When I first signed up for PandaDoc, I expected to try out its wide range of e-signature and document management features with a free trial. The UI makes a great first impression, and the website makes a strong pitch for small businesses.

But here’s the catch: I wasn’t allowed to use my personal email address unless I signed up through a separate “free eSign” option. That landed me in a limited free version (not a trial!), which meant most of the features were locked away.

Compared to other e-signature tools I’ve tested, this felt restrictive, since most competitors let me explore their platforms more freely. Still, I decided to give PandaDoc a fair chance.

In this PandaDoc review, I will show you its key features, my experience, pricing, and pros & cons you need to know about this e-signature solution.

Let’s dive in!

What is PandaDoc?

PandaDoc is located in San Francisco and offers an all-in-one tool that combines e-signatures with tools for creating, editing, and managing business documents. Unlike simpler e-signature apps, it positions itself as a complete solution for proposals, contracts, quotes, and approvals.

The platform is especially popular with sales teams and growing companies, since it includes features like templates, content libraries, analytics, and CRM integrations. In other words, PandaDoc is built not just to sign documents, but to streamline the entire contract process, and ultimately help users to prepare and close deals.

Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at what PandaDoc has to offer.

Key features

Here’s a breakdown of key features I tried in the course of my PandaDoc review, along with my honest impressions.

Dashboard

PandaDoc’s dashboard is clean, intuitive, and fully customizable. You can filter documents by status (Drafts, Actions Required, Waiting for Others, Finalized), adjust the time period you want to review, and even choose which tabs are visible depending on your workflow.

This makes it easy to keep track of ongoing deals and stay on top of document progress without feeling overwhelmed by clutter.

That said, one thing you won’t find here is direct access to your signature. Like many e-sign platforms, PandaDoc keeps this option tucked away under Settings → Profile → Signature, and it only supports one signature and set of initials.

While this setup is fairly standard, I think PandaDoc could make things a bit more user-friendly by placing a shortcut on the dashboard. Platforms like Xodo Sign even go a step further and let you manage multiple signatures right from the main screen.

On the free plan, the dashboard mostly works as a tracker. Many of the deeper analytics and reporting tools are only available if you upgrade.

Add Signature & Stamps

Adding a signature is simple and flexible. You can upload an image of your signature, draw it (with different color options), or just type it out.

What stands out is the extra Stamps option, placed right under Signature. While initials are a common feature elsewhere, stamps are less typical.

They can be useful for businesses that rely on official company seals, administrative approvals, or international documents where a stamp still adds formality and trust. Even if not everyone needs it, it’s a nice addition for those who do.

Documents

The Documents tab is clean and easy to navigate. You can filter by date, status (Draft, Completed, Viewed), owner, or recipient. There are also “Smart Views” like Created by me and Expiring soon, plus the option to create folders for better organization.

Next to ‘My Documents’ is the ‘Content Library’. It’s designed for saving commonly used content for faster document creation. You simply upload the document you want to sign or get signed, and you can smoothly track its status.

Document creating & editing

Creating documents is flexible, and PandaDoc offers more options here. That said, you can upload a file, bulk import, or start from templates. After adding recipients, the document opens in a drag-and-drop editor. But here too, many advanced options are grayed out if you use the free version.

When it comes to editing, the experience is mixed. PDF files can’t be edited directly, so you can only add reusable blocks like signatures, text boxes, or dates.

Word documents, on the other hand, can be modified, and there’s an “Edit with AI” option, which is handy for quick tweaks. Still, true PDF editing is off the table unless you rely on external tools.

Once finished, documents can be shared by email, link, or even text message. This flexibility is a plus, but overall, the free plan feels more like a showcase than a real way to test the platform.

Templates

PandaDoc comes with a Template Gallery that covers a surprisingly large number of categories. There are options for sales, agreements, invoices, HR, real estate, marketing, healthcare, and many others. I honestly couldn’t even count them all. But in a nutshell, this feature allows you to create multiple documents in a few minutes.

You can also check ‘Featured templates’ or browse the ‘Community Gallery’ for extra choices.

The templates give you a quick head start, and I liked how easy it was to preview and customize them. You can create a blank file, upload your own, or customize one of the ready-made designs. The variety makes it easy to draft common business documents without starting from scratch.

