Radio buttons and checkboxes both let signers make a choice, but they behave differently. Radio buttons are "one-choice-only": you create a radio group, a set of options where the signer selects exactly one. Checkboxes are independent: each one is its own field that the signer can tick, leave empty, or tick alongside others. Choosing the right field keeps your data clean and cuts the follow-ups that come from contradictory answers.
In this guide, you'll learn how to set up each field, what settings are available for both, how they differ, and which one to use for the forms you send most often.
Radio Buttons
1. From the left fields panel, select Radio Buttons and click on your form to place them. You can add more using the + icon on the radio button or the right-side settings panel. To reposition a radio button, click and drag it to where you need it. Resize the radio button by dragging it's corner.
2. Use the right-side settings panel to configure the Radio Group Settings: add more buttons/choices, rename them, and prefill a specific for the signer with the ability for the signer to edit it during the signing session.
📝 Radio buttons cannot be split across multiple pages.
Checkboxes
Checkboxes can be used as standalone fields or organized into checkbox groups.
Standalone checkbox: An independent yes/no field. Each checkbox has its own required/optional toggle and can be pre-checked or unchecked by default. Use standalone checkboxes when each item is a separate, unrelated acknowledgment — for example, individual consent statements or opt-in confirmations.
Checkbox group: Two or more checkboxes linked together with a shared validation rule. Use checkbox groups when a signer needs to select from a set of related options and you want to control how many they pick — for example, "choose at least 1 insurance coverage" or "select up to 3 benefits."
Standalone Checkbox setup
From the left fields panel, select Checkbox (keyboard shortcut: B for signer fields, K for sender fields) and click on your form to place it. To reposition, click and drag. Resize by dragging its corner.
Use the right-side settings panel to configure the checkbox:
Required / Optional — Toggle whether the signer must check this box to complete signing.
Checkbox group setup
1. Place two or more checkboxes on the form.
2. Select the checkboxes you want to group and create a group using the +Add Option or context menu. A visual indicator (dashed border) appears around the group.
3. Open the group settings panel to configure:
Validation Rule — Choose how many selections the signer must or can make:
At least N — The signer must check N or more boxes (e.g., "select at least 1").
At most N — The signer can check up to N boxes. Additional checkboxes become disabled once the limit is reached.
Exactly N — The signer must check exactly N boxes.
Custom range — Set a minimum and maximum (e.g., "select between 2 and 4").
No validation — No rule enforced (default).
Custom Validation Message — Write helper text that displays to the signer when their selection doesn't meet the rule, or as persistent guidance.
Per-Checkbox Values — Assign a distinct data value to each checkbox in the group, separate from its visible label. Useful for downstream data capture (CRM, backend systems).
Ungroup — Dissolve the group, returning all checkboxes to independent standalone fields.
How Checkbox groups work during signing
Validation is enforced in real time. If the signer's selection violates the group rule, they receive immediate inline feedback. When an "at most N" or "exactly N" rule is set, checkboxes beyond the limit become disabled — the signer cannot over-select. On-submit validation acts as a fallback safety net.
📝 Checkbox groups cannot span multiple pages.
Settings Both Fields Share
These options appear in the right-side settings panel for both radio buttons and checkboxes:
Unique Name — Identify the field when setting up conditional rules or formulas.
Add Conditional Rule — Show or hide other fields based on the signer's selection.
Location — Place fields with pixel-level precision.
Save as Custom Field — Save a configured field and reuse it across forms.
Duplicate — Copy a field with its settings and drop it elsewhere.
Remove — Delete the field from the document.
📝 Font, size, and color formatting applies only to text-based fields. Radio buttons and checkboxes are resized by dragging their corners.
Differences at a glance
| Radio Buttons | Standalone Checkbox | Checkbox Group |
Selection | Exactly one per group | One independent yes/no per checkbox | Multiple, governed by a validation rule |
Grouping | Always grouped | Not grouped | 2+ checkboxes grouped together |
Validation rules | N/A (one selection enforced automatically) | Required or optional per checkbox | At least N / at most N / exactly N / custom range |
Pre-fill | One option can be pre-selected | Pre-checked or unchecked | Per-checkbox pre-check + group validation |
Cross-page | Cannot span pages | Can be placed on any page independently | Cannot span pages |
Keyboard shortcut | R | B (signer) / K (sender) | B (signer) / K (sender), then group |
When to use each
Use radio buttons when:
The signer must pick exactly one option (Yes/No, plan tier, payment method).
You need a single, clean value for downstream processing.
You want to drive conditional fields — radio buttons resolve to exactly one value, making conditional rules straightforward.
Use standalone checkboxes when:
Each item is an independent acknowledgment or opt-in (privacy policy, terms of service, marketing consent).
The signer can check none, some, or all — each box stands on its own.
Use checkbox groups when:
The signer chooses from a set of related options and you need to control how many they select.
Examples: "Select at least 1 insurance coverage," "Choose up to 3 benefits," "Pick exactly 2 references."
You need real-time enforcement so the signer gets it right the first time, without post-submission follow-up.
Combined example: An employee onboarding form uses a radio group for employment type (Full-time / Part-time / Contractor), a checkbox group for benefits enrollment ("select at least 1, up to 3"), and standalone checkboxes for individual policy acknowledgments (Code of Conduct, NDA, IT Acceptable Use).