SignRequest
Fast and simple e-signatures - European alternative based in Netherlands
Quick Overview
| Company | SignRequest |
|---|---|
| Category | E-Signatures |
| Headquarters | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| EU/European | Yes - Netherlands |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Main Features | Simple signing, Templates, Team features, API, Integrations |
| Pricing | Free tier / From 7/month |
| Best For | Small teams needing simple signing |
| Replaces | DocuSign, HelloSign |
Detailed Review
SignRequest is a Dutch e-signature platform founded in 2014 in Amsterdam that has built a strong reputation for making document signing fast, intuitive, and affordable. The platform was designed from the ground up with simplicity as its guiding principle, allowing businesses of all sizes to send documents for electronic signature without navigating a complicated interface or paying steep enterprise fees. In a market dominated by US-based giants like DocuSign and HelloSign (now Dropbox Sign), SignRequest stands out as a genuinely European alternative that keeps data sovereignty and GDPR compliance at the forefront of its operations.
Since its founding, SignRequest has grown steadily within the European e-signature market, earning praise for its clean user experience and developer-friendly API. The platform serves thousands of businesses across the Netherlands and broader Europe, ranging from freelancers sending occasional contracts to mid-sized companies managing high volumes of agreements. SignRequest was acquired by Box in 2021, which brought additional resources to the platform while the core product continues to operate with its European DNA and Amsterdam-based infrastructure intact.
User Experience and Interface
One of SignRequest's most frequently praised qualities is its ease of use. The interface is clean and uncluttered, allowing users to upload a document, add signature fields, and send it to recipients within minutes. The platform automatically detects where signatures should be placed, which significantly reduces the time needed to prepare documents. For recipients, the signing experience is equally straightforward: they receive an email invitation, click the link, and can sign from any device without needing to create an account. This frictionless approach helps ensure high completion rates for signature requests.
The dashboard provides a clear overview of all pending, completed, and expired documents. Users can filter by status, search by name, and quickly access audit trails for any signed document. The overall design philosophy mirrors the Dutch approach to user experience: functional, efficient, and without unnecessary complexity. While the interface may lack some of the visual polish of larger competitors, it more than compensates with its practical workflow design.
Core E-Signature Features
SignRequest supports the full range of e-signature functionality that small and medium-sized businesses need. Users can upload PDF, Word, and other common document formats, then place signature fields, date fields, checkboxes, and text fields anywhere on the document. Templates can be created for frequently used documents, saving time on recurring signature workflows. The platform supports multiple signers with configurable signing orders, and signers can be assigned different roles such as signer, approver, or carbon copy recipient.
The audit trail feature creates a detailed, tamper-proof record of every action taken on a document, including timestamps, IP addresses, and email confirmations. This audit log is essential for legal validity and provides businesses with the evidence they need in case of disputes. SignRequest also offers SMS verification as an additional layer of signer authentication, which is particularly useful for high-value contracts.
API and Integrations
SignRequest provides a well-documented REST API that allows developers to embed e-signature functionality directly into their applications and workflows. The API supports document creation, sending, tracking, and retrieval, making it a solid choice for businesses that need programmatic access to signing workflows. Integration with popular platforms like Google Drive, Salesforce, and Zapier enables users to connect SignRequest with their existing tool stack without custom development work. The Google Workspace integration is particularly seamless, allowing users to send documents for signature directly from Google Docs.
For teams that rely heavily on automation, the Zapier integration opens up hundreds of possible workflow connections. Documents can be automatically sent for signature when triggered by events in CRM systems, project management tools, or form submissions. This level of automation makes SignRequest especially valuable for businesses that want to streamline their contract lifecycle without investing in expensive enterprise platforms.
Team and Business Features
SignRequest offers team management features that allow businesses to add multiple users under a single account. Team administrators can manage permissions, view all team documents, and maintain centralized control over the signing process. Custom branding options let businesses add their logo and brand colors to the signing experience, creating a professional appearance for recipients. The Business plan includes advanced features like bulk sending, which is useful for sending the same document to multiple recipients simultaneously, such as NDAs or policy acknowledgments.
GDPR Compliance and Data Security
As a Netherlands-based company, SignRequest is fully subject to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation. All data is processed and stored within European infrastructure, ensuring that businesses using SignRequest can maintain compliance with European data protection requirements. This is a significant advantage over US-based alternatives, which are subject to the CLOUD Act and other US legislation that can compel companies to hand over data regardless of where it is stored. SignRequest implements industry-standard encryption for data at rest and in transit, and the platform undergoes regular security assessments to maintain its protective measures.
For businesses operating in regulated industries or those that handle sensitive personal data, SignRequest's European jurisdiction provides an additional layer of legal protection. The platform's privacy-by-design approach means that data minimization and user consent are built into the core product rather than added as afterthoughts. Organizations that need to demonstrate GDPR compliance to auditors or regulators can point to SignRequest's European hosting and data processing agreements as evidence of their commitment to data protection.
