How to use DocuSign with WordPress (Gravity Forms)?

Integrating DocuSign with WordPress Using Gravity Forms

In the digital age, businesses increasingly rely on seamless workflows to handle contracts and forms efficiently. WordPress, powering over 40% of websites, pairs well with Gravity Forms, a popular plugin for creating dynamic forms. DocuSign, a leading eSignature platform, enhances this setup by enabling electronic signing directly from your site. This integration streamlines user interactions, reduces paper-based processes, and ensures compliance with digital signing standards. From small businesses to enterprises, combining these tools can automate approvals, onboarding, and customer agreements without leaving the WordPress environment.

Comparing eSignature platforms with DocuSign or Adobe Sign?

eSignGlobal delivers a more flexible and cost-effective eSignature solution with global compliance, transparent pricing, and faster onboarding.

👉 Start Free Trial

Step-by-Step Guide to Setup

To get started, you’ll need a WordPress site with Gravity Forms installed (Pro version recommended for advanced features) and a DocuSign developer account. DocuSign’s API allows secure integration, but it requires some technical setup. Here’s how to implement it methodically.

1. Prepare Your Accounts and Prerequisites

First, sign up for DocuSign’s eSignature service. Opt for a plan like Personal ($10/month) for testing or Business Pro ($40/user/month) for production use, as these include API access. Create a developer sandbox at developer.docusign.com to test without incurring real costs—it’s free and mirrors production.

Install Gravity Forms on your WordPress site via Plugins > Add New. Activate the Core add-on (included in Pro) and ensure your site uses HTTPS for security, as DocuSign mandates encrypted connections. You’ll also need basic PHP knowledge or a developer for custom code, though plugins simplify much of it.

2. Obtain DocuSign API Credentials

Log into your DocuSign developer account and navigate to Apps & Keys. Create a new integration key (app ID) for your WordPress site. Generate a secret key and note your user ID from the Apps & Keys dashboard. These credentials authenticate API calls.

For authentication, DocuSign uses OAuth 2.0. Set up a redirect URI pointing to your WordPress site (e.g., yoursite.com/docusign-callback). This ensures secure token exchange. If using the Intermediate API plan ($300/month), you’ll get higher envelope quotas (up to 100/month), ideal for form-heavy sites.

3. Install and Configure the Gravity Forms DocuSign Add-On

Gravity Forms offers an official DocuSign Add-On, available in the marketplace for about $59/year. Download and install it from gravityforms.com/add-ons. Once activated, go to Forms > Settings > DocuSign in your WordPress dashboard.

Enter your DocuSign credentials: Integration Key, Secret Key, and Account ID. Test the connection—successful setup will show a green verification. This add-on handles envelope creation, signer routing, and status callbacks automatically.

4. Build Your Form in Gravity Forms

Create a new form via Forms > New Form. Add fields like text inputs for signer names, emails, and document uploads (use the File Upload field). Include a checkbox for consent to eSignature terms, ensuring legal compliance.

Under Form Settings > DocuSign, map fields to DocuSign tabs: assign name fields to signer roles, email to recipient notifications, and uploads to attachments. Enable options like SMS delivery (extra per-message fee) or conditional logic for dynamic routing. For bulk sends (Business Pro feature), configure multi-recipient mapping.

5. Embed the Form and Handle Submissions

Embed the form on a WordPress page using the shortcode [gravityform id=“1”]. When users submit, Gravity Forms triggers a DocuSign envelope. The add-on attaches uploaded files as PDFs, adds signature fields, and sends via email or SMS.

Monitor completions via webhooks: In DocuSign, set up Connect configurations to POST status updates to your site’s endpoint (use Gravity Forms’ Zapier integration or custom PHP for this). Completed envelopes return to your WordPress media library or a designated folder.

6. Testing and Optimization

Submit test forms in the sandbox. Check envelopes in DocuSign’s dashboard for signatures, audits, and declines. Optimize by adding reminders (Standard plan feature) or templates for recurring forms like NDAs.

