Best eSignature services in 2025

With modern businesses handling thousands of sensitive documents on a daily basis, efficiency and security have become paramount in today’s digital world. Conventional paper-based methods just don’t cut it in this fast-paced realm, as they’re time-consuming and prone to security risks.

Enter eSignature services. These contemporary solutions have revolutionized the way individuals and businesses manage documents. They primarily streamline and automate workflows, saving precious time. Moreover, they boost security, ensure legal compliance, and offer audit trails, making them indispensable for healthcare, finance, real estate, and various other industries.

Yet, with so many options to choose from, answering the question of “What is the best eSignature software?” can be difficult. That’s why the Cybernews team and I conducted in-depth evaluations of dozens of eSign services, and you can learn about our findings below.

A quick peek into the top 6 eSignature apps

1. Docusign – best document signing software for enterprises and professionals
2. SignNow – best eSignature service for small businesses
3. PandaDoc – best digital signature solution for sales teams and contract management
4. Preview – best free document signing app for macOS users
5. Acrobat Sign – best eSignature solution for seamless integration with Adobe products
6. Zoho Sign – best document signing software for budget-conscious individuals

Comparison of the 6 best eSignature services

Before we immerse ourselves in the world of electronic document signing and explore each eSign software in detail, here’s a quick comparison of the 6 best eSignature services we found:

Electronic signature apps	Best for	Pricing	Key features	Customization capabilities
Docusign	Businesses handling high volumes of documents	$15/month and 30-day free trial	Strong compliance, 900+ integrations, mobile-friendly electronic document signing	Customizable contracts, workflows, and API integrations
SignNow	Small teams and collaboration-focused signing	$20/month and 30-day free trial	Customizable contract templates, bulk sending capabilities	Customizable dashboards, signing orders, and retention policies
PandaDoc	Contract-heavy businesses and sales teams	$35/month per user and a 14-day free trial	Integrations with productivity tools, CRMs, and ERPs, automated contract workflows	Customizable templates and branding, integrations, and compliance settings
Preview	Mac users looking for a free eSign app	Free	Apple ecosystem integrations, offline signing capabilities	Limited
Acrobat Sign	Businesses and individuals in Adobe’s ecosystem	$14.99/month; $12.99 for individuals and a 14-day free trial	Adobe ecosystem integrations, cloud-based storage and signing	Custom branding and API integrations
Zoho Sign	Small businesses and cost-conscious individuals	Free for individuals ($12/month and a 14-day free trial for teams)	Free plan, Zoho ecosystem integrations, mobile-friendly signing	Custom templates, branding, and workflow automation

Top 6 eSignature services – our detailed list

With the software comparison out of the way, it’s time to explore the top contenders in detail and examine their features, pricing, strengths, weaknesses, and more. Let’s dive right in.

1. Docusign – best document signing software, hands down

Best for:	Businesses, professionals, and high-volume document signing
Free trial:	Yes – 30 days
Starting price:	$15/month
Top features:	Extensive third-party integrations, seamless interface, strong security compliance

Visit Docusign

Founded in 2003, Docusign is one of the oldest and most popular electronic signature apps available today. Yet, its popularity doesn’t necessarily stem from its long experience. It comes from the app’s features and real-world usability, as Docusign is one of the most consistent tools out there.

Characterized by an intuitive interface and seamless signing process, Docusign is a breeze to use. The user-friendly tool offers custom contracts, version control tools, collaboration features, workflow automations, bulk send capabilities, multi-party signing, and a streamlined mobile singing experience.

While there’s an individual-focused plan, Docusign is best suited for professionals and larger teams. The eSign tool provides enterprise-level signing capabilities, advanced security, and heavy-duty compliance features for ensuring legally binding signatures. It also integrates with 400+ business apps, including Salesforce, Workday, SAP, and Microsoft 365.

