Collecting signatures online for legally binding documents and agreements is not just convenient, it’s also efficient. It is not always feasible or even convenient to have people walk in to sign your documents.

Realistically, nobody wants to travel long distances to sign a document when they can sign it right where they are.

Try This Out: Signature Verification Form Template

So, here’s a list of the 12 best online signature collection tools for 2022:

1. PandaDoc

Price: $0- 49 per month

PandaDoc is a document creation and e-signature tool that allows you to collect as many e-signatures as you want with any of its plans. It also notifies you of activities on your documents, such as when someone views or signs them.

The PandaDoc activity feature is fantastic if you run a fast-paced organization and need to approve contracts and move to the next workflow stage pretty quickly. You can also use it to securely collect payments, create and edit documents, and collect e-signatures in addition to collecting e-signatures.

PandaDoc also has an enterprise plan with advanced features such as team workspace, document analytics, 24 hours support, and more.

2. Formplus

Formplus digital signature feature allows you to securely collect signatures from your clients online. It’s also a flexible e-signature software that’s accessible on all devices. 

Read: Complete Guide to E-signatures in Documents & Forms

Formplus can also collect signatures offline, allowing you to collect signatures even if your client has a poor internet connection. When the connection improves, it will auto-sync to the cloud and you will be notified of the submitted response.

Here’s how to collect e-signatures on formplus:

• First, visit the homepage to sign in or register.
• Next, click on create form.

• After that click on advanced options, then drag and drop “signature” on the form builder.
• Following that include other fields you’d like to have on the document then save.
• Next, customize your document by changing the layout, theme, or font of your document.
• After that, click on Next to customize the settings on your document.

• Finally, share your document. You can share via email, social media, QR Codes, and more.

Formplus also allows you to track your agreement responses, so you know when your document has been opened and signed. 

You can also use the Formplus PDF builder to create contracts, making the entire agreement process easier and faster by doing everything on a single platform.

3. ESignatures.Io

Pricing: $0.49/contract

ESignatures. Io is a simple and effective tool for sending contracts or other agreements for signature. One of the most important features of this tool is that it is highly optimized for mobile; you can even send documents for signing via SMS.

It also does not have a monthly or yearly plan, so you pay per contract; you only pay when a document needs to be signed. The catch is that if your company requires a large number of people to sign documents, the small fee may no longer be so appealing. 

Use This: Free Electronic Signature Form Template

4. pdfFiller

Pricing: $8-$40 monthly

pdfFiller is a document creation and editing software. Of course, you can also share documents within your team and send them to clients for signature collection.

pdfFiller also works with cloud storage platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox, allowing you to export documents directly from its platform to your cloud storage and vice versa.

In addition to collecting signatures and generating documents, you can use this tool to convert documents from one format to another. For example,  you can convert PDF files to other formats such as Word, PowerPoint, JPG, and Excel.

It also allows you to scan documents and convert them to images or PDFs.

Explore: Build Online Forms with E-Signature

Another advantage of using pdfFiller is its private feedback feature that allows you to receive feedback from your clients. You can use this feedback to tailor contracts to your client’s preferences.

5. Foxit eSign

Pricing: starts at $99.9

Foxit eSign is a popular and secure software for sharing and signing legally binding documents. When you send a document for signature collection with Foxit esign, it notifies you of any activity on the document, such as when the receiver opens it, signs it, or submits it.

You can also send reminders to let the client know when you need the document.

Like most online signature tools, you can upload signed documents and templates to your preferred cloud storage. Foxit esign also has a document library where you can organize signed documents in folders.

Also, the document protection on Foxit esign protects your clients’ privacy by employing security measures such as 2FA and User Intuitive Visibility control, which allows you to control who has access to a document.

6. eFileCabinet

eFileCabinet is a document management tool with several features that help medium to large businesses meticulously organize their files.  You can use efileCabinet to create workflows for your team;  these workflows make tracking documents effortless.

It also intelligently sorts documents based on client names, file type, industry, and so on. You can also use eFileCabinet to request files from your team and clients.

Also, when you use this tool to send agreements, it protects them with OTP and KBA, so only the person you intend the document for can sign it.

Learn: How to Create Online Contracts using Electronic Signatures

7. Preview For MacOS

Every Mac user has Preview. Apple’s Preview isn’t a full-fledged tool, but it’s still quite useful.

You can use Preview to edit PDF files including adding signature fields and inserting your signature.

Preview allows you to edit several file formats such as PNG, TIFF, JPG, BMF, GIF, and PDF. You can also use it to convert between any of the formats listed.

It allows you to change the colors, brightness, and texture of images by using shadows, highlights, and other effects. You can even select the specific area of the image to modify.

8. HelloSign

Pricing: starts at $15 monthly

HelloSign is Dropbox’s e-signature tool. It integrates easily with workplace collaboration and productivity tools like Slack, SharePoint, HubSpot, and even Google Drive.

Yes, HelloSign is owned by Dropbox, Google Drive’s main competitor, but it still integrates effortlessly with Google Drive.

Hellosign has some amazing features that will make your documents look more sophisticated and professional, such as white labels, watermarks, and more. 

Another advantage of using Hellosign is that all its plans include unlimited signatures. It also lets you save and reuse signatures whenever you need them.

9. Adobe Acrobat Pro / Adobe Sign

Pricing: Starts at $12.99 per month

The AdobeSign product comes with Adobe Acrobat Pro, the PDF editor. It’s mobile-friendly and flexible, so you can use it on all of your devices, including tablets, PCs, and smartphones.

