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Electronic signature software can be used to create, edit, and sign documents with the swipe of a finger or by typing your signature on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. It’s used by individuals signing contracts, small businesses, and large enterprises. The software can save time, promote organization, and cut down on wasted paper.
The best electronic signature software is easy to use, can be used on multiple devices and with different operating systems, and has security features to protect confidential and sensitive information. Digital signature software should also be compatible with third-party apps.
Here's our list of the best signature software to meet your needs.
Best Overall : DocuSign
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DocuSign
- Cost: Free to $40 per month
- Plan Options: Personal, Standard, and Business Pro
- Field Customization: Yes
DocuSign has a long successful history as the pioneer of electronic signature software, is used around the world, and offers affordably priced plans.
350+ pre-built integrations
Helpful blogs, articles, and webinars
Software is a bit dated
Founded in 2003, DocuSign was a pioneer of e-signature technology and helps organizations of all sizes connect and automate how they sign, act on, manage, and store documents. It also has more than 350 pre-built integrations with popular business apps and its API enables embedding and connecting with websites, apps, and custom workflows. It can be used on any device including smartphones and can be set up instantly.
If you just need to sign documents, you can get a free plan which lets you sign as many documents as you like. You can also access your signed documents on a secure cloud. The next step up is for single users and is called the Personal plan which is $10 per month if paid annually. You can use the mobile app, get real-time audit trails, and send five documents per month to be e-signed.
The mid-level is Standard which is $25 per user per month and includes multiple languages, integrations, reminders, and branding. The next level up is Business Pro which costs $40 per user per month and has payment collection features, bulk sends, in-person signatures, and advanced authentication. If you need a more custom plan, you can contact the company for an Advanced Solution plan.
Best for Sales Teams : PandaDoc
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PandaDoc
- Cost: Free to $49 per month
- Plan Options: Free, Essential, Business, and Enterprise
- Field Customization: Paid only
PandaDoc makes it easy to build sales documents, streamline daily tasks, and edit and sign documents all in one place.
14-day free trial
Free and paid plans
Integrations cost extra
Custom branding only available with some plans
PandaDoc was founded in 2013 and offers document automation software with built-in electronic signatures and workflow management. It’s used by more than 23,000 companies and focuses on empowering sales teams to simplify the process while generating, negotiating, and e-signing proposals.
PandaDoc puts a strong focus on security and compliance. All security is parallel with industry standards and the company is HIPAA compliant, GDPR compliant, Privacy Shield certified, and FERPA compliant. All data that is stored is encrypted with sophisticated encryption key management. Pricing for PandaDoc is tiered; the first level is free and includes the use of the mobile app, payments, unlimited document uploads, and unlimited legally binding e-signatures.
PandaDoc’s next level is the $19 per month per user Essentials plan which includes everything from the free plan plus 24/7 support, templates, drag and drop features, and more. The Business plan is $49 per month per user and you get the addition of approved workflows and custom branding. PandaDoc aims to accelerate every stage of the deal and offers proposals, quotes, contracts, e-signatures, and collects payments with signatures so you can get paid in as little as two days.
Best for Customer Service : Formstack Sign
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Formstack Sign
- Cost: $16 per month
- Plan Options: Starter, Pro, Enterprise
- Field Customization: Yes
Formstack Sign’s software is designed for companies of all sizes and offers an entire support center with multiple ways to get in touch with customer service representatives.
Affordable plans
Tutorial videos and webinars
No free version
For businesses, not individuals
Founded in 2006, Formstack was founded as a better way to automate tedious and repetitive work. In addition to the e-signing software called Formstack Sign, the company offers forms, documents, and a platform for teams. It also has a tool designed specifically to be used with Salesforce. Additional integrations include Amazon, Microsoft, PayPal, Stripe, and more.
Formstack lets you gather and e-sign documents on any device, including a mobile phone, computer, or tablet. You can send documents via text message and there is a drag and drop feature that prepares your document for a signature.
Formstack also features templates and auto-reminders as well as open APIs that let you connect the software to your favorite tools. Another unique feature is the HIPAA-compliant e-signatures for healthcare data. The company uses TLS encryption, password protection, and secure data storage as security precautions. Formstack offers a free trial so you can test out the product.
Best for PDFs : pdfFiller
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pdfFiller
- Cost: $8 per month
- Plan Options: Basic, Plus, and Premium
- Field Customization: Yes
Affordable pdfFiller lets you streamline paperwork with fillable form builders and a built-in e-signature section.
Edit text and images on a PDF
Document templates
Need to sign up to see plan details
No support for other document types
A digital document management solution, pdfFiller was created in 2009. The software can help you edit, sign, store, and share documents via any web browser or mobile device. You can add a document or use one of the templates and then edit it using the extensive editing tools including erasers, circling items, add images, draw freehand, and add signatures. You can also convert PDFs to Word documents.
Once the document is completed, it can be saved locally, emailed, printed, or e-faxed. Up to five users can collaborate on a document and users can request digital signatures which are then verified by the company. You can connect your documents to a payment system and users have access to a library of state-specific legal forms.
