DocSpring vs Formstack Documents

Word templates and CRM document delivery

Formstack Documents is worth considering when your team already maintains contracts, proposals, or letters in Word and wants to merge CRM data into them. It accepts several document formats and can route the finished files to other services. DocSpring starts with an existing PDF or an HTML/CSS template and fills it from JSON.

The distinction matters when a document changes. With DocSpring, an official form keeps its original PDF layout while you edit the fields placed over it. With a Word merge, your team can edit paragraphs and let the document reflow. DocSpring handles that second kind of layout with HTML/CSS and Liquid.

Feature comparison

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

Scroll the table sideways to see both products.

A dedicated integration is different from connecting an API through a generic HTTP action. Plan requirements and product boundaries are noted in the cells.

Generate an application from a CRM record

Use a PDF application with a customer name and email address. The source record is the same in either system; field mapping and document delivery are the parts you configure differently.

Fill the PDF with DocSpring

After creating the two fields in your template, this test request fills them from the customer record.

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.

Try a record with missing optional data and one with a long company name. Verify both the generated file and its delivery destination. Check that the file is attached to the correct CRM record.

A suite price against a per-PDF price

For 500 applications a month each producing a cover letter and an application PDF, you need 1,000 deliveries, four times the Suite's included 250, so expect a custom quote. DocSpring's 1,000-PDF plan covers the same volume for a published monthly price, and forms and signing are included rather than sold as separate products.

Moving Formstack Documents templates to DocSpring

Start with PDF templates and a sample of the data used for successful merges. Match the old merge-field names to DocSpring fields. Update authentication, request bodies, and response handling; the Formstack merge URL is not interchangeable with a DocSpring endpoint.

A Word or PowerPoint template needs a deliberate conversion. Export it to PDF if the layout is fixed, or rebuild it in HTML/CSS if paragraphs and tables need to grow. Translate merge conditions into Liquid or PDF field rules.

Inventory every delivery step before switching: CRM attachments, cloud storage, signer emails, and failure notifications. Recreate each step in your application or automation platform, and test it with real document variations.

Discuss your documents with us.

Questions about Formstack Documents alternatives

Can I keep editing the template in Word?

You can edit the original Word document and upload a new PDF export to DocSpring, but DocSpring does not merge data into native Word files. Keep Formstack Documents on your shortlist if editable Office templates are central to your workflow.

Does DocSpring replace Formstack Forms and Sign too?

DocSpring collects PDF field data and signatures with hosted or embedded forms and records an audit trail. It does not replace every Formstack form or approval workflow, and your application sends the signing emails. Check the routing and delivery you rely on before replacing several products at once.

Is there a Documents-only plan?

Not on Formstack's public pricing page, which lists the Suite. Ask Formstack sales for a Documents quote and compare it with DocSpring's published per-PDF plans.