2. SignNow – best eSignature service for startups and smaller teams

Best for:	Small businesses and collaboration-focused document management
Free trial:	Yes – 30 days
Starting price:	$20/month
Top features:	Contract templates, collaboration tools, bulk sending

Visit signNow

Founded in 2011, SignNow is an affordable, easy-to-use, and reliable online document signing tool. Featuring customizable contract templates, contract version control, CLM, Android and iOS apps, and compliance tools, SignNow provides all the essentials.

Yet, what makes SignNow one of the best eSignature software for small businesses is its collaboration-focused approach. Starting at just $20/month, SignNow is one of the most affordable eSignature services.

Unlike many other eSign apps, SignNow offers plans that are good for unlimited users, meaning that businesses don’t have to pay for each seat. Pair that with countless integrations, workflow automation tools, and AES-256 encryption, and you get a well-rounded eSignature service.

3. PandaDoc – best for medium and large contract-heavy businesses

Best for:	Medium and large businesses, sales teams, and contract management
Free trial:	Yes – 14 days
Starting price:	$35/month per user
Top features:	CRM and ERP integrations, mobile-friendly signing, contract workflow automation

Visit PandaDoc

PandaDoc is more than just an eSign app – it’s a complete solution for creating, managing, and signing documents. As it was designed with contract management in mind, PandaDoc provides all the bells and whistles that make contract creation seamless, like its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, for example.

The dedicated contract signing software offers customizable templates, contract workflow automation and lifecycle management tools, bulk send capabilities, audit trails, customizable compliance settings, mobile apps, multi-party signing, and more. It even has a built-in payment processing system, making it ideal for sales teams.

PandaDoc also works smoothly with hundreds of third-party tools, including productivity apps, CRMs, ERPs, and cloud storage tools. Its API access also provides additional customization options, making PandaDoc’s overall integration capabilities pretty robust.

4. Preview – best eSign app for occasionally signing documents on Mac computers

Best for:	Mac users who need a simple eSign tool for low document volumes
Free trial:	No
Starting price:	Free
Top features:	Built-in app, offline signing, integration with the Apple ecosystem

If you’re a Mac user, you’ll love Preview. With this built-in app, you don’t have to install any additional software or create new accounts to sign documents. Simply turn on your Mac, launch Preview, and enjoy its simple yet sufficient document-signing capabilities.

Since Preview is a native Mac app, it seamlessly integrates with the entire Apple ecosystem, including Finder and Mail. It even works offline, which is one of its main advantages over the competition, most of which offer web-based tools.

However, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine with Preview. While it’s great for individuals, it lacks the advanced features of dedicated eSign software. You won’t find automations, audit trails, or compliance features, which makes it less than ideal for teams and businesses in certain industries.

5. Acrobat Sign – best for creative teams already using Adobe products

Best for:	Users and companies who are already in the Adobe ecosystem
Free trial:	Yes – 14 days
Starting price:	$14.99/month; $12.99 for individuals
Top features:	Seamless Adobe software suite integration, cloud-based signing and storage

While Windows doesn’t have a built-in eSign app like Mac does, you’ve likely used Acrobat Reader, a free electronic signature app for Windows. Well, Acrobat Sign is essentially its big brother, and it takes Acrobat Reader’s eSignature capabilities to another level.

This well-established and robust document-signing software features cloud-based signing, bulk sending and automation, custom branding and templates, audit trails, advanced encryption, and built-in compliance tools. It even provides an AI Assistant and AI-powered form-filling for just $4.99/month more.

Besides offering a wide range of features, Acrobat Sign seamlessly integrates with the entire Adobe software suite. It also offers integrations with Microsoft and Google apps, popular CRM platforms, CLM software, HR and ERP tools, collaboration and productivity apps, and more.

6. Zoho Sign – best eSignature service in terms of affordability

Best for:	Budget-conscious users and startups
Free trial:	Yes – 14 days
Starting price:	Free for individuals ($12/month per user for teams)
Top features:	Mobile-friendly signing, integrations with cloud storage tools, free plan

Part of a well-known and powerful Zoho software suite, Zoho Sign is a comprehensive digital signature solution for smaller companies, growing businesses, and solopreneurs. The focus is undoubtedly on the latter here, as Zoho offers an entirely free plan for individuals.

