Gravity Forms Signature vs WPsigner: Full Comparison

If you’re a WordPress user looking to collect signatures, you’ve likely come across two options: the Gravity Forms Signature Add-On and WPsigner. While both let you capture signatures, they serve different purposes and are built for different use cases.

This comparison breaks down the key differences to help you choose the right tool.

Two Different Approaches

Gravity Forms Signature is an add-on for the Gravity Forms plugin. It adds a signature drawing pad as a field type within your forms. Think of it as adding a “sign here” box to a contact form, registration form, or application form.

WPsigner is a dedicated document signing platform. It’s built specifically for creating, sending, and signing complete documents with multiple fields, multiple signers, and legally binding audit trails.

The core difference: Gravity Forms captures a signature on a form. WPsigner manages the entire document signing workflow.

Feature Comparison

Signature Capabilities

Gravity Forms Signature

• Draw only — signers draw their signature with a mouse or finger on a touch device
• Stored as image — the signature is saved as a PNG/SVG image attached to the form entry
• No typed or uploaded signatures — if a signer can’t draw a legible signature on a trackpad, there’s no alternative

WPsigner

• Draw, type, or upload — signers choose their preferred method
• Stored with full audit trail — each signature includes IP address, timestamp, document hash, and browser information
• Multi-field support — signatures, initials, dates, text fields, and checkboxes can be placed anywhere on a document

Legal Compliance

This is where the difference matters most for businesses that need signatures for contracts, agreements, or compliance purposes.

What Makes an E-Signature Legally Binding?

Under the ESIGN Act (US), UETA (US states), and eIDAS (EU), an electronic signature is legally binding when:

1. Intent to sign — the signer clearly intended to sign
2. Consent to do business electronically — the signer agreed to the electronic process
3. Association of signature with record — the signature is linked to the document
4. Record retention — the signed document is stored in a reproducible format
5. Audit trail — evidence of who signed, when, and how

Gravity Forms Compliance

Gravity Forms captures a drawn signature and associates it with a form entry. However, it lacks:

• Document hashing — no SHA-256 hash to prove the document wasn’t altered
• Timestamping — no RFC 3161 certified timestamp
• Signer verification — no IP address or browser recording
• PDF audit certificate — no embedded compliance documentation

This means a Gravity Forms signature could be challenged in court because there’s limited evidence proving when it was signed and that the associated form data wasn’t modified.

WPsigner Compliance

WPsigner provides a complete compliance framework:

• SHA-256 document hashing — proves the document wasn’t altered after signing
• RFC 3161 timestamps — certified timestamps from trusted timestamp authorities
• Full signer metadata — IP address, browser, device, and geolocation
• PDF audit certificate — embedded audit trail in every signed document
• Signing ceremony — clear intent and consent workflow

Pricing Comparison

Key consideration: If you already pay for Gravity Forms Elite, the signature add-on is “free” — it’s included in the license. But you’re paying $259/year for a form builder that happens to include basic signature capture. WPsigner at $59/year gives you a purpose-built signing platform.

When to Use Gravity Forms Signature

Gravity Forms Signature is the right choice when:

• ✅ You already use Gravity Forms and just need a basic signature field
• ✅ You’re collecting consent signatures on waivers or release forms
• ✅ Legal enforceability isn’t critical (e.g., event sign-ups, surveys)
• ✅ You only need one signer per form submission
• ✅ You don’t need PDF-based document signing

Typical use cases: Event waivers, volunteer forms, simple consent forms, internal acknowledgments.

When to Use WPsigner

WPsigner is the right choice when:

• ✅ You need legally binding signatures on business documents
• ✅ Multiple parties need to sign the same document
• ✅ You require audit trails for compliance purposes
• ✅ You’re signing PDF contracts, proposals, or agreements
• ✅ GDPR, HIPAA, or other regulations apply
• ✅ You need signer invitation workflows via email

Typical use cases: Client contracts, real estate agreements, employment documents, NDAs, vendor agreements, compliance forms.

Can You Use Both?

Yes — and many WordPress users do. WPsigner includes a Gravity Forms integration that connects the two tools:

• Trigger document signing from a Gravity Forms submission — when a form is submitted, WPsigner automatically sends a signing request
• Map form data to document fields — signer name, email, and custom fields are pre-filled from the form entry
• Best of both worlds — use Gravity Forms for data collection and WPsigner for document signing

This is ideal for workflows like:

1. Client fills out a project intake form (Gravity Forms)
2. A service agreement is automatically sent for signing (WPsigner)
3. The signed contract is stored with the form entry

Conclusion

Gravity Forms Signature and WPsigner serve different needs:

• Gravity Forms Signature = a signature field for forms
• WPsigner = a complete document signing platform

If you need basic signature capture on form submissions where legal compliance isn’t critical, Gravity Forms works well. If you need legally binding contracts with audit trails, multiple signers, and PDF signing — WPsigner is purpose-built for exactly that.

Ready for professional e-signatures? View WPsigner Pricing → | Try the Demo →

Related Reading

• All WPsigner Features — Full breakdown of every WPsigner capability
• WPsigner Integrations: Gravity Forms, WooCommerce & More — See how WPsigner connects with your existing tools
• WordPress Contract Plugin: Generate & Sign Contracts — Complete contract management inside WordPress