely free
  • Full control over data and deployment
  • Feature set comparable to major SaaS providers
  • Simple Docker‑based installation

Considerations

  • Default MongoDB instance is non‑persistent
  • Self‑hosting requires technical expertise
  • UI may lack polish of commercial SaaS
  • Community support only, no guaranteed SLA

Managed products teams compare with

When teams consider OpenSign, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.

DocuSign logo

DocuSign

Electronic signatures and agreement workflows

Xodo Sign (formerly eversign) logo

Xodo Sign (formerly eversign)

Secure e-signature solution with templates, in-person signing, and full audit trails

PandaDoc logo

PandaDoc

Document automation platform for proposals, contracts, and e-signatures

Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.

Fit guide

Great for

  • Small to medium businesses needing cost‑free e‑signing
  • Developers integrating signatures via REST API
  • Organizations with strict data residency or compliance needs
  • Teams that want customizable email and branding

Not ideal when

  • Enterprises seeking fully managed SaaS with 24/7 support
  • Users without technical resources to maintain Docker/MongoDB
  • Companies requiring out‑of‑the‑box advanced compliance certifications
  • High‑volume signing scenarios needing auto‑scaling infrastructure

How teams use it

Contract onboarding

HR sends employment contracts to multiple signers, tracks completion, and stores signed PDFs in OpenSign Drive.

Customer agreement automation

Sales teams generate PDF templates, trigger signing via API, and receive real‑time status updates.

Legal document review

Lawyers invite external parties, enforce sequential signing, and retain audit trails for compliance.

Integration with CRM

Through Zapier, signed documents are automatically attached to CRM records, streamlining workflow.

Tech snapshot

JavaScript97%
CSS3%
HTML1%
Shell1%
TypeScript1%
Dockerfile1%

Tags

open-sourcelegaltechpdf-signself-hosteddocusign-freedocument-signingpdf-signaturehacktoberfestelectronic-signaturesesigndocusign-alternativenodejsdigital-signaturesign-pdf-fileselectronic-signatureesignaturejavascriptreactjsmongodbe-signature

Frequently asked questions

Is OpenSign free to use?

Yes, OpenSign is free and open source with no licensing fees.

What database does OpenSign require?

It uses MongoDB; the default container is non‑persistent, so provide your own MongoDB URL for production data retention.

Can I integrate OpenSign with other applications?

Yes, OpenSign offers a REST API and Zapier integration for connecting to external systems.

How does OpenSign ensure security?

Documents are encrypted, guest signers must verify via OTP, and detailed audit trails with timestamps and IP addresses are recorded.

Is there a hosted version of OpenSign?

OpenSign is self‑hosted; you can deploy it on your own server using Docker or other supported methods.

Project at a glance

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