The electronic signature market is rich with options, each vying for the top spot as the best alternative to DocuSign.
While DocuSign is a well-known leader in the industry, the array of eSignature solutions available today offers various features and benefits tailored to different needs.
Whether you're a small business, a large enterprise, or somewhere in between, finding the right eSignature platform is crucial.
In this blog post, we'll dive into some of the top alternatives to DocuSign, examining their unique strengths and potential drawbacks.
Our goal is to provide a clear, impartial overview that helps you make an informed decision based on your specific needs.
DocuSign has earned its reputation through a robust, user-friendly platform that caters a wide audience.
However, the eSignature landscape is not a one size fits all scenario.
Several competitors have emerged, offering specialized features, competitive pricing and innovative solutions that may be better suited to your particular needs.
For instance, some alternatives provide enhanced security measures, better customer support, or more flexible pricing models.
Understanding these nuances significantly impact your choice, ensuring you select a solution that aligns with your business goals and budget constraints.
Let's begin by analyzing the Pros and cons of DocuSign.
Top Pros
Industry Leader:
DocuSign stands out as the market leader with a vast global customer base.
Comprehensive Features:
The platform boasts a wide array of features and supports hundreds of integrations right out of the box.
Contract Automations:
Beyond eSignatures, DocuSign provides identity verification, remote online notarization, AI capabilities to automate contract lifecycle.
Top Cons
Pricing:
DocuSign's pricing model can sometimes lead to higher costs, especially if customers buy more envelopes than needed.
Some users have reported significant price increases at renewal time.
Customer support:
DocuSign offers tiered support plans, from basic Support Center access to an enterprise plan with emergency support.
For lower-tier plans, contacting support is akin to using Uber for customer service, requiring users to open a support case in the app.
This may be inadequate for regulated industries, enterprises and complex use cases which might necessitate the more expensive enterprise support plan.
Fraud:
Cybersecurity experts have flagged eSignatures scams and phishing attempts involving DocuSign.
Scammers target well-known brands like DocuSign to exploit their large user base.
They often create fraudulent emails urging recipients to click, which can automatically download malware.
In contrast, DocuSign emails feature Docusign branding and are sent from the DocuSign domain, making it easier for phishers to target DocuSign users with a matching phishing email.
1. DocuSeal
DocuSeal is an open-source document signing solution offering both on-premises and cloud options.
It provides two straightforward plans: the Basic free plan and the Pro plan.
The Basic free plan allows users to send unlimited documents for signatures, while the Pro plan includes unlimited document sending along with access to API and embedding features, branding, user roles and teams, SSO/SAML, bulk send etc.
DocuSeal's robust and user-friendly API is designed to automate eSigning workflows, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking efficient and customizable solutions. Learn more here.
Top Pros
Free Plan:
DocuSeal offers a free plan that allows users to send unlimited documents for signatures, making it an excellent option for small businesses that send documents infrequently.
This plan provides significant value by enabling these businesses to manage their eSigning needs without incurring additional costs, thereby optimizing their resources and maintaining efficiency.
User Interface:
DocuSeal features an intuitive and easy-to-use user interface, making it accessible even for those who are not tech-savvy.
It allows you to upload a document directly and start the signature request process right away reducing the learning curve.
API/Embedding:
The DocuSeal API is designed with developers in mind, offering a user-friendly interface for creating templates, requesting signatures, uploading PDFs, and more with efficiency and speed.
Our comprehensive documentation ensures that most customers can implement integration within a few days.
DocuSeal embeds seamlessly into your existing application, making it appear as a native component rather than a separate entity.
The API and embedding options are highly customizable to meet specific requirements.
Unlike DocuSign or PandaDoc, our lightweight integration uses JavaScript instead of iframes, simplifying the process and enhancing performance.
DocuSeal offers a free sandbox to test out API/Embedding features.
On-premises:
DocuSeal is the sole app on this list that provides an on-premise option.
This feature is particularly beneficial for healthcare businesses or any organizations requiring stringent compliance, as it allows them to host DocuSeal on their own servers.
By doing so, they retain full control over their data, ensuring it remains secure and private without involving third-party vendors.
Additionally, an on-premise solution can enhance data protection, improve regulatory compliance, and offer greater customization to meet specific business needs.
Top Cons
Template Documents Library:
While DocuSeal allows you to create your own template documents from scratch, it does not offer a template documents library.
However, this flexibility enables you to design highly customized templates tailored to your specific needs.
Integrations:
Currently, all integrations with DocuSeal are facilitated through its API and Webhooks.
Native integrations with other applications are currently limited.
From a tech perspective, DocuSeal was a straightforward (almost call-for-call) replacement for our client.
Their team was responsive and very helpful. We requested one bug fix and a few enhancements along the way and those were done pretty much next-day.
Chad, Co-Founder
DocuSign vs DocuSeal
Plan Name
Monthly rate
Transactions limits (per user)
Cloud and on-premises
Signer attachments
Pre-built template library
API
Per API document
Form creation
Signing links
Email/ticketing support
DocuSign
DocuSeal
Business Pro
Pro
$65
$20
100/year
Unlimited
Cloud only
$2 - $4
$0.20
You can find a more detailed comparison between DocuSign and DocuSeal here.
2. PandaDoc
PandaDoc is a versatile document management and automation platform with eSignature capabilities at its core.
