The best free form builder with a signature field is one where the signature block is on the free plan and the signed answer lands in a record you can export. Qwenvo includes a Signature block at $0, and Tally includes signatures on its free plan. Disclosure: we make Qwenvo, so it is listed first. For legally binding contracts, read the note on e-signature law below.
What to check before you pick
- Is the signature field on the free plan, or on a paid tier?
- What do you get back: an image of the drawn signature in the submission, a PDF, or both?
- Can you export the record to keep for your files?
- Can signers use a phone, where most signatures are drawn?
- What the law needs. A drawn signature on a form is not the same as a certified e-signature service. Rules vary by country and by document, so check with a professional for contracts.
Comparison
- Qwenvo: Signature block, $0; submission PDF per response and CSV/JSON/XLSX exports.
- Tally: signatures are on the free plan.
- Jotform: a big feature set; check its pricing page for signature features on the free plan.
- Fillout: free plan with 1,000 responses a month; check its docs for signature support.
- Google Forms: we did not verify a signature field; check its documentation.
1. Qwenvo
Best for: waivers, consent forms, permission slips and agreements where a drawn signature on the form is enough. Add a Signature block with /, then make it required. You can export every submission as a PDF, and CSV, JSON or XLSX for the table.
Useful starting points: the field trip permission slip, board vote and consent and job offer acceptance templates. The e-signature form guide covers the setup.
Watch out for: the per-submission PDF cannot draw some scripts (Devanagari, Arabic) or emoji in text, though CSV and XLSX exports can. If your forms are in those scripts, export the table or test the PDF first.
2. Tally
Best for: simple signed forms with an editor you type into. Signatures are free. Watch out for: the badge and custom domain need Pro, from $29 a month.
3. Jotform
Best for: teams that want a mature product with a mobile app and lots of templates. Watch out for: the free plan has form and submission limits and branding. Check Jotform's pricing.
4. Fillout
Best for: forms that sync to Airtable or Notion. Watch out for: 1,000 responses a month on free. See Fillout pricing.
5. Google Forms
Best for: simple forms where a typed name is enough. Watch out for: if you need a drawn signature, check the docs first; a common workaround is asking for a signed document as a file upload, which makes respondents sign in with Google.
A good signed-form setup
- Put the agreement text directly above the signature.
- Add a required checkbox saying the person has read it.
- Collect a printed name and a date next to the signature.
- Turn on confirmation emails so the signer gets a copy.
- Set a retention period for the records. See data retention.
Where dedicated e-signature tools win
For contracts that need audit trails, certificates or multi-party signing, a dedicated e-signature service is the right tool. A form signature is best for waivers, consents and simple agreements.
Make the signed record useful
A signature is only worth keeping if you can find it later. Add a required full-name field and a date, name the form clearly (for example, Field trip waiver, spring term), and use a folder per project so the records stay together. Export a CSV or XLSX of the submissions at the end of the period and store it where your records policy says.
Questions people ask
Is a signature on an online form legally binding?
It depends on the country and the document. We cannot give legal advice. Ask a professional for anything high-stakes.
Can people sign on a phone?
Qwenvo forms run in any phone browser; there is no Qwenvo mobile app. Test the signature on your own phone before you send the form out.
Can I get the signed form as a PDF?
Yes, per submission, subject to the script and emoji note above.
Will this stay free? If paid plans are ever introduced, everything you already use stays available and you will be told well in advance. Today there is no plan to pick and no card on file.
Every feature, $0, no card.
Add a signature to your form