Unlike Mac-exclusive Preview, Zoho’s free eSign app doesn’t come at the cost of audit trails or workflow automation. It delivers all the essentials for effortless document signing, like desktop and mobile apps and integrations with cloud storage tools, but with a limited number of documents per month.

Zoho’s paid plans – Standard, Professional, and Enterprise – build upon the free plan’s capabilities. They increase the number of documents per month, add role-based access, provide advanced Zoho app integrations, and introduce compliance features. Even workflow automations are present; however, they’re not as robust as those of higher-end eSign tools.

How we chose the best eSignature services

To ensure our eSignature service recommendations are unbiased, Cybernews researchers and I spent days evaluating each app we came across. The final list of the best eSignature solutions is the product of our consideration of the following aspects:

• User feedback (20%). Our journey began on well-known review platforms like Trustpilot, Capterra, and G2, as well as forums like Reddit and Quora. The team and I collected and analyzed thousands of reviews from real users, who’ve left valuable insights into each tool’s ease of use, quality of customer support, and technical issues.
• Features (35%). Not all eSign apps are built the same or offer the same level of functionality. With this in mind, I looked into each tool’s most essential features, like encryption standards, mobile compatibility, audit trails, compliance tools, and bulk document signing capabilities. I also took into account advanced features like automation and templates.
• Pricing (25%). The price of a digital eSignature service is, in most cases, the deciding factor in whether the tool will be chosen. For individuals, I looked into free and starter plans. Conversely, I assessed business-tier subscriptions by their features, scalability, affordability, and potential limitations.
• Usability (20%). The final aspect of our evaluation involved the real-world performance of each eSignature tool. In this regard, the team and I explored the intuitiveness of the tool’s interface, the smoothness of the entire signing process, and how easy it was to integrate the app with other business tools.

What is an electronic signature?

An electronic signature, or eSignature for short, is essentially a digital version of a conventional handwritten signature. It provides a quick and easy way to digitally sign documents by typing in your name, drawing it with a mouse or a stylus, or clicking the consent button.

Unlike traditional handwritten signatures, electronic ones don’t require a pen and paper. They eliminate the need to print out documents, sign them in your own handwriting, and scan the signed documents before you can send them back. As such, eSignatures significantly speed up the process of electronic contract signing.

Yet, they function just like conventional signatures, allowing two or more involved parties to agree with or approve a document. This makes them indispensable for remote work, paperless transactions, and global business operations.

In the US, the UETA of 1999 and the ESIGN Act of 2000 acknowledge that electronic signatures provide the same legal commitment as handwritten ones. That is if they meet certain criteria. They’re legally binding only if they show the signer’s intent to agree to the document’s terms.

Many other countries also recognize electronic signatures as completely legal and fully binding. For example, the EU’s equivalent of the ESIGN Act is the 2014 eIDAS Regulation, which recognizes eSignatures as valid if they meet authentication and consent requirements.

However, it’s important to note that not all electronic signatures are created equal. The most basic ones certainly provide convenience, but they’re not entirely secure – and that’s precisely where digital signatures come in.

Digital signature vs electronic signature

The terms digital signature and electronic signature are often used interchangeably. However, while both are forms of online document signing, they’re not the same thing.

On the one hand, you have electronic signatures, which include all computer-made signatures. They’re basically your typed name or mouse-drawn signature – even ticking the “I agree” box on a contract counts as one. While eSignatures are still completely legal and binding, they’re relatively easy to forge, which makes them less secure.

Digital signatures, on the other hand, are electronic signatures that use cryptographic encryption to secure signed documents. When you digitally sign documents, you prevent any type of tampering, as all edits made after signing make the signature invalid.

That’s because a digital signature application links your signature to your identity. The app records key details, like your email address or the time you signed, adding a layer of security. This makes digital signature services indispensable for important and sensitive documents.

