When you compare PandaDoc and Docusign, neither platform makes you pay upfront to get started. Each offers a free trial and doesn’t require a credit card.

The most apparent difference is the 14 days versus 30 days, but this trial length is just one dimension to look at.

What really matters is what you can actually do during that time. That means how many documents you can send, which features you can access, what you can and can’t do, and whether you can get a good sense of how that tool will work for your business.

This guide will walk you through both trial experiences to help you decide which one is more worth it for your situation.

Start your PandaDoc trial today.

A quick look at both trials

Here’s a quick comparison of the two trials at a glance. Later, we’ll cover these differences more in depth.

What you can do in a PandaDoc 14-day trial

As soon as you start, our 14-day trial will give you access to the Business plan. No credit card is required.

This means that you get to test exactly how documents are created, sent, tracked, and signed throughout this period. (So, it’s more than just testing out eSignatures.)

Here’s what’s included in the trial:

• Full drag-and-drop document editor
• Access to our template library
• Built-in e-signature software
• CRM integrations (including HubSpot and Pipedrive) via PandaDoc integrations
• Custom branding
• Deal rooms
• Approval workflows
• Real-time tracking and notifications
• Audit trails
• Content library
• Mobile app access

You can also send:

• Up to 50 documents during the trial
• Up to 5 recipients per document (business email required)

The recipients can then sign from any device without needing to have a PandaDoc account.

Here’s what’s not included with the trial:

• Documents with hyperlinks (for spam prevention)
• Bulk send
• Salesforce integration
• Smart content (available on annual plans only)

The key thing to consider is that this is a working trial, which means you can send real documents to real recipients in real workflows. This helps you see how the platform performs in a real-world scenario.

What you can do in a Docusign 30-day trial

Docusign offers a 30-day trial, which is based on their Business Pro plan. They also do not require a credit card when setting up.

Having a longer timeframe to test out the software is a clear advantage if you want more time to explore the platform.

Here’s what’s included in the trial (based on Docusign’s website):

• Reusable templates
• Collaborative comments
• Basic and advanced fields (including Drawing fields)
• Signing reminders
• Reports tab
• Mobile app
• Audit trail
• Connections to Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive

Now, there’s an important practical limit to be aware of when it comes to envelopes:

• The trial includes 5 envelopes total for the entire 30-day period
• Each envelope can include up to 5 recipients

Docusign refers to a single send transaction as an “envelope.” The envelope can contain one or multiple documents, but it still counts as one send.

This means that the trial allows you to test a few workflows, but you can’t evaluate based on high volume.

Here’s what’s not included in the trial:

• Bulk send
• Payments
• Some advanced integrations

Something to note is that Docusign offers other free options alongside the trial, including:

• A signer-only account (limited to 3 envelopes to send, no expiration)
• A demo environment (not legally binding)

The key differences worth knowing

Document creation vs document signing

PandaDoc is built for creating documents natively, like proposals, quotes, and contracts. But we are also known for signing them.

During the trial, you can:

• Build proposals, contracts, and quotes from scratch
• Use templates
• Add pricing tables
• Customize branding

This matters when you’re evaluating tools like proposal software or quoting software.

To compare, Docusign’s trial is primarily a signing tool. This means you can:

• Upload an existing file
• Add fields
• Send it for signature

But there’s no native document builder in the trial or in the paid product, which is important to keep in mind.

This is not necessarily a drawback, but it is a different use case, as it will determine what you can evaluate during the trial. So if you’re interested in testing document creation, only PandaDoc’s trial will offer that.

How far does each trial actually go?

Now let’s talk about some of the biggest practical differences between the trials.

• PandaDoc: 50 documents in 14 days
• Docusign: 5 envelopes in 30 days

For PandaDoc, this gives you less time than Docusign, but enough to run real documents through a real workflow with real recipients. Plus, it gives you significantly more volume to test with.

Docusign gives you more time, enough to test the signing experience. But it doesn’t give you enough to really evaluate at any business volume.

Some practical similarities: Neither trial includes bulk send during the trial. Both trials produce legally binding signatures.

Ultimately, if testing real usage at scale is important to you, then the document limit will matter more than the number of days.

What happens when each trial ends

PandaDoc:

• Your account will expire at the end of 14 days
• You’re not charged if no payment info was added
• You can switch to the free eSign plan or upgrade
• The trial can be extended on request

Docusign:

• The account downgrades to a more limited state
• You’ll see upgrade prompts in the interface
• A free signer account remains available

For both platforms, you won’t be automatically charged without adding payment details.

Which trial is right for you?

Say your main goal is to collect signatures on documents that you’ve already created, and you want to have a longer period of time to evaluate, Docusign’s 30-day trial is a solid choice for you.

If you have a need and/or desire to create, send, and track documents in one place, (including proposals, contracts, and quotes) plus you want to test a complete workflow with real documents and real recipients, the PandaDoc 14-day trial will give you much more to work with.

Additionally, if CRM integration is important to you during your evaluation, PandaDoc’s trial includes HubSpot and Pipedrive connections during the trial. Docusign’s CRM integrations are much more limited during the trial phase.

If you want a broader comparison that goes beyond just the trial experience, check out our article PandaDoc vs Docusign, or you can review PandaDoc pricing.

Ready to start your PandaDoc trial?

You can get full Business plan access for 14 days, no credit card required. Start your 14-day trial today!Want a guided walkthrough first? Request a free demo now.