But when I tried to actually send a document, I hit a paywall. Many templates rely on content blocks (like text, images, or pricing tables), which are locked behind the Business plan. Without upgrading, you have to remove those blocks, which limits how useful the templates really are.

Contacts

Adding contacts in PandaDoc is quick and straightforward. You can import them directly from Google, or just click the Contact button to add one manually.

The manual form is simple: first name, last name, email, phone, company, and job title. I liked how fast this option was, since you don’t need to fill out every field at once. Even a single detail is enough, and you can always update the rest later.

For larger teams, PandaDoc also suggests connecting your CRM or using a Zapier integration to avoid manual entry. This makes contact management flexible, whether you’re adding just one recipient or syncing an entire database.

I didn’t hit as many paywalls here as in other sections, which made Contacts one of the smoother parts of the free plan.

Other Features (Locked For Paid Plans)

Some features in PandaDoc were completely unavailable when using the free plan. Catalog and Forms were locked from the start, as was Branding – a feature that was accessible in free trials on almost every other e-signature platform I tested.

Team management also feels limited. My plan showed “1 of 1 seat activated,” meaning I couldn’t add teammates. On platforms like Signable, I was able to invite unlimited users, so the contrast here was noticeable.

And even the sign-up flow highlights these limits. When I registered with a personal email, PandaDoc put me into the Free eSign plan with a banner saying it’s “built for small businesses.” It sounds promising, but in practice, the plan is so restricted that you can barely test the platform.

PandaDoc user interface

Honestly, the first thing I noticed about PandaDoc was how good it looks. The whole platform feels polished, clean, and kind of inviting compared to some other tools I’ve tried.

It also delivers on usability, with an intuitive user interface that makes navigation feel effortless even for first-time users.

PandaDoc integrations

PandaDoc does offer a long list of integrations, but most of them sit behind paid plans. On the free version, I only had access to Google Workspace and Stripe. These are helpful, but pretty limited if you want to see how the platform connects with the rest of your workflow.

The full lineup looks impressive, with big names like Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, monday.com, plus payment gateways like PayPal and Square, and collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams. There’s also Zapier, webhooks, and an API for custom workflows.

Still, it was a bit disappointing not to be able to test these during my trial. On paper, the list is strong, but unless you’re on a paid plan, it feels more like a showcase than something you can actually use.

Now let’s see the pricing plans!

PandaDoc pricing plans

PandaDoc technically offers a free version, but as I mentioned earlier, it’s very limited. To get access to the real features, you’ll need to move into one of the paid plans.

Starter plan

At $19 per user a month when billed annually (or $35 a month on monthly billing), the Starter plan gives you unlimited documents and e-signatures, plus a drag-and-drop editor, templates (up to 5), real-time tracking, and 24/7 chat and email support.

It’s designed for individuals or very small teams who just need a clean way to create and sign contracts. Honestly, it’s fine for the basics, but it feels a bit stripped down if you’re looking for more than simple document workflows.

Business plan

The Business plan is $49 per user a month with an annual plan (or $65 a month on monthly billing) and unlocks the features that make PandaDoc more than just an e-sign tool. You get CRM integrations, content libraries, custom branding, approval workflows, deal rooms, web forms, and bulk send.

This is where the platform starts to feel like a real sales and document automation hub. But at this price point, it’s a noticeable jump from Starter, and not every small business will find the upgrade worth it unless they’re heavily focused on proposals and sales pipelines.

Enterprise plan

Finally, there’s the Enterprise plan with custom per-seat or per-document pricing. It includes everything from Business plus advanced automations, CPQ (configure-price-quote), smart content, SSO, team workspaces, notary support, and API access.

It’s clearly aimed at larger organizations with complex workflows. However, the price is hidden behind “Contact Sales,” which means you can’t easily compare costs unless you’re ready to negotiate with their team.

Per-document pricing

For those who don’t want to commit to seats, PandaDoc also mentions a per-document package. In theory, this gives you unlimited seats, and you only pay for the documents you create. It’s not publicly listed, though, so you’ll need to contact sales for details.

A note on the free trial

PandaDoc advertises a free trial for the Starter plan, and technically, it’s there – no credit card required. However, you can’t sign up with a personal email.

