Signbee is an e-signature tool built for AI agents rather than for people clicking through a dashboard. Its MCP server takes Markdown, sends it for signature, and needs no account for the first send. If you are looking past it, the usual reasons are that it runs only on your own machine, and that you want a larger free allowance.
I work at Portant, and Sign PDF by Portant is the closest product to Signbee in this list, so I will be specific about where Signbee is the better pick. The Signbee facts below come from its own site, its npm package and the official MCP Registry, checked on October 16, 2026.
The short answer: Sign PDF by Portant is the best Signbee alternative for most people, because it does the same Markdown-to-signature job as a hosted server that also works in claude.ai, with 30 free requests a month instead of 5. For template-based sending from an existing e-signature account, use the Docusign or PandaDoc MCP servers. For self-hosting, use DocuSeal.
What Signbee does well
- Agent first. Signbee is an e-signature API for developers and agents, and every signed PDF carries a certificate with both signatures, timestamps and IP addresses.
- A small, clear MCP server. The npm package
signbee-mcp(MIT, version 1.0.1 published September 4, 2026) runs withnpx -y signbee-mcpand has two tools:send_documentfor Markdown andsend_document_pdffor a PDF URL. - No account for the first send. The API key is optional. Without one, the sender confirms each send with an email code.
- Useful writing. Signbee's blog has some of the best material on agent signing, including a comparison of skills, MCP and API approaches.
Why people look for a Signbee alternative
It runs on your machine only. The MCP server is a local process started with npx, and we found no hosted address. That works in Claude Desktop, Cursor and Windsurf, but not in claude.ai or ChatGPT on the web, and not on a phone.
It is not in the directories. On October 16, 2026 the official MCP Registry returned no Signbee server, and we found no listing in the Claude connector directory. A directory listing is what lets a non-developer add a server in two clicks.
Five free documents a month, and unclear paid pricing. Every Signbee page agrees on 5 free documents a month. Above that, its homepage shows monthly plans while several of its blog posts describe a per-document price, so it is hard to budget.
Sign PDF by Portant and Signbee, side by side
| Sign PDF by Portant | Signbee | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Hosted (https://mcp.portant.co/mcp) | Local (npx -y signbee-mcp) |
| Works in claude.ai on the web | Yes, from the Claude connector directory | No |
| First send with no account | Yes, at /open/mcp: the sender confirms by email | Yes: the sender confirms with an email code |
| Inputs | Markdown, PDF, Google Doc link | Markdown, PDF URL |
| Parties | You and one signer on Free; you and up to five signers, in order, on Plus and Scale | Two (sender and one recipient) |
| Free allowance | 30 requests a month | 5 documents a month |
| Paid plans | Plus $12/mo or $120/yr for 300; Scale $39/mo or $396/yr for 1,500 | See signb.ee |
| Signing languages | Eight | Not listed |
| Signing certificate | Yes | Yes |
| Official MCP Registry | Yes | Not on October 16, 2026 |
Signbee alternatives, compared
| Server | Best for | Hosted or local | Free plan | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign PDF by Portant | Documents your assistant wrote | Hosted | 30 requests/mo | $10/mo (yearly) |
| DocuSeal | Self-hosting | Hosted or self-hosted | 10 request emails/mo | $20/user/mo |
| BoldSign MCP | Developers on the BoldSign API | Hosted or local | 25 envelopes/mo | $5/user/mo (annual) |
| SignWell MCP | Template sends from Claude Desktop | Local | 3 documents/mo | $10/mo (annual) |
| Docusign MCP | Teams already on Docusign | Hosted | No (test sandbox only) | A paid Docusign plan |
| PandaDoc MCP | Proposals from templates | Hosted | 5 sends/mo | $19/seat/mo (annual) |
Entry prices from each vendor's own pricing, checked in October 2026.
1. Sign PDF by Portant, best for the same job as a hosted server
Hosted · Email code, OAuth or API key · Free plan: 30 requests a month
Sign PDF is the server we built. Like Signbee, it takes Markdown your assistant wrote and turns it into a signable PDF, and its no-sign-in address asks the sender to confirm by email before anything reaches the signer. Unlike Signbee, it is hosted, so the same URL works in claude.ai, Claude Code, Cursor and other MCP clients, and it is in the Claude connector directory and the official MCP Registry. It also accepts a Google Doc link and finds past requests by signer email or title. On Plus and Scale it adds up to five signers in order, reminders and saved templates.
