The best Adobe Sign alternatives make it simple and easy to add signatures to digital documents without an Adobe subscription.
Adobe Sign is one of the best eSign software tools on the market. It’s compliant with many industry standards and regulations, including GDPR. It also works within third-party office software like Microsoft Word, Teams, and Salesforce for more efficient workflows. And it does it all in a sleek interface that’s fairly straightforward to navigate, once you’re familiar with the program.
However, individuals and small businesses may particularly view Adobe subscriptions as expensive. And although you’ll often find eSign software type tools built into some of the best PDF editors - for example, Adobe Sign includes Adobe Acrobat as part of the package, they may not have enough additional signing options you need.
When you need dedicated e-signature software, you’ll find the very best Adobe Sign alternatives more than capable of delivering security, compliance, and efficiency - without signing up for a Creative Cloud subscription.
We’ve tested a range of alternatives to Adobe Sign to match you with the right program for your business and budget.
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The best Adobe Sign alternatives of 2023 in full:
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Dropbox Sign, formerly HelloSign, offers one of the best Adobe Sign alternatives thanks to an effortless user experience for enabling legally valid digital signatures. This is e-signature software that’s simple to use while packing plenty of powerful tools.
Unlike some Adobe Sign alternatives, even DropboxSign’s single user package includes unlimited signature requests. Other HelloSign features include reusable templates for recurring documents, a time-stamped audit trail, and customizable input fields including text, checkboxes, and dates.
Integrations are numerous - including Microsoft Word, Zoom, Slack, and Salesforce - which compares favorably with Adobe Sign. Dropbox Sign also features strong cloud storage support, which is essential for securely storing documents.
For individual users, the free tier offers three signatures a month, mobile app support, and few other bells and whistles. Two monthly/annual subscriptions, Essentials and Standard, add additional features like templates and integrations with third-party apps and cloud storage. Custom packages are also available for high-volume users.
If you’re a Dropbox user, you get three free eSignatures as part of any Dropbox cloud storage plan.
DocuSign is one of the most popular e-signature tools out there - it’s been around since 2003, building a reputation for efficient, compliant, compatible software.
The Adobe Sign alternative embraces a cross-platform approach. Most common browsers are supported, alongside Windows, iOS, and Android apps.
You need to add the email addresses of the required signees, place the signature tag in the document where it should be signed, and click Send in the top right corner. Recipients can select a pre-drawn signature, or, on mobile, draw their own. Once digitally signed, all parties are notified and the document is stored for all to see. It all feels so much better for streamlining document signing and actually getting the forms back on time and correctly completed.
Elsewhere, you’ll find a mass of cloud-based integrations - and not just from big players like Microsoft, Google, Oracle, and SAP. If you’re looking to speed up processes, this is a library worth exploring.
DocuSign offers three monthly/annual subscription plans, largely based on the number of users and signatures requested. All include audit trails, notifications, and integrations. However, there’s no free version of DocuSIgn - only a 30-day trial (no credit card required).
If you’re a low-volume user looking for the best Adobe Sign alternatives might feel a bit daunting - after all, most eSign solutions are targeted at high-volume power users.
Secured Signing offers a gentler entry into the market. A single user on the free plan can send three documents a month. And while there are a few extra restrictions, as expected for any free tier, it’s still fairly feature-rich and should serve most basic, common needs.
Upgrading will unlock some additional features, including multiple users, SMS verification, live video signing, and even a notary service. Integrations from the key players, like Google, Dropbox, and Microsoft are available.
But the real treat for those new to the market is the easy-to-use pricing calculator. This tool sees you select how many users need to send signatures and how many documents will be signed each year. The platform then generates the plan that meets that criteria.
You can choose a monthly/annual subscription, or opt to pay as you go - which lets a single user send ten documents. This offers a good amount of flexibility for businesses that aren’t regularly requesting signatures.
OneSpan Sign delivers one of the best alternatives to Adobe Sign for those looking to embed the e-signature software API into websites and apps.
However, the service is also available as a standard eSign tool that makes it very straightforward to send, request, store, and upload digitally signed documents. Key features include audit trails, unlimited templates, and authentication tools. There are also e-signature apps for Android and iOS.
Beyond APIs, integrations with popular platforms like Salesforce and Workday abound across OneSpan Sign, though not as broadly as DocuSign.
