Realform vs DocuSign
for Australian Real Estate
DocuSign is a great general-purpose eSignature tool. But Australian real estate agencies have unique needs — VIC-compliant forms, commission automation, and Australian data residency. Here's how the two stack up.
| Feature | Realform | DocuSign |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Flat monthly fee — no per-user chargesBetter | Per-user pricing ($15–$40/user/month) plus overage fees |
| Free Tier | Free plan available with real estate templates includedBetter | Free trial only (limited to 5 signatures, no templates) |
| Real Estate Templates | VIC-compliant authority forms (Exclusive & General Selling Agency) pre-built and ready to sendBetter | No real-estate-specific templates. You build every form from scratch or upload PDFs |
| GST & Commission Auto-Calc | Auto-calculates GST, management fees, letting fees, and advertising costs as you typeBetter | No built-in calculations — manual entry or external spreadsheets required |
| Commission Dashboard | Per-landlord commission breakdowns with exportable reports for end-of-month reconciliation | No commission tracking at allBetter |
| Data Residency | Australian data storage (DigitalOcean Sydney — SYD1)Better | US-based storage by default (AU region available on higher-tier plans) |
| Per-User Pricing | No per-user charges — all plans include unlimited team membersBetter | Every user costs $15–$40/month. A 10-person agency pays $150–$400/month |
| Learning Curve | Minimal — designed specifically for property managers and real estate workflowsBetter | Steeper — generic document tool requiring custom setup for real estate |
| Setup Time | Start sending forms immediately — no configuration neededBetter | Requires account setup, template creation, and brand configuration before first send |
| Support | Dedicated AU-based support with real estate domain expertiseBetter | Global support — real estate knowledge varies by agent |
| Compliance & Audit | Full audit trail with Certificate of Authenticity, admissible under Australian law | Audit trail available, compliant with US ESIGN Act and EU eIDAS (may over-comply for AU needs) |
| Pricing (Agency) | Free / Pro $39/mo / Enterprise $79/mo — flat rate, all features includedBetter | Personal $15/mo · Standard $45/mo · Business Solutions $40+/user/mo |
Why Australian Agencies Choose Realform
Built from the ground up for the Australian property industry — not adapted from a generic tool.
Purpose-Built for Australia
Realform forms are pre-configured to match the ADL specification for Victorian selling authority forms. No templates to create, no fields to map — just pick a form, fill it in, and send.
Flat Pricing, No Surprises
Pay a flat monthly fee regardless of how many team members you have. A 15-person agency pays the same $79 as a 5-person agency. DocuSign would charge $225–$600/month for the same team.
Commission Automation Built In
GST calculations, management fees, letting fees, advertising costs — all computed automatically. The commission dashboard gives you a per-landlord view that would otherwise require spreadsheets or separate accounting software.
Australian Data, Australian Support
Your client data stays in Australia on DigitalOcean Sydney servers. Support is provided by people who understand Australian property law and the REIV framework — not a global support desk.