Pros
- Six times Signbee's free allowance: 30 requests a month
- Works in claude.ai on the web, not only in desktop and coding clients
- Emails and signing pages in eight languages
Cons
- One signer on Free, the same limit as Signbee; more signers need Plus or Scale
- No Agent Skill option; Signbee offers one for agents that prefer instructions to tools
- On Free, the stored signed copy is deleted after 14 days; Plus and Scale keep it until you delete it, and you can download it from the account page
2. DocuSeal, best for self-hosting
Hosted or self-hosted · DocuSeal sign-in or token · Free plan: 10 request emails a month
If Signbee appeals to you because it is small and open, DocuSeal is the open-source option: AGPLv3, about 18,700 GitHub stars, a connector in the Claude directory, and an MCP endpoint when you self-host version 2.3.7 or later. It works from templates, and API documents are $0.20 each on Pro.
3. BoldSign MCP, best for developers who want hosted and local options
Hosted or local · API key · Free plan: 25 envelopes a month
BoldSign has both an open-source local server and a hosted one at https://mcp.boldsign.com/mcp, with EU, Canada and Australia variants. Its tools send from templates, send reminders and revoke documents. Its API is $30 a month for 40 envelopes, then $0.75 each.
4. SignWell MCP, best for template sends from Claude Desktop
Local · API key · Free plan: 3 documents a month
Like Signbee, SignWell's server is local. It sends documents, including from saved templates, and the documents its tools create are drafts by default. Its pay-as-you-go API starts at $0.85 a document, with the first 25 API documents each month free when a card is on file.
5. Docusign MCP, best for teams already on Docusign
Hosted · Docusign OAuth · Free plan: No (test sandbox only)
If your company already pays for Docusign, its hosted MCP server creates and sends envelopes with your existing templates and permissions, in Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot and more. It needs a paid Docusign account for real envelopes. See our Docusign MCP guide.
6. PandaDoc MCP, best for proposals from templates
Hosted · PandaDoc OAuth · Free plan: 5 sends a month
PandaDoc's hosted server is in the Claude directory and has a ChatGPT app. It sends documents built from templates; a Markdown document has no fields and cannot be signed. Its free eSign plan matches Signbee's 5 a month. See our PandaDoc MCP alternatives.
How to choose
- If you like Signbee's model (Markdown in, signature out, no setup) but need it on the web or above 5 a month, use Sign PDF by Portant.
- If you only ever work in Cursor or Claude Desktop and send a few documents a month, Signbee is still a good choice.
- If you need a template library, more than five signers or an enterprise audit trail, use Docusign, PandaDoc or BoldSign.
- If you want to run it yourself, self-host DocuSeal.
For all nine servers on six tests, see the best e-signature MCP servers in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is Signbee?
Signbee is an e-signature API for developers and AI agents. Its MCP server, the npm package signbee-mcp, runs locally and has two tools: one sends Markdown for signature and one sends a PDF from a URL. It is free for 5 documents a month.
Is there a hosted version of the Signbee MCP server?
We found none. Signbee's MCP server runs locally with npx, so it works in desktop and coding clients such as Claude Desktop, Cursor and Windsurf, but not in claude.ai or ChatGPT on the web.
Is Signbee free?
Signbee is free for 5 documents a month. Its paid pricing appears in two different forms on its own pages, so check signb.ee before you budget. Sign PDF by Portant is free for 30 requests a month.
What is the difference between Signbee and Sign PDF by Portant?
Both turn Markdown from an AI assistant into a signable document, and both let the first send happen with no account after an email confirmation. Sign PDF is hosted and listed in the Claude connector directory and the official MCP Registry, accepts Google Doc links, takes up to five signers in order on its paid plans, and is free for 30 requests a month. Signbee runs locally and is free for 5 documents a month.
Does Signbee work with ChatGPT?
We found no Signbee app in ChatGPT, and a local server cannot be added to ChatGPT on the web. A hosted server such as Sign PDF by Portant can be added to ChatGPT as a custom app in developer mode, where your plan includes it.
