Best apps to sign a PDF on Android, compared
The best app to sign a PDF on Android is PDFriend, our app. Draw your signature once, place it on the page, add the date as text, and save a signed copy, all on the phone, with no account, no upload and no limit. Fill form fills the form fields first, so one app does the whole job.
Which signing app do we pick, and why?
Our pick: PDFriend. We make PDFriend, so here is exactly why it wins for this task. The tables below show the facts.
- Draw once, sign again. The app saves your signature on the phone. Keep more than one, and delete one when you want.
- No account and no upload. Your signature and the signed PDF never leave the device.
- A complete signed copy. Add the date or your name with the Text tool, highlight a line, or cover a mistake with Whiteout.
- Forms too. Fill form fills the fields of a PDF form before you sign.
- No limit on signing, and the original file stays unchanged.
How do the 6 signing apps score?
Your signature is personal data. These points keep it yours. PDFriend meets all of them.
| App | No account needed | Files stay on the phone | No daily task limit | One-time purchase option | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDFriend (our app) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | 4 of 4 |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 0 of 4 |
| Docusign | Not stated | ✗ No | Not stated | Not stated | 0 of 4 |
| iLovePDF | Not stated | Not stated | ✗ No | Not stated | 0 of 4 |
| Smallpdf | Not stated | ✗ No | ✗ No | Not stated | 0 of 4 |
| Xodo | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 0 of 4 |
How did we compare the apps?
We searched Google Play in the US store for "sign pdf", "docusign", "pdf editor". Each fact about another app comes from its own Google Play listing, checked on 10 October 2026. When a listing does not say something, the table says Not stated. That does not mean the app lacks it. Ratings and installs change every day.
PDFriend is our app. We put it first as our pick, then the other apps in alphabetical order. The facts about PDFriend come from the app itself. PDFriend is on Android and iPhone. We have no business relationship with the other developers.
The 6 apps side by side
| App | Sign a PDF | "Contains ads" label | Paid plan (from the listing) | Where the files are made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDFriend (our app) | Draw once, saved on the phone, use again | Yes | PDFriend Pro: Yearly subscription or Lifetime one-time purchase | On the phone, no upload |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Fill & Sign, listed as a feature without a subscription | Yes | Subscription, with a 7-day free trial | Not stated |
| Docusign | Unlimited signing at no cost, no monthly limit | No | Subscription plans to send documents for signature | You upload the documents |
| iLovePDF | Yes, fill and sign with your finger | No | Premium: monthly or yearly subscription for unlimited use | Not stated |
| Smallpdf | Yes, and request signatures from others | No | PRO: monthly or yearly subscription, 1 task each day without it | On Smallpdf servers, deleted after 1 hour |
| Xodo | Yes | No | In-app purchases | Not stated |
| App | Developer | Where the files are made | Account or cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDFriend (our app) | ItDeveApps | On the phone, no upload | No account, no cloud |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Adobe | Not stated | Links OneDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive |
| Docusign | Docusign | You upload the documents | Not stated |
| iLovePDF | iLovePDF | Not stated | Not stated |
| Smallpdf | Smallpdf AG | On Smallpdf servers, deleted after 1 hour | Google Drive, Dropbox and others |
| Xodo | Apryse Software Inc. | Not stated | Sync with cloud services |
Each app in one paragraph
PDFriend (our app)
Open the PDF, tap Annotate and sign, then Signature. Draw it once. Then move and resize it on the page, and save. The app saves a new PDF and keeps the original. The signature goes on the page like ink on paper. PDFriend on Google Play and on the App Store.
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Acrobat Reader names Fill & Sign. Editing text and images is a paid feature after a 7-day trial, and Google Play shows the "Contains ads" label. Adobe Acrobat Reader on Google Play.
Docusign
Docusign is built for business agreements. You upload each document to Docusign before you sign, and sending documents to other people needs a paid plan. Docusign on Google Play.
iLovePDF
iLovePDF names fill and sign with your finger. Unlimited use needs Premium, a monthly or yearly subscription, and the listing does not state where it processes your files. iLovePDF on Google Play.
Smallpdf
Smallpdf adds e-signatures. It uploads your files and deletes them after 1 hour, and without PRO it allows 1 tool task each day. Smallpdf on Google Play.
Xodo
Xodo is a PDF reader and editor that names signing and sync with cloud services. Its paid features are in-app purchases, and it does not state where it processes your files. Xodo on Google Play.
What do people sign on their phone?
- A lease or a rental form. Fill the fields with Fill form, sign, add the date, send.
- A school or a work form. Sign it and send it back from the phone in a minute.
- A delivery note or an invoice. Sign it, and highlight the line that matters.
- A contract with two parties. Sign your copy in PDFriend, then send it to the other party to sign.
The guide how to sign a PDF on Android shows each step. To change more than the signature, read how to edit a PDF on Android.
Our verdict
To sign a PDF on Android, install PDFriend. Draw your signature once, sign any PDF in seconds, and keep your signature and your files on your phone, with no account and no limit.
The comparison in numbers
- 6 apps compared, from 3 Google Play searches in the US store.
- 2 apps upload your documents: Docusign and Smallpdf.
- 1 app states that the signature and the file stay on the phone: PDFriend.
- 5 tools in Annotate and sign: Pen, Highlighter, Text, Signature and Whiteout.
- 5 colors for the pen and the text. Checked on 10 October 2026.
Questions and answers
What is the best app to sign a PDF on Android?
PDFriend, our app. Draw your signature once, place it on any page, and save a signed copy on the phone, with no account, no upload and no limit.
Can I sign a PDF on Android without paying?
Yes. PDFriend has no limit on Annotate and sign, and it needs no account. Smallpdf allows 1 tool task each day without PRO.
Which app can fill and sign a PDF form?
PDFriend. Fill form fills the form fields, then Annotate and sign adds your signature and the date. Both work on the phone, with no account.
Is a drawn signature legally valid?
In many countries, a drawn electronic signature is valid for everyday documents such as a lease or a school form. PDFriend puts your drawn signature on the page, like ink on paper.
Do I need an account to sign a PDF?
Not with PDFriend: it has no account, and your signature stays on the phone. Docusign works with uploaded documents, and Smallpdf uploads files to its servers.