How to Choose the Best E-Signature Software

Remember the last time you printed a document, signed it, scanned it, and then emailed it? That process likely took up more of your time than you wanted. 

Businesses now choose digital tools over paper. And for obtaining signatures, electronic signature software offers a simple, faster, and more secure method of legally binding online signatures. 

More companies are starting to use e-signatures. Experts predict that the digital signature market size will continue to expand in the coming year. According to Grand View Research, a compound annual growth rate of 40.5% is expected in this industry from 2025 to 2030. This growth happens because electronic signatures make things easier and quicker. They help with remote work, speed up how things get done, and have legal standing in many places. 

But not all platforms are the same. 

Choosing the best e-signature software is crucial for enhancing the efficiency and security of your document signing processes.

This guide will walk you through the important factors to consider when choosing an e-signature solution. This will help you find the best fit for your business and move away from paper-based processes. 

Electronic signature software presents a solution that allows for legally binding signatures on documents from anywhere, at any moment. With the optimal e-signature solution, the need to print, sign, and scan documents is eliminated, freeing up precious time for more important tasks. This guide is designed to assist you in sorting through the plethora of esignature software options, helping you make a choice that advances your business effectively.

What is E-Signature Software?

E-signature software is a technological solution that allows individuals to digitally sign documents, replacing traditional paper and ink. This innovative signature app enables users to sign contracts, agreements, and other documents electronically, making the process faster, more secure, and environmentally friendly. Unlike the traditional method that involves printing, signing, and scanning documents back into digital format, e-signature software simplifies this process into a few clicks, saving time and resources.

The way e-signature software operates is straightforward yet highly secure. When a document is signed using this software, it uses encryption to ensure that the signature is securely attached to the document. This encryption also verifies the signer’s identity and ensures that the document has not been altered after being signed, adding an extra layer of security and legality to the document.

📖 Further Reading: How Electronic Signatures Work

E-signatures are legally recognized in many parts of the world, providing the same level of legal validity and enforceability as traditional handwritten signatures. This recognition is thanks to laws and regulations such as the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN Act) in the United States, and the European Union’s Electronic Identification and Trust Services Regulation (eIDAS), among others. These laws ensure that businesses can confidently use e-signature software for their document signing needs without worrying about the legal implications.

Benefits of Using E-Signature

Adopting e-signature software in your business operations offers a multitude of advantages, from enhancing efficiency to bolstering document security. Here’s a closer look at the key benefits:

• Speed and Efficiency: E-signatures eliminate the delays of traditional signing, significantly reducing document turnaround times. Send, sign, and finalize contracts or agreements in minutes instead of days or weeks.
• Enhanced Security: Advanced encryption and authentication ensure the integrity of your documents and minimize the risk of fraud or tampering.
• Cost Savings: Drastically reduce operational costs associated with paper, printing, postage, and physical storage.
• Convenience and Accessibility: Sign and manage documents from anywhere, at any time, on computers, tablets, or smartphones.
• Environmental Friendliness: E-signatures promote a paperless office environment, contributing to sustainability initiatives.
• Improved Client Experience: Provide your customers or partners with a more convenient and streamlined signing process.

These benefits translate into increased productivity, reduced errors, and a smoother workflow, letting you focus on growing your business.

How to Choose the Best E-Signature Software for Your Needs

Choosing the right e-signature software involves a careful assessment of your specific needs, operational demands, and the features that each software solution offers. By considering these factors, you can find a solution that not only meets your requirements but also enhances your operational efficiency and compliance. Here’s how to go about it:

1. Identify Your Business Needs

To choose the right e-signature software, you first need a clear picture of your business’s specific needs. What kind of documents do you work with? How many signatures do you need? Do you use other software that needs to work with your e-signature tool? Thinking about these questions will help you make the best choice.

Assess Your Specific Needs

Think about the following questions to pinpoint what you need from e-signature software:

• What documents will you sign most often? For example, will you be signing sales agreements, HR onboarding forms, NDAs, or invoices?
• About how many documents will need signatures each week or month? Knowing this will help you choose a plan that fits your volume. You can also make sure the software can handle your workload as you grow. 
• Do you need the software to work with other business tools you already use? This could include CRM systems like Salesforce or HubSpot, cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox, or HR management systems.
• Is it important for people to be able to sign documents easily on their phones or tablets? Consider if mobile access for signers is a must-have.
• Do you need the ability to collect payments when documents are signed? Some e-signature platforms offer this feature.
• How many people in your company will need to send documents for signature? Think about different roles and who will need access to send.
• Does your organization need an API (Application Programming Interface) for more advanced connections with your internal systems? This allows for more customized integrations.