OneSpan Sign is available as two plans. The Professional Plan is tailored to users requiring an on-demand, ad-hoc solution, while the Enterprise option is designed for businesses with regular and high-volume requirements.
Both plans provide anti-phishing tools, a guarantee of 99.99% uptime, and international, multi-language support. And with top clients including BMW, Wells Fargo, and U.S. Bank, the software comes highly endorsed.
Automation is one of the best ways to boost productivity and efficiency - and it’s an area where PandaDoc excels, with its automated document creation tools.
PandaDoc allows you to create bespoke documents using pre-designed templates or the drag-and-drop editor. You’ll find plenty of templates and support for third-party integrations on offer. There’s also online collaboration tools that let you and your colleagues assign roles, add comments, and approve documents. Documents are HIPAA compliant and secure, thanks to 256-bit encryption.
Once created, you can then design approval workflows to track and monitor a document’s progress, gaining engagement rate insights and analytics.
Paid subscriptions include 24/7 support, audit trail and document analytics, custom templates, and a gateway to collect payment on signature. However, if your needs are more basic, PandaDoc's free option may well suffice. Especially as it includes unlimited signatures and document uploads, activity tracking, and use of the mobile app.
Keep your business on track with the best productivity tools and the best online collaboration tools.
How to choose the best Adobe Sign alternatives
When deciding which Adobe Sign alternative is best for you, first identify what you don’t like with Adobe’s eSign software. It may be that you’re trying to avoid the mandatory Creative Cloud subscription, or you dislike the Adobe interface, which can sometimes feel overwhelming to new users. Alternatively, you may not be an e-signature power-user, and just need a tool on an ad-hoc basis.
Now you know what you don’t want, you can focus on what you do want. After deciding on your budget, determine how many users will be sending out documents for signing - most base pricing plans allow for an individual user, while more expensive plans let you add more. Alongside this, work out how many documents are likely to be sent each month. Again, base plans tend to limit how many you can send, although there are exceptions to this.
Integrations are a big part of any Adobe Sign alternative (and Adobe Sign itself). So, make sure you know which platforms and services are used in your operation, and how combined they can speed up workflows. This is especially important if you’re outside the Microsoft and Google ecosystem.
Finally, select the best Adobe Sign alternative for you based on what best fits your workflow. All businesses work differently, and good alternatives to Adobe Sign should be flexible enough to accommodate most practices and processes.
What is Adobe Sign?
Adobe Sign is an e-signature software tool that lets users sign documents online, create and send documents to be signed, and manage signed documents. The eSign software is available as part of an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, which also includes the company’s Acrobat PDF editor. Depending on your chosen plan, you can use Acrobat Standard or Acrobat Pro.
Who uses eSign software?
Anyone who needs digitally signed documents can use eSign software. Commonly used in HR, sales, legal, insurance, education, health, and real estate, it has uses across SMB and enterprise operations - particularly with the surge in hybrid and remote working. These tools help increase productivity, saving businesses thousands of hours a year, while delivering legal and compliant eSign solutions.
Why do I need an alternative to Adobe Sign?
Adobe Sign is one of the most popular e-signature software programs on the market. Companies already using the Adobe Acrobat PDF editor will reap the benefits of the tool, but if you use a different tool, including some of the best free PDF editors, there’s no harm in seeking an Adobe Sign alternative. It’s also worth seeking substitute platforms if your business requires specific integrations to improve efficiencies. Similarly, if you’re a low-volume or casual user of e-signatures, you may want more flexibility over payment options.
How we test the best Adobe Sign alternatives
When testing the best alternatives to Adobe Sign, we compare rival platforms to Adobe’s top e-signature software across a broad range of factors. This includes user interface & experience, features and tools, integrations, pricing plans, and value for money.
One of the reasons for the popularity of Adobe Sign is its relatively low learning curve. As such, we’re looking for UI and UX that’s similarly approachable for a wide user-base and use-cases. The major benefit of eSign software is faster workflows, and a good interface is integral to this.
As part of this, the best Adobe Sign alternatives should help simplify and streamline workflows and digital signing processes - and they should be easily accessible to users. Even the most advanced alternative to Adobe Sign needs documentation to ensure those with the appropriate skill-level can use the tool effectively.
We also ensure that documents are secure and compliant across a number of standards. Delivering legally valid signatures and audit trails, for example, is essential for this - for businesses, the cost of ignoring regulations and compliance standards is just too great.