It streamlines workflows for various documents such as proposals, sales quotes, contracts and forms.
Let's learn more about PandaDoc's offerings, evaluating its benefits and potential drawbacks.
Top Pros
Comprehensive Contract Management:
PandaDoc goes beyond basic eSignatures by enabling users to generate documents, set up approval workflows, add comments on contracts and more.
These additional features can significantly speed up document processes that require eSignatures.
Extensive Template Library:
PandaDoc offers a library of over 400 document templates and it can be a life saver for businesses that frequently use standard documents.
User-Friendly Interface:
PandaDoc emphasizes ease of use with a simple and intuitive UI.
This design facilitates quick adoption and fast onboarding, helping users get up to speed without extensive training.
Top Cons
Inflexible Pricing:
PandaDoc's pricing might seem high for businesses solely interested in its eSignature tool since it is part of a broader document management solution.
For those just seeking an eSignature service, other dedicated options might be more cost-effective.
Focus on sales use cases:
PandaDoc might not cater well to other business functions like legal departments might miss features such as conditional logic, custom table views etc.
DocuSign vs PandaDoc
Plan Name
Max seats on plan
Monthly rate
Transactions limits (per user)
Cloud and on-premises
API
Form creation
Signing links
Chat support
DocuSign
PandaDoc
Business Pro
Unlimited
50
Business
$65
$65
100/year
Unlimited
Cloud only
Cloud only
3. Dropbox Sign
Dropbox Sign formerly HelloSign caters to businesses seeking basic eSignature functionality and ease of use, along with unlimited signatures.
Box Sign is an added-value feature that enhances Box's core capabilities in collaboration and workflow management.
However, it lacks the maturity of long-established eSignature solutions and offers fewer features. This is because it is an add-on rather than a standalone eSignature service.
Top Pros
User Interface:
Box sign offers a simple and intuitive interface which is perfect for customers who need straightforward, standard eSignature functionality.
Larger Coverage:
Box sign is used by existing Box customers globally and across various industries, segments and use cases.
Pricing:
Users can send unlimited documents for eSignature form the Box web app. The eSignature functionality is an added-value feature for all Box customers, providing flexibility in document volume with a cap on API calls.
Top Cons
Pricing structure:
Dropbox's pricing may be higher than other basic eSignature solutions, particularly for users who require access to premium features.
This can be a consideration for small businesses or individuals looking for a more budget-friendly option.
Limited customer support options:
Dropbox offers customer support, but it may not be as robust or responsive as from other competitors with document signing as their main product.
DocuSign vs Dropbox Sign
Plan Name
Max seats on plan
Monthly rate
Transactions limits (per user)
Cloud and on-premises
Custom branding
API
Form creation
Signing links
Email/ticketing support
DocuSign
Dropbox Sign
Business Pro
Standard
50
Business
$65
$60
100/year
Unlimited
Cloud only
Cloud only
4. SignNow
SignNow offers a simplified, user-friendly version of eSignature software.
While some competitors focus on robust security features or advanced contract management, SignNow offers an appealing option for small-medium size businesses and less complex use cases.
Top Pros
Cost Effective:
SignNow is an excellent choice for customers who primarily need to sign documents electronically.
It is sold at a lower price point, making it accessible for smaller budgets.
Simple UI:
SignNow offers a highly intuitive interface, featuring basic document preparation tools such as templates, activity notifications and payment collection.
Top Cons
Lower Tier Plans Limitations:
Access to many of SignNow's features, including over 20 integrations, branding options and certain compliance tools require purchasing the enterprise plan.
Limited Data Analytics:
SignNow does not offer extensive data extraction and analytics capabilities, which can be a drawback for customers needing to analyze contract data.
DocuSign vs SignNow
Plan Name
Max seats on plan
Monthly rate
Transactions limits (per user)
Cloud and on-premises
Pre-built template librar
API
Form creation
Signing links
Email/ticketing support
DocuSign
SignNow
Business Pro
Enterprise
50
Unlimited
$65
$50
100/year
Unlimited
Cloud only
Cloud only
5. Adobe Acrobat Sign
Adobe Acrobat Sign is a comprehensive electronic signature solution that seamlessly integrates with Adobe's suite of document management tools.
It allows users to send, sign, track and manage documents from any device. It supports advanced workflows with some popular application integrations.
Top Pros
Brand:
Adobe is a renowned name in the business world, comparable to giants like Microsoft and Google.
Adobe has established its reputation by consistently delivering high quality tech solutions.
Integrations:
Adobe may not have as many integrations as some of its top competitors.
It still offers essential integrations with major platforms such as Microsoft, Salesforce, Google Drive and Workday.
Adobe Suite Synergy:
Adobe Acrobat Sign is a key component of the broader Adobe Suite, which is widely used for creating and managing documents.
Its seamless integration with other Adobe tools like Adobe PDF, Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Creative Cloud allows users to create, edit and manage documents more efficiently.
Top Cons
Customer Service:
Access to many of SignNow's features, including over 20 integrations, branding options and certain compliance tools require purchasing the enterprise plan.
Pricing:
Adobe Acrobat Sign is primarily aimed at large enterprises and is priced higher than many other competitors in the market.
Additionally, many advanced features, such as CRM integrations and automated workflows, are only available in higher-tier plans designed for enterprise customers.
Pricing concerns are frequently mentioned in reviews of Adobe Acrobat Sign on platforms like G2.