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How to

How to get a PDF signed without Adobe Acrobat

You don’t need Acrobat, or a printer and scanner, to get a PDF signed. These are the steps to do it in a browser and get back a signed copy with a record of who signed it.

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Refrendo is in a closed beta. Beta organisations use it free.

Four steps

  1. Upload the PDF. Create a free Refrendo account and upload the document (up to 25 MB).
  2. Add who signs. Type their name and email. Add an approver first if someone should check it before it goes out.
  3. Place the fields. Drag a signature box, a date and a name field where each person should fill them in.
  4. Send. They get an email, open the link, and are guided from field to field. They can type, draw or upload their signature, on a phone or a computer.

When everyone has signed, each of you is emailed a link to download the final PDF, with the signatures merged into the page, and its completion certificate.

If you’re the one signing

If someone has sent you a PDF to sign and you don’t have Acrobat, ask them whether they can send it through a signing service instead of by email attachment. You can then sign in your browser and download the signed copy when everyone has finished.

Why not print, sign and scan?

It works, but it takes longer, loses quality, and leaves no record of who signed or whether pages were changed afterwards. A signing service keeps that record for you. The original and final are fingerprinted with SHA-256 and every step is logged.

Details about other products are from their public websites as of September 2026 and may have changed. Product names are trademarks of their owners; Refrendo is not affiliated with them.

Keep reading

Sign a Word document →

Sign one yourself, or get someone else to sign it.

Alternatives to Adobe Acrobat →

The free tools that replace each part of Acrobat, by job.

Is Adobe Sign free? →

Fill & Sign, two free requests every 30 days, and Acrobat in AUD.

Questions

Can a PDF be signed electronically in Australia?

For most business documents, yes. The Electronic Transactions Acts recognise an electronic signature when the method identifies the signer and shows their intention, is reliable for the purpose, and the other party agrees to sign electronically. Some documents, such as wills, have special rules. This is general information, not legal advice.

Can I just paste a picture of my signature into the PDF?

You can, but it proves very little: anyone could have pasted it, and nothing records when or by whom. A signing service records who signed, when, what exactly they signed, and fingerprints the result so changes are detectable.

Does the person signing need to pay?

No. With Refrendo, signers never pay and never need an account.

Join the closed beta

Refrendo is invitation-only for now. Organisations in the beta send free for as long as it runs.

Request an inviteSee pricing