Parapho vs Dropbox Sign: pricing, features and which to choose
Parapho vs Dropbox Sign (formerly HelloSign) compared: per-seat vs flat pricing, templates, bulk send, conditional fields, API costs and security.
Dropbox Sign, which most people still know as HelloSign, earned its reputation by being simpler and friendlier than the enterprise suites. It's still per-seat software, though, with template caps and features held back for higher tiers. Parapho keeps the simplicity and drops the per-seat model: one flat price for the whole team. Here's how they compare on price, features and the API.
Prices are list prices in USD from each company's public pricing page, checked on November 1, 2026, before tax and before any introductory discounts. Dropbox Sign figures are for annual billing; monthly billing costs more. Vendors change prices, so check before you buy.
At a glance
| Dropbox Sign | Parapho | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per user, per month | Flat: one price per workspace |
| Free plan | 3 signature requests a month, 1 user | 5 envelopes a month, 3 templates, unlimited Quick Sign |
| One person | Essentials: $15 a month ($20 billed monthly) | Solo: $3 a month or $30 a year |
| Teams | Standard: $25 per user a month, 2 to 5 users; Premium by quote | Team: $15 a month or $150 a year, unlimited users |
| Signature requests | Unlimited on paid plans | Unlimited* on Solo and Team |
| Templates | 5 on Essentials, 15 on Standard, unlimited on Premium | 3 on Free; unlimited on Solo and Team |
| Automatic reminders | Essentials and up | Solo and Team |
| Public links | Template links, Essentials and up | Public form links, Solo and Team |
| Custom branding | Standard and up | Team |
| Bulk send | Standard and up | Solo and Team |
| In-person signing | Standard and up | All plans |
| Conditional logic | Premium | Conditional fields on every plan |
| Single sign-on | Premium | Not available |
| Two-factor authentication | Available | Mandatory on every account |
| Sign your own PDF without uploading it | No | Yes, free and unlimited |
| API | From $75 a month for 50 requests a month | $0.02 per completed envelope, first 100 a month free |
*Unlimited is subject to fair use of up to 1,000 envelopes a month per workspace.
What a team actually pays
Dropbox Sign's self-serve team plan, Standard, starts at two users and stops at five; beyond that you need a Premium quote. A year's cost on annual billing:
| People who send documents | Dropbox Sign | Parapho |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $180 a year (Essentials) | $30 a year (Solo) |
| 2 | $600 a year (Standard) | $150 a year (Team) |
| 5 | $1,500 a year (Standard) | $150 a year (Team) |
| 20 | Premium, by quote | $150 a year (Team) |
Parapho Team is $180 a year if you pay monthly. If your team grows from five to twenty, Parapho's price doesn't change. For the method behind these numbers, see how much e-signature software should cost.
Templates and advanced fields
Dropbox Sign caps templates at 5 on Essentials and 15 on Standard, and keeps conditional logic, drop-downs and masked fields for Premium. Parapho includes unlimited templates on Solo and Team, and all 13 field types, including conditional fields, on every plan, Free included. See how to create a reusable contract template.
API and embedded signing
The HelloSign API was popular with developers, and Dropbox Sign still offers a free test mode. Production plans are sold in monthly request bundles:
| Monthly volume | Dropbox Sign API (annual billing) | Parapho API |
|---|---|---|
| 50 requests | Essentials 50: $75 a month ($100 billed monthly) | $0 (first 100 free) |
| 100 requests | Essentials 100: $125 a month | $0 |
| 500 requests | Essentials 500: $450 a month | $8 a month |
| Embedded signing in your app | Standard plans, from $250 a month for 100 requests | Included, with embed.js and SDKs |
| Sandbox | Free test mode | Free sk_test_ keys |
Parapho charges only when an envelope is completed, with no bundles to size and no monthly minimum. More in how to embed e-signatures in your app.
Security
Dropbox Sign offers two-factor authentication for an extra layer of protection. Parapho makes it compulsory: every account, including free ones, must use two-factor authentication, by authenticator app or emailed code. Every completed Parapho document is flattened, digitally signed (validated by Adobe Reader) and fingerprinted with SHA-256, and anyone can verify a copy without uploading it.
When Dropbox Sign is the better choice
- Your team already works in Dropbox and wants signed files saved there automatically.
- You need single sign-on or data residency outside the United States (Premium).
- You need qualified electronic signatures or eID for European workflows (Premium API).
- You rely on its integrations with tools such as Google Workspace and Salesforce.
When Parapho is the better choice
- You have more than one person sending documents, or expect to grow past five.
- You want unlimited templates and conditional fields without a Premium quote.
- You need a HIPAA BAA on a self-serve plan.
- You want mandatory two-factor authentication and digitally sealed, verifiable PDFs.
- You're a developer who wants to pay per completed envelope instead of buying bundles.
- You sometimes just need to sign a PDF yourself, privately and for free.
Switching from Dropbox Sign
- Download your signed documents and audit trails from Dropbox Sign, or confirm they're saved in Dropbox.
- Upload your template PDFs to Parapho and place the fields and signer roles.
- Replace template links on your website with Parapho public form links.
- Invite your team. On Team, adding people doesn't change the price.
Dropbox Sign and HelloSign are trademarks of Dropbox, Inc. Parapho is not affiliated with Dropbox. Feature and price information comes from Dropbox Sign's public pricing pages as of November 1, 2026; tell us at hello@parapho.com if anything here is out of date.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dropbox Sign the same as HelloSign?
Yes. Dropbox bought HelloSign in 2019 and renamed it Dropbox Sign in 2022. The product and its API carry on under the new name.
Is Parapho cheaper than Dropbox Sign?
Yes. Dropbox Sign Essentials is $15 a month for one user on annual billing and Standard is $25 per user a month, so five users cost $1,500 a year. Parapho Solo is $30 a year and Parapho Team is $150 a year for any number of users.
Does Dropbox Sign have a free plan?
Yes. Dropbox Sign's free plan includes 3 signature requests a month for one user. Parapho's free plan includes 5 envelopes a month, 3 templates and unlimited in-browser Quick Sign for your own PDFs.
Do I need Dropbox to use Dropbox Sign?
No, but its main advantage is the Dropbox integration, which saves signed documents straight into your Dropbox. Parapho stores completed documents in your workspace, and you can download every sealed PDF and certificate at any time.
When should I choose Dropbox Sign over Parapho?
Choose Dropbox Sign if your team already works in Dropbox, or if you need single sign-on, data residency outside the US, or qualified electronic signatures, which are on its Premium plans.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by country, state and document type; check with a lawyer for anything high-stakes.