DocSpring vs PlatoForms

Online forms and PDF intake

PlatoForms turns PDFs into online forms and supports workflows that collect information from people. Its Master Forms can populate several PDFs from one set of answers. DocSpring also creates hosted or embedded forms from PDF fields, with an API for filling documents from data your application already has.

Both are relevant to a customer application form. PlatoForms is worth a close look when your team wants to configure intake and workflow steps in a form product. DocSpring fits a product that needs to own the surrounding experience, including authentication and notifications.

Feature comparison

Follow the feature links for details in DocSpring's documentation. Sources for each PlatoForms cell are listed at the end of the page.

Scroll the table sideways to see both products.

"Not published" means the vendor's public materials do not say either way, usually because it is handled on request. A dedicated integration is different from connecting an API through a generic HTTP action. Plan requirements and product boundaries are noted in the cells.

Prefill an application, then let the customer finish it

Your CRM already knows the customer's name and email. The customer needs to supply the missing answers and sign without typing the same details again.

Start by testing PDF filling in DocSpring

This request fills the known name and email fields. Add Data Requests when you are ready to collect the remaining fields or a signature.

curl --fail-with-body \
  "https://sync.api.docspring.com/api/v1/templates/${DOCSPRING_TEMPLATE_ID}/submissions" \
  --user "${DOCSPRING_TEST_TOKEN_ID}:${DOCSPRING_TEST_TOKEN_SECRET}" \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{
    "test": true,
    "data": {
      "customer_name": "Mira Patel",
      "customer_email": "[email protected]"
    }
  }'

Set the environment variables to your template ID and test API credentials. Accounts in our EU region send requests to sync.api-eu.docspring.com instead. The response includes a download URL for a watermarked PDF. See the request and response guide.

Test the form on a phone, resume an unfinished application, and send it through every approval step. Compare the customer experience and the staff workflow as well as the final PDF.

Cheap per month, capped per form and per API call

A team with 25 published application forms needs Gold at $80 a month billed annually for the form count alone, even at modest volume. DocSpring's Starter plan is $49 per month with unlimited templates, and API calls are not metered, only generated PDFs. If you need HIPAA, PlatoForms includes the BAA from Silver; DocSpring includes it on standard plans too.

Moving PlatoForms workflows to DocSpring

Keep the original PDFs, field definitions, conditional rules, and example responses. Recreate the PDF fields in DocSpring, then map the old answer keys to the new schema. Test the final layout and the form validation separately.

Rebuild prefill and invitation flows using submissions and Data Requests. PlatoForms sends the invitation emails; with DocSpring your application sends them and controls participant access.

For Master Forms or workflows that populate several PDFs, send the same data to several templates in a batch and combine the files when appropriate. Preserve historical submissions and signed records before retiring the old forms.

Discuss your documents with us.

Questions about PlatoForms alternatives

Can DocSpring collect data without a form I build myself?

Yes. It generates a web form from PDF template fields or shows a visual form over the PDF. Forms can be hosted or embedded. Your application controls the surrounding customer process when using Data Requests.

Can one set of answers fill several PDFs?

DocSpring can send the same data to several templates in a batch request and combine the outputs. PlatoForms offers Master Forms for configuring this as a form workflow. Compare who should maintain that mapping.

Does PlatoForms have SOC 2 or EU hosting?

Not yet. Its trust page lists SOC 2 Type II as on the roadmap, and data is hosted in the United States only. DocSpring has completed a SOC 2 Type II audit and offers US or EU hosting.