Consider Different Use Cases

Different business situations can influence the type of e-signature software that will work best for you. Here are a few examples:

• Business-to-Business (B2B): This often involves contracts, agreements with vendors, and partnership documents. Important features here include strong security to protect sensitive information and audit trails to track who did what and when.
• Business-to-Consumer (B2C): This might involve a large number of customer agreements. The software should be easy for customers to use, especially on their phones.
• Business-to-Employee (B2E): This includes HR documents, new employee paperwork, and internal approvals. Features like sending documents to many people at once and secure internal access are useful here.
• Employee-to-Employee (E2E): This focuses on internal approvals, documents related to projects, and quick sign-offs within the company.

2. Prioritize Necessary Features

When examining potential e-signature software, distinguish between must-have features and nice-to-haves. 

Must-have features are the non-negotiables that are essential for your operations, such as robust security measures, compliance standards, or the ability to integrate with other business tools. 

Nice-to-have features, while beneficial, are not critical and include things like customizable templates or user-friendly interfaces.

3. Consider Your Budget

Your budget is a significant factor in the decision-making process. E-signature solutions come with various pricing models, including per-user fees, transaction-based pricing, or comprehensive enterprise packages. Understanding these models and their cost implications relative to your expected document volume and number of users will help you find a solution that offers the necessary features without exceeding your financial constraints.

4. Explore Free Trials and Demos

Taking advantage of free trials and demos is a highly effective way to gauge how well e-signing tools meet your needs. These trials allow you to experience the software’s usability, feature set, and fit with your operations firsthand, providing valuable insights into its real-world application and performance.

5. Look at User Reviews and Ratings

User reviews and ratings offer additional perspectives on the reliability, ease of use, and customer support quality of the signature app. These insights can reveal potential benefits and drawbacks, helping you form a more complete picture of what to expect and ensuring that your final decision is as informed as possible.

FillFaster offers FREE accounts, allowing you to explore its features and see how it can benefit your business. It’s risk-free, with no credit card required to get started.

6. Customer Support

What kind of help does the company offer if you have questions or problems? Do they have email support, phone support, or a chat option? Is there a helpful knowledge base or FAQ section? Good customer support is important.

Key Features to Consider in E-Signature Software

These are some important features to keep in mind. These can help make the signing process secure, legal, and easy for both you and the people you need signatures from.

1. Security

Security is very important when dealing with documents and signatures. Good e-signature software uses encryption to protect your documents while they are stored and when they are being sent.

• Encryption: This process scrambles your data so that unauthorized people can’t read it. It keeps your sensitive information safe.
• Audit Trails: These are like detailed records that show every action taken on a document, such as who viewed it, who signed it, and when. Audit trail helps ensure accountability.
• Tamper-Proof Seals: These features help make sure that a document hasn’t been changed after it was signed. This keeps the document’s integrity.
• Compliance: It’s important for the software to follow relevant laws and regulations. This might include the ESIGN Act and UETA in the United States, eIDAS in Europe, GDPR for data privacy, and standards like SOC 2 and ISO 27001.

📖 Further Reading: Are Digital Signatures Secure?

2. Legal Validity

Different types of electronic signatures have different levels of legal standing. It’s important to understand these differences:

• SES (Simple Electronic Signature): This is a basic form of e-signature, like typing your name or clicking an “I agree” button.
• AES (Advanced Electronic Signature): This type has more requirements, such as being uniquely linked to the signer and being created using a secure signature creation device.
• QES (Qualified Electronic Signature): This is the most secure type and often requires identity verification and a digital certificate.

The level of legal recognition can vary depending on the type of signature and the laws in different regions.

3. User-Friendliness

The software should be easy for everyone to use:

• For Senders: It should be simple to upload documents, add fields for signatures and other information, and send them out.
• For Signers: The signing process should be straightforward on different devices, whether they are using a computer, phone, or tablet.

4. Integration

If your e-signature software can work smoothly with other tools you use, it can save you a lot of time. Look for integrations with:

• CRM Systems: Like Monday.com, Salesforce, HubSpot, or Make.com.
• Cloud Storage: Like Google Drive or Dropbox.
• Document Management Systems: For organizing your files.

5. Customization and Branding

Being able to add your company’s logo and colors to email notifications and signing pages can help create a professional and consistent experience for your clients.

For example, FillFaster allows you to add your company logo, fonts, and even customize your Thank You messages for a more personalized user experience. 

6. Document Management

Good e-signature software helps you manage your documents effectively with features like:

• Template Creation: Save frequently used documents as templates to speed up the sending process.
• Document Tracking: See the real-time status of your documents, like whether they have been viewed or signed.
• Reporting Capabilities: Get insights into your signing processes.

7. Advanced Features

These features might be necessary for businesses with more complex workflows or specific security requirements.

• Multi-factor authentication: This adds an extra layer of security when someone is signing a document. It means they need to provide more than just one piece of identification, like a password and a code sent to their phone. This makes it harder for unauthorized people to sign documents.
• Bulk sending: This feature allows you to send the same document to many people at once for them to sign individually. This is useful for things like policy updates or agreements where you need many individual signatures.
• Payment collection: Some e-signature platforms let you integrate with payment gateways. This means you can collect fees or payments at the same time someone signs a document, which can streamline processes like membership agreements or service contracts.