This makes the free trial feel less accessible compared to other e-signature platforms I’ve tested, where you can explore the full product regardless of which email you use. For freelancers or solo users, that barrier is frustrating and makes it harder to evaluate whether PandaDoc is worth paying for.

This plan also comes with a quota of 60 documents per year, which might work for very light use, but doesn’t give you the flexibility to truly explore the platform.

My experience with PandaDoc

Using PandaDoc left me with mixed impressions. On the positive side, the platform looks great, the interface is easy to navigate, and features like the dashboard, folders, and even the stamps option show attention to detail.

But if you sign up with a personal email, you only have access to the limited Free eSign version. It’s marketed as a plan built for small businesses, yet most of the core features are locked away. Therefore, PandaDoc is not ideal for individuals or even freelancers who only have a personal email.

Overall, PandaDoc is a polished and clearly powerful tool to sign docs and it was clearly designed only for businesses and professionals.

Pros and cons I found during my PandaDoc review

Here are the main pros and cons I noticed during my PandaDoc review.

Pros of PandaDoc

Firstly, the interface looks polished, modern, and is genuinely easy to navigate.

Secondly, the dashboard is customizable, and the ability to organize documents into folders makes managing files much smoother.

Additionally, adding a signature is simple and flexible, with multiple input options to choose from.

Another point worth mentioning is the extra stamps feature, which, while niche, could be useful for companies that rely on official seals or approvals.

Finally, the integrations list looks impressive on paper, covering major CRMs, payment gateways, and collaboration tools, which gives the platform strong potential for larger teams.

Cons of PandaDoc

Firstly, the free version is heavily limited. Even though a Starter trial technically exists, you can’t access it with a personal email.

Secondly, the platform quickly gets expensive. The jump from Starter to Business is steep, and many key features like integrations, branding, and automation are only available at higher tiers.

PandaDoc alternatives

If you are not sure whether PandaDoc is the perfect e-signature solution for you, here are some alternatives:

• BoldSign: A popular e-signature platform.
• Dropbox Sign: A user-friendly e-signature tool.
• Signwell: An electronic signature software to sign documents and save time.
• SmallPDF: A lightweight PDF editor that allows you to sign PDF documents easily.
• Foxit: An advanced PDF editor with e-signature features.
• Xodo Sign (formerly known as Eversign): A popular e-signature platform.

Wrap-up: PandaDoc review

PandaDoc leaves a strong first impression with its polished interface, customizable dashboard, and extras like folders and stamps. For larger teams that need advanced workflows, integrations, and automation, it can be a powerful all-in-one tool solution to resolve their issues when it comes to contract processes.

But behind the shiny design, most of the real value is locked away. The free version is too limited, the Starter trial isn’t accessible with a personal email, and the recent pricing jump may be too expensive for smaller teams.

In the end, PandaDoc works best for mid-sized and enterprise organizations that are ready to invest, but it’s not the most welcoming option if all you need is a straightforward e-signature tool.

As always, I will update this PandaDoc review over time so you guys have up-to-date information about this e-signature platform.

Why you can trust our reviews

At thebusinessdive.com, our team tests, reviews, and compares hundreds of productivity apps every year — from project management tools to note-taking apps. We dive deep into real-world use cases to help you find the right tools that actually improve your workflow, not just add noise.

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Have a question or suggestion? I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out anytime at aronkantor@thebusinessdive.com.

Frequently asked questions

Is PandaDoc safe to use?

Yes. Documents are legally binding under ESIGN and UETA, and the platform complies with GDPR. It also provides audit trails and role-based access.

Does PandaDoc have a free plan?

Yes, but it’s limited. The Free eSign plan only covers basic signing, while the full Starter trial requires a business email.

Who is PandaDoc for?

Mostly sales teams and growing companies that need advanced workflows and CRM integrations. For freelancers or very small teams, it may feel like too much.

Is PandaDoc the best all-in-one tool for e-signatures?

PandaDoc is a powerful tool to send documents and get them signed. It has numerous advanced features and offers high security. However, it is a more expensive e-signature solution with a limited free version.

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may earn a small commission. Read the full privacy policy here.