Compare PDF Expert and SignNow on pricing, features, platforms, and ratings — both Documents & E-signature tools, Freemium vs Per-user subscription, monthly…
At a Glance
PDF Expert
SignNow
Primary category
Documents & E-signature
Documents & E-signature
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Freemium
Per-user subscription, monthly or annual billing
Starting price
Free (view/basic annotate); Premium from EUR 5.99/week or EUR 84.99/year; Lifetime EUR 149.99 (Mac only)
$8/user/month (Business plan, billed annually)
Free plan
Yes
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Platforms
iOS, Mac
Web, iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
Not documented
Yes
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Business — $8/user/month (annual) or $20/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Business Premium — $15/user/month (annual) or $30/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Enterprise — $30/user/month (annual) or $50/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Pros & Cons
PDF Expert
Pros
Native, well-designed apps for Mac, iPad, and iPhone
One-time Lifetime purchase option (Mac) as an alternative to subscription
AI-powered PDF Copilot assistant built in
Fast performance and Apple Pencil support on iPad
Strong OCR and form-filling tools
Cons
Lifetime license is limited to the Mac version only
Weekly and annual subscription pricing can be costly compared to some competitors
No native Windows or Android app, with a Mac/iOS/iPadOS focus
Some advanced features are gated behind the Premium subscription
SignNow
Pros
Affordable entry-level pricing compared to some competitors
Strong workflow and automation depth through the broader airSlate ecosystem
Broad third-party integrations with common business apps
Mobile apps for signing documents on the go
Each plan includes an annual allotment of signature invites
Cons
Overage fees apply once a plan's signature invite allotment is exceeded
Advanced automation features require higher-cost tiers
Brand overlap with similarly named e-signature products can cause confusion
Enterprise pricing is not published and requires a sales quote
Interface can feel less modern than some newer e-signature competitors
Use Cases
PDF Expert
Mac and iPad document editing for professionals — Professionals use PDF Expert to annotate, edit, and sign contracts and reports natively on Mac and iPad.
Student note-taking and study — Students annotate lecture slides and textbooks with Apple Pencil support on iPad.
Digitizing and organizing scanned paperwork — Users scan paper documents, run OCR to make them searchable, and organize them into folders.
SignNow
Sales and HR document signing — Send and collect signatures on contracts, offer letters, and agreements.
Automated approval workflows — Build multi-step signing and approval workflows with role-based order.
Embedded e-signature via API — Add e-signature capability directly inside another application or platform.