8. Advanced Workflow Options

These features give you more control over the signing process:

• Conditional routing: You can set up rules so that a document is sent to different people based on specific answers or fields within the document.
• Sequential signing: This means documents are sent to signers one after the other in a specific order.
• Parallel signing: This allows multiple people to sign a document at the same time.

9. API Access

An API (Application Programming Interface) allows the e-signature software to connect and communicate with other applications in a more customized way. This can help automate tasks and integrate e-signatures deeply into your existing systems.

10. Real-time monitoring and notifications

This feature provides instant updates on what’s happening with your documents. You can get alerts when a document has been viewed, signed, or completed, helping you stay informed throughout the process.

Top E-Signature Software Solutions

The e-signature market offers a diverse range of solutions. Here are some highly-rated options to consider:

1. FillFaster

FillFaster is known for its ease of use, robust security features, and competitive pricing. Its intuitive interface and focus on value make it a compelling option for businesses of all sizes.

• Features: User-friendly interface, customizable workflows, strong security, affordable pricing, and custom branding (adding logo). Check out more of the features here.
• Pricing: Offers a free plan and flexible monthly and annual fee options.
• Pros: Excellent value, intuitive design, well-suited for a wide range of needs.
• Cons: It may lack some specialized features found in higher-priced competitors.

2. DocuSign

A true pioneer in e-signatures, DocuSign offers a comprehensive set of features, powerful customization options, and robust security. It’s a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, particularly those with complex needs.

• Features: Comprehensive functionality, customizable workflows, robust security, and a wide range of integrations.
• Pricing: Offers various plans from individual to enterprise level.
• Pros: Extensive features, well-established reputation, ideal for large-scale or complex needs.
• Cons: Can be more expensive than some competitors, and may have a steeper learning curve for some users.

3. Adobe Sign 

Integrated seamlessly into the Adobe ecosystem, Adobe Sign delivers a user-friendly experience and strong security measures. It’s a natural fit for those already using Adobe Acrobat.

• Features: Seamless integration with Adobe Acrobat and other Adobe products, user-friendly interface, strong security.
• Pricing: Plans for individuals, small businesses, and enterprises.
• Pros: Familiar with Adobe environment, robust tools, good for those already within the Adobe ecosystem.
• Cons: Might lack some advanced features found in other platforms.

Tips for Using E-Signature Software

To maximize the benefits of e-signature software and ensure a smooth, efficient document signing process, here are some practical tips to consider:

Collect the Required Information Beforehand

One of the keys to optimizing the document signing process is to collect all required information and documents beforehand. This preparation involves ensuring that all documents to be signed are complete, accurate, and ready for signing. Having everything prepared in advance minimizes delays, prevents the need for re-signing due to missing information, and streamlines the entire process for all parties involved. It also helps in creating a seamless workflow, enabling signers to quickly and easily complete their part without confusion or hold-ups.

Clear Instructions for Signers

Providing clear instructions for signers is crucial for a hassle-free signing experience. This includes guidance on where to sign, which type of signature is needed (electronic or digital), and any specific instructions related to the signing process. Detailed instructions not only assist signers in completing the process quickly but also reduce errors and the likelihood of documents being returned due to incorrect or incomplete signing. Additionally, consider including a brief overview or tutorial on using the e-signature software if you’re dealing with signers who may need to become more familiar with digital signing.

Track Document Status

Staying updated on the status of documents throughout the signing process is vital for maintaining efficiency and meeting deadlines. Most e-signature software offers tracking capabilities that allow you to see which documents have been signed, which are pending, and if any actions are required on your part. Leveraging these tracking features can help you promptly address any delays or issues, ensuring that the document workflow proceeds smoothly. This real-time visibility into the status of your documents not only keeps the process moving but also provides peace of mind by allowing you to monitor progress and anticipate any potential bottlenecks.

By implementing these tips, you can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your document signing processes using e-signature software. These practices ensure that documents are prepared and signed correctly, signers are well-informed and guided through the process, and you maintain oversight of the entire process, leading to a faster, more secure, and more successful document management workflow.

Choosing Your Ideal E-Signature Solution

Let’s face it, dealing with paper and ink is a drag on your business. E-signature software fixes that. You get faster signing, better security, and it just makes things simpler for everyone. When you’re picking one, think about what you actually need, like how many signatures you handle and if it plays well with your other tools. Don’t overthink it. The right e-signature tool should just make your work smoother.

To find the perfect fit for your business, evaluate essential features like security and ease of use, and explore free trials. Remember, the right e-signature software should grow with your business. Don’t delay the transition to a faster, more secure, and more efficient document signing process.

Curious to see how FillFaster can simplify your document signing? Try it for free today or schedule a free demo to see it in action!