Quick Summary

In this article, we review the PandaDoc API and compare it with SignWell to help you determine the best e-signature solution for your business. We look at key features, pricing models, and what sets each platform apart. Whether you’re looking for a cost-effective, scalable option or a more exclusive, enterprise-focused tool, this article provides valuable insights to guide your decision-making.

Are You Considering the PandaDoc API?

The PandaDoc API is a powerful tool. With features like automated workflows and secure e-signatures, PandaDoc simplifies document management for developers.

However, if you’re after a more affordable solution with similar capabilities, easy setup, and more flexibility, SignWell offers a great alternative.

In this SignWell article, we review the PandaDoc API, looking at its key features, limitations, and pricing. Then we compare it with a better alternative.

Why Listen to Us?

SignWell is a trusted e-signature platform serving over 65,000 businesses globally. We offer legally binding signatures compliant with SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and eIDAS standards. Industries such as finance, real estate, and technology rely on SignWell for secure and efficient document workflows. 

Users praise our simplicity and speed. Companies like SunRaise Capital and Smart Building Collective have reported significant improvements in document turnaround times and client satisfaction.

What Is PandaDoc API?

The PandaDoc API is a comprehensive solution for automating document workflows. It enables businesses to integrate document creation, e-signatures, and management directly into their platforms, enhancing user experience and operational efficiency.

Designed for developers, it offers customizable templates, document routing, and real-time status tracking, allowing for seamless integration into existing systems. It’s particularly useful for large-scale businesses with complex documentation needs.

Key Features of PandaDoc API

• Document Creation: Generate documents from templates, PDFs, or custom data inputs, allowing dynamic content population and personalized document creation that fits your business workflow efficiently.
• eSignature Capture: Collect legally binding electronic signatures through embedded signing sessions, supporting multiple signers and customizable workflows to ensure secure and seamless document approvals.
• Workflow Automation: Automate routing, approvals, and notifications based on triggers or events, streamlining workflows, reducing manual tasks, and improving efficiency across your document processes.
• Template Management: Access, create, and modify templates programmatically, ensuring consistent document formatting, content reuse, and faster preparation of frequently used business documents.
• Real-Time Tracking: Monitor document status and recipient interactions in real-time, enabling timely follow-ups, informed decision-making, and better management of signing and approval processes.
• Embedded Document Experiences: Integrate creation, editing, and signing directly into your applications, providing a seamless experience that keeps users engaged within your platform.
• Webhook Notifications: Receive instant updates on document events, including views, completions, and status changes, allowing automated responses and improved workflow efficiency.
• Content Library Integration: Use a centralized repository of reusable content blocks, supporting consistent document creation, reducing redundancy, and accelerating the preparation of new documents.
• CRM and ERP Integrations: Sync data between PandaDoc and popular CRM or ERP systems, improving document generation, management, and overall operational efficiency across platforms.
• Audit Trails: Audit trails maintain detailed logs of document activities with timestamps, signer details, and changes, ensuring compliance, transparency, and accountability for all document workflows.

Pricing

PandaDoc offers a comprehensive API pricing structure designed to accommodate various business needs:

• Free Sandbox Access: Provides a 14-day trial with Enterprise-level features, including unlimited test documents, template editor, and webhook support. Post-trial, users retain free access to a sandbox environment without Enterprise features.
• Enterprise Plan: Pricing is customized based on transaction volume and specific requirements. It includes features like production API access, legally binding eSignatures, higher API limits, OAuth 2.0 apps, and compliance with HIPAA and SOC 2 Type II standards.
• Startup Package: Tailored for early-stage businesses, offering flexible solutions with a 12-month contract. Custom quotes are provided upon request.

To get the exact dollar price, you have to visit the official PandaDoc API pricing page and ask for a quote from their solution expert.

What We Like

• Comprehensive Features: PandaDoc API provides a wide range of functionalities, including e-signatures, document templates, and automated workflows. This allows businesses to streamline document management processes and meet varying needs, from simple signing to complex document approvals.
• Integration Capabilities: PandaDoc integrates smoothly with popular CRM and ERP systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics, improving workflow efficiency and allowing for seamless data transfer between platforms.
• Comprehensive API Documentation: The platform offers detailed, well-structured API documentation that makes it easier for developers to integrate PandaDoc’s features into custom applications. This includes clear guides, code samples, and quick-start templates, facilitating smoother implementation.
• Compliance with Legal Standards: PandaDoc complies with major e-signature regulations, including ESIGN, UETA, and GDPR. This ensures all signed documents are legally binding and secure, providing businesses with confidence in their document management processes, particularly for sensitive or regulated industries.