Pricing is done in tiers and starts at $8 per month for one user on the Basic Plan. The next tier is Plus which is $12 per month for up to three users and the highest tier is Premium which is $15 per month for up to five users.
Best for Small Business : eversign
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eversign
- Cost: $49.99 to $399.99 per month
- Plan Options: API Light, API Business, API Business Pro, API Custom
- Field Customization: Yes
E-signature software eversign offers tools specifically to help manage your business and its documents as well as custom branding solutions.
Discount for paying annually
Get documents signed for multiple businesses
No free version
No app
Built and maintained by apilayer, eversign is a Vienna-based company with over four million daily users across all of its platforms. The software can securely store your documents, schedule them to auto-expire, and export them to a private location.
Tiered pricing starting is available through eversign’s API Light which for $49.99 per month and includes 50 monthly e-signatures. The next tier is API Business which includes 200 documents per month. API Business Pro is $399.99 per month and includes 500 documents. There is also an API Custom plan tailor-made for your business and details are available from a company rep. You can also get a 20% discount for an annual subscription.
Some unique features include custom branding, templates, multiple team member document access, and dedicated support. The software is designed for businesses of various industries and sizes and is meant to be scalable. Integrations include Gmail, Evernote, Dropbox, and more. Customer service is available through online chat, a contact form, and email.
Best for Mobile Devices : Lightico
Lightico makes it easy to sign on the go from a cell phone via a text message and offers two signing options.
Finger swipe or typed signature
Text message with link to sign
No upfront pricing
For businesses, not individuals
Lightico was founded in 2014 as a way to streamline customer interactions and drive business results. In addition to e-signature software, it offers e-forms, ID verification, document collection, secure payments, and digital consents and approvals.
Lightico offers instant e-signatures. The customer will receive a text message on their phone and can sign via a finger swipe or a typed signature in real-time. The document is then locked and stored on the company’s customer relationship management (CRM) software with a time-stamped audit trail for security.
Signatures can be integrated within your website, with Alexa, a point of sale (POS) system, Salesforce, and more. There are smart workflows with automated triggering which generate the correct documents and forms to reduce errors.
Although you need to contact Lightico for custom pricing details and plans, all plans include unlimited documents per session, 24/7 support, a dedicated account manager, and unlimited channels and touchpoints. You can contact an agent to guide you through the process or choose the self-serve option of doing it on your own.
Final Verdict
Overall, we recommend DocuSign as the best electronic signature software. The company is well known for its e-signature interface, is easy to use, and helps you keep track of your documents throughout the signing process.
Compare the Best Electronic Signature Software
Company | Price | System Compatibility | Document Types | Key Features |
---|---|---|---|---|
DocuSign
Best Overall |
Free to $40 per month | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and mobile devices | PDF, .docx, .rtf, .txt, .png, and more | Works with any device; start signing immediately |
PandaDoc
Best for Sales Teams |
Free to $49 per month | Safari, Chrome, Firefox, MS Edge | PDF, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, and more | Add fields; behavior tracking |
Formstack Sign
Best for Customer Services |
$16 per month | Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera | Most document types | Templates; add logos; branding |
pdfFiller
Best for PDFs |
$8 per month for one user | Cloud Saas, web-based, mobile devices | PDFs | Fax, print, or send PDFs |
eversign
Best for Small Business |
$49.99-$399.99 per month | Any device with an internet connection | Most document types | Document editor; manage multiple businesses |
Lightico
Best for Mobile Devices |
Contact for pricing details | Mobile devices | Most document types | Sign on the go; audit trails; integrates with Alexa |
How to Choose the Best Electronic Signature Software
When choosing electronic signature software, consider the types of documents the software is best for, what industries it serves, and the security measures taken to protect your documents.
Other things to consider when choosing an e-signature software include:
- Overall customer reviews
- How long the company has been in business
- Types of security measures
- Integrations with other apps
- Mobile compatibility
- Ease of use
- Price
- Set up requirements
What Does Electronic Signature Software Do?
Electronic signature software eliminates the need for physical documents to be signed. It allows users to send, receive, initial, and sign documents digitally and on the go.
The software is encrypted to protect the information and signatures and to show that the document hasn’t been altered in any way. It can be used to upload documents and send them to multiple people at the same time for signatures and initials. Some software can even be used on a mobile device.
What Are the Advantages of Using Electronic Signature Software?
Some of the advantages of using electronic signature software include:
- Faster signature times
- Getting signatures without meeting in person
- Multiple signatures at one time
- Staying organized
- Sign when it’s convenient
- Read the documents on the go
- Can link to a payment app
Is Electronic Signature Software Safe to Use?
Electronic signature software from providers on this list and other reliable providers is considered to be safe. It’s generally more difficult to alter an electronic signature than a wet signature (signature on paper). E-signature software comes with an electronic record that serves as proof of the transaction and a sort of audit trail which includes a history of actions taken with the document. This makes it difficult to tamper with.
Methodology
To find the best electronic signature software, we created a list of the top 12 companies and compared them based on several factors, including company reputation, security precautions, and how easy it is to use the software. We narrowed them down to our top choices while keeping in mind price, industries served, and mobile compatibility.