Picking an electronic signature app is challenging. There are lots of options to choose from, with considerable differences between brands when it comes to features, support, and pricing.
It’s entirely understandable if you’re feeling frustrated. But it’s also important to keep in mind that spending a little time reviewing different apps now will pay huge dividends in the future. A well-chosen e-signature platform with the right functionality for your business will save substantial amounts of resources and employee time.
In this post, we’re going to give you some guidelines for picking the best e-signature software. We’ll also review some of the most well-known brands in the space.
What Features Should You Look For?
When picking an e-signature app, your first step should be to determine which software capabilities your organization requires. You can then ensure they are included with your chosen plan.
Generally speaking, you should look for at least some of the following features:
- Digital signatures – This one might seem obvious. But it’s worth clarifying exactly what core features a digital signature tool should include. Look for an intuitive central dashboard for uploading documents, drag-and-drop signature fields, automated notifications so the relevant people are alerted when a document has been signed, and an option to bulk send documents for e-signing (if needed).
- Document management tools – Many organizations need more advanced document management features, over and above core features offered by apps that deal exclusively with e-signing. If you require access to things like a document editor, team management tools, advanced analytics, a pre-written templates library, and so on, opt for a comprehensive document management platform that also includes e-signature functionality.
- Integrations – When your e-signature app fits into your existing tech stack, you can automate the flow of data between platforms. This saves significant amounts of time.
- Analytics and tracking – From a well-designed analytics dashboard, you can track sent, approved, and pending documents. This will allow you to send reminders and follow-up correspondence accordingly.
- Customer support – Support is essential both in the implementation phase and afterward. Look for an app that has good customer service reviews. If you are purchasing an e-signature app on behalf of a large enterprise, you may require a package with a dedicated account manager.
Top Five E-Signature Platforms
Here’s our selection of the top five e-signature solutions currently available:
- PandaDoc – PandaDoc is one of the most popular e-signature and document management tools on the market. It has a wide array of features at a comparatively low price. All paid plans, which start at $19 per month per user, come with unlimited e-signing, access to templates, a rich media document editor, and 24/7 support.
- HelloSign – HelloSign is an easy-to-use app that focuses on delivering a core set of high-quality e-signature features. Users can upload documents, create templates (although there is a limit on the number of templates on most plans), and create detailed audit trails. HelloSign also provides support for multiple languages. Plans start at $15 per month per user.
- signNow – signNow is a good option for larger businesses looking for a straightforward e-signature tool that includes some more advanced features, like payment integrations, personalized branding, and high-level document security. Plans start at $8 per month and run up to $50 per month. The majority of integrations are only available on the “Premium” plan.
- Adobe Sign – Adobe Sign is a well-known name in the e-signature space. It has a dependable set of features, including drag-and-drop e-sign fields for PDFs, tracking, and bulk sending. Plans start at $9.99 per month.
- DocuSign – DocuSign is one of the oldest e-signature tools on the market. It offers robust features, such as e-sign fields, notifications, and personalized branding. More advanced functionality, like integration with payment providers, is available on the premium plans. Subscriptions start at $10 per month.