What We Don’t Like

• Limited Customization: Some users find that template and document customization options are restrictive, limiting creative control over formatting and layout.
• Pricing Complexity: The pricing structure can be unclear, with custom quotes for larger usage, making budgeting and cost prediction challenging for smaller businesses.
• Mobile Experience: The mobile interface is less intuitive than the desktop version, which can slow down document management and signing on the go.
• Advanced Support Delays: While general support is responsive, some users experience delays when seeking help for complex or advanced technical issues.
• Feature Overlap: Certain functionalities feel redundant or unnecessarily complex, making it harder for teams to identify the most efficient workflow for their needs.

SignWell: A Better Alternative to PandaDoc API

SignWell is an e-signature platform that addresses common limitations found in traditional document signing services. We offer a straightforward, developer-friendly API with a pay-as-you-go pricing model, eliminating the need for long-term contracts or high-volume commitments.

Our platform provides a free tier that includes 25 API documents per month, allowing businesses to integrate e-signatures without immediate costs. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for startups and small businesses seeking scalable solutions.

SignWell’s API is compliant with U.S. and international e-signature laws, ensuring that electronically signed documents are legally binding. Additionally, it offers features like custom branding, automated workflows, and detailed audit trails, enhancing both functionality and user experience.

Key Features

SignWell’s e-signature API offers a range of features designed to integrate digital signing capabilities into applications and websites efficiently.

• Embedded Signing: SignWell allows users to sign documents directly within your platform, eliminating the need for redirects to external sites. This offers a seamless and integrated experience for users, ensuring they stay within your environment for document completion.
• Automated Workflows: The API enables the creation of reusable templates and automated document routing, reducing manual tasks and speeding up the signing process. This feature improves overall operational efficiency.
• Audit Trails: SignWell provides detailed logs of document activities, including timestamps and signer details, ensuring full transparency and helping businesses meet compliance requirements.
• White Labeling: SignWell offers extensive customization options, allowing businesses to match the signing interface with their branding. This enhances the user experience by keeping it aligned with the company’s identity.
• Compliance and Security: SignWell adheres to U.S. and international e-signature laws, including SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA, ensuring all signed documents are legally binding and securely processed.
• Flexible Pricing: Operates on a pay-as-you-go pricing model at per document, with the first 25 documents free each month, making it an affordable and scalable solution for businesses of any size.
• Developer-Friendly Integration: SignWell provides clear API documentation, code samples, and a sandbox environment, making it easy for developers to implement e-signature functionality quickly and efficiently.

These features collectively aim to streamline the document signing process, offering a secure, customizable, and cost-effective solution for businesses seeking to integrate e-signature capabilities into their operations.

Pricing

For API usage, SignWell employs a pay-as-you-go model at $0.75 per document, with the first 25 API documents free each month. Billing occurs monthly, with a 10% discount for annual payments.

SignWell offers other pricing plans designed to accommodate various business needs:

• Free Plan: Provides 1 sender, 1 template, and up to 3 documents per month, suitable for individuals or small-scale use.
• Personal Plan ($8/month): Includes 1 sender, up to 5 templates, and unlimited documents, catering to solo professionals.
• Business Plan ($24/month): Offers 3 senders (additional at $8/month each), unlimited templates and documents, custom branding, and advanced features for teams.
• Enterprise Plan (Custom pricing): Tailored solutions for large organizations requiring high-volume API access, unlimited senders, and dedicated support.

PandaDoc API vs SignWell: Side-by-Side Comparison

Why Choose SignWell API Over PandaDoc API?

• Transparent, Usage-Based Pricing

SignWell offers a clear pay-as-you-go pricing model at $0.75 per document, with the first 25 API documents free each month. This removes the need for long-term contracts or fixed pricing tiers, making it highly flexible and cost-effective for businesses with fluctuating document volumes.

• Developer-Focused Support

SignWell prioritizes developers by providing detailed API documentation, code examples, and a sandbox environment. This ensures smooth integration of e-signatures into custom applications, helping developers avoid unnecessary complexity and accelerate implementation.

• Flexible Integration Options

The SignWell API enables seamless embedding of e-signature functionality directly within websites and applications. Users can sign documents without leaving the platform, providing a streamlined and branded experience. This is ideal for businesses that require a fully integrated solution.

• High Compliance Standards

SignWell complies with U.S. and international e-signature laws, including SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA standards. This ensures that all signed documents are legally binding and secure, giving businesses the confidence they need when handling sensitive data.

• Scalable Solutions for Growing Businesses

SignWell’s pricing model and capabilities allow businesses of all sizes to scale their e-signature usage as needed. From startups to large enterprises, SignWell can grow with your business, providing flexibility to meet evolving document management needs.

Simplify your document signing process

We’ve shown you the key features and pricing of PandaDoc API, highlighting its strengths and limitations. While it offers a standard solution for document management, developers seeking a more flexible and affordable solution should pick SignWell.

SignWell provides a clear e-signature API with flexible pricing and strong developer support. It integrates seamlessly into websites and applications, making it ideal for businesses of all sizes looking to streamline their document workflows.

Start using SignWell today, a flexible, secure, and developer-friendly API to simplify your document workflows.