Pricing and Value
SignRequest's pricing is one of its strongest selling points. The free tier allows users to send up to ten documents per month, which is generous enough for freelancers and very small businesses. The Professional plan starts at approximately nine euros per user per month and includes unlimited document sending, templates, and API access. The Business plan at around fifteen euros per user per month adds team features, custom branding, and bulk sending capabilities. Compared to DocuSign, which starts at significantly higher price points, SignRequest delivers excellent value for businesses that need reliable e-signatures without enterprise complexity.
Limitations and Considerations
While SignRequest excels at simplicity and affordability, it does have some limitations compared to larger platforms. Advanced workflow features like conditional routing, payment collection during signing, and detailed custom fields are not as developed as those found in DocuSign or Adobe Sign. The platform does not currently support Qualified Electronic Signatures under the eIDAS regulation, which may be a requirement for certain legal documents in some EU member states. Additionally, the template editor, while functional, lacks some of the advanced formatting options that power users might expect.
Organizations with very complex signing workflows involving multiple conditional paths or extensive approval chains may find SignRequest's feature set insufficient for their needs. However, for the vast majority of small and medium-sized businesses, the platform covers all essential use cases. It is worth noting that SignRequest's acquisition by Box has raised some questions about the long-term direction of the standalone product, though as of 2026, the platform continues to operate independently.
Who Should Use SignRequest?
SignRequest is an excellent choice for European small and medium-sized businesses that need a simple, affordable, and GDPR-compliant e-signature solution. Freelancers, startups, and growing companies that want to move away from US-based signing platforms will find SignRequest's combination of European data sovereignty, clean interface, and competitive pricing hard to beat. Developers looking for a straightforward API to integrate e-signatures into their applications will also appreciate SignRequest's well-documented and easy-to-implement API. For organizations that prioritize simplicity over feature richness and want the peace of mind that comes with European data hosting, SignRequest remains one of the best options in the market.
Alternatives to SignRequest
Looking for other European e-signature solutions? Here are some alternatives worth considering:
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, SignRequest is fully GDPR compliant. As a company headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, it operates under European data protection laws and regulations. All document data is processed and stored within European infrastructure, ensuring your information is handled according to the strictest privacy standards. SignRequest also provides data processing agreements for business customers who need documentation for their own compliance requirements.
SignRequest is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 2014, the company has been a Dutch e-signature provider from the start. This European location means your data stays within EU jurisdiction and is protected by European privacy laws rather than being subject to US legislation like the CLOUD Act.
SignRequest offers a free tier that allows up to ten documents per month. The Professional plan starts at approximately nine euros per user per month and includes unlimited documents, templates, and API access. The Business plan costs around fifteen euros per user per month and adds team management, custom branding, and bulk sending. Enterprise pricing is available on request for large organizations.
SignRequest is a European alternative to DocuSign, HelloSign (now Dropbox Sign), and Adobe Sign. It offers similar core e-signature functionality including document sending, template management, and audit trails, while keeping your data in Europe under GDPR protection. For small to mid-sized businesses, SignRequest provides most of the features these US platforms offer at a significantly lower price point.
Yes, SignRequest provides a well-documented REST API that allows developers to integrate e-signature functionality into their own applications and workflows. The API supports document creation, sending, status tracking, and retrieval of signed documents. It is available on the Professional plan and above, and can also be connected through Zapier for no-code automation.
Yes, SignRequest supports document templates that allow you to create reusable signing workflows. You can set up a template once with pre-defined signature fields, text fields, checkboxes, and signer roles, then reuse it for each new signing request. This is especially useful for contracts, NDAs, and other documents that follow the same format repeatedly.
SignRequest integrates with a range of popular platforms including Google Drive, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Zapier, and Dropbox. The Google Workspace integration is particularly seamless, allowing users to send documents for signature directly from Google Docs. Through Zapier, SignRequest can connect to hundreds of additional applications for automated workflows without needing to write code.
Yes, electronic signatures created with SignRequest are legally binding in the European Union under the eIDAS regulation and in most countries worldwide. SignRequest produces Simple Electronic Signatures (SES) and Advanced Electronic Signatures (AES) with a comprehensive audit trail that records IP addresses, timestamps, and email verifications. However, SignRequest does not currently offer Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES), which may be required for certain document types in specific EU jurisdictions.
Yes, SignRequest supports multiple signers on a single document. You can add as many signers as needed and configure the signing order so that signers receive their invitations in a specific sequence, or you can allow all signers to sign simultaneously. Each signer can be assigned different roles such as signer, approver, or CC recipient, giving you control over the workflow for each document.
SignRequest was acquired by Box in 2021. The acquisition brought additional resources and infrastructure to the platform. As of 2026, SignRequest continues to operate with its core product intact, and the platform still maintains its Amsterdam-based roots and European data hosting. The acquisition has strengthened SignRequest's capabilities while preserving its position as a European e-signature solution.