JANUARY 2021
Best E-Signature Software
Forget physical documents to record signatures, the disruptors are in one e-signature software solutions. E-signature software facilitates the distribution of legally sensitive documents for the collection of electronic signatures.
We like 6 top e-signature software solutions in the market and call out their strengths and weaknesses below.
It seems like a crowded space with almost everyone at similar price points, but don’t be fooled, not all e-signature tools are equal.
We reviewed the market and Hellosign was rated #1 for function & value. Read our reviews below to find out why.
E-Signature Solution Rankings
1. Hellosign
HelloSign offered a power product with stacks of flexibility. Like the others, they allow you to electronically request and add legally binding signatures to any document, from new hire agreements to loans to NDAs. HelloSign is available in an intuitive web interface, a developer-friendly API, or as a Salesforce add-on.
Hellosign is the cheapest out of the 3 but it also offered the most functionality.
PRO’s:
- Best Value- $15 – $40 per month, which is much cheaper than PandaDoc and
- Customized contracts — add your verbiage, along with fields that need to be completed by the signer
- Integrations with numerous Dropbox, Gmail, Google drive, Oracle’s product, Salesforce and Slack
CON’s
1. UX on PC was great, but the HelloSign application on iPad & mobile is very counter-intuitive. We were not able to make our way around it.
2. PandaDoc
PandaDoc beats Docusign but Hellosign was better value for money. Their offering is proven to improve deal workflow, insights, and speed. In our opinion, PandaDoc delivers a better easy user experience than DocuSign but not Hellosign.
PRO’s
1. Great UX & Document Editing – PandaDoc’s contract management software allows you can use their online editor to create an instant editable document. Hellosign also offered similar product (but for a cheaper monthly cost).
2. Good Team Collaboration – PandaDoc offers more flexibility over DocuSign when it comes to editing proposals and contracts with features like online editor, content sharing, or content locking.
3. Generate Quotes – Pandadoc you can automate quote generation with their in-built CPQ feature. You can also connect your quotes to the Stripe payment gateway and collect payments immediately when the quote is signed. The quote function is included with each of their subscription plans
CON’s
1. Most Expensive – PandaDoc are between $9 – $49 per month, which is was the most expensive. Hellosign offered more for less.
2. CRM Integration – Although the CRM Integration available in their professional package it was lacking when compared to Hellosign’s options & cost. Hellosign also had API integration which will suit those requiring their system to link to their own systems.
3. Docusign
DocuSign eSignature does have amazing security. But although it appears cheap and is the most widely used, they objectively don’t offer the most value for money (see a comparison of PandaDoc with Docusign above under PandaDoc’s review). To unlock all features PandaDoc offers you will need to pay $60/user/month on DocuSign.
From sales contracts and offer letters to account openings and invoices, DocuSign eSignature has been around the longest and is wins for e-signature marketshare. Yes, it can also send and sign documents from practically anywhere. However, UX for Pandadoc was just easier. Not to mention you get a lot more for your money.
If you’re looking to sign just one or two documents then DocuSign does the job well, but if you really need to use e-signatures regularly then we suggest another product.
PRO’s
- Pricing is fair (but you need to buy Business Pro to get similar product as Hellosign & Pandadoc)
- Nice Design & UX
- Excellent security
CON’s
- Poor document editing – DocuSign, if you need to make edits you have to void the doc start all over again. This is a total waste of time!
- Lacks account management
- Upgrading versions is an absolute pain
- Support is non-existent
- Difficult to do custom signatures
They all have pros and cons. Hellosign starts from the cheapest monthly price, HelloSign is a good second choice and DocuSign has a lot of eSignature benefits.
All of them monetise users and eSignature Plans, and in that regard you could start at the beginning of the list and work down to see which one suits you best.