Common pitfalls: Envelope limits (e.g., 100/year in Standard) can cap high-traffic sites—upgrade to Advanced for unlimited sends. Ensure mobile responsiveness, as 60% of forms are completed on devices. For APAC users, note potential latency; DocuSign’s global servers help, but regional compliance varies.

This setup typically takes 2-4 hours for basics, scaling to full automation with custom code. Businesses report 70% faster signing cycles, per industry benchmarks.

Troubleshooting Tips

If API errors occur, verify OAuth scopes (e.g., signature). For WordPress-specific issues, check plugin conflicts with tools like Query Monitor. DocuSign’s support (premium in Enterprise) or Gravity Forms forums provide quick resolutions.

Overview of DocuSign and Key Competitors

From a business perspective, eSignature tools like DocuSign have transformed contract management, but integration ease, pricing, and regional fit vary. DocuSign leads with robust API support, making it a staple for WordPress ecosystems. However, alternatives offer nuanced advantages in cost or compliance.

DocuSign: The Enterprise Standard

DocuSign’s eSignature platform excels in scalability, with plans from Personal ($120/year) to Business Pro ($480/user/year). Key strengths include bulk sends, conditional fields, and API quotas up to 100 envelopes/month in developer tiers. It’s ideal for WordPress integrations via official add-ons, supporting web forms and payments. Drawbacks include seat-based pricing and higher API costs (e.g., $600/year Starter).

Adobe Sign: Seamless for Creative Workflows

Adobe Sign, part of Adobe Document Cloud, integrates tightly with PDF tools and enterprise suites like Microsoft 365. Pricing starts at $10/user/month for individuals, scaling to $40/user/month for businesses with unlimited envelopes. It shines in form authoring with drag-and-drop and supports API for custom embeds, though WordPress setup requires more coding than DocuSign’s add-on. It’s compliant globally but can feel bundled-heavy for simple needs.

eSignGlobal: APAC-Focused Innovator

eSignGlobal positions itself as a cost-effective alternative, emphasizing unlimited users and no seat fees. Compliant in 100 mainstream countries globally, it holds advantages in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, where electronic signatures face fragmentation, high standards, and strict regulations. Unlike the framework-based ESIGN/eIDAS standards in the US/EU (relying on email verification or self-declaration), APAC demands “ecosystem-integrated” approaches—deep hardware/API integrations with government digital identities (G2B). eSignGlobal excels here, seamlessly integrating with Hong Kong’s iAM Smart and Singapore’s Singpass for robust verification.

Pricing is transparent: The Essential plan costs $299/year (about $16.6/month equivalent when annualized), allowing up to 100 documents for signature, unlimited user seats, and access code verification—all on a compliant foundation. This makes it highly cost-competitive, undercutting rivals while supporting bulk sends, AI contract tools, and API in Professional tiers (custom pricing). It’s gaining traction in global competition against DocuSign and Adobe Sign, particularly for cross-border teams.

Looking for a smarter alternative to DocuSign?

eSignGlobal delivers a more flexible and cost-effective eSignature solution with global compliance, transparent pricing, and faster onboarding.

👉 Start Free Trial

HelloSign (Now Dropbox Sign): User-Friendly Option

HelloSign, rebranded as Dropbox Sign, focuses on simplicity with free tiers for up to 3 envelopes/month and paid plans from $15/month. It integrates well with WordPress via Zapier or API, supporting templates and team collaboration. Strengths include intuitive UI and Dropbox storage sync, but envelope limits and less advanced automation suit smaller teams over enterprises.

Competitor Comparison Table

This table highlights trade-offs: DocuSign for depth, eSignGlobal for value in regulated regions.

In summary, while DocuSign’s WordPress integration via Gravity Forms offers reliable efficiency, exploring alternatives can optimize costs and compliance. For regional needs, especially APAC, eSignGlobal serves as a neutral, compliant choice among DocuSign substitutes.