When you need a file signed, simply upload it on HelloSign, and enter the recipient’s email address. Like most e-signature tools, it helps you track and manage your files and notifies you when someone opens and signs your document.

Another benefit of using AdobeSign is that it provides agreement templates, which make it simple to draft legal documents;  you don’t have to go through the stress of writing them from scratch.

HelloSign also automatically saves each file you upload and allows you to organize these files into folders.

10. DocuSign

Pricing: From $10 monthly

DocuSign as the name implies, allows you to send and collect signatures online. It also protects your documents with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that no third party has access to them.

You can use DocuSign to create document flows; processes the agreement goes through before it is finalized. You can also specify when you expect the contract to be signed using the document flow feature.

Also, you can add reminders to these workflows so that they notify you or the client when an agreement needs to be completed.

DocuSign syncs across all of your devices (PC, smartphone, and tablets), allowing you to sign documents conveniently. You can also use DocuSign to edit PDFs by adding custom fields such as dates, addresses, signatures, and so on.

11. SignNow

Pricing: From $8 monthly

SignNow is a versatile and user-friendly online signature collection tool. Its document generation feature also lets you create contracts in widely used legal formats that are tailored to your industry.

Another plus to using SignNow is that you can use it to collect payments as well as automate workflows for documents.

SignNow also allows you to send agreements in bulk and track their progress. It notifies you when recipients sign an agreement or decline it.

12. OneSpan

OneSpan Sign offers two types of plans: user and API plans. With the user plan, you can collect e-signatures and access various contract templates that fit your industry.

One of OneSpan’s most impressive features is video signing, which allows you and clients to finalize agreements during virtual meetings. It also protects your agreements with email authentication and passwords.

The bulk send feature in Onespan allows you to send a single document to multiple recipients at the same time. You can also use OneSpan to create and edit custom fields in documents.

The API plan includes everything in the user plan plus a few extras. The API plan includes enhanced security, document analytics, white-labeling, and the ability to customize documents to reflect your brand.

It also includes workflows to help you manage agreement progress and track your team’s effort.

FAQs

What Is E-signature Software?

An e-signature or electronic signature software allows its users to create legally binding e-signatures for files, contracts, and, of course, online forms.

E-signatures are a quick, secure, and most importantly cost-effective method of collecting online signatures. It is also environmentally friendly because it reduces the amount of paper that would have to be printed if people had to sign physically.

How Does E-signature Software Work?

E-signature software allows you to collect legally binding signatures online. They are cloud-based applications that enable document recipients to sign documents on their devices.

The majority of this software allows you to track the progress of your agreement, including when it is sent, signed and submitted. Some e-signature software is only available for PCs, while others are available for all devices.

Also, almost all e-signature software includes well-documented and simple-to-implement APIs that you can integrate with your workspace tools such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Drive, and others.

Are E-signatures Legally Binding?

E-signatures are legally binding. Yes, they may appear less formal, but they are a strong form of consent.

However, unlike traditional signatures, they must meet certain criteria before being accepted. Digital signatures always include a form of verification for recipients to go through e.g email sign-in, OTP, etc before they can access a document and sign. Traditional signature requirements are usually less rigid because you can see the person in real life.

Some countries have slightly different requirements for e-signature validity. The differences between these laws are minor; the majority of the distinctions are due to the specificity of the requirement.

What Is the Difference Between an Electronic Signature and Digital Signature?

Most people use the terms e-signature and digital signature interchangeably, but they are not synonymous. Yes, they are very similar, but there is a minor difference.

Before recipients can access and sign a document, digital signatures always include some form of verification, such as an email sign-in or an OTP. While this measure of security is not always necessary, it is always a good idea to protect documents when dealing with sensitive contracts.

E-signatures, on the other hand, do not require this level of security. When you send a document to a known email address, there’s a good chance that only the intended recipient will see it.

As a result, using digital signatures helps to protect agreements by increasing the security of your documents.

So, if you’re not dealing with sensitive documents and are confident that only the intended recipient can access the file you sent, an e-signature is good enough.

What to Look for When Buying E-Signature Software

E-signatures simplify business paperwork and eliminate the tedious task of monitoring the status of your agreement. So, you need to choose a software that will help you close agreements securely and at a price that doesn’t break the bank.

Here are a couple of things to look out for when selecting an e-signature software: 

Affordability

The whole point of using e-signatures is to reduce the cost of spending documents back and forth. So it’s only logical that the software cut down the cost of signing documents.

Security

You’re probably sending documents to people to sign because you need their written consent. So it’s only logical to protect the document from being hacked or viewed by third parties.

Ease of Use

Technology should make processes run more smoothly, so having a difficult-to-use e-signature software defeats the purpose. Always choose an e-signature software that simplifies the signature collection process.

Customization

Having an e-signature software that’s easy to customize to fit your industry is important. It helps you build a consistent brand image for your agreements which boosts your recipients’ trust when dealing with you.

Flexibility

Most e-signature tools are cloud-based, so they sync across devices. But it’s important to have an e-signature tool that’s accessible on all devices including smartphones.

Conclusion

E-signature software simplifies agreement processes and allows you to easily monitor its status. They are also far less expensive and faster than traditional signatures.

Collecting signatures online also reduces the grunt work of reminding clients to sign documents by simply sending them notifications.

Finally, being able to create contracts and send them to recipients for signature with the same tool is more effective than using different software.  So, click here to effortlessly create contracts and collect signatures online.