Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Best Electronic Signature Software

Signing documents with a pen has become obsolete. It’s not practical for business or personal use in the modern era.

Getting a physical signature on documents requires in-person appointments, printing, scanning, faxing, or mailing paperwork. All of this is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and even unrealistic in certain scenarios.

Electronic signature software allows multiple people in different corners of the globe to sign something instantaneously. There’s nothing to mail, nobody needs to hop on a plane, and the process is paperless. These signatures are just as valid as handwritten ink.

In a time where people are working remotely more than ever before, electronic signature software has been in high demand.

If you’re ready to improve your workflows and reduce the bottlenecks associated with physical signatures, it’s time for you to find an e-sign solution.

The Top 9 Best Electronic Signature Software

After reviewing the best e-sign software on the market today, our team narrowed down the top nine options that we can confidently recommend. Use this guide to find the best e-sign software for your business.

#1 – DocuSign — Best Multi-Purpose Electronic Signature Software

• Safe and secure
• 350+ integrations
• Supports 43 languages
• Contract lifecycle management (CLM)
30 Day Free Trial

DocuSign is one of the world’s most popular electronic signature solutions. More than 500,000+ individuals and businesses across the globe trust this platform.

As a pioneer in the e-sign industry, the software has facilitated millions of signatures over the years.

DocuSign is one of the most versatile solutions in this category. It’s used in industries like financial services, real estate, government, education, healthcare, insurance, and more. The software is trusted by human resources departments, sales teams, and legal teams alike.

With DocuSign, you’ll benefit from features like:

  • 350+ integrations
  • Instant visibility statuses
  • Support in 43 languages
  • Reusable templates
  • 99.99% uptime
  • Mobile app signatures

The software is safe and secure as well. Compliance certifications include GDPR, ISO 27001, PCI data security, CSA STAR, SSAE 16, FedRAMP, HIPAA, and more.

DocuSign has solutions for individuals, small businesses, and global enterprises. Whether you need to collect signatures on a daily basis, or just need to sign the occasional one-off contract, DocuSign can accommodate your needs. They also have tools for complete contract lifecycle management, contract negotiation, and AI agreement analytics.

Here’s an overview of the DocuSign plans and pricing:

  • Personal – $10 per month
  • Standard – $25 per user per month
  • Business Pro – $40 per user per month

Try DocuSign free for 30 days; no credit card required.

#2 – HelloSign — Best For Legally Binding Business Documents

• Unlimited signature requests
• Free for 3 signatures
• Add e-sign to your app
• Audit trail and status notifications
30 Day Free Trial

If you need an iron-clad agreement signed electronically, HelloSign will be a top option for you to consider.

The software makes it easy for anyone to add a legally binding signature to any document. From new employee onboarding to NDAs and loan terms, HelloSign can accommodate a wide range of needs.

HelloSign is a feature-rich software that’s built for businesses. It gives you the ability to collect signatures from up to 20 people on a single document, in a specific order, or simultaneously. You can start signing and collecting signatures in minutes with bank-level security. You’ll also get business-class features like:

  • Team management tools
  • Custom templates
  • Custom business branding
  • Google integrations (Gmail, Drive, Docs, etc.)
  • Audit trails
  • Status notifications
  • 2FA (two-factor authentication)
  • Support for 17 file formats

HelloSign has exceptional customer support, and you can use the API to build e-sign functionality into your own app.

Here’s a closer look at the HelloSign plans and prices:

  • Free – $0 (up to 3 signatures per month)
  • Pro – $15 per month
  • Business – $40 per month
  • Enterprise – Custom

All of the paid plans come with unlimited signature requests. You can try it free for 30 days.

#3 – Adobe Sign — Best E-Signature Software For Small Businesses

• 30% off small business plan
• Automated reminders
• Custom branding
• Signable website forms
14 Day Free Trial

Adobe is a name that’s synonymous with high-quality software. Many of you have likely used Adobe Acrobat to view, create, print, and edit PDF files. So it’s no surprise to see Adobe Sign rank so high on our list.

Adobe Sign is perfect for small businesses that need a simple, straightforward, and secure way to sign documents.

The software comes with features and benefits like:

  • E-signature requests
  • Automatic notifications and signature reminders
  • Custom branding
  • User management
  • Bulk signature
  • Signable forms for your website
  • Payment collection
  • Enhanced authentication

Adobe Sign integrates with platforms like Microsoft Teams, Word, Powerpoint, Dropbox, Salesforce, and more.

