Guide

How to Add E-Signatures to Your Website

Any website can add e-signature functionality with a simple API integration. No SDK, no embedded widgets — just a POST request.

Steps

  1. 1

    Sign up for a free Signbee API key

  2. 2

    Add a form to collect document and recipient details

  3. 3

    POST to the Signbee API from your backend

  4. 4

    Recipient receives signing link by email

  5. 5

    Signed document delivered to both parties automatically

Try it with curl

curl
curl -X POST https://signb.ee/api/send \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "content": "# Your Document\n\nContent here...",
    "senderName": "Your Name",
    "senderEmail": "you@email.com",
    "recipientName": "Recipient",
    "recipientEmail": "recipient@email.com"
  }'

Legal validity

Electronic signatures are legally binding under the ESIGN Act (US), eIDAS Regulation (EU), and Electronic Communications Act (UK). Every Signbee document includes a SHA-256 tamper-proof certificate.

More details

Adding e-signatures to your website typically means choosing between heavyweight embedded solutions (DocuSign, HelloSign) that take weeks to integrate, or building your own signing infrastructure from scratch. Signbee offers a third option: a single REST endpoint that handles PDF generation, email delivery, signing UX, and certificate creation.

Integration approaches: - Backend API call: Your server calls POST /api/send when a user submits a form. The simplest approach — works with any language (Node.js, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go, Java). - Embedded iframe: The API returns a signing_url. Embed this in an iframe to keep the signing experience within your site. - Redirect flow: Send the user to the signing URL. After signing, they're redirected back to your site.

Common website integration scenarios: 1. Client onboarding — Customer fills out a form on your site, you generate a service agreement with their details, and send it for immediate signature. 2. Checkout with terms — E-commerce or SaaS checkout that requires signed terms of service before purchase. 3. Job applications — Candidate applies on your careers page, receives an offer letter for electronic signature. 4. Vendor registration — New vendors register on your portal and sign vendor agreements before being activated. 5. Patient intake — Healthcare provider's website sends consent forms before appointments.

Security considerations: Always call the Signbee API from your backend, never from the frontend. Your API key should never be exposed in client-side JavaScript. Use environment variables to store your API key and make the API call server-side.

No SDK dependency: Unlike embedded e-signature solutions that require JavaScript SDKs, version management, and bundle size overhead, the REST API approach has zero client-side dependencies. This means faster page loads, no SDK version conflicts, and simpler maintenance.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to add e-signatures to a website?

Under 30 minutes for basic integration. You need one backend endpoint that calls the Signbee API and a frontend form to collect document/recipient details. No SDK installation, no webhook configuration required for basic use.

Do I need to install an SDK?

No. Signbee uses a REST API — a single POST request from your backend. It works with any programming language and framework without any client-side SDK or JavaScript library.

Is it free to add e-signatures to my website?

The free tier includes 5 documents per month. For websites with higher volume, paid plans start at $9/month. No upfront costs or minimum commitments.

Related resources

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