Let’s use the Mac-exclusive Preview as an example. With this free eSign app, you can simply insert your name, save the PDF file, and send it to whomever you need to. This way, you get a document with an electronic signature, which is still legally binding.

However, if you were to use Docusign or even Acrobat Sign, for example, you’d be creating a digital signature. These apps are known as digital signature solutions, and they encrypt your signature, provide tamper-proof protection, and leave a trail in case of a potential audit.

At the end of the day, it’s best to remember that while all digital signatures are electronic, not all electronic signatures are digital. Thus, if you’re looking for a secure app to sign documents, digital signature software is the way to go for both regulatory compliance and fraud protection.

What makes the best electronic signature app

A good eSign app is more than just a tool for adding electronic (or digital) signatures to your documents. It’s a piece of software that meets specific criteria. For me, and for many others who use these apps on a daily basis, that includes the following:

• Security and compliance. Many industries, like legal, financial, or healthcare, work with highly sensitive documents. Thus, an app handling these documents must do well in the security department and offer encryption and password protection features. Moreover, such an app must comply with all the necessary regulations and provide audit trails.
• Ease of use. An excellent contract signing app does more than just sign documents. It makes the entire process of online form signing effortless. It’s an app with an intuitive user interface that streamlines all your workflows, from uploading documents to collecting signatures and exporting the signed items.
• Integrations. An eSignature software is seldom the only tool a business uses. In fact, most companies rely on CRM platforms, PMS tools, payroll software, collaboration apps, and various other business solutions. Thus, to be genuinely helpful and improve efficiency, an eSign app should integrate with the business’s existing tools.
• Scalability. An app focusing on electronic signatures for small businesses probably won’t fit a large enterprise well. However, top-tier contract-signing software should still be able to scale with your company’s rising demands. As such, it should be able to go between handling a few and signing thousands of contracts effortlessly.

How to select the most suitable eSignature service for your needs

Even with all the bells and whistles of the best eSignature software, a document-signing app doesn’t necessarily make a good fit for your company. After all, choosing the right eSignature service requires careful consideration of your specific business needs.

That being said, the following tips can help you narrow down your options:

• Consider your budget. While individuals could do a great job with a free electronic signature app for Windows or Mac, companies will most likely need a professional digital signature solution. As these come at a cost, considering your budget and how often you’ll use the app is a great place to start.
• Evaluate your integration needs. For an eSign app to be a solid choice for your organization, it should integrate with your current software stack. Whether you use Workday, Salesforce, or Microsoft 365, you’ll need to evaluate your business tools and choose an eSignature service that integrates with these apps.
• Look for customization options. Companies that handle high volumes of repetitive documents could certainly benefit from a tool that provides workflow customization options. The same goes for businesses that care deeply about brand consistency, where platforms that let you do custom templates, colors, and logos certainly get a plus.
• Ensure compliance. For organizations in finance, healthcare, and legal service industries, adherence to strict regulations is a must. Thus, eSignature apps with advanced compliance features are a clear choice, as they help ensure that your documents hold legal weight and protect sensitive information.
• Compare plans. The size of your team and the features you require are pivotal, and you’ll need to find eSign app plans that match these needs. For example, standard plans may fit small businesses, but enterprises will likely require multi-user management, audit trails, and role-based permissions, which are only available in more expensive plans.

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Other business tools you might be interested in:

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Final words on the best eSignature services

While our evaluation points to Docusign being the best eSignature solution you can get today, things aren’t as simple as that. For example, a Mac user looking for a free signature app could get away with Preview. Conversely, SignNow will likely be the top choice if you’re looking for the best eSignature software for small businesses.

Ultimately, the answer to “What is the best eSignature software?” depends on your needs. Thus, to find the best electronic signature app, you’ll need to carefully consider your budget, how frequently you’ll use the service, and the tool’s integration capabilities, customization options, and compliance features.

Once you’ve figured these aspects out, selecting an app to sign documents from our top picks should be easy. And you can rest assured you’re getting the best eSign software as our list only includes the best options vetted by the Cybernews research team and myself.

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