Adobe Sign for Small Business starts at $29.99 per license, which supports up to 9 users. For a limited time, Adobe is offering 30% off to new customers. Try it free for 14 days.

#4 – SignEasy — Best For Individual and Personal Use

• Starts at $20
• Mobile signatures
• Multi-person approvals
• Up to 50% off with year contact
14 Day Free Trial

SignEasy is one of the quickest ways to sign documents online. It’s easy for anyone to figure out, and it’s not exclusively for business use. 110,000+ professionals and 30,000+ businesses rely on SignEasy for digital document signatures.

For the occasional signature and infrequent signing, SignEasy will be a top choice to consider.

Even for such a simple solution, nearly 22 million documents have been signed on this platform. So it’s definitely a software that you can trust.

The SignEasy mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices. This allows you to send signature requests and sign documents from anywhere, directly from the palm of your hand.

From basic NDAs to complex multi-person approvals, SignEasy can handle the requirements. The software even supports in-person signatures—no need to carry paperwork to meetings.

Here’s a basic overview of the SignEasy plans and pricing:

  • Plus – $20 per month
  • Professional – $25 per month
  • Premium – $75 per month

The Plus and Professional plans are designed for single users, whereas Premium supports up to three users. You can save up to 50% if you lock in an annual contract. Try any SignEasy plan free for 14 days; no credit card required.

#5 – KeepSolid Sign — Best For Offline Electronic Signatures

• Starts at $9.99
• Offline mode
• Personal signature storage
• Free for signers
14 Day Free Trial

KeepSolid Sign is a multiplatform e-sign solution. The software has a unique feature compared to other tools on our list—offline signatures.

You can access documents and prepare everything, even when your device is offline. Everything will be sent automatically as soon as you get an Internet connection.

The software allows you to create your own unique electronic signature and store it for future use. Draw it on the app, import it as a picture, or take a photo of your actual signature.

Other top benefits of KeepSolid Sign include:

  • Support for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and web browsers
  • Team collaboration tools
  • Status notifications
  • Document templates

KeepSolid Sign is used by real estate businesses, HR departments, sales teams, and service industries.

Pricing starts at $9.99 per month for single users. The software is always free for signers. You can save 25% with an annual contract. Try KeepSolid Sign free for 14 days.

#6 – SignNow — Best For Embedded Electronic Signatures

• Starts at $8
• Robust API
• Enterprise-grade security
• Simple integrations
7 Day Free Trial

SignNow is a cross-platform e-sign software. It has a robust API, making it easy for businesses to embed electronic signature capability into their websites and apps.

You can use this software to create complex e-sign workflows and facilitate online signature requests without writing a single line of code.

There are other e-sign platforms on the market that offer similar functionality, but none are as straightforward as SignNow.

SignNow also integrates with a wide range of third-party apps out of the box. Sync it with your CRM, accounting software, payroll system, ERP system, marketing automation software, and more.

For such a powerful solution, SignNow is surprisingly affordable.

  • Business – $8 per user per month
  • Business Premium – $15 per user per month
  • Enterprise – $30 per user per month
  • airSlate Business Cloud – $50 per user per month

All plans come with unlimited templates and the SignNow mobile app. SignNow also offers enterprise-grade security. It’s GDPR compliant, OAuth 2.0, PCI DSS compliant, HIPAA compliant, and more.

Try it free for 7 days.

#7 – Docsketch — Best Free Electronic Signature Software

• Free for 3 docs per month
• Unlimited docs start at $8
• Audit reports
• Document sharing and tracking
Start For Free

For those of you who only need the occasional document signed, Docsketch will be the perfect option for you. It’s safe, secure, and works on any device.

Even as a free software, all Docsketch signatures are still legally binding.

More than 9,500+ businesses rely on Docsketch for e-signatures. The software is simple but still comes with all of the features you need to sign documents and collect signatures.

  • Instant signing
  • Document workflows
  • Collect multiple signatures on one document
  • Ready-to-use templates
  • Audit reports
  • Document sharing and tracking
  • Form field suggestions
  • Sales documents

The free Docsketch plan supports up to three documents per month for a single sender. For unlimited signatures, the Personal plan for a single user starts at $8 per month. Business plans start at $24 and include three users.

If you only need a couple of documents signed, the Docsketch free plan is perfect for you.

#8 – GetAccept — Best Electronic Signature Software For B2B Sales

• All-in-one sales tool
• Video and live chat
• Proposal templates
• Contract management
14 Day Free Trial

GetAccept is a bit unique compared to other solutions on our list. This electronic signature software is designed specifically for B2B sales.

It’s an all in one solution for closing deals. In addition to e-sign capabilities, GetAccept has tools for live chat, video, proposal designs, contract management, and more. This is by far the best way to engage with your B2B clients remotely.

Instead of just sending off a document to be signed, you can be there to offer support to your clients if they have questions or anything needs to be explained—all from a single platform.

GetAccept integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, Zapier, Microsoft Dynamics, Slack, and more. They also have an open API that allows for custom integrations.

Here’s a closer look at the plans and pricing:

  • Starter – $25 per month per user
  • Business – $40 per month per user
  • Enterprise – $60 per month per user

GetAccept also has an API plan for high-volume developers. You’ll need to contact their team for a custom quote, and it requires a minimum of 3,000 documents. It’s worth noting that the Starter plan is a bit limited. You won’t have access to the GetAccept mobile app unless you upgrade to the Business tier.

But for B2B sales teams, this software will definitely be your best option. Try GetAccept free for 14 days.

#9 – SignRequest — Best Simple Electronic Signature Software

• Free for 10 docs per month
• Unlimited docs start at $7
• Video tutorials
• Easy to use
14 Day Free Trial

More than 300,000 people across the globe trust SignRequest for e-sign.

It’s not quite as feature-rich as some of the other platforms on our list. But if you’re looking for a simple and straightforward way to get a something signed online, you can upload a document and get started in minutes.

Best of all? SignRequest is free.

You can use it for up to 10 documents in a month at no charge. That’s more triple the amount of Docsketch (our top pick for free e-sign software). But Docsketch does come with better features.

SignRequest has two paid plans—Professional and Business. Both of these support unlimited documents. They start at $7 and $12 per month per user, respectively. You can try any paid SignRequest plan free for 14 days.

I also like how SignRequest has quick video tutorials on how to use the software. Examples include:

  • How to prepare an e-signature request
  • How to integrate e-signatures with your systems
  • How to place your signature on a Google Doc
  • How to send in bulk
  • How to customize your e-signatures
  • How to sign documents from Salesforce

The list goes on and on. This makes it easy for anyone to get their questions answered quickly.

How to Find the Best Electronic Signature Software For You

While it may seem like all electronic signature software does the same thing, each solution is unique. So it can be challenging to find the best option for your business if you don’t know what to look for.

There are certain factors that must be taken into consideration as you’re shopping around for electronic signature software. Use the methodology below to help narrow your search.

Cross-Platform Signatures

You want to make sure that the software is compatible with as many platforms as possible. If you send a document from a Mac computer, can the recipient sign from their Android smartphone?

It’s also important that your software supports a wide range of document types. Again, some document formats may not render properly on specific devices. But if the software supports multiple document types and platforms, you shouldn’t run into any problems.

Legal and Compliance

Generally speaking, most electronic signatures are legally binding. But with that said, you want to make sure the software you’re using is taking extra steps to protect you. If you ever had to go to court with an electronic signature, it helps to have things like audit trails, two-factor authentication, and other features to prove intent.

You should also consider the compliance regulations required for your industry. For example, some solutions offer HIPAA compliance, GDPR compliance, PCI compliance, and more.

Always protect yourself and your business when it comes to legally binding contracts. If you’re unsure about something, consult with your lawyer.

Document Volume

How often are you sending documents that need to be signed? If it’s just a handful of times per year, you shouldn’t be using the same software as a business that collects hundreds or thousands of signatures per week.

Do you need to collect multiple signatures from different people on the same document? Does it matter which order those names are signed in? These are the types of questions you should be asking yourself as you’re evaluating options.

There are plenty of unlimited plans on the market for high-volume users and even some free plans for infrequent use.

API and Integrations

Look for a solution that seamlessly integrates with third-party tools and software that you’re already using. For example, let’s say you’re using Salesforce or HubSpot as a CRM. It will make your life much easier if your e-sign software is compatible with those solutions.

If you need to embed e-sign functionality on your website or applications, then the software must have an open API that you can customize.

Conclusion

What’s the best electronic signature software?

DocuSign and HelloSign will likely be the best options for most people. But there are lots of other use-case specific choices to consider.

For example, GetAccept is the best choice for B2B sales. We recommend Adobe Sign for small businesses. SignEasy, DocSketch, and SignRequest are all simple options for infrequent users. KeepSolid Sign works offline. SignNow makes it easy to embed e-sign functionality on your website.

Regardless of your business type and needs, you can eliminate paper signatures and switch to e-sign by choosing a software in this guide.



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